In last year’s session at the Louisiana legislature, Gov. Bobby Jindal cut the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana’s budget by $100,000, saying the organization “has been adequately funded.”
Even though the language is making a strong comeback after skipping the better part of three generations, that was a tough licking on CODOFIL and the rest of Louisianians pushing for continued proliferation of French language and culture in Louisiana.
But the people answered with a festival last fall.
Lâche Pas — “don’t let go” — was a festival held in Lafayette to raise the funds cut by the governor. Yes, it would have been sweet to one-up the governor and raise more; unfortunately, the festival fell short, raising a meek $90,000.
Although Lâche Pas was a success and a great time, CODOFIL cannot continue to rely on the Sunday afternoon fais do-do to raise that much money every year. However, two state representatives have come up with a rather nifty bit of legislation to help fund the critical organization.
Earlier this month, two state lawmakers, Rep. Mike Huval (R-Breaux Bridge) and Sen. Fred Mills (R-Parks) proposed two state legislative bills, which would create a new option for people to claim their “Cajunity” on their driver’s licenses and license plates.
The backbone of this sweet little piece of proposed legislation is that it will be raising money to support the efforts of the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana. People in Louisiana will not only be able to tout their roots, but the money raised will go to the recruiting and training of French teachers.
An annual fee of $15 will be issued to Cajuns who wish to tag their whips with “I’m Cajun…and proud” plates, and the option to purchase a four-year $20 license, or pay an annual fee of $5 will be available to those who wish to dress up their state ID with the gentle reminder.
Huval, the representative who introduced the legislation , was quoted in The Advocate saying, “Cajun is hot a item.”
I could not agree more.
People love Cajuns, and Cajuns love to be Cajun. Our “exotic” way of life seems to always be of great curiosity and a must-see, must-do experience to outsiders.
Despite some Vermontonian research I criticized this past February, Louisiana pride is on the rise and so is the Cajun beat.
Our little swampy section of paradise has been getting some good helpings of positive regional and national attention. Two instances in Southern publications: Last year, Southern Living deemed Lafayette the South’s Tastiest Town, and Baton Rouge was recently showcased in Garden and Gun. Not to mention the music and various musicians pumped out of the bayous have been shuffling les pieds des étrangers since the 1960s.
It should be understood the word “Cajun” encompasses a broader demographic than one may suppose. Typically, people are inclined to believe that “Acadian” and “Cajun” are synonymous, and they are. However, a quote from Dr. William Arceneaux, president of CODOFIL, should clarify:
“All Acadians are Cajun, but not all Cajuns are Acadian.”
Acadians are the original people and their descendants who suffered exile from Nova Scotia in Le Grand Dérangement. Cajuns are more or less the people who embraced the lifestyle and culture that has been cultivated by the Acadians, Creoles and the land of Louisiana.
So maybe I can only wish that my surname ended in a cool “eaux,” maybe I am only one-16th Acadian and perhaps I don’t fit the stereotype. But you don’t have to be born in Atchafalaya mud or have grown up in a house with that peculiar ladder on the front porch to be considered Cajun.
Even though I may only be the one-16th Acadian, there was a time, to quote Mark Twain, when that “one-16th out-voted the other 15-16ths.”
If this legislation passes, I’ll at least be getting a new driver’s license.
Chris Ortte is 22-year-old political science senior from Lafayette.
