They say in Southwest Louisiana that you can be a Cajun in one of three ways: by blood, by the ring (marriage) or through the back door (by befriending the culture.) This program describes the history of Cajun music over the past 150 years. It also paints a portrait of Cajun and Creole music and musicians, and the role that music played in allowing non-Cajuns to slip “through the back door” into the world of the spirited people of Southwest Louisiana. This presentation includes stories and anecdotes collected from more than 50 Cajun and Creole musicians as they talked about the importance of music in their own lives and the lives of their families. The stories are funny, touching, sometimes irreverent, and often deeply moving. The presentation includes a discussion of zydeco and how it developed in Southwest Louisiana. Throughout the presentation, there are samples of the music itself, both in its early style and its modern-day sound.
A microphone / access to sound system may be needed, depending on the size of the group. A t able for the set up of a CD player and display of a Cajun Mardi Gras costume and musical instruments is preferred.
