Cajun Country
This insightful book is by far the broadest examination of traditional Cajun culture ever assembled. It goes beyond the stereotypes and surface treatment given to Cajuns by the popular media and examines the great variety of cultural elements alive in Cajun culture today—cooking, music, storytelling, architecture, arts and crafts, and festivals, as well as traditional occupations such as fishing, hunting, and trapping. It not only gives fascinating descriptions of elements in Cajun life that have been woven into the fabric of American history and folklore; it also explains how they came to be. Cajun Country reveals the historical background of the Cajun people, who migrated to Louisiana as exiles from their Canadian homeland, and it shows their folklife as a living and ongoing legacy that enriches America.
This readable overview by Ancelet, assistant professor of French at the University of Southwestern Louisiana, Edwards, associate professor of anthropology at Louisiana State University, pk and filmmaker Pitre will entertain nonspecialists who wish to study aspects of the history and culture of Louisiana Cajuns, descendants of the French-speaking Acadians driven out of Nova Scotia in the 18th century. Subjects range from traditional family structure, courtship rituals and folk medicine to the 'eccentric creativity' of chef Paul Prudhomme (who has promoted Cajun cuisine throughout the U.S.), children’s games and Cajun singers who have made the hit parade. A discussion of religion explores the Cajun blend of Catholicism and folk religion, highlighting the region’s most famous festival: Mardi Gras, a lively mix of medieval and modern that even today offers a 'certain aura of outlawry.' The scope and detail of coverage vary by topic. For example, funeral customs occupy less than a page, although architectural styles and 19th-century public dances are discussed at greater length. Particularly engaging are transcriptions of songs, traditional tales and jokes, most given in French and English versions.
This first volume of the Folklife in the South Series provides an insightful study of the Cajun people of south Louisiana. It successfully 'attempts to portray their characters by presenting the traditional culture of Cajun country and examining the effects of tradition on modern ways.' Although several books are available on various aspects of Cajun culture, this title offers a comprehensive survey of the history, social institutions, material culture, and recreational activities of this unique ethnic group. It is further distinguished by the sound scholarship of folklorists and historians whose writings have been gracefully assembled under one cover. References to source materials are contained within the text, avoiding the use of footnotes and broadening the book’s appeal. Researchers will appreciate a discussion of the sources in the bibliographical essay. Highly recommended.
Barry Jean Ancelet, a professor of French and Francophone studies at the University of Southwestern Louisiana, is the author of many books about the French culture of southern Louisiana, including Cajun and Creole Folktales: The French Oral Tradition of South Louisiana and Cajun and Creole Music Makers: Musiciens cadiens et créoles, both published by University Press of Mississippi. Glen Pitre has pursued many media-oriented careers, including television, film, and writing. However, he has also worked as a shrimp fisherman, house painter, ship’s cook, roadside vendor of garlic, assistant zookeeper, and oil-field laborer. His work experiences and interactions with people of every economic level make him a well-rounded and worthy resource of information. He is author of The Crawfish Book, published by University Press of Mississippi.
