07 June 2010. Pointe aux Chenes, Louisiana.<br />
Fading away. The precious wetlands south of Pointe Aux Chenes. Through years of erosion, much of this was once solid ground. Diversion of the mighty Mississippi River diverted sediment from the wetlands and deposited precious land building material deep out at sea.  At present, all these fishing grounds are closed. Members of the Pointe aux Chenes Indians, settlers that can trace their roots beyond 5 generations back to France. French cajun is the language of the elders, but is dying out in the children of today. BP's catastrophic oil spill threatens the tribe's very existance, their way of life and the land on which they live. Not recognised by the federal government, the 680 member tribe struggles for funds in a small community that survives only because of fishing and oil extraction in the Gulf of Mexico.<br />
Photo; Charlie Varley/varleypix.com