Pelecanus occidentalis by Sean Jones

Sean Jones

http://search.viewpoint.com/pl/imgview?ret_query=k%3Dbrown%2Bpelican%26ps%3D40%26tn%3D0%26type%3Drel38w%26color%3Dall%26size%3Dall%26opt%3Dweb&fw=500&fh=355&fs=82%20kB&fn=CA_BrownPelican40.jpg&gif=http://sk1.yt-thm-a02.yimg.com/image/6ebf81eb5354bdda&img=http://www.ejphoto.com/images_CA/CA_BrownPelican40.jpg&rc=http://www.ejphoto.com/brown_pelican_page.htm

link for image is listed above

Pelecanus occidentalis or more commonly known as the Brown Pelican is a part of Louisiana’s proud culture, even so far as to provide our state with the nickname of “the Pelican State”. The Brown Pelican, the smallest of the pelican family, is a magnificent bird that weighs up to twelve pounds and can possess a wingspan up to eight feet wide. They usually build nests in small trees or shrubs and tend to raise their young in colonies with other pelicans. The pelican’s young are usually born and raised in groups of three, and consume almost 150 pounds of fish over the duration of their nesting period, which can be from eight to ten months. Pelicans are known for their long beaks with gigantic expandable pouches, which are used to scoop fish out of the water. The brown pelican, one of the world’s seven species of pelicans, is also known specifically for being the only one of its’ kind to dive out of the air and into the water to catch its’ prey and also being the only one that is brown. Its’ natural habitat spreads from the Atlantic coast, along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, throughout the northwestern part of South America, and even on the Pacific coast of California
The brown pelican was first associated with Louisiana upon the arrival of early European settlers who resided in Louisiana. The settlers were astounded at how nurturing and caring the pelicans were to their young while raising them. In 1902, Louisianans showed their true respect for the bird by making it a prominent part of the official state seal, and then furthered that respect in 1912 by placing it on Louisiana’s state flag. As if that was not enough to show the importance of the pelican to Louisiana, on July 27, 1966 the bird was officially adopted as the official state bird, and lastly and most recently it was placed on the Louisiana’s bicentennial quarter. All of these things combined give the brown pelican an ever-lasting place in Louisiana’s culture and history.
Unfortunately in the 1960’s DDT was introduced as a pesticide in the United States of America, completely devastating the Brown Pelican population. By 1970 the effects of DDT did its’ toll on the pelican population resulting in an instant federal government reaction of placing the brown pelican on the endangered species list. Two years later, in 1972, the pesticide known as DDT was fortunately banned from being used in the United States of America, but it had already ravaged the pelican species to such an extreme that in 1966 the brown pelican had completely disappeared from Louisiana’s costal waters. Louisiana could not due without this magnificent bird populating its’ lands and waters, so in 1968 Louisiana began the importation of the brown pelicans into the state in hopes of restoring the bird population. Fortunately in 1995 the federal government declared that the pelican population had been completely restored in Louisiana.

Lonely Louisiana

Michael Heumann
Ms. Michel
English 2000
Ever since middle school and more prevalently through high school, my teachers have stressed the issue that ‘our’ standardized test scores as a state were poor. In earlier years, I hadn’t given much thought as to why this was relevant. If I could still make A’s and B’s on my report card, then why would a national comparison of Louisiana be of great importance? With this idea in mind, and years later of worldly experience, I have begun to notice what lower standardized test scores reflect.
I chose this picture as a representation of Louisiana primarily for two reasons. I have family that lives in different parts of the world, and all have made the remark, “The people here are just fat and dumb!” These people are family and are not (I hope) ridiculing every person as being ignorant, but rather making a generalization about the population through their own experiences. They are however, very accurate in their claims, because for years Louisiana has been at the lower end of the spectrum in terms of education and health standings. Therefore my image of Louisiana is a “lonely fat kid.”
Louisiana makes great revenue through the New Orleans port industry and the many construction, chemical, and engineering job opportunities available in the state. Even today as most of the nation struggles financially, Louisiana is relatively unaffected because of the continual circulation of currency within the state. Many people here take this lifestyle for granted, not concerning themselves with the rest of Nation’s issues, much less the world’s issues. “Laissez le bon temps roule,” meaning “let the good time roll,” is the state’s motto, and is exactly what it’s citizens plan on doing. As long as the immediate Louisiana environment doesn’t pose a threat to it’s inhabitants, there is no reason to change. Ironically, with incidents such as Katrina devastating New Orleans, most residents have the ideology that Louisiana is the victim of misfortune, and the rest of the world should cater to them.
In December 2008 Louisiana was officially ranked as the unhealthiest state in terms of obesity, infant mortality, and preventable hospitalizations. I believe the fact that the state is in the bottom five out of fifty states in education is a direct cause of health problems. Schools are so behind in establishing principles such as math, science, and English, and implementing even some health education is a big task to achieve. Many public schools are even considering letting the state take control of their funding because they are so far behind the rest of the nation’s standards. I have many friends that don’t know the difference between omega-3 fatty acids and hydrogenated oils or even the difference in performing cardio or strength exercises. They are more than capable of understanding these ideas, but were never taught. Education is certainly a crutch of Louisiana, causing exponentially growing obstacles that will only become more difficult to overcome in the future. All Louisiana needs is some friends to incorporate them back into society.

English 2000-24 Justin Babin Louisiana Purchase

Looking at the photo of the Louisiana Purchase one can notice that the purchase more than doubled the size of the United States. This photo is important to Louisiana because it illustrates how important the state of Louisiana was important to the country. The purchase was made by Thomas Jefferson and marks the time when Louisiana became a state of the United States. The photo is important to all Louisianans because it lets it’s current residents know where there state came from and how it evolved. One can better understand how the culture and heritage of Louisiana came about through the Louisiana Purchase.
To better understand the Louisiana Purchase, a brief history is provided: Louisiana was originally settled by the French in the early 18th century. The area west of the Mississippi was ceded to Spain by a secret treaty, and at the end of the Seven Years’ War, the area east of the Mississippi was lost to Great Britain. Then, by another secret treaty, it was returned to France. The current president, Jefferson, sent James Monroe to Paris to aid the American minister to France, Robert R. Livingston, in an attempt to buy New Orleans. Instead he was given all of the state of Louisiana. Louisiana was sold for $15 million. At the time of purchase, Jefferson was concerned about the constitutionality of making a land acquisition without adding a covering amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The law of the land, however, did give the president treaty-making power, and the Louisiana Purchase was ratified into law as a treaty by the U.S. Senate. The Louisiana Purchase stands as the largest area of territory ever added to the U.S. at one time (history.com/louisianapurchase).
Considering the history provided above along with the picture of the Louisiana Purchase, one can realize the importance this picture has to the people of Louisiana. The picture clearly illustrates the vast amount of area the Louisiana Purchase gave to the United States. Not only was the Purchase important to the state of Louisiana, but it was important in the expansion of the United States. I picked the picture of the Louisiana Purchase because it is what Louisiana is most known for well appreciated throughout the entire United States and not just to the state of Louisiana.

Tasty Little Mudbugs by Abraham Felix

You are sweating profusely. Your lips are burning. Your tongue is on fire. Your chest and stomach are inflamed. The carbonation in the drink you keep swigging from is only making it worse, but you don’t care. You just grab another one and begin to unclothe it in your haste to that incredible little piece of meat inside. Though this probably sounds like some sort of adult activity, even the youngest Louisianan has probably had this experience. I’m of course talking about the great Louisianian tradition of crawfish boils.
When great cooking comes to mind, in my opinion, Louisiana is the best in the world, or at least in the south. There is a magic to cooking here in Louisiana that can make even crawfish, the dirtiest little critters, or mudbugs if you will, taste like a little piece of heaven. Not only did some genius long ago discover that boiling crawfish in herbs, spices and seasonings would make them delectable, but then he or she decided that was not enough. In addition to the crawfish, someone added things like corn and potatoes and sausage. Even recently I heard of people putting things like mushrooms, lemon, garlic and even cauliflower in that pot along with all the other things.
Now no decent Louisiana native can stand to prepare and eat something like this alone. He or she will probably call up a friend or ten and throw a good ol’ get-together and pig out. At least that’s how I like to think the great event called a crawfish boil started.
Of course, recently Louisiana was renamed the unhealthiest state, taking that honor from Mississippi. I say I’m glad to have that title back. People say the things that taste good are the worse for you. To me this means if you want to eat something that tastes great, like all our food here, you’ve got to accept the bad health that can result from it. People say southern hospitality is second to none. With crawfish boils, that definitely rings true. Events like crawfish boils show the strong community ties of Louisiana and the neighboring states.
In addition to the community ties of the mudbug, they also represent a multi-million dollar industry for our state. Most of the crawfish worldwide is harvested in Louisiana. So while many people around the country may knock us for our school systems, infrastructure, generally bad health and otherwise, they certainly can’t knock us for our food and ability to live and “Laissez les bon temps roule.”

Louisiana in a Visual Age

The picture I posted is a picture of Camp Abbey. Camp Abbey was a Catholic camp for children from the ages eight to thirteen. It was a camp that you could attend to paint pictures or other arts and crafts. Someone could also take a hike in the woods or to the St. Joseph’s Abbey Cathedral. Children could swim and play sports with friends, and make bonds that last a lifetime. At night there were many celebrations that contained campfires, songs, and laughter. There are many reasons why I chose this picture. Camp Abbey holds a special place in my heart. I attended the camp as a camper until I was thirteen and then as a counselor until I was 18. I have made friendships that will last forever.
In my opinion, Camp Abbey reminds me of Louisiana because for decades it was a place for people to grow and mature. Not only did the counselors and administration at camp teach you about life situations and problems, they also taught someone about their faith and how to grow in that aspect of life. My mother attended Camp Abbey over thirty years ago. She told me stories for years about the friends she made and the experiences she gained from attending Camp Abbey. When I turned eight, there was nothing I wanted more than to attend camp. After my first summer, I fell in love and did not want to leave. They taught me so much my first year; I could not help but want to go back and spend more weeks of my summer in Folsom, Louisiana.
Camp Abbey represents Louisiana because, like other treasures of Louisiana, were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. There were so many places lost by Katrina that it affected not only Louisiana, but many surrounding areas. Many trees were destroyed, as well as trials, and some buildings. With many repairs and help from people around the state of Louisiana, Camp Abbey was able to try to recover. A year past Hurricane Katrina, Camp Abbey bounced back. They recovered and set up camp for one last. Even though it is now closed due to other reasons, Camp Abbey will always hold a special place in my heart along with many other fellow Louisianans. In my opinion, it is a shame that some children today will not be able to experience all that I learned and gained from the Camp Abbey life.

When I Think of Louisiana

Ashley Bellerino
Ms. Michel
English 2000- Section 24
9 March 2009
When I Think of Louisiana
This picture was taken when I was in the French Quarter one day with my family. I live in New Orleans so, naturally, I usually think of something involving this city when I am trying to represent Louisiana. My father took the picture and enhanced certain aspects of it, making it look like the type of picture they sell in boutiques around town. This woman was playing her keyboard and singing a song for some spare change from onlookers. These types of people are quite common when one is walking through the quarter. She was playing right in front of the Praline shop, which is a memorable location for the area. Behind her are different little shops that visitors cannot get enough of; they sell souvenirs ranging from fleur de leis ornaments to risky shirts covered in profanities. Some people might view these performers as nuisances, but others might see them as just one of the many cultural aspects of New Orleans. As tourists walk around, they will see many people trying to make a living off of public entertainment. Some natives will be standing as statues and painted silver, while others might be putting on a dance routine in Jackson Square.
My friends and I will go downtown acting like tourists, visiting the St. Louis
Cathedral, taking a carriage ride, and getting beignets at Café Du Monde. Another unique characteristic of New Orleans that one cannot find anywhere else is the Riverwalk. This includes the mall with the aquarium and the I-Max Theater connected to it. My family and I like to go see a movie and then go walk along the river to watch the riverboats pass by. It is interesting to think how one woman playing her keyboard can make someone nostalgic of the memories and aspects of his/her city. Another example of how one thing can cause many different recollections is food.
Food is one of the strongest characteristics that brings in travelers and gives the city it’s unique background. One visit to New Orleans would not be enough time to eat at all the historic places that are so popular.
I will never forget the lady I saw on the street that day because she contributes to the individuality that our city will always be famous for. She is trying to make an honest living while also spreading her talent of music in order to touch those passing by, even if it is in the slightest way. I may not always give money to the people trying to make a living on the main streets, but I will always respect their efforts to amuse the bystanders, whether they be tourists from all over or the locals of New Orleans.

Friends, Family and Food

When I think of Louisiana many things come to mind, such as Mardi Gras, LSU football games, hurricanes, and other things. However, what stands out the most to me is friends, family and food. Louisiana is known for its hospitality and good food; you can ask someone who has visited Louisiana before and they will tell you so. If there are any bad experiences, they are found in Death Valley, which is a different situation entirely. Therefore, to me, friends, family and food are a good representation of my home state.

Louisiana natives have a reputation for the seasonings and spices in their food, but those aren’t the only elements. Mexicans, Indians and Asians have spices in their foods as well, but in Louisiana our spices are entirely unique. Take for instance a jambalaya, filled with white onions, green onions, broth, rice, lea and perrins sauce, lots of meat, and the most important ingredient: our beloved Tony Chachere’s. Whether it’s sweet, salty, rich or spicy what we Louisianans bring to the table is always full of flavor. Something sweet would be pralines, which are a type of cookie similar to fudge, but with brown sugar, vanilla and pecans. Salty is represented well by boiled crawfish with some corn on the cob, potatoes, mushrooms, and onions boiled in with them. For richness, seafood augratin is a good example. It is a white creamy sauce mixed with seafood such as crab, crawfish or shrimp, and cheese on top. As for spicy, boudin characterizes this flavor. It is similar to link sausage, but made of rice, pork sausage, spices and seasoning, all inside of a pork casing. These foods are just a few of the many that Louisiana natives have cooked and loved for years; earning our state the reputation for having the best food in the nation.

Another thing that I think of when I think of Louisiana is friends and family. Louisiana is one of the most hospitable states in the U.S. When someone from out of state comes to visit or moves here, they are taken in and become like family. I believe this is because here in Louisiana we value friends and family, and we don’t like to leave anybody out. Every holiday or event that takes place here involves friends and family getting together to celebrate. Even after sad and serious events such as a funeral, friends and family usually go somewhere afterwards to fellowship and enjoy each others company. There’s nothing like spending the holidays with Cajuns.

Louisiana can be represented by a number of things, but to me the best representations of its character are friends, family and food. Also, when Louisianans get together, no matter the occasion, there’s always food involved. There is a bonding that takes place when we eat good food together, so the two go hand in hand. I believe that anyone who comes to our state whether to visit or reside, will get a good dose of this and see for him or herself. We got the reputation for good food and hospitality because we earned it; and I believe we show ourselves worthy.

By: Alicia Knight