Justin Wilson--Cajun or not?
N5OFF
used to give talks on industrial safety.
Is he Cajun, who knows . . . I don't recall any Wilsons deported from NS
but that is not the whole story.
He is funny, though . .
Tom Marcotte
N5...@aol.com
n5off%w5ddl.a...@usl.edu
Lafayette, LA, USA
Shane K. Bernard
halcyon.com (Michael) says:
>One of the things my mind keeps throwing at me is that I think I
>would want to be a cajun but I would not ever be considered one?
This is only my opinion, needless to say, but I tend to draw a strong
distinction between present-day Acadians (which you seem to be, and who
reside largely in the Maritime Provinces of Canada) and Cajuns (who reside
largely in the Acadiana region of South Louisiana -- which, by the way,
excludes New Orleans -- and a small portion of E. Texas).
Though related, I don't believe present-day Acadians and Cajuns are the
same because both groups were totally isolated from each other from
roughly 1755 (the time of the expulsion, when the ancestors of most
present-day Acadians remained in Canada, and when the ancestors of most
Cajuns departed for Louisiana) to 1970 (when the Cajun Revival began, and
Cajuns in Louisiana and Acadians in Canada began to renew relations after a
200+ year hiatus).
During the 200+ years in which Cajuns and their Acadian cousins had no
contact with each other, both groups evolved, following separate paths.
The Cajuns' Acadian ancestors, those who settled in Louisiana between
ca. 1755-85, began to intermarry with other ethnic groups, such as
Spanish Creoles, French Creoles, German Creoles and, later, Anglo-
Americans (not to mention Native Americans). Also, the developing Cajuns
borrowed much of their culture from the large population of black Creoles
(and vice versa) in South Louisiana. ("Gumbo," for instance, is African in
origin.) Our Acadian cousins, while evolving on their own course, were not
exposed to these influences, which profoundly altered the ethnic makeup of
the Cajuns: Indeed, it is this 'cross-cultural pollination' (as Barry
Ancelet likes to say) that created the Cajuns in the first place, and
explains why so many non-Acadian surnames (like Soileau, Huval, Himel,
Schexnayder, Stelly, Francois, Noel, Fontenot, etc.) are considered Cajun.
Clearly, then, "Cajun" is not synonymous with "Acadian," even though the
word "Cajun" is a corruption of the latter word.
I once heard a Cajun musician say that to be a Cajun all one had to do
was to be a good neighbor. A nice sentiment, but I don't think it is
accurate, because I think it fails to consider 250 years of unique Cajun
history, which our Acadian cousins (and other non-Cajuns) did not
experience (just as we did not experience their past 250 years of history).
So while no one can tell someone else not to refer to themselves as a "
Cajun," I think to be an 'actual' Cajun is not something one can choose,
just as one can't choose to be African-American or Native American -- after
all, Cajuns are a federally recognized ethnic group.
It's not cool, I know, to exclude anyone from anything these days, but
if anyone can claim to be a Cajun, where does that leave those of us whose
ancestors fled to Louisiana after 1755 and over the next two and
a half centuries underwent the entire Cajun experience in South Louisiana
until the modern Cajun arose in South Louisiana/East Texas in the
20th century? (This does not mean, however, you cannot move to Louisiana,
live the 'Cajun lifestyle' -- if such a thing exists -- marry a Cajun,
and have Cajun children . . . I just believe that becoming a Cajun requires
more than a single generation of exposure to the culture.)
But, I repeat, this is only my opinion; the matter is certainly up for
debate, and I know many Cajuns who believe we are very closely related
to present-day Acadians.
SKB
Cajun in Exile
Cajunbear
skb...@tam2000.tamu.edu (Shane K. Bernard) wrote:
>In article <volfour-0101...@blv-pm1-ip30.halcyon.com>, volfour@
>halcyon.com (Michael) says:
>>One of the things my mind keeps throwing at me is that I think I
>>would want to be a cajun but I would not ever be considered one?
>
>It's not cool, I know, to exclude anyone from anything these days, but
>if anyone can claim to be a Cajun, where does that leave those of us whose
>ancestors fled to Louisiana after 1755 and over the next two and
>a half centuries underwent the entire Cajun experience in South Louisiana
You said it all....
Cajunbear
Brian Comeaux
the
following in support.
1. To really appreciate a person from south Louisiana has to visit the
Acadian regions of Canada or vice versa. The similiarities are eerie.
The people look alike, often talk alike, have the same mannerisms and
body language and
share the same values. The music has a lot of similarities. The only
thing which is really different is the cuisine, which is more a function
of geography than culture anyway. The crowd at the August 13 Frolic in
NB during the CMA looked so much like a south Louisiana crowd it was
stunning.
2. While the two groups have been separated for a long time, the
histories have a number of parallels. Both have been more or less
outside the ruling class of their respective regions for most of the time.
Both sides have suffered deliberate attempts to annihilate their
culture and language. (One big difference is that in NB, when the
government tried to abolish French schools, there were riots. New
Brunswick Acadians have their French schools today, and they control them.
<Do I dare see a lesson for Cajuns there?>)
3. Just like there are Smiths, Stellys, Oubres who are considered fully
Cajun, there are McGraws, Fergusons, etc who are considered fully Acadian
and who
acquired their Acadianness the same way, either by marrying an Acadian
or
by living amongst them and assimilating into Acadian culture.
4. A Cajun has infinitely more in common with an Acadian from Canada
than he or she has with a person from New York, California or even
Shreveport.
You share a passport with the latter, you share a nationality with the
former.
Acadiennement, Brian Gabriel Comeaux
Brian Comeaux
region of the Maritimes. Cape Breton is almost entirely Scottish and so
Acadians from that area exhibit many Scottish and Gaelic influences. (I
believe the Acadian population percentage on Cape Breton is something
like 2.5% of the total population.) Unfortunately, the Acadians of
Cheticamp are seriously menaced by assimilation. The main Acadian region
of the Canadian Maritimes is northern and eastern New Brunswick. The
largest other concentration is along St. Mary's Bay in Nova Scotia. We
should not overlook the Gaspe region of Québec either, where a large
percentage of the population is Acadian.
Cajun music also has Gaelic influences. Note the Festival
International
seminar on this very topic last year. So, they may be more related than
we think.
Acadiennement, Brian Gabriel Comeaux
Nate Goldshlag
(Brian Comeaux) wrote:
> 1. To really appreciate a person from south Louisiana has to visit the
> Acadian regions of Canada or vice versa.
> The music has a lot of similarities.
I have to disagree. I was in Cheticamp, an Acadian village in Nova Scotia
on Cape Breton Island a year ago. The Acadian music was much more similar
to the Cape Breton style of fiddle music (Scottish based) than Cajun
music.
Nate
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na...@reflection.com it's cause I like to dance like that.
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-- Marcia Ball
Scott Bradley
>> >>In article <wgol-12129...@thebe06.netdepot.com>,
>wg...@netdepot.com (Wm
>> >Golson) says:
>> >>>
>> >>>Does anyone know if Justin Wilson is a real Cajun or what?
>> >>
>> >>I've always heard he was "half Cajun," but, then, I don't buy this
"half
>> >>Cajun" stuff. Either you're Cajun or not in my book. By half-Cajun,
how-
>> >>ever, I think folks mean one of his parents was Cajun, and the other,
not.
>> >>
>> >>But I don't even know if this report is accurate.
According to his books, his mother was full blooded Cajun and his father
was not. He calls himself a "half breed". His father was the Secretary
of Agriculture for 35 years in Louisiana.
Anyway, anyone that is so close minded that you dont think his cooking and
storytelling are entertaining then my condolenses to them.
--
The opinions expressed in this message are my own personal views
and do not reflect the official views of Microsoft Corporation.
John @ SalesImage Marketing & Advertising
>>> >>In article <wgol-12129...@thebe06.netdepot.com>,
>>wg...@netdepot.com (Wm
>>> >Golson) says:
>>> >>>
>>> >>>Does anyone know if Justin Wilson is a real Cajun or what?
>According to his books, his mother was full blooded Cajun and his father
>was not. He calls himself a "half breed". His father was the Secretary
>of Agriculture for 35 years in Louisiana.
>Anyway, anyone that is so close minded that you dont think his cooking and
>storytelling are entertaining then my condolenses to them.
Scott,
I can appreciate the fact that you, along with a *lot* of other people
think that Justin Wilson is funny. But to make such a blanket
generalization that anyone who doesn't think as you is closed-minded
is... Well, I think you *know* what it is once you sit and think
about it a moment.
*Many* people found stand-up performances by Eddie Murphy to be a
scream; personally, I am not drawn to foul language. Likewise, I am
not fond of the performance by someone, like it or not, who became the
most popular 'Cajun' humorist in the world representing us as
backwoods, uneducated, and illiterate people. It's demeaning, and
stomps on our dignity. I'd like to be known for more than being able
to cook well and having a good heart, thank you very much.
I grew up in Montegut, Louisiana. *That* is bayou country. My
grandfather quit school in third grade to work for the cane farmers in
order to make enough money to help support his family. Despite that,
he managed to gain command of the English language to such a degree
that I do not recall *ever*, to the day of his awful death, when he
used the type of broken language Justin Wilson portrays. And I don't
think I've ever run across anyone who speaks as badly as Justin Wilson
pretends when he is in character.
I'm sure Justin is a fine fellow. I don't know; I've never personally
met him and I don't know him. What I *do* know, though, is many, many
people who feel the way I do; Justin Wilson offends my sensibilities
as a Cajun. In my opinion, he long ago crossed the line of
self-deprecation.
At the same time, I'm very happy for his success. He's been
responsible for bringing a LOT of people to Cajun country so that they
can experience first-hand how we *really* talk and act. I garon...
Pardon me. Weak moment. ;)
John
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Onezime
this crap about putting white wine in everything-phony as can be. If the
guy actually
speaks unaccented English, then the phony accent is a putdown. (And there
is
absolutely nothing wrong with speaking accented English or not speaking it
at all for that matter. Thanks to my grandmother and aunts and uncles who
didn't speak a word of English, I am bilingual--And I thank God for
that!).
Cajunbear
Let's PLEASE put this tired, dead horse topic to sleep... it can't be beat
into the ground anymore.
Thanks...
Tony Simon
Brian Comeaux
I grant you, it is a difficult question, made more difficult by the
fact that many, if not most Cajuns and Acadians are not "pure blooded",
so to speak.
However, I maintain that at the most basic level, in the soul and in the
gut, we are one people. Example-the Cajun and the Acadians attachment to
their land. English diaries from the occupation years in the first half
of the 18th century lay out that the Acadians were extremely protective
of their property lines, and this tendency had to be compounded by the
deportation. A people who has had its land stolen is naturally going to
be more protective of real estate. This is so true today amongst Cajuns.
Take for example the recent Rails to Trails proposal. This program is
being pushed by the federal government to convert abandoned rail beds to
bicycle and hiking/jogging trails. When this program has been proposed
for Lafayette/Opelousas corridor, all hell broke loose on the north
Lafayette Parish side, which is most definately Cajun/Acadian. (We are
talking about the Carencro area-one of the most Cajun areas of the state.
) The same thing happened in the Houma area.
I would maintain that this virulent opposition can be traced to the
predominant Acadian nature of the area, even if the names of some of the
people on the hell-raising front may have been names Stelly, Domingue or
whatever. The point is while parts of other cultures may have been taken
into cajun culture, the overwhelming flavor of the culture is Acadian.
(I can also take you into the homes of many Cajuns today who will tell
you point blank that they will not sell you any of their land, no matter
how much money you offer them. I have seen many hold to this position to
the point of being ridiculous. Also, interestingly I believe the Rails
to Trails controversy contributed to the defeat of Ed Roy in the recent
Lafayette Mayor-President election. Roy came out in favor of Rails to
Trails and paid the price in the northern part of the parish-his
home area. He should have known better.)
Cajuns intermarried chiefly with English, Irish, Spanish and
German. Acadians intermarried with chiefly English, Irish and German.
To the Cajun side you also have to add African-American influences,
because even if they didn't marry, there are many African-Americans
walking around today who carry more Acadian blood than anything else.
(This is something many don't want to talk about, but it is true.)
Segregation also often put black Creoles and Cajuns into competition with
each other for second to last place on the societal ladder, a competition
Cajuns were always bound to win because the rules were fixed in their
favor. Native American influences were added to both. Acadians up north
also have probably a bit more Scottish influence.
One definate similarity between the two-Anyone was welcome, but only upon
Acadian terms. As recently as my childhood, Américains who married into
Cajun households learned to speak French or were not accepted. (This is
still alive, I guess, since my wife is learning French.) Acadians,
either from Louisana or from Canada, bear what must be a unique trait in
the Americas. I believe they are probably the only ethnic group for
which English speaking people changed their names to sound and look more
like. In most cases, people changed their names to make them sound more
English. But uniquely in the Americas, in Canada--Casey became Caissie,
and in Lousiana Carruthers became Crédeur.
The similarities between the two are basic; values, mannerisms,
language, looks, etc. The differences are more superficial; cuisine
(more a function of geography than culture-you cook with what you have),
music (with many similarities).
Another difference is that Canadian Acadians sadly exhibit a bit
more pride in their Acadianness than do Louisiana Acadians, and seem to
be more aware that the survival of the people is at stake. They are more
militant without being strident or separatist. In this regard, the
Cajuns still have a lot to learn.
It would be interesting to hear from Canadian Acadians on this
subject.
Jacques Gauthier-où es-tu?
Acadiennement,
Brian Gabriel Comeaux
Shane K. Bernard
>Cajuns and Acadians are ONE people, united by blood and history. I offer
>the following in support.
I admire the sincerity and passion of your beliefs, Brian, but I
still must disagree. I think present-day Cajuns and present-day Acadians
are two similar but _distinct_ products of the same root ethnic group
(i.e., the pre-expulsion Acadians).
You write, "1. To really appreciate, a person from south Louisiana
has to visit the Acadian regions of Canada or vice versa."
Admittedly, the closest I have been to the Maritime Provinces of
Canada is Quebec, but in my dealings w/ CODOFIL and as an historian of
Cajun culture I've met & corresponded w/ many of our Acadian cousins and,
as a Cajun, I, unlike you, am struck most by the differences, not the
similarities (though I see those, too).
>2. While the two groups have been separated for a long time, the
>histories have a number of parallels. Both have been more or less
>outside the ruling class of their respective regions for most of the
>time. Both sides have suffered deliberate attempts to annihilate their
>culture and language.
I won't argue with you here, but a consideration is, do these
similarities bear enough weight to overcome the differences. I still
say no, for other minorities (inc. francophone black Creoles) also have
suffered such abuse, but that does not make them Cajuns.
>3. Just like there are Smiths, Stellys, Oubres who are considered
>fully Cajun, there are McGraws, Fergusons, etc who are considered fully
>Acadian and who acquired their Acadianness the same way, either by
>marrying an Acadian or by living amongst them and assimilating into
>Acadian culture.
OK, but something to consider is that when Acadians in Louisiana, and
their descendents, intermarried with other ethnic groups (e.g.,
Spanish-, French- and German-Creoles, for instance), they did not totally
obliterate those groups' cultures, but assimilated them into the
evolving Cajun culture. In doing so, the root Acadian culture
became something new: Cajun culture. Carl A. Brasseaux hints at these
changes in the very title of his book "From Acadian to Cajun:
Transformation of a People" (Univ. Press of Miss, 1992), and specifically
addresses the metamorphosis from Acadian to Cajun in chapter six,
"Cultural Integration, Transformation, and Regeneration." Also,
while it is true that both Acadians in Canada and those in Louisiana
intermarried into other ethnic groups, it would seem to me that if the
former intermarried into ethnic groups A, B, and C, and the latter
intermarried into ethnic groups X, Y, and Z, that this only _compounds_
the ethnic differences between present-day Cajuns and present-day
Acadians.
>4. A Cajun has infinitely more in common with an Acadian from Canada
>than he or she has with a person from New York, California or even
>Shreveport.
Agreed, but I think Cajuns have much more in common with our
black Creole neighbors in South Louisiana/East Texas than we do with
our Acadian cousins (which is what happens when you work and play
side-by-side, despite racism and all, for over two centuries -- two
centuries in which Cajuns had no contact with their Acadian cousins
in Canada). But that does not make Cajuns into black Creoles, nor black
Creoles into Cajuns, only two distinct but somehow related ethnic
groups, which is how I regard our Acadian cousins -- distinct, but related.
And this is not necessarily a negative view: I am saying that, IMHO, the
present-day Acadians of Canada have their own, distinct culture of
which to be proud, just as we Cajuns do. And this does not mean that
present-day Acadians and present-day Cajuns cannot proclaim their
solidarity in preserving our similar cultures (just as Cajuns and black
Creoles can work together to preserve our similar cultures in Louisiana).
But, in conclusion, I still regard Cajuns and Acadians distinct, and more
different than alike.
SKB
Cajun in Exile
P.S. -- Thanks to Brian for returning this personal e-mailing to me
so I could post it publicly for discussion.
Tom Coleman
> Justin Wilson is 100% counterfeit. His recipes are a joke. For example,
> this crap about putting white wine in everything-phony as can be. If the
> guy actually
> speaks unaccented English, then the phony accent is a putdown. (And there
> is
> absolutely nothing wrong with speaking accented English or not speaking it
> at all for that matter. Thanks to my grandmother and aunts and uncles who
> didn't speak a word of English, I am bilingual--And I thank God for
> that!).
Did you know that Wilson at one time had a restaurant in Hammond? I had a
friend who worked at the newspaper in Hammond who went there on a couple
of occassions. He said all of the food tasted like wine. Woof.
It's closed now.
bull...@gmail.com
While doing standup comedy in Baton Rouge, Governor Earl K. Long hired him to entertain the governor's guests in the old governor's mansion. When the governor learned that Justin cooked Cajun food, he asked Justin to cook and to entertain his guests.
That became the foundation for his PBS Cajun cooking show.
Though he's deceased now, his daughter still maintains his website. There you can purchase copies of his cookbooks and DVD's with his Cajun jokes.
Uncle Justin had a large stature and an even bigger charismatic personality, on and off stage.
Of course, his depiction of the Cajun language was much like a caricature painting. That is a method used by many comedians. It is a marketing aspect of comedy.