I visited the web pages you gave me, but, no, no, I don't like the Zyteko as it is called. It is new to me and the name sounds strange, in part because here in Hawaii children say "zitekiko" for their poo poo. I understand that it was created by the LSD loaded Caucasian freaks of Santa-Barbara in the sixties. Frankly, I had never heard such musak in my life before. What a barbarian sound and why do these ZZ Tops have to beat frying pans behind the piano accordion ?
As for me, I am looking for the old, authentic Tchank Tchank of the bayos of Louisiana as I have heard two young Kajans play on TV : the fiddle, the spoons and the singing in French. One of these teenagers played on a home-made violin, handled through generations. They both came from the swamp and spoke only French. They were shy kids. The speaker said they never walked on dry land, except when they tied their boat to a tree and walked to New Orleans to swap dry fish and gator skins for coffee, sugar and a chew for their papa. On their TV beginnings, they sang a rare tune called Jole Blon. They had learnt it from their great great grand-father who was the last one to know it, they said. Il was so thrilled that I made a translation in my great great grand father's tongue myself. I was inspired by the English subtitles on the TV film. How raw but how sweet at the same time !
Over here, in Hawaii, we are good people. My ancestors crossed the ocean in pirogues, like the Kajans did. They were Indians, Apaches, who (like the Kajans again) were chased by the US cavalry. That was a long, long time ago. My great grand-father told me this sad story when I was a kid. I am proud of him.
On TV too, I learnt that at the time of the great Napoleon, Louisiana was invaded by bad men called "red necks" because they wore red neck ties. These outlaws did not like the Kajans at all. They cut their tongues because they spoke French and pushed their nose in their zitekiko just to have fun. Later on, when George Wasington ruled Louisiana, they forced the Kajan children to drink Coke, eat Kentucky friend chicken and wear ties too. What a shame ! Over here, it is not better, though. In the days of my great great grand-father, you could see every one run around naked (except for a small strip of cloth to hide the boys galugalea and the girls kitikiti). What a nice sight ! It was paradise on hearth. My folks drank coconut juice and ate crawfish like the Kajans do. I despise Coca Cola, ties, and Kentucky fried chicken.
So now, my friend Chad, you can un derstand why I don't want to play Zyteko. It sounds like the canned music Mr. Tchung-Ho pours in our ears. His grand-father was Pekinese. He came from San-Francisco. Mr. Tchung-Ho plays it in the shop's loud speakers when the villagers gather in his small supermarket.
But I understand that the senior men and women who play Zyteko on our sea side all come from the USA. These old hippies are everywhere now, they need sun for their old bones. I have nothing against them. I simply hope they don't vote for George Bush !
In Bombey, Indians are cool. They play music on a small hand harmonium. It is similar to the concertina the Kajans use. That's the kind of music I want to play too, but I want to play it on my Uke. Am I wrong ?
The April 2011 Dewey Balfa Cajun & Creole Heritage Week
