Acadian Roots – New Orleans, Louisiana

(November 27, 2019) 

There is pain here …..

You could hear the sound of the saxophone bellowing from the windows down the street. The music filled the crisp cool air. People started to fill the hall of the small warm venue to hear the local legend play on his trumpet … the sound of Jazz and Blues told his story and those of so many from his hometown. Exuberance filled the room as the rhythm began to pound in your chest. The smell of whiskey and smoky cajun savor penetrated every corner of the space. The crowd gathered, young and old, generations from then and now, faces and traces, smiles and laughter, arms outstretched to the sound of the music and to show affection for their neighbor. There was so much kindness penetrating through strangers and friends. There is pain here, it is palpable.

Daytime brings a different vibe. Stories are shared of the roots that brought them there and what shaped their lives here now. The river flows but not as it did in years gone by, much has changed. Sitting in an old coffee shop, warm with the sound of laughter and the smell of the freshly baked beignets and steamed cafe au lait, I sat with an elder who shared with me that much if not all of the original language, Cajun and Creole French, had slowly vanquished over time. The tapestry was changing with some of the more current needs. Her hope was that local authentic recipes would remain passed down if families would remain in the area.  Artists, musicians, dreamers, workers, novelists, marketers, business owners, jewelry makers, the people here are intuitive and kind. There is inspiring talent here, often untapped, unfounded and unheard. The color of people here is striking, a cross section of identities that brings richness and depth to the region. You wake in the morning to a sound and aroma and vibrance so unique to New Orleans.

Yes, there is pain here … it is palpable. But here there is history and talent and color and resilience. But mostly, there is LOVE here. #Neworleans, #musicandart #artheals #nostalgia