A ROA D L E S S T R AV E L E D
wanderer HOUMA IS HOME TO A PROUD PEOPLE WITH A ZEST FOR LIFE, MUSIC, AND FOOD. THEY CALL IT JOIE DE VIVRE (LOVE OF LIFE.) Houma gains its name from the Houma Indians, a Native American tribe located
it be the Rougarou spying on all who enter?
in Terrebonne Parish, one of Louisiana’s most southern parishes. French settlers christened it Terre Bonne translated as “good earth.” Today it’s a melting pot of
Downtown Houma
Cajuns, Creoles, Asians, African Americans, Native Americans, and people from
Houma brings more than great restaurants and historic architecture; it’s home
the Caribbean. They rule a nostalgic kingdom, a land of contrasts, beauty, and
to a proud people with a zest for life, music, and food. They call it joie de
culinary pleasures. The city leaves
vivre (love of life), evident in their many
its indelible mark on all who visit
festivals, dancing, and Cajun Mardi Gras.
this deep delta delight, from the in-
Give it a whirl at the Terrebonne Folklife
toxicating flavors of boiled seafood
Culture Center and sign up for classes on
to sinful gumbos and creamy oyster
Cajun dancing. Or get acquainted with the
stews.
native flora and fauna at the Bayou Terre-
Take a lazy ride along bayous
bonne Waterlife Museum with a 46-foot
black as crude or a whirlwind tour
mural and interactive exhibits sharing the
aboard an airboat skimming a sea
intricate relationship between the people
of marshlands. Tour guides intro-
and this compelling network of wetlands.
duce visitors to the local livelihoods
In Houma, everything is up and down
weaving through fishing villages and
the bayou. Properties along Bayou Black
seafood factories, while the swamp/
offer streams of plantations, historic
alligator tours share haunted tales
homes, and southern mansions. It is there
inside a jungle of wildlife. Listen
you will find Southdown Plantation, a
closely to the haunting cry of herons
nineteenth-century sugar plantation with
screeching through the trees and
artifacts from the sugarcane industry, the
keep an eye on those beady eyes
Houmas Indians, and other native people
peeking above the water line, 12-
of Louisiana. Another gem, the Ardoyne
foot gators with massive tails swaying to and fro. Houma and its neighboring wetlands are in the center of the southern flyway filled with jubilant melodies of exotic birds. Some stop to refuel before crossing the Gulf waters to South America, while others ride out the winter as the coastal temps rarely go below freezing.
Plantation, shares a Victorian gothic build shrouded by oaks draped with weeping moss. Schedule a tour and witness six-generations of family furniture, china, and plantation memorabilia. Don’t leave without visiting the main branch of the Terrebonne Parish Library. Resting along Bayou Black, the library offers wonder and intrigue with a very
Pay close attention to the thick canopies of trees, especially the cypress. They
knowledgeable staff. It has an expansive collection of local lore and colorful in-
are guardians of these ancient jungles, and some believe home to the Rougarou,
teractive exhibits in the children’s section. Pay them a visit for their annual Jam-
a mystical werewolf. Deep inside the dark waterways, the swollen cypress trunks
balaya Festival with lauded regional and local authors from across the country.
send shoots above the waterline called cypress knees. It is believed they provide stability in the swampy waters and hold strong against storms. Look closely at
Chauvin
the knobby-knees, and spy their wart-like faces with almond-shaped eyes. Could
A trip to Houma wouldn’t be complete without a ride along the Wetlands Cultural
Above: Houma and neighboring wetlands are home to tangerine sunsets dotted with emerald marsh grass. Top left: A popular tour is Ardoyne Plantation with a Victorian gothic build and six generations of personal treasures. Top right: Beautiful headresses and tales of the Rougarou still haunt the bayous and come alive at the Rougarou Festival in October. Center top right: Spend the day hiking and rest for a picnic under a wondrous stretch of oak trees at Jim Bowie Park. Center bottom right: Book a tour and sip on cocktails made with small-batch whiskey at Bayou Terrebonne Distillers in Houma’s historic district. Bottom right: Cypress trees are guardians of these ancient jungles of oak trees along the bayou and swamps, Bottom left: Settle down for a feast of seafood or a Cajun speciality of crawfish.
94 okramagazine.com
SPRING 2021
