The article “Eroding Indigenous Sovereignty” by Ottavia Spaggiari, published in The Margin on July 30, 2024, explores how climate change exacerbates the challenges faced by non-federally recognized Indigenous Tribes in the United States, particularly in preserving their cultural heritage and achieving federal recognition.
The narrative centers on the United Houma Nation in southern Louisiana, which, despite having over 19,000 members, lacks federal recognition. This status denies them access to critical resources and support, especially during climate-induced disasters. In August 2021, as Hurricane Ida approached, Tribal archivist Melanie Liner faced the daunting task of protecting the Tribe’s invaluable records housed in the Old Settlement School, a building already in disrepair. These records, vital for the tribe’s identity and federal recognition efforts, were at risk of destruction due to the storm.
The article highlights the bureaucratic hurdles non-recognized Tribes face. To gain federal recognition, Tribes must provide extensive historical documentation proving continuous existence and community, a process criticized for favoring written records over oral histories. This requirement is particularly burdensome for tribes like the Houma, whose histories are primarily oral and whose records have been threatened by environmental disasters.
Climate change further complicates these challenges. The Houma’s coastal lands are increasingly vulnerable to hurricanes and rising sea levels, leading to displacement and loss of cultural sites. Such environmental threats not only endanger physical records but also disrupt the community’s continuity, making it harder to meet federal recognition criteria.
Despite these obstacles, the Houma have made strides in preserving their heritage. After Hurricane Ida, Liner and her colleague Kathleen Bergeron salvaged and relocated over 200 boxes of records, ensuring the Tribe’s history remained intact. Their efforts underscore the resilience of Indigenous communities in the face of systemic challenges.
The article also touches on other Tribes facing similar issues, such as the Chinook Indian Nation in Oregon and the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation in California. Both Tribes struggle with federal recognition and the preservation of their cultural heritage amid environmental threats. These cases illustrate a broader pattern of Indigenous communities grappling with the dual challenges of climate change and bureaucratic barriers to recognition and support.
