Cajun boats, once essential to life along Bayou Lafourche, are at the heart of an effort to save Louisiana’s boat-building heritage. For years, the Museum of Traditional Boat Building in Lockport celebrated this rich custom, passing down skills honed over generations. But Hurricane Ida in 2021 heavily damaged the museum and forced its historic collection into storage.
generations of cajun boats
The Center for Traditional Louisiana Boatbuilding was a hub of activity, teaching the art of crafting the boats that defined Cajun life. “You’re fishing, you’re hunting, you’re trapping. Even going to church on Sunday you had the rowing skiffs, the standing rowing skiffs,” explained Museum Director Ernie Savoie, whose family has deep roots in the boat-building tradition.
Inside the museum, visitors could see the boats that shaped life along the bayou. New vessels were constructed in the workshop, while historic crafts—including a 500-year-old Native American dugout—were on display. But when Hurricane Ida struck three years ago, the museum suffered heavy damage. “The front doors had been blown off,” Savoie recalled. “We had to move things around so that they were not getting wet anymore.”
from museum to storage
Now, the boats are crammed into a closed Chinese restaurant in Thibodaux. As Savoie walks past the stored collection of 70 traditional boats, he reflects on their importance: “They each have their story, and it’s like, you know, get me out there so I can tell these stories and keep all of this history alive.”
reviving a tradition of cajun boats
The museum’s board of directors is determined to revive its mission. In partnership with Nicholls State University, plans are underway to build a new facility along Bayou Lafourche, across from the university’s main campus. The site will feature a museum to display artifacts and a workshop to teach boat building.
“The museum will house those artifacts, and the back will be boat building where you can build a boat just like my dad did,” said board member Vickie Eserman. To make this vision a reality, the group has launched a $2 million fundraising campaign.
how you can help save the boat building tradition
To find out more about the Center for Traditional Louisiana Boat Building and its plans for a new facility, you can go to the organization’s website. And to make a donation, the museum board has set up a site that explains their activities and plans for the future. Click here for more information and to donate.
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