Longfellow’s poem, Evangeline, depicts the heroine traveling down Bayou Plaquemine in search of her long lost lover, Gabriel. The couple was separated during the Great Expulsion of 1755, when about 11,000 Acadians were deported from Acadia. The Acadians were in search of a land where they could practice their religion without consequences. Many of the Acadians settled in Louisiana, and became known as Cajuns, and Evangeline represents the ideal Southern Christian woman.
I grew up in Plaquemine, Louisiana and we have a tradition based on Longfellow’s poem. Every girl who is a high school senior in Plaquemine has the opportunity to compete to become Evangeline through the Knights of Columbus. We have an interview process, and whoever wins is the Queen of the Acadian Festival. We reenact Evangeline traveling down Bayou Plaquemine, and the girl chosen as Evangeline wears the attire of a woman living in the 1700’s. The outfit is just like pilgrim clothes seen in history books. The first picture I chose is of Evangeline dressed in the pilgrim outfit standing in front of a painting that depicts the Acadians in the midst of their travel. This picture represents the history of Louisiana, and it accounts for the beginning of Cajun heritage. The elaborate image shows the Acadians in struggle to find a new home. This hardship may account for the reason why people from Louisiana make their families a priority.
The second picture I chose is my families’ houseboat on Bayou Plaquemine. The houseboat has been in my family for years. Many classic stories have been told involving my family, from my great grandparents to my parents. My family made frequent trips to the houseboat to spend stress free weekends in a calming Louisiana bayou. They would hunt, fish, play cards, talk, and EAT. Many Southern families have similar Cajun getaways. The importance of family has been instilled in our culture from the beginning, and the houseboat holds years and years of memories and represents the closeness of my family.
The trees along the bayou make for a peaceful scene, which many Southern families enjoy. The area serves as home for many animals, such as alligators, snakes, fish, ducks, foxes, possums, and nutria rats. It is common to find Southern men deep in the woods, hiding away in order to hunt animals, especially ducks. They often set traps to catch alligators which can be used for their meat or thick outer skin. Seeing Southern men hunting and fishing makes me believe much of our culture remains from the Acadians, because in order to survive, the Acadians had to hunt and fish. Enjoying the sport of hunting has come along generations and generations of Cajuns. Although many years have passed, family values and love of nature remain.
I grew up in Plaquemine, Louisiana and we have a tradition based on Longfellow’s poem. Every girl who is a high school senior in Plaquemine has the opportunity to compete to become Evangeline through the Knights of Columbus. We have an interview process, and whoever wins is the Queen of the Acadian Festival. We reenact Evangeline traveling down Bayou Plaquemine, and the girl chosen as Evangeline wears the attire of a woman living in the 1700’s. The outfit is just like pilgrim clothes seen in history books. The first picture I chose is of Evangeline dressed in the pilgrim outfit standing in front of a painting that depicts the Acadians in the midst of their travel. This picture represents the history of Louisiana, and it accounts for the beginning of Cajun heritage. The elaborate image shows the Acadians in struggle to find a new home. This hardship may account for the reason why people from Louisiana make their families a priority.
The second picture I chose is my families’ houseboat on Bayou Plaquemine. The houseboat has been in my family for years. Many classic stories have been told involving my family, from my great grandparents to my parents. My family made frequent trips to the houseboat to spend stress free weekends in a calming Louisiana bayou. They would hunt, fish, play cards, talk, and EAT. Many Southern families have similar Cajun getaways. The importance of family has been instilled in our culture from the beginning, and the houseboat holds years and years of memories and represents the closeness of my family.
The trees along the bayou make for a peaceful scene, which many Southern families enjoy. The area serves as home for many animals, such as alligators, snakes, fish, ducks, foxes, possums, and nutria rats. It is common to find Southern men deep in the woods, hiding away in order to hunt animals, especially ducks. They often set traps to catch alligators which can be used for their meat or thick outer skin. Seeing Southern men hunting and fishing makes me believe much of our culture remains from the Acadians, because in order to survive, the Acadians had to hunt and fish. Enjoying the sport of hunting has come along generations and generations of Cajuns. Although many years have passed, family values and love of nature remain.
Written by Erin Francise
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