Last week I recorded 'When the levees broke' (Spike Lee) on BBC Four about Hurricane Katrina and its on-going effects on New Orleans.
I remember much of the controversy at the time when the people were left by the government without food, water or aid for days, where the sham of America's 'classless' society was shown for what it is. I guess I should not have been surprised to hear that when people were moved out of the New Orleans area in the aftermath of the hurricane, families were separated across a number of different states and have not been encouraged/facilitated to return home - this dilution or loss of New Orleans culture.
The property developers circle like vultures trying to buy the land from people who were fighting to get their insurance companies to pay out. This parallels what Naomi Klein describes in her book 'The Shock Doctrine' where the Tsunami was used to clear the beaches of the fishing people in favour of tourism.
In a statement made by director Spike Lee about the film he states, "New Orleans is fighting for its life. These are not people who will disappear quietly — they're accustomed to hardship and slights, and they'll fight for New Orleans. This film will showcase the struggle for New Orleans by focusing on the profound loss, as well as the indomitable spirit of New Orleaneans."
I was also really struck by the graffiti messages left on walls, houses, cars about what was happening. These messages seem to carry a different quality about them; having seeing many, many images of people in post-disaster scenarios. In researching these on-line, I came across Richard Misrach's 'Destroy This Memory' - a catalogue of graffitied reactions by the residents of New Orleans http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/american-graffiti-how-new-orleans-residents-used-spray-paint-to-voice-their-feelings-about-hurricane-katrina-2061836.html
I remember much of the controversy at the time when the people were left by the government without food, water or aid for days, where the sham of America's 'classless' society was shown for what it is. I guess I should not have been surprised to hear that when people were moved out of the New Orleans area in the aftermath of the hurricane, families were separated across a number of different states and have not been encouraged/facilitated to return home - this dilution or loss of New Orleans culture.
In a statement made by director Spike Lee about the film he states, "New Orleans is fighting for its life. These are not people who will disappear quietly — they're accustomed to hardship and slights, and they'll fight for New Orleans. This film will showcase the struggle for New Orleans by focusing on the profound loss, as well as the indomitable spirit of New Orleaneans."
I was also really struck by the graffiti messages left on walls, houses, cars about what was happening. These messages seem to carry a different quality about them; having seeing many, many images of people in post-disaster scenarios. In researching these on-line, I came across Richard Misrach's 'Destroy This Memory' - a catalogue of graffitied reactions by the residents of New Orleans http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/american-graffiti-how-new-orleans-residents-used-spray-paint-to-voice-their-feelings-about-hurricane-katrina-2061836.html
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