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The United Houma Nation is excited to announce their feature in the new documentary, Louisiana, Un Heritage Catholique Francais, offering a unique viewpoint into the local tribe’s history with the Catholic church.
The United Houma Nation is featured in the film alongside other representatives from French-speaking communities in southern Louisiana. The hour-long documentary, filmed and directed by French filmmaker Matthieu Saintenac, is currently airing on French TV network KTO Télévision Catholique.
“This documentary shares some insight into the Houmas’ history with the Catholic church. Many of our ancestors were raised Catholic, and in the first half of the 20th century, the Houmas in Dulac were forced to live in segregation,” said Sherry Parfait, UHN citizen. “They experienced that in the church until a priest ultimately took a stand and removed the partitions to integrate the congregation.”
In the documentary, elder United Houma Nation member John Parfait, Sherry’s father, shares personal stories about his upbringing in Dulac and the Catholic Church, appearing in the film with his brother Cyrus Parfait.
The Parfait brothers also share a deeply sentimental moment with viewers during their feature in the documentary, visiting the grave of John and Cyrus’s mother, Edna Trosclair Parfait , who was the first Native American buried in the all-white Holy Family Catholic Church cemetery in Dulac.
“I’m very grateful that Matthieu Saintenac came from France and took the time to go to Dulac to capture the story of the French-speaking Houmas,” continued Parfait. “There are a lot of stories from our tribal communities that need to be shared. The documentary provides a glimpse into what life was like for the Houmas in Terrebonne Parish during the 20th century and what it is like today, and how we are still fighting for federal recognition.”
To watch the full documentary, please click here. To learn more about the United Houma Nations and their unique history, please visit their website.
