CREOLE CULTURAL NEWS FLASH: UPDATE: VERMILIONVILLE & CREOLE DAY: The Gumbo Is Tasting Better! I met with the lovely Ms. Charissa Helluin, the Curator of Vermilionville, yesterday. Even as in her humble apology previously sent to me, I found her to be just as genuinely concerned (and equally offended) at the racialized article appearing in last Mondays Opelousas, La.s Daily World review of Creole Day. While I was sitting their airing my complaints, Dr. David Cheramie came into the main building where we were seated. He was quite happy to see me and quite gracious, as if greeting an old friend. He seemed to be reflecting upon my article because he volunteered to tell me that the racism behind Cajun is well-documented and the commerce behind it began (not surprisingly) at St. Martinville, where he noted: Cadjin was a pejorative term signifying white trash... which fact alone, was the result in the selection and adoption of the misspelled version Cajun as a new ethno-cultural qualifier/descriptor for descendants of the Acadians in Louisiana (Cajun was not intended for the white Creoles, but they usurped it, to borrow a word from Dr. Carl Brasseaux, in his description of the action of St. Landry-Evangeline Parishes white Creoles in their fears of being mistaken as black if they continued to identify as Creole). Dr. Cheramie also explained that he was on the phone for at least, an hour with the Daily Worlds writer. Its obvious to me, now, that his comments were reduced to a limited part of a greater discussion, which evidently, eluded the writer of the article. I have sent my rebuttal to this very slanted, but otherwise, well-intended report on Creole Day directly to their Letters To The Editor. After providing the long-suffering Ms. Helluin with a lengthy Creole history lesson, from which emerged a localized Louisiana and legally valid definition of Creole as native-born -its original historical meaning, consistently found in courthouse records-Ms. Helluin went into action! That same afternoon, she emailed me to inform me of her actions which will include my assistance in previewing and reviewing their tour guide scripts, representative ethnic representation/exhibits and food ways to which I will make suggestions and assist in providing educational guidance along with direct instruction. My presence will no longer be kept in the kitchen -although, I will continue to seduce the public with my country Creole culinary creations, to be sure, while providing requisite instruction. There is much more to come, but I will exercise restraint (and hope!) and patiently await what comes. In any case, merci beaucoup to all of you Creole world family members whove actively supported these, our shared concerns and my effort to keep the flag waving! Something good is in the air, chers, like my Creole Fried Chicken w/ zydeco beans & Creole sausage! Ummmjhhh, cest bon!
Posted on: Thu, 05 Jun 2014 13:53:58 +0000
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