Country Roads Magazine "Myths and Legends Issue" October 2021

Page 4

Contents

O C TO B E R 2 0 2 1

Events

11 6 8

ROUGAROUS AT THE READY Monster mashes, corn mazes, and more

REFLECTIONS Keeping the “Story” in “History” by James Fox-Smith

NEWS & NOTEWORTHIES

VO LU M E 3 8 // I SS U E 1 0

Features

32 36 42

Publisher

EVANGELINE ENDURES Deconstructing Louisiana’s most beloved literary legend by Lauren Heffker

THE PASCAGOULA ABDUCTION Alleged alien abductee Calvin Parker tells all. by Alexandra Kennon

James Fox-Smith

Associate Publisher

Ashley Fox-Smith

Managing Editor

Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

Arts & Entertainment Editor

Alexandra Kennon

Creative Director

STORIES FROM THE HIDDEN CEMETERY

Kourtney Zimmerman

In the Point Blue pauper’s graveyard, little legacies live on. by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

On the Cover

Contributors:

Cheré Coen, Burton Durand, John Francois, Tom Guarisco, Ashley Hinson, Chris Jay, Olivia Perillo, Harriett Pooler, George Rodrigue, Federico Villasenor

“VIRTUAL REALITY”

Cover Artist

Cover image by George Rodrigue

George Rodrigue

While preparing for our annual Myths and Legends issue, with Longfellow and spirituality and legacy on the mind, our editorial team suddenly remembered the origin story of George Rodrigue’s beloved motif, The Blue Dog. As detailed in a conversation with Wendy Rodrigue transcribed on page 8, the venerable artist originally painted his striking, stalwart pup as none other than Louisiana’s own boogie man, the rougarou. In our cover image, titled “Virtual Reality,” Rodrigue’s contemporary interpretation of one our region’s oldest scary stories meets the artist’s own legend of origin, Evangeline—the archetype of the Cajun story and the very first myth captured by Rodrigue’s brush. In an issue of myth centered on origin stories, Evangeline gets her moment, as do her Acadian descendants who had the opportunity years later to stick it back to the British in the Revolutionary War, and others whose graves still spark wonder in a remote corner of Point Blue. Curiosity extends even beyond, though, to prehistoric civilizations and visitors from other worlds. And as always, we remain enraptured by the local legends, in the forms of forgotten pastries and lost treasure, attic galleries and nocturnal pollinators. Here in the South, we are a storytelling sort, which makes the Myths and Legends issue one of our favorites.

Cuisine

46

BLACK FOREST CAKE Chef Shorty Lenard’s cherry-less confection by Chris Jay

Culture

50 53 56

UNEARTHING PREHISTORY Frank McMains probes at ancient civilizations by Tom Guarisco

OUR BRILLIANT BATS LDWF’s efforts to protect our region’s vulnerable and integral bat population by Harriett Pooler

ACADIANS FOR AMERICA The Opelousas Post Militia in the American Revolution by John Francois

4

O C T 2 1 // C O U N T R Y R O A D S M A G . C O M

Escapes

58 62

THE ATTIC GALLERY A fifty-year-old arts haven in Vicksburg by Cheré Coen

PERSPECTIVES Cayla Mattea Zeek by Ashley Hinson

Advertising

SALES@COUNTRYROADSMAG.COM

Sales Team

Heather Gammill & Heather Gibbons

Custom Content Coordinator

Lauren Heffker

Advertising Coordinator

Laci Felker

President

Dorcas Woods Brown

Country Roads Magazine 758 Saint Charles Street Baton Rouge, LA 70802 Phone (225) 343-3714 Fax (815) 550-2272 EDITORIAL@COUNTRYROADSMAG.COM WWW.COUNTRYROADSMAG.COM

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ISSN #8756-906X

Copyrighted. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Country Roads magazine are those of the authors or columnists and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products or services herein. Country Roads magazine retains the right to refuse any advertisement. Country Roads cannot be responsible for delays in subscription deliveries due to U.S. Post Office handling of third-class mail.


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