One year ago I commented about the co-existence of oil and fisheries in my home state of Louisiana. This year I share an article that seems to cut right through to the true status of the recovery. Many times I've driven that stretch along Bayou Lafourche (once for the state high school football championship -- we lost) and to Grand Isle. You can't help but see the signs peddling fresh fish, crab, shrimp and oysters.
If is true that the signs, and fishermen, are disappearing and dolphins are dying by the hundreds ... it is truly a sad day. My only hope is that we are only seeing a short term impact and this area of the Gulf Coast will recover within the next couple of years. It is too painful to think that it won't!
Christina, regarding your blog post on the recovery in New Orleans.
Recovery seems to be one of the key features that make this city, this region as special as it is. Southern Louisiana always seems to be in a state of recovery! But that may be the one thing that brings us all together, not just the present, but the past and the future.
From yellow fever, Betsy, race riots, flooding, Katrina, Gustav, oil spills, loss of coastline, the destruction of the local language and culture from government mandates (French and local Indians) we have always been in recovery.
That recovery brings together our past, present and future by allow us to be in all three at the same time. As we recovered our region we rebuild it to look and act like what our fathers built. We rebuild in their honor, in their tradition, looking forward so that our children, our future can know what we know and in the process we add ourselves. Our labor, our sweat becomes part of the fabric of this history.
Recovery adds another dimension to culture in the area of integration. You mentioned in your blog about the changing faces of the fishermen from southern Louisiana. Think about how hard it must be for an “outsider” to step into an established culture. To fit in is to adopt their ways. But when you come to a region in recovery, your sweat, your labor becomes integrated with what is already here, adding that much more richness to the culture, adding another flavor to the Gumbo.
There is no doubt that we will continue with the need to recover; there will always be another storm be it natural or manmade. Until the next storm comes, we will sing, dance and play with old friends and new, one eye on the party and one eye on the sky.
Posted by: Anthony Landreneau | March 17, 2012 at 12:26 PM
This is a good point, Tony! It is also what I love about the people of Louisiana... they are grounded and work through any challenge.
I do have to add one "recovery" to your list. I also thought about our recovery from Fast Eddie and the rest of the notable politicians in Louisiana's history!
Posted by: Christina | March 17, 2012 at 03:05 PM