ST. MARTIN PARISH

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Cajuns Fete Carnival With Pig Slaughter
The Last `bon Temps': Cajuns in St. Martinville, La., Usher in Mardi Gras With Grand Boucherie
By STACEY PLAISANCE Associated Press Writer
ST. MARTINVILLE, La. February 3, 2008 (AP)

"This is a celebration that was started out of necessity," said Stephen Hardy, 38, who leads the group organizing the event. "Before refrigeration, they had to share the slaughter. One family could not consume a whole hog before it would go bad. They would have family and friends over to help, and everyone would leave with something."

(Reprinted from the American Folklife Center

The American Folklife Center

The American Folklife Center was created in 1976 by the U.S. Congress through Public Law 94-201 and charged to "preserve and present American folklife." The Center incorporates the Archive of Folk Culture, which was established at the Library of Congress in 1928, and is now one of the largest collections of ethnographic material from the United States and around the world.

(Reprinted from the Louisiana Folklife Center,
an agency of Northwestern State University of Louisiana)

Cajuns in Louisiana

The Acadians of South Louisiana are descended from French settlers who were exiled from Nova Scotia in 1755. They are extremely visible, thanks to the recent popularity of Acadian cooking, music, and dance--three of their unique contributions to the cultural climate of Louisiana. While Acadians (known as Cajuns now to almost everybody) are best known for their vibrant music and hot cooking, French Louisiana is alive with a wide variety of folk art forms from boat building to storytelling.

(Reprinted from the Louisiana Folklife Center,
an agency of Northwestern State University of Louisiana)

Cajun Folk Artists:
Ranching

(Reprinted from the Louisiana's Regional Folklife Progarm,
within the Louisiana Division of the Arts)

Louisiana has a vast array of cultural traditions-- from jazz and country fiddling to Mardi Gras Indians and trap making. Folklife in Louisiana introduces you to the many worlds that comprise Louisiana through a comprehensive website that includes photos, essays, articles, virtual books, study guides, and much more.

Louisiana's Regional Folklife Program is a cooperative endeavor between Louisiana universities and the Louisiana Folklife Program within the Division of the Arts. The primary goal of the program is to provide in-depth documentation of Louisiana's folk traditions and to facilitate its appropriate use by the public and cultural tourism.

The Louisiana Folklife Program has as its goal the identification, documentation, conservation, and presentation of all aspects of folk cultures in Louisiana. Located within the Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism, this program is one of forty-six state folklife programs that initiate cultural conservation programs

Often, festivals present many folk traditions that have never been presented in a festival setting before. One way that folklife festivals differ from other festivals is that the presentations are based on documentation by folklorists, anthropologists, and other cultural specialists.

(Reprinted from the Louisiana Division of the Arts Mission Statement)

The arts are an essential and unique part of life in Louisiana to which each citizen has a right. The Louisiana Division of the Arts in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council is the catalyst for participation, education, development and promotion of excellence in the arts. It is the responsibility of the Division to support established arts institutions, nurture both emerging arts organizations and our overall cultural economy, assist individual artists, encourage the expansion of audiences and stimulate public participation in the arts in Louisiana.

(Reprinted from The Business of Culture: Louisiana's Cultural Economy)
......excerpted from "Louisiana: Where Culture Means Business," a 189 page report commissioned by the state......

FESTIVALS ARE A VERY IMPORTANT DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL IN THE CULTURAL ECONOMY

Louisianans love festivals. An analysis for this study identified over 500 festivals that occur over the year in the state. They take place in every parish and in almost every town. And, they often include many different cultural activities, from eating locally produced foods, to local music and crafts. Many of these festivals are a local distribution channel and provide an avenue for expressing a community's culture and heritage. And, some of these festivals attract thousands of tourists and are key elements of the state's tourism industry.

(Reprinted from the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism)

Quality - Historic Preservation and the Arts

78-80% of Louisiana residents believe that historic preservation and arts are important and should be high priorities.

Source: The Impact of the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism on Louisiana's Economy and Quality of Life for Louisiana's Citizens - June 2006