Voice of the Wetlands Festival: Louisiana musicians fight for change

What do you love about Louisiana? I’ll tell you what I love: the way the sky seems to melt into the water, vivid orange, rose, and violet burning through the silhouettes of the cypress trees as the sun sets over the bayou; the song of the cicadas in the late summertime that starts in the middle of the day and builds all afternoon, finishing with a crescendo at dusk, a symphony in the shadows of the leaning oaks along St. Charles Avenue; the irresistible spice blends and savory flavors of our cuisine that makes gaining 400 pounds seem like a small sacrifice; the music that makes you fall in love with life all over again; and the people, who treat hospitality as a high art, and stop on the street to say hello to strangers.

  Louisiana is known worldwide for its music, food, vibrant natural environment, and joie de vivre. This year the 7th Annual Voice of the Wetlands (VOW) festival celebrates culture with culture, gathering la crème de la crème of the Louisiana music world to perform for three days on the grounds of one of the most beautiful plantations in Houma, Southdown Plantation. And yes, there will be food. The festival runs from Friday, October 8 to Sunday, October 10, and it is free and open to the public. All you need is your dancing shoes. In return, the people who put the festival together ask that you listen to what the musicians have to say in between songs. They have a vital message about Louisiana, and this year, it is more important than ever.

  The Louisiana wetlands are rapidly disappearing, and our culture is washing away with each inch that dissolves into the Gulf. South Louisiana was created when land was deposited by the natural flow of the Mississippi River, carrying rich sediment and depositing it in and around the natural estuaries. Now, instead of allowing the river to create land, we are losing it to the tune of 34 square miles per year as the result of manmade modifications in the river’s flow. Canals, levees, and shipping channels dredged into the land by the oil industry have stopped the flow of sediment and caused the land to sink and slowly wash away. In 50 years, the Gulf will be knocking on New Orleans’ door if nothing is done to reverse coastal erosion.

  If you’ve been to one of Tab Benoit’s concerts, chances are the passionate Louisiana bluesman has stopped the music for a moment to speak about the wetlands. Famous for his soulful voice and funky blues riffs, Grammy award nominee Benoit began to use his stage as a platform when he got fed up with the lack of response from local and federal government. In 2004, he established the volunteer-based nonprofit VOW along with Rueben Williams and a handful of local artists, musicians, and business leaders. They set out to create awareness, develop educational programs about the loss of the wetlands in south Louisiana, find a solution, and to give the communities of this region a true voice. VOW encourages people locally and nationally to get involved and reach out to their congressmen and senators, urging them to vote to protect and preserve south Louisiana’s coast and wetlands.

  “Something people don’t realize is that they can make a difference by calling their state representatives,” says Benoit. “Those nice offices they sit in, the secretaries that answer the phone—all of that is paid for by our tax money, and it’s their job to respond to our concerns. They work for us! People need to call them, set up meetings, walk in their offices, and tell them what needs to be done. That’s how big changes are made.”

Since its inception, VOW has been able to reach out to a vast number of people worldwide, setting a high standard for other wetland organizations. In 2008, Benoit and friends went to Capitol Hill to raise awareness about coastal erosion at congressional hearings. VOW volunteers have spoken at schools nationwide, created a program that allows local schoolchildren to grow and plant trees in deforested portions of south Louisiana, and participated in the recent oil spill clean-up efforts.

  Benoit formed the VOW All-stars in early 2005 when he got a group of Louisiana’s most prominent musicians together to create what is known as the largest international effort by any organization to bring attention to the cultural and coastal erosion. The CD they created that year in New Orleans features Benoit along with the infamous Dr. John, Cyril Neville of the Neville Brothers, Anders Osborne, George Porter Jr. of the Funky Meters, Johnny Vidochovich, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Waylon Thibodeaux, and Jumpin’ Johnny Sansone. Many more musicians have joined over the past five years, and the VOW All-stars have become a ubiquitous presence at music events not only in Louisiana but worldwide, including the 2008 Democratic and Republican National Conventions when over 50 All-stars performed to raise awareness.

  This year’s list of Allstars performing at the VOW festival include Tab Benoit, Cyril Neville, Anders Osborne, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Johnny Sansone, and Waylon Thibodeaux. The festival will also feature Galactic, BeaSoleil avec Michael Doucet, Louisiana’s LeRoux, Susan Cowsill, and Zebra, among others. 
When the BP oil spill wreaked havoc on the Gulf of Mexico, more people began to listen to the message of VOW. Now even President Obama is talking about saving the Louisiana wetlands, but it will take more than another disaster to make a difference. As we found out during Katrina, politicians aren’t going to do this for us—we must fight each step of the way for change. VOW has taken a stand to protect our homes and our culture, and they need your support. Go to this year’s VOW festival to celebrate not only our culture but to educate yourself about what you can do to save Louisiana. ✦