CREOLE CULTURAL NEWSFLASH: Diid Creole Culture Begin 19th C New Orleans? -Facts vs. Fiction, by John laFleur Recently, a very reputable archaeologist/scholar formerly associated with the University of New Orleans presented an article concerning her views of the evolution of Louisianas Creole culture. This article penned by Dr. Shannon Lee Dawdy, author of one of my favorite books, Building The Devils Empire French Colonial New Orleans was subsequently forwarded to me by a Facebook friend. The point of her article appears to center on repairing what appears to be her concern for the neglect of crediting African-Americans for Creole cultural development. The article seems hurried and though it cites respectable authorities and solid historical sources such as Le Page du Pratz, Andre Penicauts diary taking note of the Indian menu selections of buffalo meat and saggamite from which she seems to ridicule the concept of our 500 year old and international creole cultural evolution by implying that the Africans are the singular creators of Creole culture imagining this group , or so it seems, to be the singular source of gumbo, for example. And, she goes on quite faithful to her academic jargon, in assessing her cited sources to conclude that Creole culture doesnt exist in 18 the century Louisiana, apart from the African factor. Hmm, I had to reflect upon this assertion/view for several reasons of concern. First, I must wonder what her definition of Creole is, but, my most troubling concern is why would this otherwise meticulous scholar publish such a an apparently hurried and not carefully researched and assessed conclusion. Its true That Dr. Gwen Hall has established that gumbo (kn-gombo/okra gumbo), was being cooked by African women as early as 1763 in the New Orleans French quarter. But, does Dr. Dawdy care that Louis Nardini reveals to us in his History of Grant Parish, Louisiana (as have a variety of contemporary Louisiana-based Native-American groups), that gumbo (kombo-litchi/gumbo file), has been in Louisiana since 1000 A.D. which was the first gumbo the coureurs de bois and their Metis children would first know? And, while this scholar cites Andre Penicaut on some typically Indian favorites, she should surely have noticed his mention of saggamite (grits) with grillades (pieces of meat -smoked meat), which remains one of New Orleans earliest creole/Metis favorites. Penicaut, along with other food scholars have long known of viande boucanee/smoked meat (Tasso) and that our beloved country Creole catfish court bouillon which derived from Choctaw fish fricassee (stewed fish w/ o the later Spanish-introduced use of tomatoes). Evangeline-St. Landry and Natchitoches parishes have been the acknowledged Metis source of smoked meat. see Stir The Pot: A History of Cajun Cuisine by Marcelle Bienvenu & Dr. Carl A. Brasseaux). And, was it the Africans who introduced our tasty, savory maque chou and bay leaf, long acknowledged, along with cayenne pepper to have been gifts of the Choctaw to Bienvilles 18th c. New Orleans? And, while jambalaya has long mistakenly attributed to the Spanish as failed attempt at paella, Indian scholar, the late Hubert Singleton has reminded us that sham.ba.lay.ha! (Eat up, be made full!), was a single pot, rice-based, smoked meat dish of the Iskak-Atakapas and documented, was introduced to the French coureurs de bois as early as 1690. See Hubert Singletons, The Indians Who Gave Us Zydeco. Louisianas first layer creole/Metis culture began with the French-euro contact with the Native Ameriicans, the evidence of which remains strongly in Louisiana French and its Afro-creole sister tongue, (See Dr. Wm. Reads Louisiana Indian Place Names), to say no more of our pre-and post-African, pre-Spanish and post Spanish, pre-Acadian and pre-American menus. And, while the American menu of fast foods has now been incorporated into our food ways, the Acadian menu did not survive in Creole Louisiana. That African influences did occur and remain part of Louisianas rich creole cultural fabric is not and should not be an issue. We know that okra gumbo, yams and eggplants and perhaps, barbecue and couscous certainly became part of our secondary historical Louisiana Creole food tier. The often overlooked German creoles certainly influenced the evolution of Lower Louisianas Creole-Metis culture. with choucroute, potato salad, and beer. The Irish and Italians also contributed to the evolving 19 th century menu which in New Orleans which saw the arrival and unmistakable influence of Continental French chefs who were to market and glamorize the country Creole menu of Bienvilles New Orleans into a novel hate cuisine although her basic menu of étouffée a, gumbo jambalayas, bisque, pralines and French toast remain unchanged in the rural Country Creole parishes with the exception of the sociological, economic cultural relabeling and coaptation of all things creole as Cajun. The cultural relabeling was greatly enabled by Paul Prudhomme in the 1970s, but fostered by CODOFILs separation of our singular and shared multi-ethnic creole culture into a black and/or white Cajun or Creole cultural Siamese twin. Food scholar Jessica Harris has well-documented our international Creole Caribbean & African cultural legacy, but no one should resort to half-truths and clever omissions in attempts at political correctness. Even Pierre-Clement de Laussat (Memoirs...),tells us that the Metis-creoles of New Orleans informed him of the introduction of snapping turtle to their menu (sauce piquante de tortue), from the Choctaw whose language was early on incorporated into Louisianas early creole French, even as he bemoans their enthusiastic overuse of cayenne pepper. The historic creole/Metis culture is not imaginary; red, white, black and brown all contributed to its evolution over a period of about 500 years internationally; soon after the beginning if the Transatlantic slave trade, as well-attested in the works of Ira Berlin. The idealized Creole of 19 th C. New Orleans should not be the reference point for adjudging either the genesis or the evolution of Louisianas unique creole culture or her food ways. Louisianas Creole-Metis culture dates long before this much later chapter and location in the booth which became Louisiana the State in 1812, with New Orleans as its capitol.
Posted on: Sat, 08 Nov 2014 17:42:14 +0000
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