Sunday, January 23, 2011

Los Islenos of St. Bernard Parish

People immigrated to the Mississippi Delta before 1800 from the Canary Islands and found a new home rich on land and in the sea. They came here from other parts of the Spanish peninsula as well, and the rest of southern Europe too. Descendants of los Islenos, the Canary Islanders, still live here today and have formed an important cultural center at el Museo de los Islenos in western St. Bernard Parish.

Hurricane Katrina destroyed every building in the complex. Some were original to the Islenos and had been moved to this site from the surrounding countryside.

Rebuilding was imperative. Operation Southern Comfort has had a hand in some of the projects. Pictured are some of the buildings showing typical early architecture and ways of life.

A thorough history of los Islenos is at the following interesting site:  http://www.losislenos.org/history.html









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