Rochelle Morgan-Verdin: Houma Nation's Guardian of Traditional Wisdom
Cultivating Climate Resilience Essentials
Indigenous knowledge and practices serve as a compass guiding resilience and healing in the face of climate challenges. Rooted in relational and aspirational values, these teachings emphasize adaptability, community solidarity, and deep connections with the Earth. Most importantly, they remind us that resilience is built through mutual aid and the courage to evolve with changing times.
For the Houma, our connection to the Gulf Coast of Louisiana and strong bonds within our community have sustained our culture, health, and identity for generations. Despite enduring countless physical and metaphorical storms, our community persists due to this profound connection to the land. Having lost much to storms and floods, we do not cling to material possessions; instead, we value our relationships with the Earth, water, and each other.
In "Serviceberry: An Economy of Abundance," Robin Wall Kimmerer (Potawatomi) writes that "all flourishing is mutual," highlighting that the wellbeing of one is inseparable from the wellbeing of others. This truth resonates in our way of life: when disaster strikes, we help one another, share daily catches with neighbors, and rebuild together, all while sharing humor along the way. For us, flourishing doesn't bloom in isolation; it thrives within the bonds of community and shared abundance.
Clayton Verdin, Rochelle's uncle, fishing for shrimp in the marsh.
Obstacles to Self-Determination
Today, the Houma confront an unprecedented challenge: the land that has sustained us for generations is disappearing before our eyes due to rising sea levels and land subsidence. What remains above water has been drastically altered by saltwater intrusion, transforming the plant and animal life "in the marsh." As a people deeply connected to the land and water, these changes have had a profound impact on our community.
In 2012, then-Chief of the Houma Nation Thomas Dardar expressed his concern to the United States Senate: "Our lands are disappearing, and in that land lies the history of our elders, the bones of our ancestors, and the cultural fabric that shapes our nation." Lora Ann Chaisson, the current Chief, recounted a visit to her father's 10 acres and said, "Where once we stopped, there is no land. Where our family once lived, there is not even a trace of land."
As the land vanishes, so does the foundation for much of our knowledge, making it increasingly difficult to pass on essential skills, practices, and cultural values tied to the land. Climate-induced displacement results in language loss, cultural erosion, and a break in the connection with ancestral lands, threatening the intergenerational transmission of this knowledge. This tragedy affects more than just the Houma; it affects humanity as a whole.
If the United Houma Nation had been granted federal recognition, access to climate mitigation funds could have alleviated some of the devastation we face today. However, as a recognized state tribe, this legal segregation deepens the inequalities we face, restricting our ability to assert our rights and protect our cultural heritage. Additionally, as a U.S. tribal nation, the Houma are not eligible to receive support through the DAMAGES Fund, a global initiative designed to aid vulnerable nations facing climate impacts.
This situation demonstrates how deep-rooted economic, social, political, and systematic barriers limit the ability of Indigenous communities to respond adaptively to a rapidly changing environment and protect their knowledge, which contains vital solutions for emerging challenges.
A community service project to help a Houma citizen with hurricane repairs.
Free, Prior, and Informed Consent of Indigenous Peoples
As climate challenges intensify, the role of Indigenous traditional knowledge in safeguarding cultural heritage and the environment becomes increasingly essential. Fortunately, there is growing recognition among the dominant society of the validity of Indigenous knowledge, and more attention is being paid to its potential to address climate challenges. While the growing interest in traditional knowledge is welcome, it's important to acknowledge that it arises after centuries of systematic efforts to discredit, suppress, and erase Indigenous knowledge systems.
However, this growing interest in Indigenous knowledge is accompanied by a troubling assumption: that this knowledge is simply a resource to be extracted and used, rather than a living, evolving relationship tied to culture, spirituality, and the environment. As my mentor and friend, former tribal president Frank Ettawageshik (Odawa Band of the Little Traverse Bay) often reminds me, Indigenous knowledge is not just information—it's a way of knowing. It's a holistic, interconnected, and evolving understanding, deeply rooted in the context of community, environment, and spirituality. Western science, on the other hand, often treats knowledge as something generated by individual minds, isolated facts or inventions that can be patented or commercialized, separating it from the broader, universal consciousness that connects all life. This fragmented approach introduces a temporal dimension, confining knowledge to a static, individualistic form that limits adaptability and depth, preventing it from evolving as a dynamic, collective understanding.
This misconception usually goes hand in hand with a deeply concerning assumption: that Indigenous peoples are morally obligated to share these knowledge or that this knowledge should be considered public property. These assumptions overlook the fundamental principles of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), which treat Indigenous knowledge as raw data or merchandise that must be harvested and detached from its cultural, spiritual, and environmental context. This mindset reflects the same colonial mentality that sought to extract resources from Indigenous peoples without regard for their rights, continuing the legacy of exploitation and disrespect for their sovereignty and dignity.
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples explicitly recognizes the right to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent, and more recently, the World Intellectual Property Organization's Treaty on Genetic Resources and Traditional Knowledge emphasizes the importance of acknowledging the source of origin when patents are based on genetic resources and traditional knowledge linked to them, directly connecting respect for Indigenous rights with global dialogues on intellectual property. Together, these international instruments establish a solid framework for recognizing and protecting Indigenous rights, ensuring that Indigenous knowledge is neither exploited nor misused, even in debates about climate solutions.
Nurturing the Garden of Knowledge
The Houma Nation's ability to effectively manage its land and safeguard its cultural heritage depends on its capacity to fully exercise its inherent right to self-determination. This self-determination is crucial not only for protecting and transmitting knowledge, but also for maintaining the practices that emerge from a deeply rooted worldview centered on a holistic relationship with the land. Practices such as controlled burns, marsh restoration, and traditional fishing have sustained Indigenous nations like ours for generations. When these practices are respected and supported, they offer benefits not only to Indigenous communities, but also to the world, particularly in the context of ongoing climate challenges.
Rather than viewing Western science and Indigenous knowledge as opposing forces or incompatible, or demanding that Indigenous knowledge be "integrated" into Western science, true potential lies in collaboration. Kimmerer offers a compelling vision of this partnership through the metaphor of a "Garden of Knowledge," where Indigenous knowledge and scientific tools grow side by side, much like the traditional practice of planting corn and beans. This collaboration is not about fusing facts or subordinating one knowledge system to another, but about creating a space where both forms of knowledge can nurture each other and, ultimately, thrive together.
Like weaving the threads of our traditional fishing nets Houma, this collaboration intertwines Indigenous knowledge and Western science, enriching our shared capacity to adapt and thrive. Together, they create a world where both systems of knowledge grow together in a relational web of mutual support that reflects the interconnectedness of nature itself.
Rochelle Morgan-Verdin is a proud citizen of the United Houma Nation. She holds a Master's degree in International Law and Human Rights and a Bachelor's degree in Latin American and Caribbean Studies.
Cover photo: Dawn in Dulac, Louisiana marsh.
Selective Use of Enrichment Data:
Utilization of Traditional Ecological Knowledge for Restoration
The Houmaapply their deep understanding of native plants, their roles in coastal ecosystems, and related ecological principles to restoration and conservation efforts[5]. For example, native plants such as Spartina alterniflora and Avicennia germinans are essential for stabilizing soils, enhancing marsh accretion, and protecting against erosion and subsidence[5].
Culturally Informed Environmental Stewardship
The Houma collaborate with scientists, policymakers, and environmental organizations to apply traditional ecological knowledge to modern, evidence-based practices while respecting and reinforcing cultural heritage and priorities[2][5]. This collaboration fosters more effective and sustainable resilience-building strategies[2][5].
Community-Led Climate Adaptation and Healing Initiatives
Indigenous-led organizations like the Lowlander Center support Houma and other Native Gulf Coast communities by blending nature-based solutions with community-driven initiatives, improving local resilience, and protecting cultural heritage[3].
Climate-Smart Agricultural Techniques Rooted in Tradition
Resilience training programs prioritize traditional ecological knowledge alongside climate-smart practices to preserve biodiverse, resilient food systems within Indigenous communities, enhancing food and ecosystem resilience at the grassroots level[1].
In sum, applying Indigenous knowledge in climate adaptation efforts improves the capacity of Indigenous communities like the Houma to adapt, preventing further cultural loss and environmental degradation while protecting cultural heritage and promoting sustainable, resilient communities[1][2][3][5].
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- Education and self-development play a crucial role in the Houma Nation's resilience against climate challenges. By learning from both traditional knowledge and contemporary science, they can adapt more effectively to the changing environment.
- The preservation of environmental-science knowledge in Indigenous communities, like the Houma, is essential for solving global issues, such as climate-change. The Houma's teachings, deeply rooted in their connection with the Earth, offer unique, adaptive solutions that can enrich learning and contribute to humanity's overall wellbeing.
