Louisiane

Can Cajun French still be passed down to the next generation? Ruth Verdin is living proof that it can. A Native American from Pointe-au-Chien in South Louisiana, now living in South Lafourche, Ruth is one of the rare cases where French was transmitted directly from her parents — and today she's doing the same with her own children. She even speaks French with her sister every day. In this epis...

Today on Louisiane, Will McGrew talks to Donna Dupre about life down the bayou in Pointe-au-Chien. They talk about what it was like growing up in a French-speaking Indian community down the bayou, the connection between Pointe-au-Chien and Ile Jean-Charles, and the new French immersion school in Montague, Ecole Pointe-au-Chien. Special thanks to Randall Kennedy for sponsoring this episode of Louis...

Today on Louisiane, Will McGrew sits down with Misty McElroy to talk about the Louisiana music scene, the difference between Houma and Thibodaux, and whether Cajun TikTok influencers are putting on their accent. They discuss building cultural bridges between the different parts of the state. Misty is a professional photographer and founding member of the Cajun Music Preservation Society. Special t...

Today on Louisiane, Will McGrew sits down with Lana Phillips to talk about her home, Vacherie, Louisiana. Located along the Missippi between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Vacherie is shaped by the river, fishing, agriculture, and the chemical industry. Lana talks about the history and culture of her hometown, and the diverse community that calls it home. Special thanks to Melanie Boulet for sponsor...

Dr. Gary LaFleur is a biologist and the Director of the Center for Bayou Studies at Nicholls State University. He joins Will McGrew for a conversation about his roots in Eunice and his career that took him out of state and back. Topics include Louisiana French, the Cajun Triangle and Cajun dance and music culture in Acadiana as well as a discussion on land loss and the importance of the Gulf coast...

In this episode of Louisiane, we sit down with Pierre Solet of the United Houma Nation for a wide-ranging conversation about language, place, and memory in coastal Louisiana. Pierre reflects on growing up speaking French at home and learning English only once he entered school, an experience shaped by his childhood in Grand Caillou and years spent in an Indian-only elementary school from first thr...

Grant Ordoyne joins Will McGrew to talk about growing up in the tight-knit community of Chackbay, his college years at Nicholls State, and launching the Grant O Show Podcast. They discuss learning Cajun fiddle, the endless debate over whose gumbo is best (spoiler: everyone's is different), and Grant's conversations with Louisiana legends like Kyle Crosby and Chubby Carrier. — 🎧 Listen to Louisian...

In this episode of Louisiane, we spoke with Clairrita J. Raphael about Creole cooking, the Louisiana Creole language, hurricanes, family, community, and her Catholic faith in her hometown of Vacherie, nestled on the river between New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

In this episode of the Louisiane podcast, we talked with one of the leading contemporary Cajun musicians: Steve Riley. In this exclusive long-form interview in both English and French, Steve spoke about growing up in Mamou, learning how to play music from legends like Dewey Balfa, Marc Savoy, and Dennis McGee, and passing on Louisiana music to the next generation. Steve also shared with us some of...

On this episode of the Louisiane podcast, we speak with Kenneth Pitre, a lawyer and advocate for Cajun French language and culture based in Eunice, LA. Born in Swords in the countryside near Eunice, Kenneth talks to us about life growing up and going to school in the agricultural prairie region surrounding Eunice at the crossroads of St. Landry, Acadia, and Evangeline Parishes. Kenneth also talks...

Janie Luster is a Native American culture bearer and palmetto basket weaver from the United Houma Nation. Born in Dularge, LA, she helped revitalize the tradition of basket weaving in her Tribe, and she is a fluent speaker of Louisiana French. In her first long-form interview in her native French, we spoke about growing up down the bayou with family who made a living trapping and shrimping, coasta...

Geno Delafose is a Grammy-nominated zydeco musician and accordionist, known worldwide for his signature sound combining Creole, Cajun, and even country influences. Born outside of Eunice to the Delafose family, Geno learned music and the French language at home, one of the few local stars still able to speak the language fluently. In this exclusive long-form interview in Louisiana French, Geno tal...

Dustin Dale Gaspard made history this season on The Voice when he sang in Cajun French—a first for NBC’s flagship national singing competition. In this premiere episode of Louisiane, we sat down with Dustin at Suire’s Grocery in his hometown of Cow Island to discuss growing up in rural Vermilion Parish, his behind-the-scenes experience of The Voice, his relationship with coaches Niall Horan, Micha...