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| August 29, 2005 |
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| Hurricane Katrina over Louisiana and Mississippi |
It's been an interesting life. I've become very reflective and have learned to appreciate the people and
experiences that shaped me into who I am at this moment. Never have I been more aware of my need to define myself and
my place in this world than after August 29, 2005, as I endured the ravaging winds of Hurricane Katrina. The aftermath
has been worse than the actual storm.
Here are my history, reflections, writings, and photographs. There are many good things to be thankful for:
a whole life of experience, a wonderful family, and the gift of their lives, as God spared us all from the storm. I
hope you enjoy what I've shared.
I was born Rhonda Lee Richoux, daughter of Joseph Dudley Richoux of Larose, La., and Lillian Mae Burtanog,
of New Orleans. I suppose my main ethnic heritage is Asian-Cajun, but, if you study my family, you'll find out that
the first Richoux came to Loluisiana directly from France, not through Canada, and you'll find a Spanish name or two on both
sides of the family. Spain liked to mess with outher parts of the world back in the day, just like France, England and Portugal.
They left their mark, and their names, on the cultures they intruded upon.
Hurricane Katrina destroyed or damaged the homes of almost my entire
living family. Except for a few relatives who had moved to Texas before 2005, and my brother, Wayne, who had moved to Oregon
back in the 1970's and made his home there, all of us were affected one way or another by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
The loss of our homes was devastating. Equally devastating, to me, was the loss of old photographs that can never be replaced.
The original of the picture above, of my great grandfather Benito Yabut Martinez, my great grandmother Rosalie Borabod, and
their eldest child, my grandmother Lillian Martinez, was one I had placed on one of my web pages. Had I not saved some
of our photographs to my computer, the images would have been lost to our family forever.
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| (Circa 1895) |
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| Felipe Madriaga, his wife Brigett Nugent, and their family |
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About FILIPINOLA:
I first thought of the title "Filipino Louisiana", to share the
history of my Filipino ancestors. But I have so much to say, about my whole family, about New Orleans, the city of my
heart, and about myself. FILIPINOLA has "Filipino" in it, "Louisiana (LA)" in it, and "New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA)" in it.
I've posted this website for several reasons:
To share the research and stories gathered over the past three years about my mother's
family. More specificaly, the matriarchal line from our first immigrant ancestors, Felipe Madriaga of the Philippines, and
Brigett Nugent of Ireland, who came to Louisiana somewhere back in the 1850's.
To share the stories of my family as we grew in New Orleans, migrated downriver to St. Bernard
Parish, and ended up one day in the path of a hurricane called Katrina.
To share my writing, poetry, and photography.
I hope that you will find something interesting in these pages! ~ Rhonda Lee Richoux
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