Reznet

SPECIAL REPORT: There’s one Katrina story that’s still news to most Americans: the plight of the United Houma Nation of Louisiana. Long after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Houma have struggled to repair their shattered lives and livelihoods.

SPECIAL REPORT: Some Houma are only now restoring their houses or still waiting for assistance. 'We lost everything, so there isn't a thing to rebuild,' one tribal member said. 'I don't think I'll ever get over it.'

SPECIAL REPORT: When the deadly hurricanes of 2005 hit Louisiana, nearly half of the members of the United Houma Nation were displaced up and down the bayou, their homes battered by winds or flooded by avalanches of water. 'Our people suffered a lot, and many people don't know that,' said the principal chief of the Houmas, who are still struggling to recover.

A multimedia look at Houma Nation's history and culture.

SPECIAL REPORT: Long after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Louisiana’s United Houma Nation has struggled to help repair the shattered lives and livelihoods of tribal members.

Brenda Dardar Robichaux opened a building on the edge of her family’s property in Raceland and with help from volunteers and various organizations, turned it into the Houma Relief Center after Katrina and Rita took the homes of more than 8,000 Houmas.

Brenda Dardar Robichaux provides an overview of Houma history and culture. As the tribe continues to recover for the hurricanes, Dardar Robichaux, the Houmas’ principal chief since 1997, says the Houma face further challenges.

Brenda Dardar Robichaux, principal chief of the Houma Nation, converted the ground floor of her home into an office for tribal relief efforts and for months, her yard was filled with visiting volunteers’ tents.

Michael Dardar is a tribal council member representing Houmas who live in Plaquemines Parish, one of the first communities hit when Katrina made landfall. Before the storm, he lived there with his family.

Michael Dardar, a tribal council member representing Houmas who live in Plaquemines Parish, discusses issues surrounding the Houma Indians' pursuit to be federally recognized.