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Re: Re: Ponderings-songs new, old, and everything in between-it's all good

It's not only trying what they do.
They do a great job in the traditional way.
And they play also special songs.
And there are so many special songs that are seldom played by bands, but they are just as wunderful as the known songs.

I wonder how many Cajun songs there are ?
I didn't have to know the amount in 6 numbers behind the dot, but in hundreds is good too.

Re: Ponderings-songs new, old, and everything in between-it's all good

If you like learning and preserving the old tunes, you really MUST have this album from Gerard Dole. I don't know much history about any of the tunes, but I am guessing lots of these tunes came from well before the Cajuns started playing them on accordions. There are a few tunes on here that are obviously renamed in newer versions.

BTW, I got linked to Smithsonian from someone on this group, can't remember who it was, but thanks whoever you were!

Hal

Re: Re: Ponderings-songs new, old, and everything in between-it's all good

I had posted that site a while back. Found it while searching for one of them old forgotten guys. Pretty neat find, that site. I've bought a few cd's off of there.

I get pretty much everything I can find of Gerard Dole. I think he has done as much as anyone for preserving our music.

Re: Re: Re: Ponderings-songs new, old, and everything in between-it's all good

Preserving the culture and music is important. Achieving how to do it without commericalizing it is difficult. If the youth of today is tomorrow's seniors, it's got to be priority for them to play a role in preservation of culture, be it music, language, art forms (dance, cooking, etc.)

Few kids these days comprehend this, even in Louisiana. So how do you get them to embrace cultural traditions without shoving it down their throats?

Cajun language is offered by many high schools and colleges in SLA -- which is one form -- but from what I hear, it's an elective course. I suspect many kids that elect to take this course don't take because they realize its importance; moreover, they probably think it's easier than advanced calculus.

But that's just the language aspect -- not the accordion and fiddle aspect, which we all know is far more difficult than advanced Chinese calculus.

So how do get kids interested in preserving Cajun music? Especially when modern society is suffocating their souls? At times, it seems as though the only "taste" of Cajun/Creole culture one can experience in Louisiana is going to a dance to hear a band. The wetlands are disappearing, the fishing industry is being taken over by non-Louisiana/non-U.S. workers and farmland is converted to convenience stores.

The rural aspect of where "Cajunism" came from is becoming as rare as a duck in a tree. And what does exist is watered down for tourism. "Here, take this crawfish magnet and put it on your fridge and put this Chank-a-Chank bumper sticker on your car, and oh by the way here's your framed Honorary Cajun diploma."

This is the kinda stuff Marc Savoy [gets on get] about. But it's true.

This isn't to discount tourism to the Pelican State [a source of revenue for Marc] nor is it to not recognize organizations such as CODIFIL, the CFMA OR Savoy Music Center for that matter. These 3 organizations are doing more to preserve Cajun culture than any other official .org. But where are the kids in all this?

R!CK

Re: Cultural Preservation

Have you been to a PLB gig at the Blue Moon? What about Bonsoir, Catin? And have you seen how alive Downtown Alive is? Have you looked through the MySpace sites for these bands and noticed the posts in French and the loads of friends these bands have?

You know, it's easy to sit back and cluck our tongues at those young'uns who just don't care. But there are two points that have got to be made:

1. You've gotta give them a reason to care.

2. If you give them a reason to care, they will.

Speaking from my own experience, I can admit it took a long time for me to begin to care about my culture. Growing up, the first 45 minutes of Passe Partout were torture for me. All French. And even worse, Cajun music...played by octogenarians who all looked like sweet death was only a minute or two away.

What possible motivation was there for me to be interested in this? HOW was I being invited to join into this culture??? I wasn't. Ever. In school, I was made to feel guilty because I didn't speak French. Guest speakers--like musicians--came into the classroom with a chip on their shoulders, like they thought being there was all a waste of their time even before they found out what we thought.

And there are still a lot of people out there (most of whom are older than me) who still have that "my way or the highway" attitude toward the Culture. You've gotta do it like we did. You can't be original. You have to make a unilateral decision--us or them. You CAN'T listen to Metallica and Nathan Abshire.

On the other hand, you have a lot of younger bands and people out there who are really welcoming toward their fans and toward the young. Bands have websites and MySpace pages, and they welcome interaction with people who are interested in what they're doing. They have email addresses readily available and will respond to their fans--even when they ask dumb questions.

In other words, they are more sophisticated at marketing themselves. And they recognize that the old way of doing things isn't going to reel in an audience. For instance, the brusque attitude that older Cajuns have toward outsiders has probably done a lot to hurt this culture.

But when these more sophisticated musicians are onstage, there's a crowd. And that crowd's a mix of both the old and young. The PLB's and the Catins can pack 'em in. But that's because they give people a reason to be interested instead of trying to "guilt" them into being there.

Whenever we ask "What can we do TO them to make them care?" we've already lost the battle.

What we need to ask is "What can we do FOR them that will help them to care?" Then, we'll be on the right track.

I personally don't think it's that bad. When I compare what I see now to what I saw when I was in my early 20s, I see a lot of reason for hope.

If we want to keep this renaissance going, we need to be sure NOT to start feeling entitled to an audience.

Re: Re: Cultural Preservation

Jude you hit the nail on the head. The apathy I was talking about wasnt limited to the youth, it's mainly the older generation who have so much in the palm of their hands and will die with most of it. Many are very sharing if asked, but they dont know how to relate to the young folks. Most have resigned to letting it go. Though most of the young folks are oblivious, it isnt their fault. I completely agree bands like the PLB's are a welcome sight to me because they not only pay great homage to tradition, but they appeal to the youth. That's a winning combination but how many can do that. Maybe bands like them will inspire a new wave of musicians like them.

I agree with you that the bewildered and brusque attitude of some of the older folks didnt help any, but to be fair to them, the cultural gap between that generation and the younger in La. may be one of the most drastic changes in the US. From almost completely isolated and totally immersed in old cajun culture to a flood of major changes. I can see it being hard for them to take. We've kinda harped on this stuff before, I dont know the answer, just feel the need to air out every now and then.

Re: Re: Re: Cultural Preservation

Bryan,
You're right that it's a big cultural gap between these older folk and the young. But it's about more than that.

One of the more thankless parts of my job is to teach college students how to write. And the hardest part of that job is to get them to understand that, in the real world, NOBODY HAS TO READ WHAT THEY WRITE. It doesn't matter what they think of themselves. It doesn't even matter if their ideas are brilliant. If they don't successfully appeal to their audience, then they will have no audience.

Their view of themselves is clouded over by their sense of their own entitlement. And it's almost impossible to make them understand that, truthfully, no one will care about them unless they convince people to care about them.

It's the same thing here. I will be the first to admit that these older folk have done great service to their/our culture. And we owe them a debt of thanks. But I can only take them in small doses. Too often, they'll launch into a depressing diatribe. Or they'll make you feel guilty for not being as Cajun as them. Or they'll act like "Cajun-ness" is some sort of contest that you can't ever possibly win.

It's not fun to listen to. And if I have a hard time listening to them (after having learned a small degree of patience since my youth), then what chance do they have to gain a wide audience?

Re: Re: Re: Re: Cultural Preservation

Jude -- you're awesome. I've learned a lot in this thread (thanks Bryan!)

R!CK

Re: Re: Re: Re: Cultural Preservation

You definately have more of an idea what is going on with young folks than I do. I'm way out of the loop.

The only thing I remember hearing from my grandparents generation is how easy we had it compared to them and how they wished we spoke french (they taught their kids). I tolerated it like you did, but I was so fascinated by their stories (and still am). That breaks a lot of ice. What I see in my nieces and nephews is they don't know enough to even ask questions, they are almost completely Americanized. The music is what brought my interest back to my culture, and I think it is what gets a lot of people interested. It is a perfect vehicle because it is so flexible. But it has to be allowed to get their interest first, that is what bands like PLB seem to be doing, but then I am still out of the loop.

Re: Ponderings-songs new, old, and everything in between-it's all good

A few years ago I attended a Baroque music concert played on period instruments. I have hears Big Band revivals and any number of Folk music reunions.

Music does not die, it just ebbs and flows.

One thing you can always be sure of is some will want it to sound exactly as recorded in the past, others will rediscover it and play it in their own style. It always happens that way.

Should be interesting to hear the Rap music revival in fifty years or so. Fortunately I will be dead by then.

Re: Re: Ponderings-songs new, old, and everything in between-it's all good

Ha! I think rap and metal are here to stay, much to the chagrin of some. Heck, disco never died even though I used to wear a "Disco is dead" button on leather jacket back in the late 70's. Disco just morphed into techno, house and rave.

The trend I see is all music just morphs into a harder, more exaggerated form of itself. Artists such as Jay-Z (rap) and Incubus (metal) will no doubt sound really meek in the future... partly due to the fall of family morals and parental guidance, hollow television content, proliferation of violence and general culural decay in modern society. When is enough enough?

Ironically folk music has maintained a somewhat even keel throughout the decades... unless everyone thinks Jack Johnson is edgy.

R!CK

Re: Re: Re: Ponderings-songs new, old, and everything in between-it's all good

I feel that I would be doing myself an injustice in not responding to this one. As a 25 year old guy growing up in Ville Platte, I guess I was exposed to alot. I have understood (not much spoken) french as long as I have understood English. I was fortunate to have my grandmother living next door who found it much easier to speak to me in French. My earliest memory of my grandfather, as I can recall, is me sitting in Fred's or Diana's (I was like 5 and can't remember that well) listening to him play. I don't find myself much different from the majority of people who grew up at the same time as me. I listen to Metallica, I listen to Snoop Dog, I listen to George Strait, and I listen to Amede Ardoin. I am proud to be a Cajun. I listen to some songs (Valse du Regret for one) and could cry sometimes. My friends my age, believe it or not, envy me! They WISH they could speak and understand French. They WISH they could play a few songs on the accordion. They just don't understand. Whose fault was it? Their parents. My Parents instilled values in me. Going back to what someone said earlier, values and morals don't mean a darn thing to soooo many people these days. If it wasn't for my Grandmother, I would be just like the rest of these folks. If it wasn't for Steve Riley, I would have never discovered (or should I say woke up and smelled the roses) Cajun Music and all its beauty. I have told my mom that when my children go to her house, she isn't allowed to speak English to them. I'll never force them to embrace the culture, but whether they like it or not, they will be immersed. Don't discount my generation, though. We have accordion players my age and much younger who are getting that fire at a young age and they will carry the torch for us.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Ponderings-songs new, old, and everything in between-it's all good

Bien dit neg. I wish more of the older generation thought the way your grandmother did.

I dont want to fault anyone for anything, they just didnt know back when they thought they were doing us a favor by not speaking french to us. What has to be done now is get people interested, whatever that takes. If your friends wish, they could, why cant they, ask them that. Anyone can still learn french, especially while there are plenty of people around to learn from. The music is definately accessible. There seem to be more young folks picking up the music than trying to learn the language, understandably.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Ponderings-songs new, old, and everything in between-it's all good

You're truly lucky Joey and you've got the right attitude -- and an open mind musically. If you're a non-LA state resident like myself, never having the opportunity to grow up knee deep in the culture, the key that opened the door was my diverse taste in music. I consume music like it's air -- it's a huge part of my psyche. And like you my tastes run the gamut and the globe.

My first experience of Cajun culture was on a drive from Dallas to Pensacola, back in 1985. I found myself hungry and while passing through Breaux Bridge on I-10, I saw the billboard for Mulate's. Sounded good to me and after missing the right turn a couple of times, I found it. What I didn't expect to see (and hear) was music. Dewey Balfa was playing to a very sparse crowd on a Saturday afternoon and I had never heard of this guy before. I was hypnotized. I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. After an hour and a half of the experience, I thanked him, shook his hand and walked away hungrier than I was went I went in -- hungry for the quest of this music and culture. I was 22 years old then and felt gyped that I hadn't known about this music sooner.

I began collecting Cajun and zydeco music via mail ordering and built up a sizeable collection. In 1987 I began DJ'ing on Dallas' Community Radio, KNON 89.3FM. I started off doing reggae but soon requested to switch formats to Louisiana Music. I've been spinning it ever since and have no plans to change that. In Dallas, I'm known as that "zydeco guy on the radio" -- and it's true, I do spin mostly zydeco now; it's what I love most. But I do keep on top of Cajun music as well. I love the classics and the neo-traditionalist too. Glad I took up the accordion 15 years ago 'cuz this genre of music is too good to just listen too!

So you see, even an outsider like myself can embrace and be welcomed into a vibrant and rare culture like that of Southern Louisiana. I may not be Cajun blood, but I'm getting there as quick as I can. My soon to be wife hails from Lake Charles and the wedding is there June 30th. We have plans to move there in the next few years...

Who'd a thunk it? That Mulate's billboard should've read, "Your future now, exit 31." That's my story. Hope I didn't bore ya!

R!CK

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Ponderings-songs new, old, and everything in between-it's all good

Now that's a cool story. It ought to be good for a 2-3 beers on elaboration.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Ponderings-songs new, old, and everything in between-it's all good

Joey,
The one thing I'd disagree with is the idea that it's their parents' fault that they don't speak French or have a connection to their culture.

If their parents are of the same generation as mine, they were beaten (literally) for speaking French in school. They were forced to stay in during recess writing lines, "I will not speak French on the school grounds." Many of them were forced to soil themselves because they couldn't even ask to go to the bathroom.

When they chose to raise their children in English, they thought they were doing their kids a favor. For them, French was something shameful, and these well-meaning parents were trying to spare their children the humiliation that they went through.

Some of them began to think differently after World War II. But many still carried that stigma from their childhood. It wasn't until Dewey Balfa's return from Newport that the Cajun renaissance really began. Not until the 1970s was it acceptable to be Cajun.

So, this isn't about morals or values. It's about doing what you think is best for your children. You were just fortunate to have a grandmother who found it easier to communicate in French rather than English.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Ponderings-songs new, old, and everything in between-it's all good

A weird twist to this story, is that I'm one of that generation who, almost subconsciously, tried to "protect" our children by not teaching French a home. And in my battle to reach the door to "escape" the culture and language that caused me all sorts of problems, at school and almost anywhere else that I went, I am almost overrun by all of these people that were trying to come in to learn my culture/language. Lucky for me, my son was of one of these, and helped me to see what was really happening. From that I can sense that there is a chance for our music and culture to survive, and probably even the language, with some losses.

Dowell Lafleur

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Ponderings-songs new, old, and everything in between-it's all good

If France was as close to Louisiana as Mexico is to South Texas, there would be no shortage of fresh blood to keep the language alive.
Never quite figured out why Spanish was taught in my Texas little town high school when everybody spoke it already. Especially when taught by an Anglo woman with a horrible accent. Why teach a language in a classroom and then discourage native speakers from speaking that language on the playground?
Why delay music and band until 6th grade? I will never understand the American Public School system and the complete lack of foresight by those whose job it is to help our kids become more complete human beings.
Luckily, we can keep learning our entire life, no matter how meager our formative education might have been.
JB

Re: Ponderings-songs new, old, and everything in between-it's all good

Very interesting conversation folks.
As I said previously: The language is never dead until YOU decide it is.
As long as there will be a criticall mass of people interested in speaking it, promoting it and passing it on to their kids, there's hope, and it will always be there.
Nothing can change the devastating effect of the american melting pot phisolophy to the prior generations. However, every one who has a an interest in the French language and cajun culture can attest that there is a renaissance movement going on.
Having said all of that, assimilation is also taking its toll on Acadian communities here in Canada too (to a lesser degree than yours). The challenges are very similar to yours however. Although in Canada we enjoy a better support system (where multi culturalism is embrace vs. melting pot), and where francophone minorities have a constitutional protection in our Constitution, it is a fact that a in a large percentage of cases, when an anglo and a franco get together and create a family, only about 75% of the kids from these unions will maintain French. That's a scary statistic.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Ponderings-songs new, old, and everything in between-it's all good

And, Dowell, a lot of these people also come from Europe. Here are just a few of them that play good Cajun music :

France

http://groupebelisaire.free.fr/index.html

http://perso.orange.fr/accordeonsericmartin/index.htm

http://perso.orange.fr/alain.gatay/


Netherlands :

http://www.genuinemusic.nl/cajuncomeng.htm

http://www.riverzydeco.nl/index.html


United Kingdom :

http://hackneyramblers.co.uk/cajun/index.htm

http://www.cajunmusic.co.uk/zz/z_frames.htm



Denmark, Sweden, Norway :

http://www.cajunmusic.dk/bands/cajundunord/cajundunord.html


Christian

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Replying to:

A weird twist to this story, is that I'm one of that generation who, almost subconsciously, tried to "protect" our children by not teaching French a home. And in my battle to reach the door to "escape" the culture and language that caused me all sorts of problems, at school and almost anywhere else that I went, I am almost overrun by all of these people that were trying to come in to learn my culture/language. Lucky for me, my son was of one of these, and helped me to see what was really happening. From that I can sense that there is a chance for our music and culture to survive, and probably even the language, with some losses.

Dowell Lafleur

Teach your children well...

Oddly, I was reading an article in Hawaii magazine, regarding the diminishing effects of the "old ways and language of the Pacific islanders".

Same?
Yes perhaps it is, as a matter of fact.
The article was dated Sept. 04 ... so it's somewhat of a contemporary view of a diminishing cultural effect, very much like the cultural segment concerne posted here.
Simply titled "Teach your children well."

Any wonder as to why? That is to say; why would any elder hope to cling to that which was, and, hope to enrich a generation that is vastly influenced by outsiders in a contemporary media world? Roots? Hope? Legasy? Rememberance?

The answer to that, is contained (though varied)in the view point of each and every person, and,it may never come to a single hopeful conclusion. Sad? Perhaps it is, and it may not be totally understood for decades, once gone (of the importance).

Chris Miller, Jude Moreau (and many others): What you are doing for your children (and theirs to come) is a lesson for us each... you and your wives have my total respect. Others? well what can you say beyond .... "Teach your children well"

A person from another time



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