Life From The Bottom Of The Boot

À la brune

2011-05-19T13:36:00.001-05:00

Clos de Riz

2011-04-27T14:21:00.001-05:00

Boudin

2010-07-14T14:13:00.005-05:00

(Above photo: Gil Young of Eunice making boudin at the Savoy's boucherie)

In South Louisiana there are certain topics that will assuredly cause hours long debate, possible loss of friendships and in some rare cases, physical confrontation. Boudin is one of those topics. We will argue over the proper ingredients, and what are the correct proportions of those ingredients (mainly this is about liver). We will debate the right way to eat boudin (do you eat the casing or not). And the most hotly discussed topic is, of course, who has the best boudin.

For those that don't know, boudin form South Louisiana is pork, pork liver, onions, spices and rice, ground up and stuffed into a sausage casing. It is hardy, spicy and earthy. It is mostly eaten by itself but some do eat it with crackers or pickles or with spicy mustard. Boudin is best acquired from local butcher shops that dot the country side of South Louisana. And this may be one of the reasons why people are so loyal and defensive of the favorite boudin and the place where it comes from - local tatses and local pride.

Boudin will differ from town to town and geographical location. I have found that In the northern most part of Acadiana boudin contains a more liver than boudin in the more Southern parts of Acadiana. But there are many other ways that people tweak their boudin recipe -how course the grind, rice to meat ratio...etc. These regional tastes and traditions make the 'who has the best boudin' debate so subjective that it could be impossible to find the 'best' boudin - but it is fun to try.

For more information on boudin, how its made, who makes it and what it tastes like you can visit:

The Boudin Trail http://www.southernboudintrail.com/

Boudin Link http://www.boudinlink.com/

The Valcour Cocktail

2010-07-14T14:08:00.000-05:00

I have come up with a cocktail that is just perfect for sipping on the back porch durning the Summer months. It is somewhere between a Mint Julep, an Old Fashion and iced tea. Let's call it The Valcour.

Ingredients:

4 oz of black tea bourbon (to make -soak an ice tea, tea bag in 8 oz of good bourbon for 8 hours)
6 dashes of Peychaud's Bitters
3 bourbon cherries (to make -soak dried cherries in bourbon for a week)
8 mint leaves
3 tbs of simple syrup

Preparation:

Muddle the mint leaves and cherries in the bottom of 10 oz rocks glass. Place ice, bitters, simple syrup & bourbon into a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for at least 15 seconds. Strain into your prepared glass to serve it 'neat' or over 2 large ice cubes for 'on the rocks'. Let stand for 30 second - it will have a frothy head. Sip & enjoy.

Blogging at Valcour Records

2010-07-14T13:55:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago I started blogging at the Valcour Records website - as if I hadn't already been neglecting this blog. I will figure out how to link the two. But until then I will put up the last couple posts on here.

Drew Landry Sings of Louisiana's Woes At Presidential Oil Spill Commission

2010-07-14T13:52:00.000-05:00

Dirty Cajuns Article

2010-05-14T09:21:00.002-05:00

I have been working with a group of people called the Dirty Cajuns. We have been blogging about the BP oil spill. Lafayette's Times of Acadiana wrote a piece on our efforts.

Click here to read full story

News of the explosion on the offshore rig Deepwater Horizon on April 20 came with little fanfare. The story broke, making top local headlines, but not quite registering in the larger popular consciousness.

While the details of the explosion were grim and heartbreaking — 11 men perished in the explosion — there was very little indication of the monster story that waited down the road: an oil leak, an inability to stop it and the very real threat of an unprecedented ecological disaster.

Within 10 days of the explosion, however, that would all change. As thousands of gallons of oil poured into the Gulf of Mexico each day and as the giant slick inched closer and closer to the shores of the Gulf Coast states, the story of the Deepwater Horizon and its aftermath became fodder for debate, political punditry and partisan posturing across the country.

Within 10 days, a local story became a national crisis, and the Louisiana Gulf Coast — barely back on its feet from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina — was once again ground zero.

In that crisis moment, a group of young local professionals saw an opportunity — an opportunity to educate, to document and to affect change. They took the opportunity and ran with it.

And “Dirty Cajuns” was born.

The Daily Visionary Post

2010-04-26T13:47:00.002-05:00

The Daily Visionary Post highlighted me in there posts today. Check it.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Daily-Visionary-Post/108897389132912

Daily Visionary Post #40: Festival International de Louisiane weekend has come and gone. We as a city did what we do best - we threw a giant party. Tons of bands flooded Lafayette's Downtown along with revelers from the city and the rest of the world alike. Through Festival, we show the world that tradition and innovation can coexist side by side and often enhance one another, creating an exhilaratingly creative and alive moment that will extend infinitely in time through the memories that were created in that very moment. One can say the same about the photography of local artist Lucius Fontenot. His artist's statement is simple : "Louisiana is where I am from. Louisiana is where I live. Louisiana is who I am. Louisiana is what I do." However, there is something complex and layered about his images which pay tribute to the past yet are alive with the present. Through his images, Fontenot exposes the soul of present day South Louisiana with a vibrancy that is astonishing. Louisiana is such an old place that is steeped in tradition that it's often easy for artists to romanticize it as a subject and somehow filter it through a dusty, sepia-tinged lense. In Fontenot's work, however, we see a sharp focus and colors that pop. We see the living tradition unfolding before our eyes. We can feel the sap flowing underneath the skin of the photo, still giving life to the moment. It's an achievement we rarely see in Louisiana photography and we should celebrate his work as only we can. Do a two-step for the man and his work ... and may your Louisiana reveries/revelries be as vivid and alive as his.

Letter To Jack Kerouac

2010-04-21T01:07:00.001-05:00

Letter to Jack Kerouac:

It is you Jack that taught me to be so careless. It is you that made me chase the madness. It is you that made me want to be one of those who burn, burn, burn. Thanks Jack - it is you that made me curious, you that made me questfull. Its you that made me literate. Shit... your even French. You drink like me (or do I drink like you?) Godbless - you wanted the right group and the right place and the right time with the right....whatever....did you ever find it? I hope so. I think I have. Maybe you should have left Burroughs in NOLA and come North just a bit. Well...maybe you were safer there.

Jack, America has changed. It is not the debutante in which you left it. There is "16 & Pregnant" & "Jersey Shore". Shit!... there is fucking "American Idol. Where is the America that you searched for? Did you ever find her?

Maybe it was easier then. Maybe it is harder to find her today.....with MSN, CSMBC, CNN, & fucking FOX NEWS.

What did you see? I want to see it. Jack, where is the beat, beat, beat?

Jack, this is just a rant. A playful rant. But it is fun.

Fun to question. Fun to rant. Fun to think of an America that we know can be. The America we love. The America that is.

Peace. Love. Bon Temp.

"Louisiana Road Trip" -Special Exhibition at New Orleans Jazz Festival

2010-04-20T08:58:00.006-05:00

I am very honored to be in "Louisiana Road Trip" which will take place in the Grandstand of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Not only will I have three photographs (seen above) in the exhibit and my father, Norris Fontenot will have a photograph in the exhibit. We Fontenots have 4 out of the 50 pieces in "Louisiana Road Trip." Not bad, I think. This photographs in this exhibit were chosen by Nick Spitzer, producer and host of "American Roots" radio program based out of New Orleans.

From the Jazz Fest website:

Louisiana Road Trip
"After Louisiana, nothing else is real." Robert Penn Warren

Throughout the history of Louisiana, New Orleans has been the light at the end of the road for most travelers. Though its music, food, and festivals have made the Big Easy the ultimate destination, the highways and towns leading to New Orleans are swelled with the people and cultures that make Louisiana one of the most unique and diverse places in the world.
This exhibit, organized by The New Orleans Photo Alliance and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell, contains images that depict the beauty and diversity of the great state of Louisiana. Submissions were juried by Nick Spitzer producer and host of American Routes, American Public Media.

Boucherie - fromage de tête

2010-03-04T09:36:00.002-06:00

Mamou Water Tower

2010-03-02T12:22:00.002-06:00

NYC Bound

2010-01-05T15:46:00.004-06:00

I am leaving for New York City tomorrow. It will be my first time there. I am excited. I am going to see so much art my eyeballs might fall out. Pictures to come.

Henderson, LA

2009-10-23T15:24:00.004-05:00

The State of French in Louisiana: 20 Years Later - How Far Have We Come?

2009-09-01T09:31:00.004-05:00

Attempts to Save Louisiana French

Source: www.aliciapatterson.org

"James Domengeaux, an aging Lafayette attorney, pounded the cluttered desk in his office..."

It is interesting to read this article that was written in 1975 and reflect on where we today with the same issues.

My commentary:

-Firstly, the language is closer to extinction than ever before.

-Secondly, preserving the language (in any form) does not preserve the culture. This was very evident two weeks ago at Congrès mondial acadien. Everyone, young and old spoke French but their traditions culture were all but gone. But here we have keep the culture but the language is all but gone.

-Thirdly, CODOFIL in the decades its been operating, has neither saved nor killed the Cadien language/culture. This may be because it continues to be neutered by lack of funding and public disinterest in the organization.

-Fourthly, the reason schools didn't want to build upon the French language is because of the prevailing, über patriotic attitudes of the time (Post WW I).

-Fifthly, the school boards, 20 years later, are still the ignorant bastards that keep French out of schools. But at the same time they are pushing for Spanish to be taught. And yes, we -les Cadiens- are the ones to blame for the lost of the language. We quite speaking it and we didn't fight for it and we still don't. We are 30-40% of the vote in Louisiana. We could move mountains if we wanted to. We can get together tens of thousands, for festivals but we can't get together to force our elected leaders to SERVE US.

-Sixthly, the bitching and moaning about teaching kids standard French instead of "Cajun" French is simply and excuse to not fund French education. Soon after a person learns the very basics of standard French they can speak to someone who speaks le Français Cadien and pick up to words and phrases that make the local French special.

It is funny that somethings don't seem to have changed in the 20 years since this article. And we have no one to blame but ourselves.

Lâche Pas!

Congrès Mondial Acadien 2009

2009-08-27T11:35:00.002-05:00

More to come, but here are a few photos from CMA 2009

Louisiane-Acadie at CMA 2009

2009-08-12T13:26:00.003-05:00

Here is a banner that I designed for Louisiane-Acadie. It will be at their booth at Espace Neuf during Congrès Mondial Acadien.

Allons Zydeco!

2009-08-07T17:12:00.004-05:00

I miss going this club. One time I was at the bar and there was a drunk guy harassing this young lady to dance. She didn't want to dance with him. He got grabby and Mr. Hamilton came out from behind the bar, grabbed homeboy and through is ass out. This guys was 6'2" & 200lbs. Mr. Hamilton is 5'3" & maybe 100lbs.

Billboard Durning CMA 2009

2009-07-28T15:31:00.003-05:00

Louisiana, to advertise its presence at Espace Neuf, during Congrès Mondial Acadien, had a billboard made that features a photograph I shot durning Mardi Gras in 2008. Branch Design in Moncton, New Brunswick did a great job on the creation of the billboard.

My Beausoleil Image In New Book About Acadie

2009-07-16T09:21:00.006-05:00

Congrès Mondial Acadien 2014 -Louisiana's Bid Video

2009-07-06T09:14:00.003-05:00

As part of Louisiana's bid to hold Congrès mondial acadien 2014, a video about the Louisiana Acadians was made. It tells the story of Cajuns fighting to hold on to their language, culture and land. The video was produced by the Cinematic Arts Workshop
University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Louisiana’s bid for CMA 2014 from Allison Bohl on Vimeo.

Proof It Is Not The Camera

2009-06-29T16:26:00.003-05:00

Every now and then I am shooting a job and someone looks at my camera and says,"wow, I bet I could take some great pictures with that camera." Now they are not trying to insult me but they apparently have a grave misconception that a camera is the only factor in getting a great photograph. Well here we have proof that 144 years ago people were able to take a great photograph with a heavy wooden box, fragile negatives and dangerous chemicals in the middle of a war. It is not the camera.

August 1864. "Petersburg, Virginia. Group of Company B, U.S. Engineer Battalion." Photographs from the main Eastern theater of war, the siege of Petersburg, June 1864-April 1865. Wet-plate glass negative
From the Library of Congress photo archives.

Zydeco Is For Lovers

2009-06-29T16:23:00.001-05:00

Proudly, Loudly Acadian

2009-06-25T12:20:00.003-05:00

Here is the cover page of an article in West Jet's in flight magazine UP! The article is about Acadie, Acadiens & Congrès Mondial Acadien 2009. I was happy that my photographs illustrated the piece.

The History of the Fontenots in North America

2009-06-11T10:18:00.002-05:00

Sergeant Jean-Louis Fonteneau, left home (Poitiers, France) in 1720 on the ship "Drommadaire" for assignment in the colonies. He came through Mobile, the French military headquarters and the seat of government for the Louisiana territory, and was initially assigned to Fort Conde near Mobile. In 1726 he met and married a young widow named Marie Louise Henrique in Mobile. She was about 27 years old and Jean-Louis was 40. Shortly afterward, he and Marie moved to Fort Toulouse, some 300 or so miles up river from Mobile and remained there for many years afterward; enough time to have and raise 12 children (8 boys, 4 girls). Jean-Louis died at the fort in October 1755 and Marie and the rest of the family remained there until it was surrendered to the English in 1763. Rather than submit to English rule, the family and many of their Indian friends moved west and resettled on land grants in Spanish controlled Louisiana. It is from this family that all of us descended. The spelling of our last name was probably changed to its current spelling by the Spanish census authorities when the family settled in Louisiana. Our progenitor's (Jean-Louis) remains lie in an unmarked grave at the cemetery at Fort Toulouse.

All Fontenot's in the United States are descendants of Sergeant Jean Louis Fontenot (Fonteneau). Jean Louis was one of six children born to Joachim Fonteneau and Joane Prado from the St. Germain Parish in Monturneuf, city of Poitiers, France. He was born on December 18, 1686. Jean Louis joined the French Colonial Marines as a young man and left France in 1720, at the age of 34, for assignment in the Mobile (Alabama) military district. Six years later (February 8, 1726) he married a widow from New Orleans (Marie Louise Henrique) and was assigned to the Poste aux Alabama (Fort Toulouse) shortly afterwards. Based on "roll call" records at the fort in the mid 1700s, it appears that Jean Louis was the only sergeant at the garrison of about 40 soldiers. He and Marie Louise had twelve children, 8 sons and 4 daughters, all born at the post. When these children became of age (teenagers), the boys joined the marines and married daughters of other marines and the girls married sons of other marines at the fort. Family names for the spouses were Doucet, Brignac, LaGrange, Lobell and Berthelot.

Jean Louis died in September 1755 at the age of sixty-nine and is buried in the cemetery at the fort; however, the exact location of his remains are not known.

In 1763, the fort was abandoned by the French and came under the possession of the British. At that time, seven Fontenot sons (one son, Francoise, died several years earlier in Mobile), their families, the widow (Marie Louise), the daughters and their families migrated westward and resettled on land grants in the Louisiana territory. Some of the daughters and their families settled in what is now Edgard, Louisiana. All of the sons and their families (including the widow Louise) settled in the vicinities of Opelousas, Chataignier, Ville Platte and Church Point, after a short stint in the area of Pointe Coupee. All Fontenot's in this country are direct descendants of these early settlers.

Taken from The Fontenot Family Home Page
http://www.geocities.com/fontenotfamily/history.htm

Is It Really All Black & White?

2009-06-10T12:12:00.001-05:00

Cycle Car

2009-05-30T09:20:00.003-05:00

Cycle Car:
It is part motorcycle - part Mitsubishi Lancer - all weird awesomeness. And it and its creator are products of Mamou, LA

Taken with my iPhone- ok Apple -time for a better camera on this iPhone.

I Always Think of Acadie in May

2009-05-26T13:17:00.004-05:00

When the temperatures begin to reach the mid 80s I always think of Acadie. In 1999 and 2000 I spent over a month in Western Nova Scotia and last year I spent August in New Brunswick. The heat gives me a longing for cool, fresh, air. I will find out Wednesday if I get to go to Acadie once more - this time to voulnteer at Congrès mondial acadien 2009.

Village Acadien, Caraquet, New Brunswick

Weekend Is Here - Time For Beer

2009-05-21T14:35:00.003-05:00

Times of Acadiana on Valcour Records

2009-05-14T09:21:00.004-05:00

On The Records
Joel Savoy and Lucius Fontenot on Valcour Records, and how it’s using 21st-century technology to bring Louisiana music to a global audience. By Cody Daigle Photo: Brad Kemp

David Greely & Joel Savoy

2009-05-08T14:37:00.004-05:00

David Greely and Joel Savoy are two of the most proficient and versatile fiddle players that Louisiana has ever produced. Recently they started playing gigs together.They play songs that Cajuns of the 1800's played and most Cajun of today have never heard. The songs are complex, twisting, reels, jigs and waltzes -hard enough to play by one but even harder to play in twin fiddle style. They challange each other. That makes it fun for them and us.

Dance On Fire

2009-05-04T15:57:00.004-05:00

Jerrykaye fire dances. It is very cool. VERY. COOL. I shot these at a friends birthday party. I think I might try to set up a formal photo shoot of Jerrykaye fire dancing.

Day Jobs

2009-04-29T09:53:00.003-05:00

For those that don't know, I have a day job. Yes, its true freelance photography and owning a music label doesn't quite cut it.But luckily it is at a photography studio. I am a photographer and lead printer. And I am nose deep in Senior portraits. Everyone seemed to wait till the last 2 weeks of school to get their photos done. In consequence, I am living at my computer and I have a great relationship with Red Bull.

Ugh...Monday

2009-04-27T11:03:00.002-05:00

Louisiana IS Festival

2009-04-24T09:24:00.005-05:00

I would like to propose that the word FESTIVAL become the official word of Louisiana. It sums up the "joie de vie" of Louisiana and its people in one, neat, perfect, word. It is, of course a noun : I am going to Festival. But here, it is also used as a verb: I'm gonna festival tonight. And it can work as an adjective: That party was so festival.

Festival is so ingrained in the people of Louisiana that when you say "festival" to someone, there is a visceral response. Why? Because we have 2 festival seasons in Louisiana - spring festival season and fall festival season. The rest of the year is just hot (Summer) or cold (Winter). Just in the past month there has been: Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival, Cajun Hot Sauce Festival, French Quarter Festival, Dewey Balfa Cajun & Creole Heritage Festival, Bayou Teche Bear Festival, Festival International de Louisiane and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Louisiana IS Festival.

I will be out at Festival International tonight and I will be Tweeting and Whrrl(ing) all the fun.

Photo by me from 2007 when I was Festival International's official photographer.

Take The Bones Out But It Still Had Bones

2009-04-20T12:58:00.004-05:00

The more it goes, the more I come across people that will not eat meat that has bones in it. It grosses them out. Personally I think these people need to either be made to slaughter an animal for food or quit eating meat all together. I have respect for vegetarians/vegans but not for those who eat meat but think that a chicken finger wasn't once a living being. Understanding where your food comes from gives you more appreciation for life and the environmental impact that you and your food has.

Photo taken with 1967 Polaroid Land Camera with Polaroid 669 film at a Boucherie (hog slaughtering).

Pinch, Pull, Suck, Repeat

2009-04-16T15:55:00.002-05:00

Joyeuses Pâques

2009-04-12T07:22:00.002-05:00

Joyeuses Pâques - Happy Easter. Go pauqe some eggs.

Good Friday

2009-04-11T16:11:00.004-05:00

Every Good Friday, my family meets at my Nonc Mark's camp in the woods of South Evangeline Parish. We fry perch, Nonc Roddy cooks a catfish coutbouillon on a open fire, we drink and visit. I look forward to this all year long.

Photos shot with a 1967 Polaroid 230 Land Camara, Fuji 3000B film

Cedric Watson on a Friday Afternoon

2009-04-06T13:26:00.004-05:00

So last Friday I was meeting with Cedric Watson to drop of some cds and photos when a guy in a huge old Linclon drives up and tries to start up a conversation with Cedric. Next thing I know Cedric is in this dude's car and driving the thing around the block. Crazy.

It's Spring time, for sure.

It's A Draw!

2009-04-05T18:28:00.002-05:00

From Zack Smith's blog

Sunday, April 5, 2009

OK Lucius. You win.

DAMN. i really did think that i could do a post a day....how hard is that? i guess too hard for me. I'll tell ya how it all went down:

NOLA-->Jackson, MS-->NOLA-->Tipitinas'-->CANARY opening...was an asskicker 3 days in a row...and realizing now too that i will be in Europe, on a bus and in venues all next week...fat chance i'll post. damn.

This week i'll make up.

Posted by Zack Smith at 4:29 PM 0 comments

-----------------------------

Well I must say that I enjoyed it. It forced me to put up work everyday. But I must agree with Zack that it is harder than it seems. Shit, I haven't posted for two days....... life keep us busy. So I say its a draw. But I will be attempting to post original photos at least 3 times a week but ................we'll see. Thanks for being such a good sport Zack - I did pick on you out of the blue.

Two Sheet To The Wind

2009-04-02T15:32:00.003-05:00

Caraquet, New Brunswick - Acadie
Canada

How To Cook Snapping Turtle Part 1

2009-04-01T15:38:00.003-05:00

My lovely wife (seen above) came across an 8lbs snapping turtle trying to cross the road. She pulled on the the side of the road and proceeded to battle the snapping turtle until she became the victor. This past weekend we went to her brothers house where my wife, my father-in-law and brother-in-law cooked turtle for father-in-law's birthday. You may have heard of turtle soup but here in the prairie region of Acadiana we make a "sauce-picante" with it and serve over rice. Its good stuff.

How To Cook Snapping Turtle Part 2

2009-04-01T15:19:00.003-05:00

Protest Art Funding Cuts - April 1, Baton Rouge

2009-03-31T08:51:00.002-05:00

PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY!
Calling all artists, musicians, performers, and patrons of the arts!
Join like-minded citizens on Wednesday, April 1 at 11:30 AM in Lafayette Park (across from the Shaw Center) for a Jazz Funeral for Louisiana Arts and Culture in protest of Governor Bobby Jindal’s proposed budget cut that will devastate Louisiana's economy by SLASHING the state budget for THE ARTS and ARTS EDUCATION by 83%.
Louisiana’s cultural economy, which is the states second largest industry (next to oil and gas), is in SERIOUS TROUBLE. On Thursday, April 2nd Bobby Jindal will enact a shameful budget cut that will devastate Louisiana's economy by SLASHING the state budget for The Arts and ARTS EDUCATION by 83%.

Yes, you read that correctly... 83%!

This budget cut will devastate a 10 billion dollar industry that sustains 144,000 jobs. Investing in the arts is economically productive. Every $1 invested in Louisiana’s non-profit Arts and Culture industry generates $6 in revenue for the state. The Arts and Culture industry is paramount in revitalizing struggling urban centers and dilapidating historic districts. In terms of civic engagement, these programs foster public discourse and debate and critically activate public memory. Moreover, these programs attract tourism, which is a VITAL part of Louisiana's struggling economy.
WE MUST ACT QUICKLY. The Louisiana House Appropriations Committee will be meeting on Thursday April 2nd. They are our last hope to stop Jindal from pursuing this INSANE course of action!
How to help:
1) Write your Legislator- it literally takes 5 seconds. go to: http://www.lparts.org/index.cfm enter your zip and click Write Your Legislator then click Take Action. Ask for a response. Let them know where you stand. Ask what there position is in regards to this issue. And finally, ask them what they are doing to prevent it from occuring..
2) BLITZ THE MEDIA- We are desperately trying to get national media coverage. Write the national networks (CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, Comedy Central etc), blitz the blogs, call local and national radio and tell them to PLEASE COVER THIS STORY. Feel free to post and repost this email everywhere. If you want to post another cool link, Howie Klein has written an awesome article at the Huffington Post- check it out at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/howie-klein/bobby-jindal-dont-like-no_b_180462.html.
3) TAKE IT TO THE STREETS!
Plan of Action: We will meet at Lafayette Park across from the Shaw Center at 11:30 AM and begin marching at 12:00 PM up 3rd St. and then down Spanish Town Rd. toward Capitol Grocery.
What to Bring: Please wear attire appropriate for a Jazz Funeral. Feel free to bring hankies, umbrellas, and musical instruments. If you choose to carry signs, we suggest the following writing: “R.I.P LA Arts & Culture” or “Funding Arts and Culture in LA is FISCALLY responsible!”
Keep the Protest/ Performance Peaceful: According to Kim Brooks, Legal Advisor for the Chief of Police, we MUST keep moving, stay on the sidewalks, and avoid blocking street and pedestrian traffic. PLEASE ABIDE BY THESE GUIDELINES!
PLEASE do whatever you can to stop this budget cut. This is serious. We need all hands on deck.

Boogie Woogie

2009-03-30T16:39:00.002-05:00

I hope you got to dance all weekend because I was sick and wished I could have danced.

Photo from Red Stick Ramblers' "Made In the Shade" video shoot.
Watch it on You Tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slLJFBeq0TM

Sunday Post

2009-03-29T09:29:00.002-05:00

It's Sunday. And even though I haven't been a church-goer for 15 years now, I thought this photo might make a good Sunday blog post.

The Bluerunners

2009-03-28T16:57:00.004-05:00

If you have never experienced the the awesome, bluesy, zyde-rocking music of The Bluerunners
then you have been leading a life not worth living.

Crawfish Boudin

2009-03-27T11:38:00.005-05:00

This is T-Boy's Slaughter House's sign. What it dosen't say is that they have crawfish boudin there every Friday in Lent. Crawfish boudin - because Lent is a time for sacrifice.

T-Boy's Slaughter House, Mamou, LA
Shot with Holga 6x6 with b/w film.

Prairie des Femmes

2009-03-26T13:46:00.002-05:00

Jindal Hates The Arts & Education &.............

2009-03-26T13:37:00.004-05:00

Gov. Jindal, once again is showing just how damn Republican he can be. The week after he cut millions of dollars for higher education he has now basically cut all art funding. You can read more about it here: The Independent

I got this email earlier today. Please read and follow the links to write to the power that be in Baton Rouge and tell them just how important the arts are for this state.

Dear Friends,
>
> At today's Louisiana Partnership for the Arts/Arts Advocacy meeting I
> heard devastating news. Governor Jindal has cut Decentralized Arts
> Funding (DAF) by 83%. You heard right, 83%. He has also cut statewide
> arts grants by 31%, halved folklife funding, and eliminated funding
> for artist fellowships, the Percent for Art program, and several
> longtime staff positions.
>
> WHAT YOU CAN DO:
> The House Appropriations Committee will meet next week and we need to
> deluge them with emails, faxes, letters, and phone calls urging them
> to reinstate grant dollars. Go to www.lparts.org, type your zip code
> into the box on the left that says "write your legislators," click
> "take action," and the capwiz system sends emails to your
> representatives for you! It gives you a sample email, but you can
> personalize the email however you want. I especially urge you to tell
> your legislators how you and your organization will be affected if
> these cuts go through. We need to hit home that this 83% DAF cut and
> 31% SAF cut will devastate the cultural economy which is the second
> largest industry in the state.
>
> Once you've taken action, please pass this email on to your board
> members, friends, and membership. Through our grassroots efforts, we
> were able to restore funding for the arts back in 1994 when we faced a
> similar situation. WE CAN DO IT AGAIN NOW. We just need your help to
> get the message out so every member of Appropriations receives
> thousands of emails!
>
> Thank you for your support,
>
> Laura Larkin
> Grants & Community Development Director
> Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge
> 427 Laurel Street
> Baton Rouge, LA 70801
> 225-344-8558
> fax 225-344-7777
> llarkin@acgbr.com
> www.artsbr.org

Fleur de Lis Project

2009-03-25T15:04:00.002-05:00

I like tattoos. I have a growing assortment of tattoos. And all most of my tattoos have something to do with my Cajun culture or my beloved state of Louisiana. I even have a fleur de lis tattoo (not the one above -the one above is a lot fancier than mine.) And I am just one of many Louisianians that have a fleur de lis permently inked into their skin.

There has been a large increase in fleur de lis tattoo since Hurricane Katrina. I find this outward sign of pride of place and pride of culture super interesting. So I started photographing fleur de lis tattoos. I want to photograph as many as I can in the coming year. I am planing to have gatherings in Lafayette, New Orleans & Lake Charles, invite everyone with a fleur de lis tattoo and shoot, shoot, shoot. While also collecting the stories behind the art. I also want to talk to the tattoo artists of South Louisiana and hear what they have to say abou the rise of fleur de lis tattoos. And in a perfect world I would exhibit the photos next September - 5th year anniversary of Katrina. But we'll see.

So if you have a fleur de lis tattoo - I want to shoot it. And if you don't -don't be such a square man......

Zack Smith - A Post A Day? - Blog Wars!

2009-03-24T14:45:00.005-05:00

So Zack Smith said that he will write a post a day on his blog. So not to be out done - I will write a post a day on my blog, until such time Zack forfeits by missing a day - or vise versa. So there - let the blogging begin..........or continue - you know what I mean.

(note: Zach Smith is unaware of this challenge. And he is really a nice guy. And a good photographer and plays in a kick ass band that just played a SXSW. Really, there is no good reason for me to pick on him. He didn't do anything to me. I guess I am just a jerk. Or maybe this is a way to get him to write more on his blog because I am a voyeuristic creep and I need something to entertain me while I wait for hundreds of photos to convert out of RAW.)

Update: Zack found out about my challenge and it is on. He also up the ante and said that he would post an original photo everyday. I agreed to do the same. So look for a flood of work from both of us.

Notre Graffiti Est En Français - Our Graffiti is in French

2009-03-23T15:24:00.004-05:00

Some say that the French language is all but dead, here in South Louisiana. But, I think that as long as you find graffiti written in French (seen here in The Blue Moon Saloon bathroom -Lafayette, LA) the language will live on - at least an other generation.

Waffle House Wedding

2009-03-18T16:26:00.003-05:00

I am jealous.
I often find photographs that I wish I would have taken. Some because they are sooo damn good. And some, like the "Waffle House Wedding" I wish I would have been able to witness and document the bizarreness that is the South.

Waffle House Wedding by Benjamin Hagar with Gwinnett Daily Post
Enjoy:
http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/ftp/multimedia/waffleweddingx/publish_to_web/

A Toast On This St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-17T10:46:00.003-05:00

Always remember to forget
The troubles that passed away.
But never forget to remember
The blessings that come each day.

May neighbours respect you,
Trouble neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And heaven accept you.

Road Side Produce

2009-03-10T15:12:00.006-05:00

I'm a sucker for a hand painted road side sign. Call me nostalgic.
Eunice, LA January 2009
Shot with Holga 6x6, B/W Film

Pour L'Amour De La Louisiane

2009-03-04T16:16:00.004-06:00

Pour L'amour de la Louisiane: An Evening of Music, Arts, and Culture in support of the Center for Cultural and Eco-Tourism

Thursday, March 12
6:30-8:30 pm
Alumni Center, St. Mary Blvd. Lafayette

Please join the CCET staff and Fellows, as well as artists, musicians, and supporters of Louisiana's heritage for a fundraiser to benefit CCET. An art auction, hors d'oeuvres, and drinks complement a music ensemble led by Archival Technician Chris Segura.

Lazarus- Rise

2009-03-02T14:05:00.004-06:00

Above is an unfinished collage that I started. I titled it Lazarus. It was/is about New Orleans.

I like the idea of rebirth (but who doesn't). Starting over. I wish, many times I could start over. Or, more like a migratory bird (I know crows aren't migratory) live a life in one place for a while, then another for a spell, then back again. I would like to think that absence and distance would give way to a new fondness and deeper insight. Of course this is all a flight of fancy. I think maybe that this is more about........well something else far more Freudian (or would it be Jungian?).

Whooray For Ash Wednesday

2009-02-25T13:11:00.002-06:00

Oh man.........thank God Lent starts today.

If I threw plastic forks at you on Monday night, I am sorry about that.

CODOFIL Print Ads

2009-02-19T13:06:00.004-06:00

Here are the finished CODOFIL print ads that I photographed. I was very happy to work on this project because the preservation of the Cajun French language is very important to me. Also, the chair in these ads were built in Ville Platte, LA by my grandfather's uncle about 100 years ago. I thought that the chair would not only tie the three portraits together but add a bit of history and authenticity, even if I am the only one that knows.

I Got That Feelin!! - Mardi Gras est ici.

2009-02-17T13:51:00.002-06:00

Filé & Turnips

2009-02-16T10:29:00.004-06:00

The other day I came across a man selling produce by the side of the road. I have found that stopping and taking a look around is often worth being 10 minutes late to where ever I am going. This guy, set up at a gas station at the edge of the town of Ville Platte, LA was selling turnips and filé - homemade filé. A true find. I didn't know people around here still made their own filé. I was able to get 16oz. (enough to last me a life time) for $4.

1 Year of Blogging

2009-02-16T09:09:00.003-06:00

One year ago, for whatever reason, I decided to start blogging. I told my self I would give it a year and see how it goes. I have come to enjoy it (even if it is just me looking at it.) Happy Birthday Bloggy.

Congrès Mondial Acadien 2014 Louisiane www.cma2014.com

2009-02-06T14:03:00.007-06:00

www.cma2014.com
For the last year or so I have been part of a group of people that have worked very hard to create a bid to hold 2014's Congrès Mondial Acadien in Louisiana - Acadiana to be specific.

The World Acadian Congress is a huge gathering of Acadians from all over the world. It takes place every five years and the next one will be held in 2009 in the Acadian Peninsula, in northeast New Brunswick.The first World Acadian Congress took place in 1994, in southeastern New Brunswick, and it was organized by nine francophone municipalities from that area. The second Congress took place in 1999 in Louisiana and the third was organized in 2004 in Nova Scotia.

The CMA is a great way for all Acadiens to celebrate being Acadien. It will also bring an estimated $15 million dollors to South Louisiana.

But a big part of winning the bid is proving that the people of South Louisiana want it to come here. So we have built a website www.cma21014.com where people can add their name to the list of people who wish to see CMA 2014 in Louisiana. Also, you can make and upload videos to the website. I encourage all of you (all 3 of you) to go to www.cma2014.com and at the very least sign up and support us.

We Ain't Always Pretty, Cher

2009-02-03T08:51:00.006-06:00

The other day, I was searching the internet for recipes when I spotted a "Cajun" recipe. I clicked on it and of course it is some bastardized recipe (bastardized half out of necessity and half out of ignorance) written by someone that lives far away from Louisiana. Nothing new here. I wonder how many people taste something that is suppose to be Cajun (but is far from it) and decide that they don't like Cajun food.

But there is one comment at the bottom of the page that caught my eye - "These dish is not very pretty. It is all brown............Cajun food subscribes to the Looks like Hell, tastes like Heaven school......."

I never really thought about it but our food is not always pretty. But it always tastes good. But try and make boudin look appetizing to someone that didn't grow up with it. Or how about Sticky Chicken?

We ain't always pretty, cher....mais, we always good.

Photographs shot with Holga 6x6 of a "Cajun Microwave" (top) and Moise cooking graton in a black iron pot (bottom.) Savoy, LA

Kitchen Music

2009-01-29T15:07:00.003-06:00

Here is Linzay Young of the Red Stick Ramblers playing fiddle in his kitchen. It seems that around here most things take place in the kitchen. We cook, we visit, we drink and play music. The kitchen is the center of activity in most Louisiana homes.

Photo shot with Holga 6x6 w/ old B&W film.

Faquetigue Courir De Mardi Gras

2009-01-26T15:13:00.002-06:00

This is 2009's Faquetigue Mardi Gras Poster. I made it from a photo I shot last year. I can 't tell you where Faquetigue Mardi Gras is but I can still get you a poster. Contact me by clicking on my profile on the right > then click email on the left.

Les Camarades du Mardi Gras

2009-01-26T15:02:00.005-06:00

Life long friends and fellow musicians, Joel Savoy and Linzay Young. Mardi Gras 2007.

Boys In The Ancestral Land

2009-01-26T14:56:00.003-06:00

June 2000. Grand Pre, Nova Scotia. (clockwise from top) Joel Savoy, Matthew Doucet, Andy Perin & me (Lucius Fontenot).

We were all attending Universite Ste-Anne's French Immersion program that Summer. We four Cajun boys decided to take a road trip to the site at which the British begun the expultion of our Acadian ancesters. It is may seem hoky to say but I felt a true connection there. I felt at home.

GO!

2009-01-21T15:23:00.003-06:00

You just can't out run it sometimes.

Dudley LeBlanc Stomp Speech Mamou, LA Feb. 1952

2009-01-19T16:37:00.007-06:00

Here is a little gem I found while searching LIFE Magazine's photo archives hosted by Google
http://images.google.com/hosted/life

From Wikipedia:

Dudley Joseph "Cousin Dud" LeBlanc (August 16, 1894 – October 22, 1971) was a colorful and popular Democratic and Cajun member of the Louisiana State Senate whose entrepreneurial talents netted him a fortune through the alcohol-laden patent medicine known as "Hadacol."

LeBlanc often campaigned in French when he made appearances in Acadiana. In his ethnic tongue, he extolled his virtues as a politician who deserved the support of his fellow French ethnics, and he attacked his opponents in a language that most of his rivals could not understand.

In addition to his determined political activities, LeBlanc was a staunch defender of preserving Cajun culture in Louisiana. He served as president of the Association of Louisiana Acadians, and in the late 1960s, he worked to establish the interest group, CODOFIL, or the "Council for the Development of French in Louisiana." LeBlanc helped to make Louisiana the only bilingual state in the nation.

LeBlanc wrote three books: The True Story of the Acadians in 1927, an "improved version" of the first book in 1932, and The Acadian Miracle in 1966. The latter was a revised and expanded edition of the first book.

FEMA, (once again) Blames Louisiana

2009-01-19T11:34:00.003-06:00

FEMA, sticking with their policy of "blame the victims" told Louisiana Governor, Bobby Jindal that Louisianians were too greedy and that is why they ran out of MREs after Hurrican Gustav. To which the Jindal administration responded,

"FEMA brought up this same assertion during the storms, and the governor made it clear that it is nutty to tell the people of south Louisiana that we are simply eating too much and are choosing MREs over our terrific local cuisine," Jindal's spokeswoman Melissa Sellers said.

Read the whole story at The Times-Picayune website.

So FEMA thinks that when people in Louisiana want to eat MRE over what is stocked in the deep freezer? NEWS FLASH FEMA - when the power goes out the food defrosts and then spoils. It is then that we eat MREs. And seeing as after every hurricane I seem to work 12 hours of the day cleaning up, I think that I would need something to eat. Even if it is MREs.

FEMA, YOU SUCK

CODIFIL TV Spots

2009-01-09T16:24:00.002-06:00

I am very proud of these. I didn't do the video but I did the print ad photographs for this CODIFIL campaign. I will post them when I get them.

Louisiana 1938

2009-01-05T16:14:00.002-06:00

Aren't they cool.

Year In/End Review

2008-12-31T11:18:00.002-06:00

It is twelve and a half hours till 2009. I am sick. I usually get sick, I mean really sick, once a year. This year, I will ring in the new year zoned out on cold meds and feeling like crap. But, this is not a marker of how my year has been. In fact, this has been a very good year for me. It did start on a low note- moving back to Mamou. I thought that if I moved away from Lafayette, I would be moving to New Orleans or New York or New Brunswick (hmmmm...I am seeing a pattern.) But after going through a slight depression I snapped out of it. I live in a great house. My company, Valcour Records won Offbeat Magazine's "Record Label of the Year" award and "Allons Boire Un Coup" won Offbeat's "Cajun Record of the Year." My friends and I put together, for the third year, a real community Mardi Gras run. I celebrated my second wedding anniversary. I turned 30 (ok so that is not a fun highlight.) Two new friends and I managed to create a international art exhibit about Acadian and Cajun music. I am getting more freelance work. America took a huge step and elected Obama presedent. It snowed. Cedric Watson's cd (a Valcour Records release) is nominated for a Grammy as well as Offbeat Magazine's "Cajun Record of the Year." It truely has been a good year. Shitty things happed too.....but I am not looking back on them. I am hopeful that 2009 will be just as good. I hope your year was a good one and I hope that 2009 is at least as good.

Voices of the Atchafalaya

2008-12-20T10:28:00.005-06:00

Voices of the Atchafalaya is a documentary of Louisiana's Atchafayala Basin. Combining photographs with a soundscape composed from oral histories and ambient sounds, it hopes to portray life in this region.

Click here to see a multi-media slide show.

This was an exhibit in Patterson, LA in 2007. I wish I would have known.

The Future of the Cajun Culture & Language

2008-12-18T11:07:00.002-06:00

Yes, the future of the Cajun culture/language is in the hands of the Cajun people. But most who claim that cultural identity, cannot be bothered to participate in the culture except to go to a festival and get drunk. They (in the words of Marc Savoy) traded in their hot bowl of gumbo for a cold tasteless American hot dog. Then, for those who do care & put their children in French immersion schools - they find out that the state will not provide French textbooks. What kind of shit is that? We have past the point where we could have a bilingual society in Louisiana. We may have past the point where there is any authentic culture in Louisiana. But it doesn't mean that those few who care about their culture and their language have to go down with out a fight. We, like Beausoleil (the rebel Acadian - not the band)can fight and cause frustration and resist and and strike fear in those who get in out way. And we don't need anyone's permission. We don't need to be government sanctioned. We don't have to organize. We, fight under the understanding that 1,000 cuts brings down the animal. It is our fault. It is our fight.

Something New - New Work

2008-12-17T13:19:00.002-06:00

Losing Louisiana - Times-Picayune Report

2008-12-16T12:01:00.005-06:00

In case you didn't know, We are losing Louisiana's coastline. Along with the coast we are losing our culture. The Times-Picayune has been reporting on this problem. Here is an great report on the problem and possible solutions.

http://www.nola.com/coastal/

I Throw My Shoe At You!

2008-12-15T16:19:00.003-06:00

Hahahahaha.
Take that Bushy Boy.
A fitting farewell for W, in my opinion.

Sneaux: part deux

2008-12-11T14:59:00.002-06:00

Snow in Mamou, LA, 7AM, December 11, 2008

Snow (sneaux) in South Louisiana

2008-12-11T14:52:00.002-06:00

It has been 20 years since it snowed in South Louisiana. I was 8. This morning it snowed 3 inches in my town - Mamou. It even snowed in New Orleans.

Valcour puts out "The Triangle" cd

2008-12-10T14:22:00.004-06:00

Christine Balfa Plays the Triangle, featuring Christine Balfa. Nearly an hour of pure, unadulterated classic Cajun triangle. Seriously, its an idea so simple and so brilliant, we had to get Cajun royal lineage involved! This is sure to become a collector’s item, as we’re only going to print a limited amount, and it features Christine Balfa’s playing, the production of Chas Justus, and the engineering of Joel Savoy.

No one will ever do this again.

Working with christine on this record was effortless. Any artistic direction I could have given would have just gotten in the way of her purely simple yet nuanced style. Her playing transcends genre, stripping away superficiality and reaching directly to the core. It’s playful, emotional and at times cathartic. Let her take you on a journey of musical discovery that channels the old masters yet remains innovative and uniquely Christine.

- Chas Justus, Producer

Christine Balfa comes from a long line of traditional Cajun musicians
centered in the prairies of Southwest Louisiana. Her father Dewey gave her
a triangle while she was still a toddler and she spent much of her childhood
jamming with the Balfa Brothers in the family home near Basile. It wasn’t
long, however, until she found herself longing to break free from the
stifling tonality of fiddles, accordions, and guitars. An undeniable need
to express the sounds she heard around her without limitation - mama
stirring coush coush in the pan, cowbells tinkling as the herd came back in
for the night, daddy grinding the school bus gears in the morning - became
the dominating force in her life. This CD realizes, at long last, her
vision of liberation for the instrument. Unfettered by melodic or harmonic
content, she can finally tell her story, and the story of her people, to the
world.

- Dirk Powell, Expert

Musicians Appearing on this Album
Christine Balfa - Triangle, occasional yelling

Tracks
1. L’Anse au Paille 5:01
2. The Balfa Waltz 3:32 Listen>
3. La Port en Arrière 4:50
4. Blues de Port Arthur 4:20
5. Valse d’Heritage 3:45
6. ‘Tit Fer à Grand-Père 4:11
7. Chères Joues Roses 5:05
8. Two-Step d’Acadien 5:24
9. Blues de Tac-Tac 4:30
10. Triangle Club Special 3:25
11. La Valse d’Orphelin 4:34
12. Bayou Teche Two-Step 2:51
13. Pine Grove Blues 4:06

Total Playing Time 55m28s

THE CD IS REAL BUT IT IS A GAG.

Nominated for a Grammy!

2008-12-04T08:36:00.003-06:00

No, I have not been nominated for a Grammy, but in a way I am.....kind of. Cedric Watson's self-titled debut cd (I did the photography) on Valcour Records (which I own with two partners) is nominated for a Grammy in the "Best Cajun/Zydeco" category. I am proud of him and Valcour Records.

Recent Work

2008-12-02T14:25:00.005-06:00

It is a slippery slope - you don't blog for one day, then you don't blog for two days, then...... well you see where this is going. But I am once again going to try and kept this blog updated. Why? I am not sure. I don't have any clue as to how many people read this blog. (do me a favor- if you read this let me know by leaving comment - nothing much necessary, just some symbols or something.)

Here is some of my recent work.

Zydec-Obama "Oui on peut"- (yes we can)

2008-10-22T09:53:00.001-05:00

I love the fact that my friends are so inventive, talented, motivated and fun.

Moncton Rock + Acadiana Cri: Art & Music in the Acadian Cultural Capitals

2008-10-08T10:34:00.003-05:00

I, along with Rachelle Dugas and Rose Courville have been working on this international exhibit all year and now it is here. I hope you can make it.

Hurricane Gustav

2008-08-31T11:05:00.004-05:00

Three years ago Hurricane Katrina destroyed Southeast Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. A month later Hurricane Rita destroyed Southwest Louisiana and Southeast Texas. This week Hurricane Gustav is coming for everything in the middle. And people are pissed. Piss of Gustav.

Cuz the PLBs just don't give a Fuck

2008-08-27T14:02:00.003-05:00

Out take of my session with the Pine Leaf Boys. It was 97 degrees with 95% humidity. And I asked how much longer I could keep shooting. Here is their answer.

Article On Exhibit

2008-08-26T09:21:00.003-05:00

Herman Fuselier of Lafayette, Louisiana's Daily Advertiser wrote a very nice article on my exhibit.

Moving moments

Photographer captures local music with 'Culture'

Herman Fuselier • hfuselier@theadvertiser.com • August 26, 2008

Photos of Acadie

2008-08-20T12:27:00.003-05:00

Go Here To See More: http://www.flickr.com/photos/valcourrecords/sets/72157606836741013/

Les Cajuns Sont Partout

2008-08-20T09:52:00.003-05:00

I never met Zachary Richard in Louisiana (even though he is from Louisiana) but I met Zachary Richard in Tracadie, New Brunswick. We Cajuns are everywhere.

Gone to Acadie

2008-08-11T09:32:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow I'm heading home. My ancestral home that is - Acadie. I will be filming a documentary about the Acadie. I expect the film to be finished by December.

Photography Exhibit

2008-08-08T11:38:00.002-05:00

Come on by and see my exhibit this Saturday. I will have boudin and muscadine wine for you.

Culture: Lucius A. Fontenot Photography Exhibit

2008-08-05T08:22:00.004-05:00

30, part deux

2008-07-28T16:19:00.002-05:00

A friend of mine sent me a message that kinda cheered my up.

"When you were 29 you where a Senior Citizen of the 20 somethings, but now you are the hot youngster of the 30 somethings."

Thanks Jackie.

30

2008-07-25T10:00:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow I will be 30 years old.
I never thought I would be the kind of person that freaks out about what age he is.
When I really think about it it is not that I don't want to be 30 - It is that I don't want to be 30
and have not accomplished the things that I wanted to accomplish by the age of 30.
Maybe I am too hard on my self. But I don't think so.

Photo by Nick Spitzer, taken at the home of Elemore Morgan Jr.

Réveille

2008-07-24T11:49:00.004-05:00

I get les frissons when I hear (or read) this song.
La bataille continue et ensemble on est capable

Réveille - Zachary Richard

Réveille, réveille,
C’est les goddams qui viennent,
Brûler la récolte.
Réveille, réveille,
Hommes acadiens,
Pour sauver le village.

Mon grand-grand-grand père
Est venu de la Bretagne,
Le sang de ma famille
Est mouillé l’Acadie.
Et là les maudits viennent
Nous chasser comme des bêtes,
Détruire les familles,
Nous jeter tous au vent.

Réveille, réveille,
C’est les goddams qui viennent,
Brûler la récolte.
Réveille, réveille,
Hommes acadiens,
Pour sauver le village.

J’ai vu mon pauvre père.
Il était fait prisonnier.
Pendant que ma mère, ma chère mère
Elle braillait.
J’ai vu ma belle maison
Était mise aux flammes,
Et moi je suis resté orphelin,
Orphelin de l’Acadie.

Réveille, réveille,
C’est les goddams qui viennent,
Voler la récolte.
Réveille, réveille,
Hommes acadiens,
Pour sauver le village.

J’ai entendu parler
De monter avec Beausoleil.
Pour prendre le fusil
Battre les sacrés maudits.
J’ai entendu parlé
D’aller dans la Louisianne
Pour trouver de la bonne paix
Là-bas dans la Louisianne.

Réveille, réveille,
C’est les goddams qui viennent,
Voler la récolte.
Réveille, réveille,
Hommes acadiens,
Pour sauver le village.
Réveille, réveille,
C’est les goddams qui viennent,
Voler les enfants.
Réveille, réveille,
Hommes acadiens,
Pour sauver l’héritage,
Pour sauver l’héritage,
Pour sauver l’héritage.

Réveille, awake,
The Goddams are coming, (Goddams means British soldiers)
To steal the harvest.
Réveille, awake,
Acadians,
To save the village.

My great great great grandfather,
Came from Brittany,
The blood of my family
Has nourished Acadie.
And now the accursed ones come,
Chasing us like cattle,
Destroying the families,
Throwing us to the wind.

(refrain)

I saw my father
Made prisoner,
While my dear mother
Could not stop from crying.
I saw our beautiful home
Put to the torch,
And I have become an orphan,
An orphan of l’Acadie.

(refrain)

I have heard tell
Of going with Beausoleil
To take up arms
And fight the accursed ones,
I have heard tell
Of going to Louisiane,
To find peace
There in Louisiane.

Réveille, awake,
The Goddams are coming,
To steal the children
Réveille, awake,
Acadians,
To save our heritage.

Washington, LA Project

2008-07-22T16:53:00.004-05:00

A photograph from a project about Washington, LA. This is the dining room of an 1850's home.