There is an undeniable binding between someone and the place they were born. A sense of deep understanding, and many times pride.
For me, that place is South Louisiana. Often, South Louisiana is depicted as nothing but swamps, cypress trees and alligators. While these are all great hallmarks of this state, I know there is a greater depth to the story of those that live here.
I grew up in the small town of Maurice, just south of Lafayette. In fact, Maurice wasn’t even populated enough to classify as a town until recent years. We held the title of “village” proudly and the word will always be closely tied to my home.
I grew up surrounded by agriculture and animals, which gave me my passion for the world around me. I spent countless hours outside with our chickens, goats, horses and pigs. Needless to say, I have a very rural experience of South Louisiana, which I believe will inform the rest of my life.
I understand that this is not the same experience as many growing up here, and I am incredibly grateful for my exposure to the land that fuels our lives. However, I don’t believe a love for Louisiana is limited to those who experience rural life here. While many aspects of Cajun culture are brought to life in the country, other features such as art and music thrive in urban spaces.
This is a true testament to the fact that our culture here crosses through parish and city lines and inserts itself into the inner lives of our community.
I feel so lucky to live in a place overflowing with so much culture that I get to witness firsthand. My grandfather, a native Cajun French speaker, inspired my love for the heritage around me from a young age. I remember being mesmerized by his stories from his youth when I was a young girl, which has continued into my young adulthood.
The story of the Cajuns is one I always love to hear, and one that must be protected and retold over and over for generations to come. It is also a story that is continuously written and brought to life in the present day. The traditions, food and music alone are gems found nowhere else.
What we take for granted here – a short conversation with a stranger at the grocery store, a unique lexicon of words like “lagniappe,” “allons” and “mais la” used in everyday conversations – are alien in other parts of the country.
While it is true that every region has its own unique culture (and that each person thinks the best of their native region), there truly is no place like South Louisiana. It’s been stated over and over by visitors that there is just something special about this part of the world.
The quote by great author Willa Cather, “anyone can love the mountains, it takes a soul to love the prairies,” is quite powerful and I believe the same could be said about the marshlands of Louisiana. It is true that nothing can compare with the views of the Rockies or the salt flats of Utah, but I believe that there’s no place like the swamps of Louisiana.
Having spent a large portion of my life entrenched in coastal conservation projects with my 4-H Jr. Leader club in Vermilion Parish, I learned early on about the true necessity for our state’s environment. The beauty of the coastal south has often moved me more than a mountain range because I understand there is more than meets the eye.
When I look out at marshlands that seem to go on forever, I can’t help but think of my ancestors arriving here from Nova Scotia with nothing but determination to build a better life. That same spirit is still alive in the Cajun people today.
Through hurricanes, floods, heat, humidity and even an eroding coastline, we refuse to give up. If you want to learn true resilience, spend a hurricane season in South Louisiana. I have learned so much from this humble and reverent way of life that I want to model for everyone I meet.
There really is no place like home, and I am so proud to call Cajun country mine. I have traveled far and wide, seen cathedrals in Europe and mountains of the American West, but nothing has the pull on my heart quite like the quiet, flat land of Louisiana.