Edited sentence: It grows and changes with the influences it encounters, becoming stronger and more vibrant, not weaker and less "Indian.It is a curious double standard that an American several generations removed from his Irish ancestors can call himself Irish without raising an eyebrow, yet Houmas still living among their people and on ancestral lands can not call themselves Indian without a request for documentation.Like any living culture, Houma culture is not stagnant.To conclude, I would like to leave you with a quote from Tribal Councilman Michael Dardar: