|
a ACADIAN REBIRTH article
Cultures
of Acadiana |
Lafayette (La) Daily Advertiser April 27, 1999
Scribner's story was not sympathetic to Acadians
Writer's criticisms seen today to reflect cherished Cajun values
by: Jim Bradshaw
R. L. Daniels wrote a long sketch entitled "The Acadians of Louisiana" for the November 1879 edition of Scribner's Monthly, a popular magazine for that time during the late 1800s rivaled Harper's Weekly in readership. His account, and those of most Northern journalists, was not particularly sympathetic to the Acadians.
Here are excerpts from his report.
Although the term "Acadian" is strictly appropriate only to the descendents of Canadians and exiles from Acadie, who were among the early permanent settlers of Louisiana, it may frequently be heard applied to all the humbler classes of French origin throughout the state. Among themselves. they are "Creole Francais," and Acadian--or rather its corruption "Cajun" as they pronounce it--is regarded as implying contempt. Indeed, the educated classes habitually designate those whom they regard as their social inferiors by this objectionable epithet. With the lower orders it is bandied from one to another in the same spirit: and.. if the situation is favorable, a fist fight is the result, the contest being spiced with such volleys of oaths as, were they translatable, would excite the envy of the most accomplished blasphemer of a western mining town.
These peculiar people are often spoken as "passing away." This may be true of certain localities. On the Mississippi River, for instance, where they once owned large and valuable tracts of land, they have mostly yielded before the more enterprising, energetic American, the uneducated classes moving to the interior, and, as it were, finding their level among their own kind, while the most intelligent that remain are rapidly becoming Americanized--losing their distinctive characteristics through English education, social intercourses, and intermarriages with their American compatriots. But go back from the Mississippi and other navigable streams and from the various towns of importance, to the smaller bayous, where steam boats never come; to the extensive prairies where the whistle of the engines has not yet been heard; and you find genuine Acadians everywhere, unchanged, too, in character and mode of living from what they were fifty--perhaps one hundred--years ago. In fact, the first vital element of change, in the direction in progress--education--is lacking. In many of their settlements there are no schools whatever. Now and then a child of the more prosperous class is sent off, for a few months or, perhaps, for a year, to a Roman Catholic school. He can read without very much halting and can write, or make others believe he can, is considered well-educated, and, with the requisite amount of shrewdness, mat become an oracle in politics, and especially in business affairs.
The language here is French, corrupted more or less into a patois. This is particularly the case in settlements remote from the public highways of commerce. Take, for instance, Prairie Gros Chervreuil on the upper Teche - that is the unnavigable portion of Bayou Teche near its source. A ride of some fifteen miles from the old town of Opelousas brings you to the farms extending along the banks of that quiet stream and stretching back from it. ... Embowered in groves of china trees you will find comfortable homes, which are always built in the same plain cottage style, weather-boarded without and plastered within, and with the inevitable gallery or porch in front. They vary in nothing but size. Here there are no deserted farms, no land thrown out for lack of labor, as in many parts of the South since the late war. Here, secluded from the great, busy world, not separated by natural barriers of mountains or seas, but held aloof by their own inertness, the French tongue has with most of the inhabitants degenerated into a dialect that a Parisian would be puzzled to understand. In their own opinion, they speak the genuine French. ..Of Americans as a class, they have not the highest opinion. Southerners as well as Northerners are "Yankees," unless regarded with exceptional favor. If one of their own people is shrewd or tricky in business transactions, he is unceremoniously designated a "Yankee."
Not being a migratory people, their sections are densely settled: what may originally have been a large plantation is often divided and subdivided among children and grandchildren during the life of its first proprietor until further partition is impracticable. Parents willingly sacrifice their own comfort to keep their children near them; and the parental affection that prompts this sacrifice is filially reciprocated. The children mature and marry early, settling down on their terrain contentedly, be it small or otherwise, with expectation or desire of ever leaving it, and the only subsequent improvements likely to be made are the addition of shed rooms to accommodate the rapidly increasing progeny. A girl of twelve may take upon herself the responsibilities of wedded life with a helpmate, but little older. Grandparents who have not reached the age of thirty are not infrequent among these people.
Without overtasking themselves ..the most thrifty keep their places in good order, raising small crops of corn, cotton, tobacco, peas, and potatoes: and highland rice, also, if the soil is favorable. Creole ponies, horned cattle, and hogs swell their possessions, and contribute to their social dignity. Add to these the caleche which the family rides, and the summit of earthly grandeur is attained.. By the by, the caleche is very unique, and merits more than passing notice. The vehicle is of domestic manufacture. It is two-wheeled, hoodless, and springless. The body is of wood, rudely fashioned after the pattern of the old-time gig, and the seats are apparently intended for two persons, but on emergency they develop a capacity for accommodating a dozen. ...Imagine Mater-families crowned with an enormous sun-bonnet, in the center of the seat, with children crowned in at each side, more children at her back, still more between the seat and the low dashboard, and with the baby on her lap, guarded by the material arms which are at the same tine extended to hold the reins!
The reins are lustily flapped at regular intervals, and the respectable, sedate family horse, in no wise hurries thereby, moves on in a regular jog-trot; at each forward movement the shafts fly far up above his withers, and all the clustered heads in the caleche are simultaneously thrown back to be jerked suddenly forward when the shafts fall into position. Above all, the bug sun-bonnet flops up and down like the limps wings of some huge bird; ludicrous as it may seem. the unaccustomed spectator is seized with the fancy that those devoted head must eventually yield to the oft-repeated jerks and come tumbling to the ground.
This primitive vehicle is not the only article of domestic make. Baskets, buckets, brooms, split-bottomed and raw-hide seated chaired, besides neat, substantial specimens of cabinet ware, are common articles of manufacture. Fine, durable halters and bridle-reins are twisted of horse hair, and tobacco is is put up en perique. This last is the leaf tobacco rolled up on the form of a cigar; but solid and large, with the average weight being three pounds. With some of the wife's choicest cottonade, it is taken by the head of the family to town, for sale or barter. These articles, being of superb quality, are easily disposed of at remunerative prices. His saddle-bags being stuffed with bandanna handkerchiefs, material for "Sunday shirts," calico and cheap muslims or delaines for Sunday dresses, the "Cajun" creates an immense sensation in the family and neighborhood on his return home. Whatever else may be needed for clothing is usually of home manufacture. The housewife usually makes palmetto hats, and spins, knits, dyes thread and weaves cloth for household use and personal wear. Domestic needs being thus to a great extent supplied by themselves, debt and its consequent embarrassments are almost unknown.
The lives of these people, from generation to generation. are a mere repetition of the same round of simple pleasures and easy work. Their want of ambition -- the indifference to higher schools and political distinctions -- are often commenced by those who know but little of them and like to point a moral. But the "Cajun" has his ambitions, thought on so insignificant a scale as to appear almost ludicrous to those accustomed to greater things. In his little world, the lofty honors of a coroner or justice of the peace are as eagerly sought and highly estimated as are the most prominent political positions in other quarters. Election are attended worth great excitement. Primed with their favorite tafia, or cheap whiskey ... the voters are noisy and turbulent. Free fights are the order of the day; but, to their credit be it said, no weapons are used except such as are fashioned by nature. To give his foe a black eye, or to make him cry "Assez!" is sufficient glory for the Acadian. Clannish in the extreme, the mutual relationship of candidate and voter generally outweighs personal merit and party principal; and, being almost interminably interlinked by marriages, there are few aspirants who cannot claim a large number of voters. ... Still, though blood may be thicker than water, it yields to whiskey. The candidate who who treats most liberally, both at home and at the boutique, may safely count on being elected.
"Cajun" etiquette is somewhat arbitrary. At all social gatherings, public or private, the men and women sit apart. ... On entering a room where there is company, one must shake hands with every person in turn, whether acquainted or not. No one rises for the ceremony except, perhaps, the host or hostess. For a woman, old or young, married or single, to ride, walk, or be entirely alone for a few moments with any member of the opposite sex except father, son, or husband is a gross breach of proprieties of which the worst may be, and is pretty certain to be, said. Nothing less than the direct extremity will make it excusable for even brother and sister, uncle and niece, to go anywhere together without the company of a third person.
Among the amusements of this people, it would scarcely be amiss to class cases of dangerous illness and funerals, so much substantial enjoyment do they manage to get out of such events. If a person is pronounced to be in peril from some malady, men, women, and children rush to the scene of the suffering. Horses and caleches stand thickly around the front yard. Groups of men gossip on the galleries; the sickroom is filled with both sexes, sitting apart as usual, and all staring at the patient and keeping up an incessant talk in subdued tones. Squads of women discuss the symptoms of the sufferer,... criticize the physician's treatment... and relate in turn marvelous cures performed by themselves with certain tisanes and cataplasms. ...Boys and girls, young men and maidens, also make the most of the occasion by happening to meet in the back galleries, where they can throw "sheep eyes" at each other for one fleeting moment. Long tables are spread , one after another, with the best food which the afflicted family can offer, and coffee is served at intervals, both night and day. All this continues until the patient is restored, or until he or she is carried from the scene of decorous festivities to the grave. As may be imagined, few critical cases recover; around the bed of the dying there is no self-repression. Friends and relatives weep and lament in utter abandonment, imploring the sufferer not to leave them, and invoking all the saints in a manner most distressing even to the disinterested spectator. The priest comes, administers the last sacred rites and departs. The hapless mortal about to be ushered into eternity sees no one bending over him with calm reassuring look, and hears no comforting, encouraging words.
When all is over, the corpse is arrayed for the gala day, new shoes being indispensable. A crucifix is laid upon his breast, lighted candles at the head and feet, a dish of holy water with a sprig of bay leaves, blessed on Palm Sunday, by the side. Every one who approaches dips the leaves in the water, and sprinkles the inanimate form, murmuring a prayer for the repose of the soul. The singing of the indescribably mournful hymns is kept up during the night by some of the numerous watchers; and not until the last moment is the body place in the coffin. The most violent demonstrations of grief attend this sad office. At the church, if the family can afford the expense, lighted candles are given to those in attendance, and are carried in the procession to the grave, where once more the loss of the dead is bewailed. All interments are in the consecrated ground of churches near or in the towns. The time for mourning their dead is regulated, as they will tell you, by their religion. For an infant, from one to three months; a child, a brother, sister, aunt or uncle, six months; father, mother, husband or wife, one year. Black is worn during the prescribed season, and all amusements are utterly foregone; music, either vocal or instrumental, is considered sacrilegious. No people exceed the Acadians in conforming to the letter of the law, whether social, civil ,or religious.
The Acadian women is capricious and quick-tempered, yet amiable and warm-hearted; for her anger is soon expended and frankly deplored. Neat and industrious, she fills her role of housewife during the week and enjoys her gossip on Saturday afternoons and Sundays. Gossip she must have; it is the spice of her uneventful life, the sole nutriment of her mental faculties; without it her existence would be dreary stagnation. The gossiping may often lean to censoriousness, yet if the tongue thoughtlessly wounds, the heart is pitiful and the hands are ever ready to minister to all physical necessities. But whatever she may be, she is always womanly and, with rare exceptions, virtuous.
Of Acadian virtues-which are mostly passive- hospitality and practical charity are the most prominent. To assist a neighbor, whether in want of sustenance or in want to help, either in farming or building, is nothing more than being "a good neighbor." ...They are not jealous, vindictive, nor greedy of wealth, and crime is almost unknown among them. Except for some poor fellow smuggling off a head or more of cattle, when the driver makes his annual tour to buy up surplus stock for New Orleans market, and for the brawls at the polls ...the occupation of justice of the peace would soon be gone.
The genuine Cajun of Gros Cheveruil ...is below the medium (in height), and though generally well proportioned he cannot be pronounced muscular. ...He is generally lean in person, with a decided tendency to desiccation, that often leads to the remark, "Cajuns do not die like other people; they dry up and blow away." Not so the women, however. ...Slenderness of form soon expands in the matron into permanent portliness. But it is a notable fact that no matter how lowly the estate of the Acadian girl, she is seldom coarse featured, never angular in person, nor really awkward or uncouth in manner. Graceful in form and movement, she has besides the smoothest of black hair and the brightest of liquid-jet eyes to contrast favorable with her olive-tinted complexion, making a pleasing tout ensemble (sic).
The finest specimens of the Acadian physique are to be found among the herdsmen of the Attakapas prairies. Superb riders, generally tall and well-formed, with the black hair and large black eyes of their race, they are certainly fine-looking fellows. Some of them have developed into first-class cattle thieves, and in a few instances they have gone a degree beyond cattle stealing. However, one must admit that no people have furnished fewer criminals than the Acadians of interior Louisiana, who live out their simple lives without knowing the outside world or being known by it.
Conclusions are to their capabilities as a race can be reached only by observing the results where they have had the opportunity for developing their natural endowments of body and mind. None of them, in the most favorable circumstances, manifests the enterprise, strength of character, or intellect with which the descendants of the direct French emigre are often gifted. Of the various churches, only the Roman Catholic has had the entree here. No other could possibly have its influence, which is illimitable among them. But so far its labors have been limited to religious instruction and to establishing expensive convents and colleges in adjacent towns.