The Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe and other Indigenous communities in Louisiana, USA are struggling to protect their lands as the state’s coastline steadily disappears. Once narrow and lush, waterways like Bayou Pointe au Chien have widened and submerged pastures, threatening homes, cultural sites, and traditional livelihoods such as fishing, shrimping, and farming.
The loss stems from levees blocking sediment from the Mississippi River, saltwater intrusion from canals, land subsidence, and climate-driven sea-level rise. Since the 1930s, Louisiana has lost around 2,000 square miles of land, and projections suggest up to 3,000 more could vanish in the next 50 years.
Tribes are taking action with reef barriers made of recycled oyster shells to slow erosion, protecting culturally significant sites. Since 2014, the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana has recycled over 16 million pounds of shells, helping reduce land loss by half at some locations. Homes are being rebuilt higher and fortified with hurricane-resistant features following storms like Hurricane Ida.
Challenges remain, including limited federal recognition and funding cuts, making grants for solar panels and community centers uncertain. Despite these obstacles, elders like Theresa Dardar emphasize the importance of staying, honoring ancestral lands, and preserving sacred sites.
Through reefs and resilient construction, the tribes aim to protect their communities, encourage younger generations to stay, and safeguard inland regions from encroaching waters. As Dardar put it: “We’re the buffer.”
