Some days the only people she serves are wayward journalists and well meaning volunteers come down to south Louisiana after the nations worst oil spill. Some days not even the journalists or volunteers come. The locals have long since abandoned her restaurant.
In the early afternoon Lois Salinas, 69, owner and sole worker at Annies Restaurant in Dulac, Louisiana sits alone on her back porch, which overlooks the swelling Grand Caillou Bayou (pronounced KAI-U). Ms. Salinas is a Houma Native American and her people have been fishing, working and living on Grand Caillou Bayou since before the Anglo or French speaking white man arrived. Now Salinas (or as she is known in her community, Ms. Lois) ponders the slow destruction of her culture.
"One thing that makes me sad is that my grandkids and great-grandkids wont have a chance to see this culture... one day its all gonna’ be gone," Ms. Lois laments, staring fatalistically at the full Grand Caillou Bayou.
The dual processes of salt water intrusion into south Louisianas coast line (happening ever since the Mississippi River was dammed in the early 1930s) and the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico have destroyed or disabled much of the coastline and fishing lands of south Louisiana. Both of these developments have given many in south Louisiana a bleak outlook on the future.
Recently oil from BPs Deepwater Horizon leek has been sighted as close as 30 miles from Dulac. Given this proximity much of the area fishing has been closed. The loss of fishing traffic up and down Grand Caillou Bayou has meant a sharp decline in business for Ms. Lois.
Normally at this time of year scores of boats would pass Ms. Lois restaurant on Grand Caillou Bayou going out into the wetlands and coast to fish and shrimp. Ms. Lois explains, "They used to stop and chat with me and order a hamburger or get a drink. Now, since the oil spill, there is very little boat traffic."
While all races and peoples of Dulac are affected by the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Houma Native Americans have been hit especially hard. It has only been since 1967 that the Houma people have been able to attend and complete high school with area Whites and African Americans. Because of this historic lack of education, poverty is endemic throughout much the Houma community. ...