House Of Tribes in New Orleans
by: Dominique F. Bachemin

Photos
Devastation
Work
Celebration of Culture

Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans on August 29th, 2005. I am a New Orleans native along with other members of The House Of Tribes' Family, Clarence Williams, Joseph Harris III, Melanie Maria Goodreaux, Michelle Morrison and Wynton Marsalis. Three days passed before I finally heard from my parents, sister and brother to know that they were all okay. Most of my family relocated to Texas including my sister, Nicole Bachemin and her family, My auntie Olanda Shannon and many of my cousins. My mother and stepfather moved to Alabama and the rest of my family is scattered throughout the south. But, my father stayed in New Orleans.

My husband and I decided in January that we would go to New Orleans and aid in the recovery. My husband and I are both electricians. Once we got there the devastation brought tears to our eyes. The Lower Ninth Ward was the worse. The Lower Ninth Ward is a geographical distinction, it has nothing to do with the social status of the people who live there. The media plays The Lower Ninth Ward up as a poor neighborhood, this is not true. The Lower Ninth Ward like the rest of New Orleans is a neighborhood where people, work, play and live.

I was born in the Seventh Ward but I was raised in The East which is part of the Upper Ninth Ward. While we were in New Orleans we did a lot of work in The East and in the Seventh Ward. The East was also really devastated by the flood but still not as bad as The Lower Ninth Ward.

The spirit of rebuilding was very strong. The people had not lost their spirit. There were people from all over the world in New Orleans to aid in the effort to rebuild. It was certainly a lesson for me in the love that people have for each other no matter what color. Some people could not even speak English but they were there with hammers and nails, ready to take care of business.

I met many people who were themselves, homeless but they were helping others to rebuild. Also, in the midst of all the devastation the culture prevailed. There was still music, every other Sunday, St. Augustine Church in the Treme neighborhood had a drum circle featuring a group of Black Indians and a local band. There were Second Lines in the 7th and 9th Wards and Uptown. There was music everywhere and people gathered. Saint Augustine High School in the 7th Ward still had it's annual Crawfish Boil and it was crowded with families asking the famous question, "Are you coming back?". Eight times out of 10 the response was..."I'm already back!"