~IN MY HEART I'M A CAJUN~

Ayieeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

This page is graphic heavy, please be patient.

~Laisser moi vous dire comment jai commencer a devenir a Cajun dans mon coeur...~

~Let me begin to tell you how I became a Cajun at heart.~

~As you have read my deceased wife Jacqueline was from Belgium, we visited Belgium and France very often, I love the people, the culture, the music, then one day in a casino in Reno I heard the MUSIC, I followed my ears until I seen the tall man dressed in black playing the fiddle and singing and the little man with all the French accordians sitting nearby playing, it was Doug Kershaw...my feet could not stand still, I could not get close enough. They called him "The Ragin Cajun", that he was and more. After the Show I bought his casettes, he sat at our table and spoke French with my wife, his band joined us, what friendly people, they could have gone back to their rooms or gambled but they stayed with us and BOUGHT the drinks, we talked and talked and partied untill their next show started. We were to go home the next day but I reserved our room for two more days until his contract ran out, we became good friends but I have never seen him again except on TV and that is not very often in Washington State. That mon ami is when I became a Cajun at heart. (Until I moved to S.W. Louisiana and seen him perform at the Isle Of Capri Hotel/Casino in Bossier City, La. in 2000, but was not allowed to get near him to visit again and have him meet my Cajun Queen.)

~In about December, 1998 I was helping a friend set up her Webtv, she was interested in Geneolgy when a search came upon Cajun music and a Doug Kershaw fan who also has a great interest in Geneolgy and carrying on the Cajun history, culture, music, dance and recipes for future generations.

Lloyd Peterson

~Miss Grace, you have brought tears to this old mans eyes with this great Honor I hold dear to me. Le Bon Dieu vous protege.~

~After I moved to Louisiana and married my internet friend Mary the local newspaper came over and interviewed us and took pictures for a page and a half artical about my life serving the public, the one of a kind birdhouse/feeders I build and my roses.~

~ACADIAN FLAG~

~To commemorate the 200th anniversary (1965) of the Acadian exile into Louisiana and to remind us of other important influences on Acadians. Dean Thomas J. Arceneaux of USL, a native of Carencro, designed the Acadian Flag.~

~Exiled in 1755 from their native homeland, the Acadians arrived in Louisiana under Spanish rule. Because the Acadians prospered under Spanish rule, a portion of the flag bears the golden arms of Castile, a prosperous European Spanish kingdom, on a red field.~

~The second third of the Acadian flag was designed to symbolize the French heritage. The three-petaled (silver on a blue field) fleurs de lis, (flowers of the Iris lily), was taken from the amorial emblem of the kings of France.~

~The last third of the Acadian flag, a white field superimposed by a golden star, has a dual meaning to the Acadians. When the first settlers departed France for the new world, the Virgin Mary was highly venerated; a period of great devotion to the Virgin. The King of France, Louis XIII, and the Pope, Pius XI, had declared the Virgin Mary the patroness of the kingdom, (Patronne de Royaume), and Patroness Saint of all the Acadians in Canada, Louisiana and elsewhere. According to history, on the eve of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, August 15, important family groups arrived in America. Therefore, the gold star and the white field have deep religious significance, and was designed to reflect back to Acadians earliest beginnings.~

~The gold star on the Acadian flag symbolizes early Acadian patriotism in the new world. The exiled Acadians arrived in Louisiana around the same time the American colonist were struggling to gain their independence from the British crown. When the war began, the Spanish king sent word to Benardo do Galves, Governor-General of Louisiana, to help the new colonist "harass" the British by assembling a "motley band" of 600 Cajuns, blacks, mulattoes, etc. Vividly remembering what the British had done during the expulsion, they succeeded in capturing Fort Bute at Manchac, Fort Baton Rouge, Fort Charlotte at Mobile and Pensacola.~

~The golden star not only has religious connotations, but reflects Cajun patriotism as well. Because the Cajuns were citizens of Spain at the time of the American Revolution, their star could not appear on the first American flag. This star on the Acadians flag now serves as a reminder of the Cajun's participation in the American Revolution and of Louisiana's contribution to the beginning of a new nation.~

~SITUATING ACADIANA~

~Acadiana is a region in South Louisiana occupied by the Cajun French, who were exiles from Acadie (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick) after the British tookover. The story of the Cajuns was made famous by Longfellow in his poem Evangiline. This region has a strong sense of community and though the flag is probably not recognized by any government body it is extremely popular. In fact the flag is as popular as the state flag in Lafayette.~

~CAJUN HISTORY~

~The French province of Acadia (today's Nova Scotia and surrounding regions) was settled in the 1600s by French colonists, but the area became a British possession soon afterwards. In 1755, as war neared between France and England, the British authorities demanded that the Acadians renounce their Roman Catholic faith and swear allegiance to the Crown. The Acadians refused and the mass exile that followed is well known to all who have read Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "Evangeline".~

~The migration of the French Acadians to Louisiana was neither smooth nor immediate. Many were shipped to the New England colonies, others to the West Indies or back to France, and many wandered for 20 years before learning that they were welcome in the predominantly French territory of Louisiana. Here they established small farms along the Mississippi River, Bayou Teche, Bayou Lafourche and other streams in the southern part of the region. Fishing and trapping villages were established in the swamplands.~

~ Cajun (the word is a corruption of the original French pronunciation of Acadian--A-ca-jan) Country today lies within a triangle whose base is the Louisiana coast and whose apex is near Alexandria in the central part of the state. The triangle contains 22 parishes and the region's principal city, Lafayette, is the unofficial capital of "Acadiana".~

~Lafayette, the heart of Acadiana and the unofficial capital of Cajun Country, with its gleaming present belies an exciting and captivating past. Lafayette is a metropolis which displays an extraordinary mixture of tradition and progressiveness. Having a rich French heritage blended with Spanish, American, Indian and African influences, the city represents a colorful combination of lifestyles.~

~Lafayette lies 15 miles west of the Atchafalaya Basin and 35 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico and exhibits the subtropical climate typical of South Louisiana. The city is situated in a geographical area of forests and prairies interlaced with bayous, swamps and marshes.~

~The first known inhabitants, the Attakapas Indians, were known to have populated the Lafayette area in the 1700s. The tribe was very powerful and feared by other Indians. The Attakapas dominated until three opposing tribes, the Opelousas, Alabamons and Choctaws, united in battle and conquered their opponent. Legend reports that the Attakapas Indians supposedly ate their prisoners of war.~

~The exact date when the first European settlers reached the Lafayette area is not known. Early historians report that a few trappers, traders and ranchers were present in the region prior to the Spanish occupation of 1766. A census conducted in 1769 by Spanish Governor O'Reilly indicated a population of 409 for the area.~

~The historical event of the 18th century which had the greatest cultural impact on Lafayette was the migration of the Acadians from French Canada. Approximately 18,000 French-speaking Catholic inhabitants settled Acadie (now Nova Scotia) in 1605 and lived there under French rule until 1713 when the region went into English hands.~

~Faced with the refusal of the Acadians to pledge allegiance to the British crown and Anglican Church, English Governor Charles Lawrence took action. Acting on his own and not under orders from the crown as he professed, he gave the orders that led to the expulsion of the Acadians in 1755, also known as "Le Grand Derangement."~

~Families were separated and as the Acadians went to sea under dreadful conditions, more than half lost their lives. The exiles ended up in many locations and in 1784, the King of Spain consented to allow them to settle in South Louisiana. The Acadians then joined a scattering of their people who had arrived as early as 1765 from the Caribbean and the East Coast.~

~Some exiles settled at various locations along the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, but most followed the path which led to New Orleans. There they received a hostile greeting from the French aristocracy so they headed west into unsettled territory. They settled along the bayous of south central and south western Louisiana where they could live according to their own beliefs and customs.~

~The first settlement, known as Petit Manchac, was established by the English who used it during the Revolutionary War as an outpost. It constituted a small trading post on the banks of the Vermilion River where the Old Spanish Trail crossed the bayou (about where today's Pinhook Bridge is located). The village also came to be known as Pin Hook, a name about which many stories of origin exist.~

~The years of 1765-1785 marked the great immigration period of the Acadians and many land grants were given by the French and Spanish governments. As a result of the Treaty of Fountainebleau in 1762, Louisiana went from French to Spanish rule. The Spanish actually took possession in 1766. The French Revolution of 1789 had its effect on Lafayette as many French Loyalists fled to Louisiana to settle. With the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, Louisiana then became possession of the United States.~

~More specifically for Lafayette, in 1821, Jean Mouton (an Acadian) donated land for the construction of a Catholic church. On May 15, 1822 Bishop Duborg created the church parish of St. John the Evangelist of Vermilion which encompassed the area from Mouton's plantation south to the Gulf of Mexico and west to the Sabine River.~

~A settlement grew around the church and on January 17, 1823, the Louisiana Legislature created Lafayette Parish from the western portion of what was St. Martin Parish. Mouton made a second land donation to the new community, this time for a courthouse. The town of Vermilionville became the new parish's seat. The settlement grew and the town of Vermilionville was renamed Lafayette in 1844 in honor of the French Marquis de Lafayette.~

~Time for a coffee break and a little humor, be right back.~

~"A Blonde And The Alligator Shoes"~

~A young blonde was on vacation in the depths of Louisiana. She wanted a pair of genuine alligator shoes in the worst way, but was very reluctant to pay the high prices the local vendors were asking. After becoming very frustrated with the "no haggle" attitude of one of the shopkeepers, the blonde shouted, "Maybe I'll just go out and catch my own alligator so I can get a pair of shoes at a reasonable price!" The shopkeeper said, "By all means, be my guest. Maybe you'll luck out and catch yourself a big one!" Determined, the blonde turned and headed for the swamps, set on catching herself an alligator.~

~Later in the day, the shopkeeper is driving home when he spots the young woman standing waist deep in the water, shotgun in hand. Just then, he sees a huge 9 foot alligator swimming quickly toward her. She takes aim, kills the creature and with a great deal of effort hauls it on to the swamp bank. Laying nearby were several more of the dead creatures. The shopkeeper watches in amazement. Just then the blonde flips the alligator on it's back, and frustrated, shouts out, "Damn it, this one isn't wearing any shoes either!"~

~On Parle Français en Louisiane~
~We Speak French in Louisiana~

~Exiled from their native homeland of Nova Scotia in 1755, the Acadians wandered aimlessly along the Atlantic seaboard for years before settling in the rich fertile soils of south Louisiana. The 6,000 Acadians who refused to swear allegiance to the British crown were punished for their disloyalty with destruction of their homes and expulsion from their homeland.~

~This horrendous voyage marked 30 years of hardship and humiliation for a proud group of people. At each location of disembarking along the Atlantic Coast, these refugees were welcomed by open hostility. Through the generosity of the Spanish Government, Charles III, they were transported to south Louisiana where they settled on friendly land. Here, they established small farms along the swamp and prairie region of the Mississippi River, Bayou Teche, Bayou Lafourche and other locations in the southern part of the state. For almost 200 years they remained in isolation because of inaccessibility to this region. Even under Spanish rule, a large majority of the colonists continued to speak French.~

~A distinct culture and a dialect known as "Cajun" French was born. Cajun French began in Nova Scotia between 1604 and 1756 and traveled to Louisiana where it matured and further developed. It is the only modern North American language and has undergone many linguistic changes over the years.~

~There have been many speculations as to why Cajun French has survived and attained dominance for over 200 years. Many conclude that the geographic isolation of the Acadian settlements, the close-knit family structure and the lower socioeconomic status of the group has contributed to its endurance.~

~Several factors contributed to the changes and almost extinction of the language. In the 1930's, Governor Huey P. Long began a process to bridge the swamplands and lowlands with a network of roads bringing an end to the Acadians' isolated existence. Another set back for the language occurred in the public school system when children were coerced by punishment to abandon their language and speak only English. Soon, this generation became ashamed of their language and were convinced of their cultural inferiority.~

~Through the efforts of the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL), a reawakening of Cajun pride has emerged. CODOFIL has been responsible for protecting and promoting the French heritage of Louisiana through encouraging the teaching of French in elementary schools, student and teacher exchanges, the organization of national and international meetings, festivals and radio and television programs in French. Today through CODOFIL's involvement, Cajun French is spoken proudly.~

~More than 260,000 Louisianans speak a form of French either brought to New Orleans by French nobility or to the bayous and prairies by Acadian immigrants. Research also shows that in Louisiana, the older you are the more likely you are to speak French.~

~People who listed their home language as French, Cajun or French Creole make up two-thirds of the 391,994 Louisiana residents who told the Census Bureau in 1990 that they do not speak English in their homes. Louisiana residents make up the 13.6 percent of the 1.9 million people who speak one of those three French dialects around the country. Those three groups account for 6 percent of the 31.8 million people nationwide who speak a language other than English at home.~

~CULTURE, not blood, defines today's Cajun~

© Jim Bradshaw, Lafayette Daily Advertiser

~The 700,000 Acadians who live in South Louisiana make up the largest French-speaking minority in the United States. They are descendants of some of the first white men to settle North America, coming from Brittany, Poitou, Normandy and across France to establish their first permanent colony in what is now Nova Scotia. That was in 1604, three years before Jamestown, four years before Quebec, and 15 years before the Mayflower.~

~They were forced from their Canadian homes a century and a half later, and eventually settled in South Louisiana. Some settled along the Mississippi River above New Orleans. Others migrated to wetlands along Bayou Lafourche. Another group crossed the Atchafalaya Basin to the country of the Attakapas and Opelousas Indians, near today's cities of St. Martinville and Lafayette.~

~Each of these groups lived in relative isolation from the Anglos, and to some extent, from each other, and developed in different ways. (There is, for example, no single "Cajun French" language, but distinguishable - to the trained ear - regional dialects, all based upon the original Acadian French, alike in sound and rhythm, but often with distinctive phrases and modes of expression. And you can start a battle royal among different Cajuns over just which instruments are proper to "authentic" Cajun music.)~

~The Cajuns were for several generations largely an unschooled and unlettered people, living simple lives, keeping to themselves, their families and their lands. Because of this, the Cajun was often, and mistakenly, portrayed as a likeable buffoon; an ignorant, French-speaking, backwards swampbilly, scraping a bare existence from his surroundings; a pleasant, easy-going peasant who has nothing and wants less, as long as he can go to the fais-do-do (dance) on Saturday and to Mass on Sunday.~

~Listen to Richard Ketchum, writing as late as 1974 in the American Heritage Book of Great Historic Places: "(Cajuns) speak an ancient French dialect which few outsiders can follow . . . Mixing little with the modern world, they earn a living by fishing, boating, trapping, and by selling handwoven baskets and cloth. In a region of few roads, they live on simple wooden houseboats, dependent upon the waterways and the pirogue"~

~In many places they were called "coonasses." Some of them call themselves that still. The bumper sticker, "Coonass and Proud", still bedecks many a pickup truck.~

~But times have changed, and so have the Cajuns. The shantyboat is no longer first choice for economical housing, and some of them live in real houses, on dry land, with paved sidewalks leading right down to paved roadways. More Cajuns have pickup trucks than pirogues. Few Cajuns sell handwoven cloth or homemade baskets anymore (or know how to make either of them), but lots of them are still fishermen. Some trap still, gathering more pelts in the wild each year than all the rest of the United States and Canada combined. Some Cajuns are boatmen - Louisiana operates the largest fleet of working craft in the nation. (Duffy St. Pierre, a Cajun captain, gained instant fame - or notoriety - in the summer of 1987 by towing unwanted barge-loads of New York garbage around the Gulf of Mexico for a month.)~

~And lots of Cajuns are doctors, lawyers, architects, accountants, even college professors. You'll find Cajuns selling shoes at Sears, running gasoline stations, driving taxis, flying airplanes, working at chemical plants, operating computers, stringing telephone lines, raising crops and cattle, delivering the mail, running restaurants...doing the same thing that people do everywhere. Lots of them wear suits and ties. Some of them, the proud ones, still speak French from time to time - sometimes more often and more fluently than English. They feel sorry for folks who can speak only one language.~

~Some of them are beginning to object to being called coonasses. They say it's an ugly word that came into use after World War II by the combining of sound with the French noun conasse, which means a stupid person or prostitute. Others say it is more innocuous, deriving from cunaso, a word coming from the Caribbee Indians, most likely via the Spanish, and meaning a fellow who lives simply, on and with the land.~

~And the standard Cajun caricature, as all of them are, is too broadly stroked to begin with. It was incorrect even in the old days. Acadians have played a healthy and wide-ranging role in Louisiana (And American) history. They fought the British during the American Revolution, and fought alongside Andy Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans. An Acadian presided over the convention that voted Louisiana out of the Union. Other Cajuns helped the state back in. There were two Acadian governors and another served as lieutenant governor between 1840 and 1860. In fact, an Acadian, Alexandre Mouton, was Louisiana's first popularly-elected governor. (Before him, governors were chosen by the legislature.)~

~Acadians built their vacheries (cattle ranches) on the prairies, held fine river plantations, founded towns that became cities. They sat in Congress and the legislature and on the bench. (U.S. Sen. John Breaux is a Cajun.)~

~But it's true, too, that Cajuns often did - and do - things their own way. The scholars tell us: "Certainly no one will deny that . . . numerous . . . Acadians . . . resisted acculturation until well after World War II, when improved transportation and communication brought mainstream America into the darkest reaches of the swamp . . ."~

~More simply: The Cajuns thought it better to hold onto traditional values, to maintain their own identity. It was a passive resistance, more often a shrug of the shoulders and a perplexed chacun a son goût (there's no accounting for taste), than an active fight. But they resisted, nonetheless, and with good reason.~

~It may not be as obvious now, but the Cajun has always held a healthy distrust of his English-speaking neighbors? Why not? These were the people who exiled him from his homeland, and who, later, used wealth and numbers to push him into the hinterlands. But he usually went peaceably enough. He just wanted to be left alone. He sought the isolation to maintain his culture. In isolation, the culture sustained and reinforced itself, developed its own patterns.~

~But understand that the Cajuns aren't the only Frenchmen in Acadiana. There are a handful of French cultures here. The Creoles of New Orleans descend from settlers who came to Louisiana in the early 1700's. St. Martinville was called Petit Paris by aristocrats who fled there during the French Revolution. Refugees from Napoleon's army settled in Ville Platte and elsewhere. French-speaking blacks from Haiti and other Caribbean islands were here early on. It causes some confusion when we start talking about who is a Cajun and who is not.~

~By strict definition, we could limit the term Cajun to descendants of the Acadians exiled from Nova Scotia in 1755. In fact, however, the earlier French and other settlers mixed and married with Cajuns and, more often than not, adopted their ways - so that today, some argue, you can find Cajuns who aren't Acadian at all. (There's an old folk saying that you can become a Cajun in three ways : "by the blood, by the ring, or by the back door.")~

~You can make a good argument that it is the culture, not the blood, that defines today's "Cajuns."~

~That culture has certain obvious aspects: Not every modern Cajun speaks French, but his grandparents probably did. You'll find Protestant Broussards and Aucoins and Legers today, but they likely spring from Catholic roots. Even townfolks tend to hold some rural values and ways. The cuisine and the music hark back to old traditions.~

~Cajun fathers teaching their children cajun dances to carry on cajun tradition~

~Latin blood shows through: Cajuns can be quick to anger, quick to laughter, and quick to change from one to the other. They play as hard as they work, but they work hard. The Cajun can still "make do" from the abundant resources around him. And he still wonders sometimes why anyone would want more.~

~And there are subtler aspects: The Cajuns are a tolerant people - perhaps to a fault. They sometimes tolerate a little too much drinking, a little too much dancing, some chicanery in their politics. Some outsiders cluck their tongues and wonder why. The Cajun suggests that some things just aren't worth the trouble to change.~

~There are those who would argue that a Chinese reared in Acadiana is more likely Cajun than an Acadian reared in China; that "Acadian" has to do with genealogy, but that the culture makes the "Cajun." Regional historian Revon Reed claims to count 15 different kinds of Louisiana Cajuns, including Anglos, Spaniards, even Yugoslavians and Filipinos.~

~He can start a good fight by arguing that in some of the wrong places. The back door to becoming a Cajun opens only so wide. But he's right about this: There's more to being a Cajun than just the blood.~

~My cyber-friend,VANCE HUBBLE, said this to me, "Cajun at heart is the same as being a cajun where I come from. Sa c'est mon ami me fait des larmes a mes yeux. Lloyd

~CAJUN CULTURE~

~Experiencing the Cajun culture is like no other. The Acadians of today are a thrifty, hard-working, fun-loving, devout religious folk. They work and play with equal enthusiasm.~

~The word Cajun began in 19th century Acadie (now Nova Scotia) when the Acadians began to arrive. The French of noble ancestry would say, "les Acadiens", while some referred to the Acadians as, "le 'Cadiens", dropping the "A". Later came the Americans who could not pronounce "Acadien" or "'Cadien", so the word, "Cajun" was born.~

~ACADIAN LADIES~

~Black of hair, fair of skin are these lovely Acadians. figure shapely, smile so bright, and they dance away the night.~

~Beauty rare, as all have seen these magnificent creatures from Acadie. flirting lightly with the gentelmen, dancing and whirling with lovely bends.~

~Hair is flying, long and free, these laughing ladies from Acadie. fresh of face, mild of manner, yet they do have a little temper.~

~A man is blessed to marry a "Cajun" Queen, (like I did) a beautiful lady from Acadie. she is always interesting, ever mild, but has been known to be a little wild.~

~These lovely ladies of Acadie, included as one of them, is me. dancing wildly into the night, having fun until daylight.~

~Author Unknown~

~The Cajun's pleasure-loving nature expresses itself in the community festivals, dancing and food that are integral parts of bayou life. Cajuns are known for their "joie de vivre" (joy of living), and to add excitement to their food they experiment with herbs, spices and ingredients to create some of the most flavorful dishes that people throughout North America now enjoy.~

~One of the traditional favorite Cajun pastimes is an old- fashioned crawfish boil. When the sacred "mud bugs" or "crawdads" go into the pot a breath of excitement fills the air. Before the great feast of the boiled crawfish, potatoes, onions and corn, youngsters make a mad dash for the crawfish tub poking the live crawfish with sticks while other family members participate in crawfish races.~

~Boiling crawfish is not the only way to enjoy the crustaceans. When crawfish go into the pot a number of delicious dishes result because there are almost as many ways to cook crawfish as there are swamps, ponds and ditches in which to catch them. Crawfish are served up in gumbo, bisque, étouffée, jambalaya, pies or patties. When the Cajuns aren't eating crawfish, they enjoy other world famous cuisine of Louisiana such as oysters, shrimp, boudin, pralines, gumbo and red beans and rice.~

~What better way to experience Cajun food than at a festival? Any time is festival time. Towns and villages throughout Acadiana celebrate every season with their special blend of music, food and the colorful Cajun heritage. Most festivals feature live music of all sorts, contests, native crafts and food and, of course, dancing.

~Cajun music is also distinctive. It can be lively or melancholy, and sometimes both at the same time. The main reason why many attend festivals is for the unique Cajun music. Cajun music, once deemed as "nothing but chank-a-chank" has infiltrated radio, television and classrooms and is becoming world famous for its unique sounds of instruments like accordions, fiddles and triangles.~

~One of the largest festivals is our world-famous Mardi Gras. Celebrate an old-fashioned Mardi Gras at the Courir du Mardi Gras

(Mardi Gras Run), one of the local traditions that makes Mardi Gras in Cajun Country truly unique. The spectacle celebrated in small towns and villages in Acadiana is a favorite of visitors interested in off-the-beaten-path experiences. With its roots firmly in the medieval tradition of ceremonial begging, bands of masked and costumed horseback and wagon riders led by the unmasked "Le Captaine" roam the countryside begging for ingredients for their community gumbo. The day's festivities end with a fais-do-do and, of course, lots of savory gumbo.~

~YOU MIGHT BE FROM NEW ORLEANS IF:~
~You're out of town and you stop and ask someone where there is a drive-thru daiquiri place, and they look at you like you have three heads.~
~The four seasons in your year: crawfish, shrimp, crab and King Cake.~
~You greet people with "Howzhyamomma'an'em?" and hear back "Dey fine, darlin!".~
~Someone asks for an address by compass directions and you say its uptown, downtown, backatown, riverside or lakeside.~
~Your burial plot is six feet over rather than six feet under.~
~You can pronounce Tchoupitoulas but can't spell it.~
~You don't worry when you see ships riding higher in the river than the top of your house.~
~You consider a Bloody Mary a light breakfast.~
~The major topics of conversation when you go out to eat are restaurant meals that you have had in the past and restaurant meals that you plan to have in the future.~
~You judge a po-boy by the number of napkins used.~
~The waitress at your local sandwich shop tells you a fried oyster po-boy dressed is healthier than a Caesar salad.~
~You know the definition of "dressed."~
~You can eat Popeye's, Haydel's and Zapp's for lunch and wash it down with a Barq's and several Abitas, without losing it all on your stoop.~
~The smell of a crawfish boil turns you on more than Chanel #5.~
~You wrench your hands in the zinc with an onion bar to get the crawfish smell off.~
~You're not afraid when someone wants to ax you something.~
~You go by ya mom-en-ems on good Friday for family supper.~
~You don't learn until high school that Mardi Gras is not a national holiday.~
~You push little old ladies out of the way to catch Mardi Gras throws.~

~Throw Me Some Beads Mista~

~You leave a parade with footprints on your hands.~
~You believe that purple, green and gold look good together -- you will even eat things those colors.~
~You go to buy a new winter coat and throw your arms up in the air to make sure it allows enough room to catch Mardi Gras beads.~
~You have a parade ladder in your shed.~
~Your first sentence was "Throw me something mistah" and your first drink was from a go-cup.~
~You wonder what Anne Rice has against a building that looks like a Mardi Gras float.~
~You have a special set of grungy, well-broken-in-shoes you refer to as your "French Quarter Shoes."~
~Every so often, you have waterfront property.~
~Your last name isn't pronounced the way it's spelled.~
~You know what a nutria is but you still pick it to represent your baseball team.~
~You have spent a summer afternoon on the Lake Pontchartrain seawall catching blue crabs.~
~You watch a movie filmed in New Orleans and say things like "Der ain't no way they can run out of a cemetery right on to Bourbon Street."~
~You describe a color as "K&B Purple."~
~You like your rice and politics dirty.~
~You worry about a deceased family member returning in spring floods.~
~You reply to anything and everything about life here with "Only in Nahlins."~
~You have a monogrammed go-cup.~
~A friend gets in trouble for roaches in his car and you wonder if it was palmettos or those little ones that go after the French Fries that fell under the seat.~

~You move somewhere else -- and you feel like you are from OZ and you moved.~
~In Cajun Country, a week hardly goes by without chants of praise to crawfish, rice, alligators, cotton, boudin, yams, gumbo and andouille, all the necessities of bayou life. Within the triangle of Acadiana's 22 parishes, you'll experience the "joie de vivre" of the Cajun lifestyle. Whether in food, music or fun, the Cajun tradition continues to live on in the hearts of Cajuns and visitors alike.~

~CAJUN & ZYDECO MUSIC~

~Cajun music is the product of creolization, like most other features of Louisiana French culture. The Cajun sounds are a blend of German, Spanish, Scottish, Irish, Anglo-American, Afro-Caribbean and American Indian influences with a base of western French and French Acadian folk tradition. They are most noted for their up-beat tempos, cheerful lyrics and peculiar dance rhythms. While there is no comparison to the sounds of good Cajun music, some say it reminds them of Bluegrass with a French accent, while others claim it is more like European folk music. Most Cajun music purists would agree that you must see as well as hear Cajun music performed to appreciate its richness. Most people cannot keep from dancing to the Cajun waltz and two-step rhythms when they hear the hand-clapping, foot-stomping sound in its happiest, rapid-tempo forms.~

~The traditional Cajun instruments were the fiddle and triangle. The Acadians who arrived in Louisiana possessed no instruments, but the knowledge of such came with them. They soon learned to make their own instruments from household items like spoons, washboards and clacking sticks for percussion. No one knows exactly where the tunes for Cajun music came from because the traditional music was not written. Each musician played the tune as he wished adding words here, deleting others there.~

~The first Cajun record to hit the market was "Allons à Lafayette" (Let's Go to Lafayette) in 1928. The record by Joseph Falcon of Rayne, became a regional hit. Afterwards, a continual stream of records by Cajun artists were released.~

~Music is an integral part of the Cajun way of life. This is evidenced by the many festivals held in the region with entertainment provided by Cajun bands. While Cajun music at one time was confined to South Louisiana, today it has gained recognition not only in the United States and Canada, but also in Europe. Cajun music has become so popular that the President of the United States was requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the U.S. to observe the month of August as "Cajun Music Month."~

~Zydeco (pronounced Zah-dee-ko) is the most contemporary expression of black Creole music. Zydeco, born out of a music called "lala", is a unique form of Black-Creole music native to Southwest Louisiana. The music is said to have originated from many sources, but the influence of the blues and soul music is most significant in its development. The word *Zydeco* has also been translated to mean "snap bean."~

~The Zydeco tradition of music was built by musicians with little or no formal training who improvised the music of their generation out of the ones that came before them. Zydeco music was born in exile of ancient traditions which found themselves displaced in a New World where elder ways did not stand in the way of new combinations.~

~Zydeco bands are characterized fundamentally by the use of the "frottoir" (metal washboard) played with thimbles, spoons or bottle openers; and the use of the accordion and the singing of rhythm, blues and soul in Creole French.~

~It was not long ago that Zydeco was stereotyped as a music for rural folk. At present, there is an informal circuit of devotees to the Zydeco culture residing in New Orleans, Lake Charles, Houston, Port Arthur, Beaumont and Los Angeles who are helping to keep the Zydeco tradition alive. Zydeco musicians travel monthly to these cities to satisfy the appetite of these former Acadiana residents for the music, dance and spirit of the Zydeco tradition. The fear of Zydeco music dying out prompted a small group of concerned citizens to organize different festivals to keep up the tradition.~

~There are several successful popular Cajun and Zydeco bands which reflect original, modern artistic and commercial tastes: Terrence Simien, Beausoleil, C.J. Chenier, Zachary Richard and Wayne Toups are potent draws in Lafayette and elsewhere, and their contributions are widely acknowledged if not always rewarded. There are also many young, new bands keeping Cajun and Zydeco traditions alive as well as perpetuating their evolution.~

~Cajun Music is bound by an ancient spirit. Somewhere between interlocked fiddle lines and accordion embellishments, in the spaces of silence between the notes, between the ringing tone of the 'tit fer, the triangle, there is a soul space where musicians and listeners visit one another. This space, and the dancers and musical instruments that move around it, hold the emotional legacy of the Cajun culture. Cajun music is the heart of South Louisiana.

Jolie Blonde
Allons Danser Colinda
Valse de Ville Platte
Big Mamou Waltz
Jambalaya
Cajun Fiddle
Le Danse Mardi Gras
Ville Platte Waltz
Les Zydeco Sont Pas Sale'
J'a Passe Devant Te Porte
La Porte Den Arrier
Mamou Two Step
Allons a' Lafayette
Arc En Ciel

~Mary and I go to many Cajun,Zydeco and SwampPop dances and events where well known artist play and take pictures, here are some of them and wavs of thier music.~
Richard LeBouef

Louisiana Lullaby

Mel"Lovebug"Pellerin

Last Chance Waltz

Warren Storm
Wayne Toups

John Dale Hebert
ACCORDION MAN

A True Honorary Cajun Friend

~BAYOUBEAT.COM RADIO SHOWS~

KBON-FM

~TRULY INSPIRED FROM GOD~
~This is the third e-mail I have recieved in a week about this page, indicating I am carrying on the Cajun Traditions, this page Truly Must Be Inspired From God.~
Thanks, Lloyd. I have your cajun music page saved. :-) And a very good friend of mine who has been very sick and is in the hospital also loves good cajun music. He will be thrilled when he gets back home and on WebTV, and I show him your webpage, and your cajun link.. I'm going to call him tonight at the hospital, and I'll play the mamou 2-step for him over the phone. :-) Thanks again.
~Ann~ (Kit)

Time for another Humor break:

~FLYING CAJUN AIRLINES~
~Pierre and Boudreaux was flying Cajun Airlines. Boudreaux was flying da plane and Pierre was in da back foolin wit da cargo equipment an stuff.~
~Da plane hit some turbulance an started bouncing aroun' an Boudreaux got knock unconscience. Then da plane start driftin. Pierre him come run up to da front an Boudreaux was sprawl out over da steerin wheel.~
~Well, Pierre don know notin bout flyin an he start to get panaky.He grab da microphone and holla ~"Dis is da control tower," someone answer. "Don you worry about nutin. We gona splain how fo you to land dis plane, step by step, ah gar-on-tee! Jus leave aryting ta us.~
~Fus, how high are you an what's you position?" Pierre thought a minute, den say, "I'm five foot ten an I'm all da way to da front of da plane." "No! No!" answer da tower. "What's you altitude an where's you location?" Pierre say, ~"No! No! No!" came an exasperated voice. "Ah needs to know how many feet you got off da ground an how you plane's in relation to da airport!"~
~Pierre start to panic by dis time. He say, "Countin Boudreaux's an mine we got fo feet off da ground an I don bleve dis plane's related to you airport!"~
~A long pause --- "We needs to know who you next of kin isand where to send da flowers!"~:-)

~CAJUN RECIPES~

~The foods of the Acadians reflect a blend of traditional French eating patterns adapted to a foreign land and influenced by contact with Micmac and Malecite peoples.~
~Most Acadians in the Maritimes are descendants of farmers and labourers who came to the New World from central western France in the mid-seventeenth century. They began a new life in Acadie, where strong family ties and a common religion, language and ancestral tradition helped to create an independent, cohesive community.~
~The first group of Acadian settlers landed at La Have, Nova Scotia, in 1632. In 1636, they moved tp Port Royal, and as the population grew, they began to settle farther up the Annapolis River and, by the end of the century, along the Bay of Fundy. Eventually, a group settled on Prince Edward Island. As a result of the Deportation (1755-1763), these Acadians lost their land and were scattered around the world.~
~Descendants of the Acadians who resettled in the Maritimes after 1763 can be found today in pockets along parts of the coastline of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. Acadian cuisine has not changed much over the centuries. Simplicity is STILL the main character.~
~In the early settlements, Roman Catholic religious restrictions partly dictated food consumption. Acadians abstained from meat for more than 150 days a year, and this, in addition to the abundance of seafood in the Maritimes, offers an explanation of fish, herring and cod in particular.~
~Contact with native peoples also influenced the Acadian diet. Corn, not used in Europe, became an ingredient for dishes such as corn chowder and cornmeal cake. Acadians probably learned hunting techniques from the Indians as well, bringing rabbit, moose and game birds to their tables.~
~Pork was one of the principal meats, along with some beef, mutton and chicken. The main vegetables included beans, corn, peas, carrots and onions. The most popular were cabbage and turnip, probably because these vegetables stored well over the winter. The potato was not part of the Acadian diet in the early period. Once it was introduced, however, it became a mainstay.~
~The Acadian settlers, mostly farmers and fishermen, led a less-sedentary existence that that of their descendants today, and hard physical chores necessitated hearty meals. Breakfast, for example, often consisted of foods such as blood pudding, baked beans, head cheese or leftovers from the previous evening's meal.~
~Grist mills supplied whole wheat, oats, buckwheat and barley. Acadians traded flour made from grains for molasses and sugar from the West Indies. Consequently, molasses became an important ingredient.~
~Journals written by visitors to Acadie in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries refer to various drinks. French wine, home-brewed apple cider, spruce beer and fir beer, rum from the West Indies and milk accompanied meals. Milk was also left to thicken and sour, to serve with bread. Historical documents suggest as well that Acadians were the first to cultivate apple orchards. Cherries, pears and wild berries such as blueberries and blackberries were served fresh or used to make jams.~

by Barbara LeBlanc

~"First You Make a Roux"~ (pronounced roo)
When asked a recipe, the first words out of a Cajun cooks' mouth will be... "First you make a Roux" Roux (pronounced roo) is the basic ingredient of gumbo, etoufee, sauce piquante and stew. It contains an equal mixture of oil and flour that is browned and used as a thickening base for many Cajun dishes. It not only thickens, but also accounts for the different and quite distinct flavor of the dish. All of the recipes on this home page that require a roux are best prepared using this formula. 1cup of flour 1 cup of oil
Heat the oil in a heavy, thick pot or skillet. Add flour and stir constantly over a low heat until dark brown. The trick is to get it dark brown (color of a Hershey's chocolate bar) but not burned. If it burns, (it will smell scorched) throw it out and start over. Warning: The roux will be extremely hot and can cause a serious burn. Please be careful when handling it and try not to get any on you.

~JAMBALAYA~

2 lb chopped white onion 3 lb smoked hot sausage, cut up 2 bunches green onion tops 2 cans blackeyed peas 1 large bell pepper 3 lb uncooked rice 5 cloves garlic chopped 1 cup chopped parsley 3 lb salt meat, boiled, cut up 12 cups water 1 tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. red pepper

Saute onions, pepper, garlic, and parsley. Cook until limp. Add salt meat, sausage, blackeye peas with liquid and rice. Add seasoning. Add 12 cups water. Bring to boil; mix well and cover tightly. Cook on lowest heat for 45 minutes. DO NOT remove the cover during this time. Remove cover for 10 minutes before serving. (serves 20)

~SHRIMP CREOLE~

1 cup flour 1 cup oil 3 lb. raw peeled shrimp 1 large can of tomato sauce 2 cloves chopped garlic 2 small cans of tomato paste 2 cup chopped onion 2 bay leaves 2 tbsp. chopped parsley 3 tsp. salt 1 cup chopped celery 1/4 tsp. red pepper 2 tbsp. chopped onion tops 1/2 tsp. black pepper 1/2 cup bell pepper 6 cups of water

Make a roux. Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic and cook until soft. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, and remaining spices...Mix well and cook about 5 minutes. Add bay leaves, 6 cups of water and let simmer for about 90 minutes. Add 3 pounds shrimp and cook for 15 minutes. Add parsley and onion tops and cook for 5 minutes. Serve hot over fluffy rice. Don't eat the bay leaves!

~SEAFOOD GUMBO~

1 cup flour 1 cup oil 1 large onion 1 pint oysters (3-4 dozen) 2-3 garlic pods 1 lb. peeled shrimp 1/2 bell pepper 1 lb. crab claw meat 1/2 cup parsley 3 tsp. salt 1/2 cup green onions-chop 2 tsb. black pepper 3 quarts water 1 tsp. red pepper 3 bay leaves 1/2 doz. whole cleaned crab

Make a roux with equal parts oil and flour. Cook slowly, stirring often, until brown. Add cut up onion, garlic, and bell pepper to the roux. Carefully stir roux until it has cooled down. Slowly add 3 quarts of water, stirring while you pour. Add salt, red pepper and black pepper. Add crab claw meat, and several cleaned whole crabs and cook an hour. Add shrimp and liquid from pint of oysters, simmer for 30 minutes. About 15-20 minutes before you serve the gumbo, add oysters, chopped parsley, bay leaves and green onion tops. Serve on rice. Have fresh file' on hand to allow guests to add their own. A side dish of potato salad is always appreciated. Oh by the way....don't eat the bay leaves. This freezes well. However, do not freeze the gumbo with oysters in it. Add fresh ones before serving. Gumbo always seems to taste better after it has set overnight. I usually try to prepare mine the day before to enhance the true flavor of Gumbo.

~Acadian and Cajun Recipes~

Laissez les bons temps rouler!