Mission
The mission of the United Houma Nation’s Archives and Research Center is to ensure the adequate preservation of historical records, improve the access to tribal historic and genealogical data, and maintain and foster our tribe’s culture.
Purpose
The establishment of the Archives and Research Center will ensure the preservation and growth of documentation of UHN history, genealogy, publications and research, and as well as gathering artifacts to be housed under a unified effort. Citizens are encouraged to bring documents, photographs, and items that they might be interested in sharing with the tribe for preservation of future generations.
The United Houma Nation encourages all tribal citizens to document their ancestry for the future generations to come. The documents are stored through a secure program ensuring that they remain safe and secluded.
The Archivist are seeking out documented evidence of the United Houma Nation up until the 1900’s. Please allow 2-3 weeks until the archivist may be able to view your submission. Please read all the information on the submission form before completing.
Meet Kathleen Bergeron - Archivist I
Kathleen Bergeron, an enrolled tribal member of United Houma Nation since 1983 from St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. Currently, Kathleen serves as one of two part-time archivists hired in January, 2020 to assist in cataloging and digitizing the United Houma Nation Archives. She is a recipient of the 2015 United Houma Nation
Leadership Award. She always had an interest in learning more about our native culture. Unfortunately, schools in Louisiana didn’t teach about our Native Peoples. When the opportunity came to further her education she took many classes as she could about Native America.
Meet Melanie Hayes - Archivist II
Melanie Hayes is a citizen of the United Houma Nation in southeast Louisiana. She was born in New Orleans, Louisiana but moved to the bayou community of Cut Off, Louisiana when she was a young girl. Mrs. Hayes spent a large portion of her childhood in her grandmother’s antique shop, Chez Ya-Ya.
She was able to learn about her family’s history and culture, in particular, her grandmother’s education at the Settlement School in Golden Meadow, LA. She credits her love of history to her time spent there with her grandmother. Read More
