Categories: Cuisine, History, Identity

What We Each Must Do To Save Our Shared CREOLE Cultural Identity
by John Lafleur

And, this message applies equally to all of our people-Acadian originated as to German or any other born in the colony of La Louisiane!

And, no, I have no problem with real Acadian Creole descendants identifying as Cajun; as long as we are honest about the culture being Louisiana-based or Creole; and not “Acadian-based!”

I, too, am of Acadian descent.
But, my Louisiana-made culture is Creole.
This message/comments are the result of the ongoing and attempted forcing of the false “Cajun” identity upon the public in spite of the facts or the feelings of a now very-well-informed public!

Below, I provide some of our oldest and more recent sources establishing our shared Louisiana-based Creole culinary heritage; a heritage thoroughly assimilated by my ancestors, the Acadians. May these sources enable greater pride and intelligent confidence in speaking up about our Creole culture. Enjoy!

And, remember to speak up and correct the presumptuousness of those who push this upon the uninformed or misinformed public; or, who seek to get you to “go along with it” as if you are just as naive as they are! Be proud that your ancestors created gumbo and étouffée, fricassée, maquechou, pain perdu, pralines and café-au-lait–none of which are found or cooked in Acadian Canada! But, this food tradition is found in our earliest French history books, and earliest Louisiana Creole Cookbooks as shown in the photos below.

A) Governor Pierre-Clément de Laussat’s 1803 “Memoirs…” mention the white French Creoles’ obsession with cayenne pepper, and their other Indian-provided favorite of turtle sauce piquante!

B) The Picayune Creole Cookbook of 1902, includes everything relabeled as “Cajun” by Lafayette’s syndicate after 1968, and including our Ville Platte, Louisiana French food names!

C) La Cuisine Créole, 1885, by Lefcadio Hearn of New Orleans, features sauce piquante, étouffées, gumbos, jambalaya, Courtbouillon and more!

D) André Pénicaut’s Diary of Travel with Bienville & Iberville of 1698 to the founding of New Orleans in 1817, includes “viande boucanée” or smoked meat tradition (i.e. “Tasaho”), including “grillades” and grits, as well as “fish fricassée,” or our Creole catfish Courtbouillon!

E) Chef John Folse’s Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine acknowledges Bienville’s Madame L’Anglois turning to the Choctaw to learn how to cook with Louisiana ingredients for which she is credited with opening the first Creole Cooking School!

Bayleaf, maquechou, courtbouillon, and all things crawfish, everything cornbread-based and filé gumbo were Native American-introduced; none of which dishes are known or eaten in “Acadie” or Bay of Fundy in Canada!

Fricassée, not fricot, is a Louisiana and France-originated dish, as are boudin, daube, pain perdu, pralines and bouillabaise, to our love of leeks (poireaux)!

Okra gumbo is indisputably African, as is barbecue! All unknown in Acadian culinary history!

Our croquesignolles are also named in some of these early sources, and are still known in Creole French Missouri and Illinois-remnants of the vast Louisiana Purchase Territory where they, and musician Dennis McGee continue to celebrate their and our historic Louisiana Creole cultural identity!

F) Chef Marcell Bienvenu and cousin Dr. Carl Brasseaux openly acknowledge the myth of an Acadian originality to Cajun cooking; admitting its unique Creole/Louisiana origins!

So, honestly, shouldn’t you?
Then, speak up and speak out as intelligent, educated and honest men and women, if not as good Christians!
And, remember God is a God of truth!
And, as no deception was found in Christ’s mouth, let there be none in yours!
Join us in publicly proclaiming our ancestors, our true Louisiana-based culture, heritage and identity on July 16, Saturday at the Ville Platte Civic Center on Soileau Street as we again celebrate the Creole Families’ Bastille Day Heritage Festival!