Acadiana Profile Magazine June - July 2021

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Letter to Acadiana by artist and poet Melissa Bonin PG. 61

25 FUN

THINGS THIS

TO DO

SUMMER PADDLING GLAMPING DINING AND MORE

JUNE.JULY 2021

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ACADIANA PROFILE

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Check out our NEW website Get the magazine’s award-winning articles and photography, plus digital exclusives including videos, recipes and more. acadianaprofile.com

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features J U N E / J U LY 2 0 2 1

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Tech To Table Acadiana’s latest, local medical innovations, plus tips for after care and prevention

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25 Fun Things To Do This Summer Summertime means fun time in Acadiana, and there’s plenty of jollification to go around.

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june/july VOLUME 40 NUMBER 03

10 LAGNIAPPE

A Little Extra

12 NOTE DE L’EDITEUR

Editor’s Note

16 NOUVELLES DE VILLES

News Briefs

20 l’Art

Lafayette artist Amy Michelle Guidry's paintings challenge viewer's imaginations and emotions

22 RECETTES DE COCKTAILS

Calla’s new team debuts a cooling St. Suma Seltzer for steamy Lake Charles evenings

60 LETTRES D'AMOUR

Artist, poet and lyricist Melissa Bonin lived the world over, but Acadiana held the key to her creative magic

62 PLUS ÇA CHANGE

The next generation of Louisiana French scholars

64 EN FRANÇAIS, S’IL VOUS PLAÎT

La fibre courte avec une longue histoire

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Midcentury finds lend eclectic vibe to a Lake Charles Victorian

A satisfying repast for casual outdoor fun

La Maison

De la Cuisine

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AWARDS

What is one of your favorite things to do in Acadiana?

LAGNIAPPE

Learn French l'été (n.) summer Example: We have a lot of fun adventures planned for this summer.

Translation: Nous avons beaucoup d'aventures amusantes prévues pour cet été.

A River Runs Through It At 140 miles long, the Atchafalaya Basin extends from Simmesport to the Gulf of Mexico. Here are some additional facts from the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area about this important regional waterway and ecosystem:

E D ITO RIA L

Managing Editor Art Director

Associate Editor

Ashley McLellan

Silver Recreation Feature

“I like going to festivals and looking at the local artist’s booths, browsing local galleries at ArtWalk Lafayette and visiting local museums. I feel inspired, peaceful and happy.”

Rebecca Taylor

CIRCULATION

Hosts the largest nesting concentration of bald eagles in the south-central United States

Subscriptions Distribution

Jessica Armand John Holzer

ADMINISTRATION

Office Manager Chief Executive Officer

Mallary Wolfe Todd Matherne

2019

Winner Magazine of the Year

Gold Art Direction Single Story Gold Photo Series Silver Photographer of the Year

Gold Magazine Photographer

Abbie Dugruise

Rosa Balaguer Meghan Rooney

Bronze Profiles Bronze Art Direction of a Single Story

2018

Gold Art Direction of a Single Story

P RODUCTION

Senior Production Designers

Bronze Food Feature

Gold Overall Art Direction

MAR K ETING

Coordinator

Silver Art and Culture Feature

Gold Overall Art Direction

R EN A ISSA N C E P U B L ISHIN G

Learn more at atchafalaya.org.

Gold Overall Art Direction

(337) 235-7919 Ext. 230

Rebecca@acadianaprofile.com

Intern Ella Carrier

Inhabited by about 65 species of reptiles and amphibians

Contains the largest contiguous bottomland hardwood forest in North America and is the largest overflow alluvial hardwood swamp in the United States

2020

Melanie Warner Spencer Sarah George

“My husband and Copy Editor Liz Clearman I love to scope out new breweries or Lead Photographer Danley Romero visit old favorites.

Web Editor Kelly Massicot Hitting Bayou Teche Brewing in Arnaudville when there is live music A DV E RT ISIN G there is always a must when our schedules

Sales Manager Rebecca Taylor permit.” Melanie

(337) 298-4424 Warner Spencer

International and Regional Magazine Association

“One of my favorite things to do is attend the annual Acadia Music Fest held in my hometown, Thibodaux. I love to get together with friends and family to listen and dance to live music!”

Abbie Dugruise

For subscriptions call 877-221-3512

Gold Food Feature Gold Department Silver Magazine Writer of the Year Silver Hed & Dek Silver Photo Series 2017

Gold Overall Art Direction Gold Magazine Photographer of the Year Gold Art Direction of a Single Story Gold Food Feature Silver Cover 2016

Gold Overall Art Direction 110 Veterans Blvd. Suite 123. Metairie, LA 70005. 504-828-1380. 877-221-3512 128 Demanade. Suite 104. Lafayette, LA 70503. 337-235-7919 ext. 230 Acadiana Profile (ISSN 0001-4397) is published bimonthly with a special issue in September by Renaissance Publishing LLC, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005 (504) 828-1380 and 128 Demanade, Suite 104, Lafayette, LA 70503 (337) 235-7919 ext. 230. Subscription rate: One year $10; Foreign Subscriptions vary. Periodicals postage paid at Lafayette, LA, and additional mailing entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Acadiana Profile, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005. Copyright 2021 Renaissance Publishing LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. The trademark Acadiana Profile is registered. Acadiana Profile is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos and artwork, even if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. The opinions expressed in Acadiana Profile are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the magazine or owner.

Gold Magazine Photographer of the Year Gold Art Direction of a Single Story Silver Photo Series

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N OT E DE L’E DIT E U R

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n April, my husband and I — fully vaccinated and ready to (safely) mingle — attended our first gathering (of more than six, socially-distanced people) since “The Before.” (That’s our phrase for anything that happened prior to the pandemic.) To our delight, the occasion was a crawfish boil. The guest list included the same folks present at the last gathering we attended in “The Before” of early March 2020 — a crawfish boil at the same friend’s home.

We discussed how it felt as though we had come full circle.

The boil was oddly both a sorrowful and a joyful moment. While we'd seen everyone over the past year, we hadn’t all been together in the same place. The weight of loss, isolation and uncertainty was coupled with the joy of togetherness, friendship, love, community — and, of couse, crawfish. Joy was of course the more prevalent emotion, but there in my mind’s darker reaches was a sadness over all we’ve lost.

That sadness is grief, which as we all know comes in waves at inopportune times like during a boil. For the record, I’m not what you’d call an overly emotional sort. But the pandemic has surely worn on us in many ways and, it seems, I’ve come out the other side with a more sensitive constitution. Which is fine, but I’m still getting used to it. One minute I’m hugging necks and pinching tails and the next, I’m looking out over my friends as they tell stories, laugh, sip their beers and wait for the second batch and the next, I’m overcome with emotion. I’ve missed them all so much.

I’ve missed having them in my life so much. I’ve missed so much of their lives.

They’ve missed so much of my life. I know we’ll catch up. But in that instant, I feel the loss. Then just like that, the wave breaks, and I’m in the thick of it, joking around, reveling in togetherness.

Since the boil, there have been a slew of “firsts.” A dinner party inside a friend’s home to celebrate all of us being fully vaccinated. A trip home to Kentucky for a family event.

Having a (vaccinated) friend over for tea inside my home. Eating inside a restaurant again for the first time. OK, lots of restaurants.

As I’ve written in this space before, trying out new restaurants and revisiting old favorites is one of my hobbies. Boy, am I glad to get back to it. Takeout has been a wonder but give me the full experience of dining in every single time. The food is of course the main event, but being immersed in a restaurant’s visual atmosphere, enjoying the waitstaff’s hospitality, experiencing each dish the way the back of the house BEHIND THE crew and chef intend it, SCENES: Lead photographer, the din of fellow diners — Danley Romero, this is what I love about getting advice trying new eateries. Each from farm time we hit an old or new feline on how to best get the spot, I can literally feel joy cover shot. emanating from beneath the chef ’s or owner’s or chef-owner’s mask. I can also see that mix of joy and sorrow in their eyes. They’ve been through it, y’all.

We’ve all been through it.

As odd as it may sound, I want to remember not only the joy, but also the sorrow of these moments. Some of us have lost more than anyone should bear over the past year and, as I said, I want to honor and remember those losses, because they matter.

I also want to remember the big and small things that got me through it, like long walks in our neighborhood, porch sits with friends and porch concerts from strangers, as well as — most of all — the love, compassion and kindness born of the connection of a shared experience — even a tragic one.

Now that we’re entering “The After,” I aim to cultivate the good that came “during” and to cherish togetherness, friendship, love, community — and, of course, crawfish. We’ve come full circle.

Melanie Warner Spencer Managing Editor Melanie@AcadianaProfile.com

GET MORE ACADIANA PROFILE AT ACADIANAPROFILE.COM AND BY FOLLOWING US ON INSTAGRAM AND FACEBOOK.

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ÉQ U I P E DE V E NT E

Rebecca Taylor Sales Manager (337) 298-4424 (337) 235-7919 Ext. 230 Rebecca@AcadianaProfile.com

Coming Soon!

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021

The Home Issue We are celebrating the heart of the home, featuring Acadiana kitchens, recipes, a fabulous home PLUS Top Real Estate Pros A listing of the Top Real Estate Pros in the Acadiana region.

Best Neighborhoods A sampling of some of the region's best places to live

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N O U V E L L E S DE V IL L E S

by Lisa LeBlanc-Berry

$100 for a House BROUSSARD Up for grabs if you buy the winning $100 ticket: The newly constructed 2021 Acadiana St. Jude Dream Home in Broussard valued at $625,000. Other prizes include a 2021 Buick Encore and a $10,000 gift certificate.

The St. Jude Giveaway benefits children battling cancer. Drawing is June 27 (Dreamhome.org).

LAKE CHARLES, OPELOUSAS AND VINTON

Casino Comeback Louisiana’s casinos are seeing major gains in 2021.

They recently brought in a 119% increase over what the properties brought in during the pandemic last year. L’Auberge Lake Charles had a 179% increase, Golden Nugget Lake Charles was up by 157%, Evangeline Downs in Opelousas had a 156% increase and Delta Downs in Vinton was up by 146%.

Hitting the Road ACADIANA TO NEW ORLEANS

Into the Oaks Lake Charles Check out Chef Andrew Green’s new Fire & Oak, tucked away in an enchanting nook amid majestic oaks draped with lights that add a glow to patio dining with live music (Tip: Try a blueberry mojito, beef tartare or the fried burrata followed by scallops). The closure of Green’s former 1910 restaurant after Hurricane Laura gave rise to his new eatery and craft cocktail bar situated in Oak Crossing.

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ACADIANA PROFILE

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FOR MORE NEWS BRIEFS VISIT ACADIANAPROFILE.COM

Louisiana is getting $216 million in transportation aid from one of the federal stimulus bills, including $50 million for advance work on I-49 in the Lafayette area and $29 million toward construction of a new bridge on I-10 in Lake Charles. Plans include connecting New Orleans and Lafayette with an upgraded U.S. 90 that becomes I-49 South, north of Carencro. The work amounts to elevating U.S. 90 to highspeed interstate standards.

PHOTO COURTESY FIRE AND OAK

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N O U V E L L E S DE V IL L E S

by Lisa LeBlanc-Berry

Keeping Kids Strong YOUNGSVILLE/BROUSSARD A new science-based children’s development center, KidStrong, is coming to the Youngsville/Broussard area.

Using a science-based curriculum, KidStrong empowers kids to be the heroes of their own story by building independence and self-worth (kidstrong.com).

LAFAYETTE

Kidnapped Giraffe The search is on for Gracie the giraffe. The beloved 9-foot-tall statue was last seen outside Dr. Leslie Jacobs Pediatric Dentistry on Rue Fontaine. “If you see her grazing on leaves, please give her floss and a toothbrush and call our office immediately,” states an office Facebook post. Anyone who sees the “kidnapped giraffe” should call the office (337500-1500). There’s a reward for Gracie’s safe return.

Light My Fire!

Pro Fighters for Kids Abbeville, Lake Charles, New Iberia, Lafayette, Opelousas, Carencro The Boys & Girls Club of Acadiana (bgcacadiana.com) received a $500,000 donation from UFC Fighter Conor McGregor to enhance summer camps. Inspired by the Good Fight Foundation founded

by Carencro native/MMA champ Dustin Poirier (he launched the international non-profit by auctioning off his fight gear for Carencro’s underserved youth), the two lightweights face off July 10 for a fundraising rematch at UFC 264 (T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas).

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LAFAYETTE Vestal, the live-fire fine dining haven by Chef Ryan Trahan (2018 King of Louisiana Seafood), opened in April (555 Jefferson St,) near the second location of Chef Dale Evans’ new musicthemed Luna Bar & Grill (533 Jefferson St.). After a delayed debut in 2020, Vestal’s woodburning hearth is finally fired up, attracting mesmerized diners drawn to the leaping flames and 40-ounce tomahawk steaks. Vestal’s Pillow Talk and Drunk in Love cocktails feed fantasies near a raw bar abuzz with oyster lovers sipping Parish Envie (vestalrestaurant.com).

AP PHOTO/JOHN LOCHER

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L’A RT

Naturally Surreal Lafayette artist Amy Michelle Guidry's paintings challenge viewer's imaginations and emotions

by John R. Kemp

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Lafayette artist Amy Michelle Guidr y has much in common with the 19th-century French Impressionist painter Edgar Degas. To Degas, “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” Guidry paints “not just to bring attention to issues affecting the planet, but to make people look at it in a way they never did before.”

Guidry, who was born in North Carolina in the mid-1970s, grew up in Slidell and studied art and psychology at Loyola University in New

VIEW MORE PAINTINGS

BY AMY GUIDRY AT AMYGUIDRY.COM OR ACADIANAPROFILE.COM

Orleans, is in the perfect place to observe the lush but fragile natural landscape of South Louisiana. After completing college in 1998, she moved to Lafayette where she met her husband-to-be Zack Guidry. She quickly fell in love with the Cajun culture and the openness of its people, people who “know no strangers.”

With her lifelong love of nature and the psychological forces that drive us all, the Acadian parishes are the right place for her to paint not only the customary landscapes but also serve as an advocate for the preservation of nature.

By combining her artistic talents and studies in psychology, her paintings demand viewers’ attention. It is this intellectual and artistic journey into the subconscious that has brought her awards and growing recognition with shows in galleries and museums across the nation.

To create these dramatic images, Guidry turned to an early 20th-century form of painting called Surrealism, which the Tate museum in London describes as an “artistic movement that explored the workings of the mind, championing the irrational, the poetic

and the revolutionary.” Some of the more famous Surrealist painters were Salvador Dali, Frida Kahlo and René Magritte. It is an excellent vehicle for an artist such as Guidry to reach beyond the obvious.

“Surrealism,” Guidry says, “allows me to delve into layers of meaning behind my work, creating a narrative that can fit into one painting, even if it isn’t completely apparent from the onset. Surrealism also allows me to create mirror images of problems facing our world today.”

Guidry’s paintings are not revolutionary or irrational, but they do force viewers to examine, react, think and explore their own psyches to understand her message. In her current series “In Our Veins,” she conjures viscerally disturbing and often macabre imagery to create a “psychologically-charged narrative” that gives human qualities to animals to show they are no less important than people and that all life is interdependent and interconnected.

“My love for nature is why I create my own art,” she says. “I’ve been in love with nature for as long as I can remember. I create art

because I want others to love nature, too. I create art because I want to save it.”

Guidry, now a vegetarian, believes juxtaposing seemingly unrelated visual images forces viewers to have what she describes as an “inner dialogue with the work to discover more about themselves” and their place in the world.

“If viewers can see themselves in the work,” she says, “and see how their impact on the world translates into this work, maybe they will be more conscientious of their actions and take steps toward positive change. Each painting is an opportunity to tap into the viewer's visual perception, emotions, memories, fears and passions.”

In addition to evoking emotions, Guidry wants her paintings to “inspire, enlighten, amuse, brighten and bring forth positive change.”

But most importantly, they challenge the imagination — and conscience. ■

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RECET T E S DE CO C K TA I LS

Sipping into Summer Calla’s new team debuts a cooling St. Suma Seltzer for steamy Lake Charles evenings

by Lisa LeBlanc-Berry photo by Romero & Romero

Summer time cock tails have a singular purpose: They must make you feel cool. For wanderlust weekenders awaiting tropical holidays, a well-crafted summer libation can help assuage yearnings for pristine beaches and emerald waters, poolside luaus and moonlight swims.

When the sun descends on steamy evenings at Restaurant Calla (1400 Market St., restaurantcalla.com), the Lake Charles cocktail cognoscenti gather in the newly renovated allweather courtyard for bar manager Brandon Ashford’s new specials. The St. Suma Seltzer is a recent rum-and-citrus hit evoking seasonal flavors in a glass. The well-iced, cooling cocktail soothes contemplative imbibers with sweet Bayou Satsuma Rum embellished with notes of jasmine, grapefruit and a kiss of effervescence.

“It’s a super refreshing summertime drink with bright flavors heightened by satsuma, elderflower and a topping of sparkling water,” says Ashford.

A Lake Charles native and lauded mixologist, Ashford was brought on by new proprietor Ben Herrera to head the esteemed cocktail program when he reopened Calla in December.

Calla’s new executive chef, David Phillips (previously of the Chart House at Golden Nugget), is a four-year former veteran of Herrera’s flagship 121 Artisan Bistro. Like Ashford, Chef Phillips’ emphasis has been menu experimentation and expansion.

“Restaurant Calla is a vessel to experiment and introduce things to Lake Charles,” says Ashford. “I like to give my other bartenders creative freedom.

We’ve added new cocktails, but have also brought back the Founder’s List based on favorites from Calla’s 10 original founders. We get a lot of regulars for happy hour.”

A former chef with an expanding empire, Herrera recently acquired City Market and Deli down the road from 121 Artisan Bistro. He transformed it into The James 710, opened in April. The sleek haven is helmed by Chef Michael Breese (formerly of the Asian-inspired Maypop in New Orleans). Future plans include projects in Sulphur and Moss Bluff. ■

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R EC I P E

St. Suma Seltzer

❶

Place 1½ ounces Bayou Satsuma Rum or Gator Bite Satsuma and Rum Liqueur, ¾ ounce St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur or Edinburgh Gin Elderflower Liqueur, ½ ounce fresh lemon juice and ¼ ounce cane syrup in a shaker and shake.

❷

Strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice. Top with sparkling water and garnish with a dehydrated grapefruit wheel hanging on the edge of the glass.

WATCH A VIDEO OF ST. SUMA SELTZER BEING CRAFTED AT ACADIANAPROFILE.COM

DE L A C U IS INE

Picnic Perfect A satisfying repast for casual outdoor fun

by Marcelle Bienvenu photo & styling by Eugenia Uhl

As a child, I adored picnics. My parents were avid outdoors people and when summer arrived, there weren’t many weekends that didn’t find us enjoying a meal in the open air. The old Ford station wagon was loaded with hampers, baskets and ice chests for treks to the levee or a spot on the banks of Bayou Teche.

The menu was simple — sandwiches, bags of potato chips, a thermos of tea or lemonade and cookies from the local bakery. Often, in the evening on weekdays, Mama and Papa set up the picnic table in our oak-shaded back yard for fish fries, barbecues and seafood boils.

I still firmly believe in family picnics, whether it be at a park, on a boat, at the beach, by the pool or on the patio.

It’s time to get out and enjoy the sights and scents only a Louisiana summer can offer — the fragrance of honeysuckle and jasmine, the tweeting of cardinals, chickadees and mockingbirds, the chirping of crickets in the evenings, and the glow of an orange sunset are all the more savored when accompanied by a simple but sumptuous repast.

This is a menu I like but remember it’s best to prepare the items in advance. ■ 24

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You can bring a container of fresh strawberries macerated with a little brandy to spoon on the cake when serving.

MAIN COURSE

D E S S E RT

Marinated Shrimp and Corn

Sour Cream Pound Cake

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

I have no issue with bringing store-bought cookies or cakes, but if you have the time, this is one of my go-to pound cakes.

¾ cup olive oil ½ cup red wine vinegar 3 tablespoons Creole mustard 2 tablespoons chopped chives or green onions 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 2 pounds large shrimp, cooked in seasoned water, then peeled and deveined 2 cups fresh corn kernels salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste COMBINE oil, vinegar, mustard, green onions and parsley in a mixing bowl. Whisk to blend and set aside.

COOL shrimp after they are

cooked and peeled. Steam corn kernels in a little water for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and cool.

PLACE shrimp and corn in a large shallow plastic container.

Pour in marinade and toss to coat evenly. Cover and chill for about 4 hours before serving.

ON THE SIDE

Herbed Cheese Spread

MAKES 8-10 SERVINGS

1 stick butter, softened 1 cup sugar 3 eggs 1¼ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract PREHEAT oven to 350 F and lightly grease a loaf pan. Lightly dust pan with flour and set aside.

CREAM butter and sugar in a bowl until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time.

Sift flour with baking soda and cinnamon and stir half of dry ingredients into the batter. Beat in sour cream and vanilla, then stir in the rest of the dry ingredients.

POUR mixture into pan and rap pan sharply on table to remove air pockets. Bake for about one hour until top of cake is golden brown and lightly spongy to the touch. Remove from oven and cool before removing from pan.

Wrap in plastic wrap and then in foil to keep it fresh and moist.

MAKES 20 APPETIZER PORTIONS

½ cup crème fraîche 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley pinch of cayenne 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice WHIP crème fraîche in an electric

Bring along disposable plates, napkins, utensils and cups, and a trash bag or two to dispose the remnants at home.

mixer until fluffy and set aside.

In a separate bowl, whip cream cheese with the remaining ingredients until light and fluffy. Fold in whipped crème fraîche and refrigerate until ready to use.

FOR ANOTHER PICNIC PERFECT RECIPE, JAMES BEARD’S PÂTÉ DE CAMPAGNE PROVENCALE, VISIT ACADIANAPROFILE.COM

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LA MAISON

The milled trim and fretwork adorning several doorways were originally stained dark brown, and Granger repainted in white for a lighter, airier feel. The vintage record player and album collection belonged to Granger’s father-in-law, while the portrait above was purchased on a visit to Old San Juan.

Rare Vintage Midcentury finds lend eclectic vibe to a Lake Charles Victorian

by Rebecca Friedman photos by Haylei Smith

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Lauren Granger has always gravitated toward “old things.” But the former registered dietitian never imagined that her personal home renovation would lead to a new career in design, allowing her to share her love of midcentury and vintage items with others.

After the birth of their first child, Granger and her husband Dustin found themselves outgrowing their small Lake Charles home – and its single bathtub. Granger would drive

around during the baby’s daily naps scouting houses for sale. One day she got lucky.

“I saw this house and flipped out because it’s always been our dream house,” says Granger.

The Mill Street home, which the Grangers purchased in 2015, offered more than just extra bathing space (three tubs, to be exact).

The 5,000-square-foot house also came with five fireplaces and four living rooms that needed filling — no small task.

According to Granger, the house was built in 1902 by one of the city’s founders, a lumber mill owner. Though the bones were good, the home hadn’t been updated since the 1970s and needed some design TLC. “There were glittered popcorn ceilings, pink and blue everywhere,” says Granger.

She reached out to local professionals for help, but the architects and designers were booked solid, so Granger tackled the project on her own.

“At the time I didn’t have any idea what I was doing,” she says. “I got a 3D rendering program and graph paper and went to town.”

Granger’s goal was not just to fill the large space but to do so in a way that married her penchant for midcentury style with the stately Victorian surroundings.

“Bunny” rests atop a sofa previously owned by Granger’s grandmother. Granger had the piece reupholstered in teal, a color that appears throughout the home.

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The statement kitchen combines cabinetry in Benjamin Moore’s Caribbean Teal with quartz countertops and white subway tile for a sleek look.

CHECK OUT THIS KITCHEN'S MASSIVE PANTRY (WE'RE JEALOUS) OR GET INSPIRATION FROM THE HOME BAR AT ACADIANAPROFILE.COM 28

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Granger is frequently drawn to art featuring faces and figures. In the nursery, she opted against “baby-looking” motifs and turned to Etsy to fill the large wall space over the midcentury-inspired crib. She found two hand-painted Indian tapestries, which she had matted and framed, to tie the room together and echo the rug’s color palette.

Through the renovation process and in her professional design work, Granger has honed her talent for blending eras. She routinely scours flea markets, garage sales, vintage shops and even Etsy, mixing found treasures with brand-new pieces.

“I like the style of old furniture,” says Granger. “I feel like it’s more durable, and I like to reuse and repurpose. I try to go to as many estate sales as I can. You can see [a piece] in its habitat… I imagine how the homeowner used it. I find it interesting when things have a history.”

As the family expanded — the Grangers now have two daughters, ages 2 and 6 — they have also grown into their space. The four living rooms now include “his and hers” home offices as well as a playroom. These downstairs rooms can be closed off with the home’s seven original pocket doors, a privacy feature that came in handy during a year of stay-at-home living.

“Every room has a purpose,” says Granger. “We are in every room every day.” ■

The dining table belonged to Granger’s mother-in-law, and the chairs hail from a local vintage store. Granger reupholstered their white Naugahyde seats in a grey midcenturyinspired fabric that complements the wall color, Benjamin Moore’s Deep Space.

That shade was chosen to match the iron work in the home’s stained glass.

Design: Lauren Granger Design, LLC; laurengranger-design.com

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25 F U N

T H I N G S

THIS

TO DO

SUMMER

BY CHERÉ COEN

PHOTOS BY JOSEPH VIDRINE, ROMERO & ROMERO, HAYLEI SMITH AND DENNY CULBERT

S

Summertime means fun time in Acadiana, and there’s plenty of jollification to go around. While many of Acadiana’s attractions are indoors, even more exists in the great outdoors, which means lots of opportunities to get immersed in nature and experience the region's unique landscape. ¶ Here are 25 places to have fun this summer.

FAMILY FUN

1

Prehistoric Park HENDERSON

Folks in Henderson got a little spooked when the dinosaurs started peeking out of the woods.

Kids may have a similar reaction when they hike the trails of Prehistoric Park, a 12-acre natural setting filled with lifelike dinosaur replicas, some that are quite imposing and realistic. In addition, there’s a sandbox filled with bones to discover for budding archaeologists. prehistoric-park.com

2

CAJUN FAST TRACK

HENDERSON

For those wanting a faster-paced afternoon, check out Cajun Fast Track next door to Prehistoric Park, 68,000 square feet of arcade entertainment, mini golf, laser tag and go karts. With a restaurant on site, families can plan to spend the day here. cajunfasttrack.com

3

KART RANCH

LAFAYETTE

4

Surge Entertainment Center

by Drew Brees If you’d rather let the kids go wild inside, Drew Brees’ Surge Entertainment Center fills up 43,000 square feet with fun. There are 13 bowling alleys, golf simulators for all ages, a trampoline park, karaoke, jump courses and much more. Surge also features a family restaurant and a VIP section for adults who also want to get away. surgefun.com

ACADI ANAP ROFI LE.COM

LAFAYETTE

Plan to spend hours at this entertainment center celebrating 35 years, which features an arcade, mini golf, batting cages, Tiki Bump 'N' Blast Boats and, of course, go karts.

This summer, Kart Ranch launches laser tag as well.

On hot days, try Water Wars, where competing teams launch water balloons at each other. kartranch.com

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PHOTO COURTESY SURGE ENTERTAINMENT

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O U T D O O R A D V E N T U R E

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Gator Chateau Just off I-10 lies the Jeff Davis Parish Visitor’s Center with a special “chateau” for its famous resident, the alligator. The Gator Chateau folks foster baby alligators and let tourists hold the tiny reptiles. Public gator feedings happen Friday afternoons during the summer. jeffdavis.org/gator-chateau

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Glamping LAKE FAUSSE POINTE, CHICOT & GRAND ISLE STATE PARK

In addition to cabins and campsites, Louisiana State Parks has introduced “glamping,” a glamorous way to camp, at several parks including Lake Fausse Pointe near St. Martinville, Chicot near Ville Platte and Grand Isle State Park on the Gulf. Safaristyle glamping tents come with cots (visitors bring linens), fire pits and grills, Adirondack chairs on the porch and a few other amenities. It’s basically camping with lagniappe. louisianastateparks. reserveamerica.com

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CREOLE NATURE TRAIL ALLAMERICAN ROAD

Wildlife is abundant along the 26 miles of the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road, which stretches from one side of Lake Charles to the Gulf of Mexico and back up the other side. Enjoy hiking on boardwalks, fishing and crabbing or beachcombing. Start your tour at the Creole Nature Trail Adventure Point in Sulphur to learn about exhibits, take fun selfies and get maps to the Trail.

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TAKE A HIKE

Lace up those hiking boots and hit the trails at the Acadiana Park Nature Station, open daily from dusk to dawn. Or go for a night hike the last Saturday of each month. A trail near Breaux Bridge circumvents the lake with great views of nesting egrets, spoonbills and herons, plus alligators. Chicot State Park and the Louisiana Arboretum lead visitors through woods, near bayous and Lake Chicot.

The National Park Service offers a Friday morning boat tour of Bayou Lafourche, taking off from the dock behind the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center in Thibodaux.

In addition to enjoying the waterway that some have called “the longest street in the world,” participants will visit the E.D. White Historic Site, birthplace of U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Edward Douglas White. The boat is partially handicapped accessible but not for wheelchairs and reservations are required. Call 985-448-1375 for more information and details.

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Go for the beer, stay for the pizza — or vice versa. Bayou Teche Brewing in Arnaudville started out as a family-friendly brewery with a taproom and space for special events, such as trivia night and jam sessions. Now, there’s Cajun Saucer serving up wood-fired pizzas such as Smoky and the Boudin and the Elvis Abduction with sliced bananas and a peanut butter cream sauce. bayoutechebrewing.com ACADIANA PROFILE

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EAT AUTHENTIC CAJUN

Do you want to taste a meal that sends you reeling back to Mawmaw's house? Authentic Cajun cuisine can be found at Bayou Lagniappe in Berwick, Mabel’s Kitchen in Charenton, Green’s Café in Jennings and La Cuisine de Maman in Lafayette’s Vermilionville. New to Lafayette is Roots, described as a hometown restaurant where locals brings their out-of-town friends for real Cajun.

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EAT AUTHENTIC CREOLE

AT BAYOU TECHE BREWING CAJUN SAUCER'S WOOD FIRED PIZZA PAIRS PERFECTLY WITH THE BEER

Tour Acadiana to eat food with soul with Miss Merline at the Creole Lunch House in Lafayette, Mama Reta’s Kitchen in Lake Charles, Rita Mae’s Kitchen in Morgan City and Glenda’s Creole/ Cajun Restaurant in Breaux Bridge.

Talk about making your tastebuds sing.

And that’s just a sampling!

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LAFAYETTE AND SURROUNDING REGION

Hop on a bus and learn the origins of Cajun food while sampling dishes from a variety of hot spots on the Cajun Food Tours. Owner Marie Ducote-Comeaux also offers walking tours, outings with dance lessons and a taste of world cuisines in her “Around the World in Acadiana” tour. cajunfoodtours.com

W A T E R F U N

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14 SPAR Waterpark SULPHUR

For a small admission fee, Sulphur’s Parks and Recreation offers hours of water fun at its SPAR Waterpark. Tube runs, lazy river, lagoon pool, body slides, raging river and more are available all summer long. Or just linger in Parrot Island and let the massive Polynesian bucket of water inundate you after it fills to the brim. sulphurparks.com/ waterpark.html

SPLASH PAD PALMETTO ISLAND STATE PARK

Visit Palmetto Island State Park south of Abbeville for the canoe and hiking trails, the visitor’s center or the wildlife, such as alligator and wild hogs. And if it’s hot out — and you know it will be — cool off in the park’s splash pad outside the visitor’s center. Palmetto Island offers day use for a small fee and overnight stays in the park’s six expansive cabins that sleep up to eight people.

PADDLE TRAILS ABOUND THROUGHOUT THE REGION AND THE SCENERY CAN'T BE BEAT.

Paddling Grab your canoe or kayak and take to the bayou trails. There are several to choose from, including the Bayou Teche Paddle Trail, Atchafalaya Basin Paddle Trail and Bayou Vermilion Paddle Trail, to name a few.

Pack & Paddle outfitters in Lafayette rent kayaks and canoes, Paddle Up rents paddleboards in Lake Charles and Lake Area Adventures can get you on Prien Lake or the Calcasieu River. louisianatravel.com/ paddle/trails

VARIOUS LOCATIONS

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CAJUN X CABLES WATERSPORTS LAFAYETTE

No boat needed to water ski at this site north of I-10 in Lafayette. Cajun X Cables will spin visitors via cables around a 20-acre manmade lake, allowing them to enjoy a ski experience without having to purchase a motorboat and gear. There’s also a camping area, volleyball court and smaller lake for paddlers. Cajun X Cables is open daily through September. cajunxcables.com

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SWAMP TOURS HENDERSON, ST. MARY PARISH & HOUMA-

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Acadiana consists of miles of wetlands so it’s only natural — pun intended — for folks to offer swamp tours for those who want to get personal with gators, water fowl and the like.

Swamp tours varying from airboats to ecotours can be found at Henderson and the HoumaThibodaux area.

In St. Mary Parish, otherwise known as the Cajun Coast, swamp tours leave from Morgan City and Patterson.

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FUN-FILLED EDUCATION

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ALL ABOARD DEQUINCY AND LONG LEAF

Train lovers can jump aboard antique rail cars at the DeQuincy Railroad Museum in DeQuincy and the Southern Forest Heritage Museum in Long Leaf.

DeQuincy’s museum explains how railroads opened the southwestern side of Louisiana to settlement while the Southern Forest Heritage Museum tells the story of the region’s timber industry and the Red River and Gulf Railroad lines that once moved the lumber to market.

The latter even offers a ride on the 1937 “doodlebug” passenger train. dequincyrailroadmuseum. com; forestheritagemuseum.org

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Lafayette Science Museum & Children’s Museum of Acadiana Children not only learn about science at the Lafayette Science Museum, but also they can enjoy interactive exhibits. The Children’s Museum of Acadiana next door also lets kids participate by learning with its creative hands-on exhibits. Plan a day at both with a stop for lunch in downtown Lafayette and an afternoon cool-off at the Parc San Souci splash fountain.

21 Treasure Hunt HOUMA

Register with geocaching.com, download a geocaching app to your smartphone and connect with Houma Travel GeoTour to enjoy 21 geocache locations in Terrebonne Parish.

Find the spots and sign the guest books, then bring the completed “passport” back to the Houma Visitor’s Center for a special geocoin. houmatravel.com/ geo-tour

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FUN WITH HISTORY

Step back in time and view original homes, furnishings, modes of transportation and more at several Acadiana “villages.” ¶ Opelousas offers Le Vieux Village, a collection of 19th-century buildings, including the Venus House, one of the oldest Creole homes west of the Mississippi River, and the Orphan Train Museum, which tells the story of the orphaned children sent to Louisiana from New York City between 1873 and 1929.¶ Take a mule-drawn carriage ride through the 40-block Charpentier Historic District of Lake Charles, a neighborhood of historic homes.

Over in nearby DeRidder, the Gothic Jail built in the early 20th century offers a glimpse inside an early jail, complete with spooky ghost tales. ¶ In Lafayette, both Vermilionville and Acadian Village showcase how Cajuns and Creoles lived in Acadiana before the modern age. Both villages offer special events, camps and programming.

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Zoosiana, otherwise known as the Zoo of Acadiana, features 1,000 animals from more than 100 species in an expansive campus. View common animals such as lions and giraffes along with scimitar-horned oryx and spur-thighed tortoises (who knew?). A few amenities, such as the Petting Zoo and the Safari Train, have been temporarily closed or are open limited days. Check with the Zoo’s website or Facebook page for updates. zoosiana.com

FOR THE BIRDS Head to the coast but keep your eyes on the skies.

Birds of all sizes and colors live along the Gulf and its inland wetlands and bayous. One of the best stops for birding is Peveto Woods, a bird sanctuary established by the Baton Rouge Audubon Society off Highway 82 near Johnson’s Bayou. Slip beneath live oaks and pause at the Society’s feeding stations and water drips, where birds love to gather. Grand Isle is another birding hotspot, a barrier island that’s home to numerous shore birds and more.

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A N I M A L A C T I O N

Get a jump on Horses have long been a mainstay of Acadiana, from cattle roundups and African American trail rides to famous jockeys and Kentucky Derby winners. Cambridge Stables in Maurice offers a variety of horseback riding lessons in addition to hosting birthday parties and camps with an equine theme. Willow Oaks Equestrian in Duson offers lessons as well. And Joie de Vivre Farm in Youngsville teaches beginning through advanced English riding lessons for all ages.

TAKE RIDING LESSONS THIS SUMMER OR SIMPLY ENJOY A HORSE-THEMED GATHERING

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Acadiana’s latest local medical innovations, plus tips for after care and prevention

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BY FRITZ ESKER

While much of medical care centers around the knowledge and skill of doctors, the right equipment can allow a doctor to apply their expertise in a way that consistently creates better outcomes for patients.

Throughout Acadiana, hospitals are utilizing exciting new innovations to improve the quality of their treatments.

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Why Does Someone Get Varicose Veins?

Varicose veins are swollen, twisted veins that occur when vein walls or valves become damaged. Old age, high blood pressure, and pregnancy can cause them. They’re not life-threatening, but they can be painful and their appearance can make people feel selfconscious.

The Best Diet for Varicose Veins

The Mayo Clinic (mayoclinic.org) lists a number of causes for varicose veins. Age is a big factor as the wear and tear on your veins’ valves increases with time. Women are more likely to develop varicose veins. Hormonal changes during pregnancy or menopause may be a factor. Like many diseases and ailments, family history can play a role as well.

Obesity puts added pressure on your veins.

Also, it’s best to find a job that requires neither too much standing nor sitting (yes, it does seem like a catch-22). If you’re in the same position for long periods of time, your blood will not flow as well.

INNOVATION

VenaSeal In the past, if patients had vein disease like varicose veins, doctors would treat them with vein stripping, an invasive and painful procedure. Treatment options evolved with procedures like thermal ablation, which uses a laser to fix the veins. But the heat from the laser could still cause pain and bruising. Now, the Acadiana Vascular Clinic is excited to offer its patients VenaSeal, a specially formulated medical adhesive that closes the diseased vein.

In a simple outpatient procedure, the adhesive is placed in the vein with a small catheter. It’s guided via ultrasound technology. Pressure is then applied to the leg to help seal the vein. The catheter is removed and a bandaid is placed over the insertion site. While laser procedures require sedation, the VenaSeal procedure does not.

“You drive yourself to the procedure, you get it done and you drive yourself home,” said Karyn Periou, marketing director and LPN at the Acadiana Vascular Clinic.

Periou said patients see dramatic aesthetic improvements immediately after the procedure. In addition to these benefits, compression socks are not required (they are after any laser procedure or vein stripping). In a state with Louisiana’s heat and humidity, that ends up being a huge bonus for patients!

Extra weight can cause varicose veins to form, and this is something patients can control with better diet and nutrition. Vein Clinics of America (veinclinics.com) recommended avocados, beets, asparagus, rosemary, ginger, cherries and apples. Cherries and apples are full of rutin, which helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure, improving vein strength. It’s also an anti-inflammatory that helps prevent blood clots. Ginger and rosemary are both known to increase circulation. Asparagus and avocados are full of vitamins and minerals. Beets lower a naturally-occurring amino acid in the body that can attack blood vessels.

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DISC REPLACEMENT

A disc replacement replaces a deteriorating or worn out disc with an artificial one (made of either metal or a combination of metal and plastic). It requires general anesthesia and a hospital stay. It is the most common alternative to spinal fusion surgery, where two vertebrae are permanently joined together.

Why Is Lumbar Disc Replacement Necessary?

As it is with any surgery, decisions will be made in collaboration with the patient and their doctor.

Johns Hopkins (HopkinsMedicine. org) said the procedure can help resolve back pain, but not everyone is a good candidate for lumbar disc replacement surgery.

They said generally lumbar disc replacement is recommended for patients who have no significant joint disease or compression of the nerves of their lower spine, are not significantly overweight, haven’t previously had spinal surgery and do not have scoliosis or any other type of spinal deformity.

What to Do After Total Disc Replacement

INNOVATION

Total Disc Replacement Total disc replacement for cervical and lumbar discs is by no means a new concept. However, it is increasingly gaining acceptance among insurance companies, which means it’s becoming much more common among doctors. Dr. Alan Appley, a neurosurgeon with Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center, is excited to perform this procedure for his patients.

The previously favored procedure for people with cervical or lumbar disc issues was fusion, which removed the damaged disc and used bone grafts or implants to replace it. However, this procedure has its downsides. Dr. Appley said he prefers the total disc replacement.

“It’s superior to fusion because you preserve motion and you don’t put stress on the remaining discs, which accelerates their deterioration,” Dr. Appley said.

The new discs are now more advanced than they used to be, too. In the past, they would be made of metal, which would reduce the ability to examine the area on future MRIs. Now, they are made with polyetheretherketone (PEEK), a type of plastic, and ceramics.

Dr. Appley also said it’s now possible to replace two discs at once (two-level replacement). In the past, patients would only do one per surgery. In addition to this, he said hybrid procedures will become more commonplace in the future. In this case, a patient who initially received a fusion surgery can later receive a total disc replacement to replace another damaged disc.

According to Johns Hopkins (HopkinsMedicine.org), patients will need to exercise patience after undergoing a total disc replacement. Physical therapy will be needed to show the patient how to move properly and how to do exercises (e.g. mild trunk twists). Doing the physical therapy will help ensure a quicker recovery. Walking and stretching will be encouraged, but jarring activities and motions should be avoided for a while. Recovery times may vary depending on the patient, so it is always best to stay in contact with your doctor and physical therapist.

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INNOVATION

Blood clots can be silent killers. If they form in the veins of a person’s legs, arms or groin, they can break loose and move to other parts of your body. Among other potential problems, if it travels to your heart our lungs, it can get stuck and prevent blood flow to those vital organs and cause a potentially fatal emergency.

When Should I Worry?

Stop Clots Before They Happen The Mayo Clinic (MayoClinic.org) said a sedentary lifestyle can cause blood clots.

Losing weight, lowering high blood pressure, quitting smoking and regular exercise can all help. But one thing people may not realize is dangerous is long car or air travel. If you’re on a long flight, get up and walk down the aisle to go to the bathroom periodically even if your bladder isn’t about to burst. If you’re on a long road trip, take stops to get out of the car and walk around for a few minutes. Also, drink plenty of water during long trips as dehydration can lead to clotting.

Indigo Aspiration System At the Cardiovascular Institute of the South, doctors are using Penumbra’s Indigo Aspiration System to safely remove clots in a minimally invasive way.

Previous treatments for blood clots included using small wires to break up the clots. But Dr. Ujjwal Rastogi, a cardiologist with the Cardiovascular Institute of the South, said this method risks accidentally sending the clot to a different part of the body. While manually aspirating the clot has worked in the past, there is also uncertainty with this procedure. Success can hinge on the individual person and the size/location of the clot. The clot can get stuck in the syringe, and if this happens it can get pushed back into the body.

The Indigo Aspiration applies constant vacuum-style pressure, which guarantees it will go into the tube instead of back into the patient’s body. In addition to this, it makes recovery for the patient easier, too. It can prevent patients from needing stents after the clot removal as well as eliminating the need for taking blood thinners regularly.

The Cardiovascular Institute of the South started using this technology in early 2021 and feedback from doctors and patients has been great.

“We’ve been very fortunate to get this technology,” said Dr. Rastogi.

Blood clots can be a life-threatening ailment. The Mayo Clinic (MayoClinic.org) advises people to seek emergency care if they experience the following symptoms: cough with bloody sputum; fast heartbeat; lightheadedness; difficulty breathing; chest pain or tightness; pain extending to the shoulder, arm, back or jaw; sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg; sudden difficulty speaking or understanding speech and sudden changes of vision. If you see swelling, redness, or pain in an area on your arm or leg, you should also see a doctor as soon as possible.

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LE T T R E S D'A MO U R

Held By Thunder Artist, poet and lyricist Melissa Bonin lived the world over, but Acadiana held the key to her creative magic

by Melissa Bonin illustration by Christina Brown

Something has to hold you. Seduced by art, poetry and pleasure in search of love, in search of home, I left Louisiana. On fantastic journeys, I crossed a lifetime of rivers, the Danube, the Seine and the Rio Grande. I rode horseback round the base of volcanoes in Costa Rica, bathed in golden basins in Abu Dhabi and wrote water poems upon stones in the surf of Normandy.

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Along slow roads in the hills of Chianti, I followed the call of wild birds, like the cuckoo and the hoopoe. Late nights, I tiptoed inside the bellies of medieval churches and slept among silver olive groves, where the arms of Galileo’s mother once held him, as he threw back his head to name stars.

In France, I licked the last spoonful of cream soup made with chanterelles I had just picked. I waltzed and considered my reflection in grand mirrors of Versailles. At Giverny, Monet gave me pools of lily pads. Still, there were no tropical storms in the French valley of kings. I missed Louisiana thunder. As a child, the crack and rumble would send me diving under the kitchen table, or make me throw covers overhead and squeal with visions of God moving giant furniture upstairs.

Acadiana is a magical oyster shell that holds me and most of the stories of my life. Before sunset, backlit moss dangles from branches like veils of glistening jelly fish. Live oaks, as old as the Buddha, have roots and trunks larger than elephants. They bend with the grace of tai chi masters. Canadian snow geese,

blackbirds and robins come to vacation in winter and leave when the Mardi Gras maples shock the grey landscape with their garnet blossoms.

To someone who has never seen the swamp, what words could articulate the popping sound that duckweed makes, when stroked by a kayak paddle? How could I explain vast rivers of grass, where cypress trees have knees that rise up and sing? Like antennas, they broadcast their songs through echoes of expanding water circles. How could I bear witness to a full-moon midnight on Lake Martin, when sky and water merge, erasing the horizon and making it possible to slip a canoe into a living Picasso painting?

To a stranger, how could I describe the ferocity of a hurricane, the smell of burning sugarcane, and diamond dew drops on elephant ears after rain? How could I express the feelings evoked while walking along Louisiana marshes where, surely, God has just passed, wearing white shrimp boots and a Vermilion parish cowboy hat, before heading upstairs to move furniture? ■

MELISSA BONIN is a Louisiana francophone/francophile visual artist, poet and lyricist who believes in the healing power of the natural world and our responsibility as guardians of the human spirit. Her works have been presented and published throughout North America and Europe.

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PLU S Ç A C HA NGE

New Thinking on Old Ideas The next generation of Louisiana French scholars

by David Cheramie illustration by Christina Brown

A culture that does not change and evolve is destined, it is said, to wither and die. Over the last 50 years or so of the “French Renaissance” in Louisiana, there have been some drastic changes, not the least of which is the fact that in 1970, it was estimated that there were over a million native French speakers in the state. Today, depending on one’s definition of native, there are probably less than one-fifth of that many left. By native, I include those who, like myself, grew up hearing the language at home, but never really spoke it until they made a conscious effort to make French fluency a priority. Many have noted the irony of the fact that the shame once associated with speaking French has diminished

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Creole Louisiana”, UL-Lafayette professor and turned into pride practically in inverse Nathan Rabalais explores the dynamics proportion to the number of actual Francoof language and the difficult relationship phones. Thanks to CODOFIL and immersion between the descendants of those who came schools, French may have reentered the classhere after the Acadian Exile, those who were room whence it was once banished, but it has or owned the enslaved and those who were a shrinking role in the everyday life of most already here when they arrived. In a similar south Louisiana residents. As French seems vein, Université Sainte-Anne professor and to become less a criterion for identity, what Louisiana native Clint Bruce, in “Afro-Creole new markers are required to prove one’s bona Poetry in French from Louisiana's Radical fides as a Cajun? In the Canadian Maritime Civil War-Era Newspapers,” brings to the foreProvinces, it is inconceivable that non-French front the role Free People of Color played from speakers could be fully considered Acadian, the very beginning in the burgeoning struggle even if their names are Cormier or LeBlanc. for equal rights, as shown in their writings What does it mean to be Cajun, Creole or during the Civil War and Reconstruction, a French Louisianan in the 21st century? century before the Civil Rights movement. In Building upon the scholarship of historians, his soon-to-be released “Africans, Acadians linguists and folklorists like Carl Brasseaux, and the 1858 Murder of Constant Melançon,” Barry Jean Ancelet and Amanda LaFleur, a he examines the racial dynamics unleashed new generation of scholars is reexamining

by Melançon’s killing at the hands of Tousand challenging ideas about race, language, saint, his enslaved childhood companion. and identity in French and Creole Louisiana.

In “French on Shifting Ground,” A spate of books and films over Nathalie Dajko of Tulane clearly the last five years sheds new light demonstrates the link between on these essential questions as land and language loss, leading to evidenced in these examples of the disappearance of the culture some of the scholarly works that based upon both. are reframing the expérience SEE A TIME-LAPSED Scholarly yet accessible to the VIDEO OF THE ARTIST franco-louisianaise. public, they are the next evoluCREATING THE ABOVE In both his documentary ILLUSTRATION AT tion in the field Louisiana French “Finding Cajun” and his book “Folklore Figures of French and ACADIANAPROFILE.COM studies. ■

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EN FRA N Ç A I S, S’I L VO U S P L A Î T

La Porte en Arrière est Toujours ouverte Le destin incroyable de D. L. Ménard par David Cheramie portrait par David Simpson

Ce mois de juillet marque le quatrième anniversaire du décès du musicien D. L. Ménard, l’auteur de « La Porte en arrière », la chanson cadienne la plus enregistrée et la plus jouée selon le folkloriste Barry Jean Ancelet.

Elle rivalise avec « Jolie Blonde » pour le titre de l’hymne national cadien. Connu comme le « Hank Williams » cadien, il a composé en moins d’une heure pendant qu’il travaillait

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dans une station-service en prenant inspiration plus du genre « country » que des traditionnels de « Honky Tonk Blues ». Enfin, la composition two-steps et valses du répertoire cadien. Cela a duré tout l’après-midi car entre faire le plein est dû à l’influence de Hank Williams qu’il a d’essence ou changer les pneus crevés, il grifrencontré en 1951. « Sois toi-même! Crée ta fonnait sur un bout de papier en anglais les propre image, » lui a-t-il conseillé. C’est ce que paroles qui lui venaient à l’esprit en français.

Ménard a fait. Normalement, c’est le joueur Le français était sa langue maternelle, mais d’accordéon ou de violon qui est populaire et comme la majorité dans sa génération, il ne le guitariste est relégué à l’arrière de la scène. savait pas l’écrire. Ce porte-étendard culturel Ménard a amené la guitare en avant. Il a dévelimprobable qui tenait un atelier de menuiserie oppé un style si unique que la musicologue où il fabriquait des chaises et des berceuses en Ann Savoy dit que dans la musique cadienne, bois de frêne—qui sont aujourd’hui des pièces il y a deux façons de jouer : le style des vieux de collection—a fait le tour du monde. « Cette temps et le style de D. L. Ménard. porte en arrière m’a amené dans trente-huit Quand on lui demandait ce que ses initiales pays », dit-il. Cet ambassadeur iconique, avec représentaient, sa réponse était toujours la son sourire contagieux et sa bonhomie à toute même, « Darn Lucky » (sacrément chanceux). épreuve, est parti de chez lui pour la toute pre- À la fin, sa renommée mondiale était telle que mière fois en 1973 pour aller au Festival Wolf même le New York Times a publié sa nécrolTrap en Virginie. ogie. « C’est incroyable, un petit bougre d’Erath Le succès de la chanson était immédiat. En qu’a eu l’expérience que j’ai eue. » Nommé 1961, il a enregistré la chanson à ses propres pour un Grammy, récipiendaire d’une Bourse frais « La Porte d’en arrière a du Patrimoine national de la part sorti un mercredi et ce samedidu NEA et membre du Temple là, j’avais récupéré mes 175$ de la Renommée de la Musique déjà et il m’en restait assez louisianaise, Ménard a joué pour pour partager avec les autres des Présidents et des centaines de musiciens. Ce soir-là, on a dû le milliers de gens à travers le globe, FOR AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION VISIT jouer sept fois sur la scène. » Du parce qu’un jour, il a passé par la ACADIANAPROFILE.COM point de vue musical, elle tient porte en arrière. ■

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