Thibodaux, Louisiana

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Author: Sarah Zeringue

Cajun Faith & Healing // Traiteurs

by Angelle Gaspard, Managing Editor Traiteur. Treater. Healer by faith. What was once a common practice in South Louisiana has since died down. Gheens is a small town that follows a long, rough road between Matthews and Raceland. Edna Quick lives in the middle of this small town. Quick is a practicing traiteur and the only one left within the town. “I have people from different places that come to be treated, and I do not refuse them because I’m doing the work of the lord,” she says with a soft Cajun accent. Quick sees people from within the state, and even others from states like Texas and Georgia. Word of her practices travel from one person to another. People now, and in the past, see traiteurs or bring their children to be treated for illnesses that may or may not otherwise be curable by modern medicine, and just as tradition shows, Quick does not accept payment for what she does. “This is the lord’s work, it’s not mine. I don’t heal, the lord does,” she says. Some people continue to visit traiteurs like Quick today for one reason, faith. People have faith in this woman and her abilities to heal ailments through prayer. Quick says people will call and set up appointments for ailments such as shingles. They meet her in her home and she first has them explain what the problem is and where it is located. She then takes them to an alter she has in her bedroom and says a particular prayer that she was taught and then she gives them instructions about what they need to do on their own. Part of the healing process is the prayers made by the traiteur, but another part is the patient’s ability to follow through with any additional prayers or practices they are instructed to do. In the past, medical care was not as affordable nor was it readily available in South Louisiana. “Treaters were common,” she reminisces. “That’s how we grew up. We had no money to go to the doctor.” Growing up, Quick was treated within her own home because she comes from a long family line of traiteurs. Her aunt, sister, and mother were all treaters. She explains that she was able to go to her family as well as three or four other treaters within the area. “Now I’m the only one left,” she says. “I think this is a dying practice, and it’s a very sad thing to be lost.” Quick learned all of her treatments and prayers from her mother and sister, who were both traiteurs. She says at first she did not want to learn any of it because she was too young to understand. As she grew older, her sister fell ill and asked that Quick learn their mother’s treatments. She says that she learned everything fairly quickly and at the time she was taught completely in French. The practice has been passed from one woman to another in Quick’s family, but she has not yet taught her daughters. “It’s gotta be somebody that want to do it and devote themselves,” she says passionately. “You’ve gotta devote yourself because if you call me today and ask me, I’m not going to refuse you.” She says she does not want to pass it on to someone who will not commit fully and be open to accepting anyone at anytime for treatment because it would be a waste. Traiteurs truly exhibit characteristics of selflessness. Because of modern medicine some people have turned away from older traditions and practices of traiteurs like Quick, but some still have faith in the old ways. The only way the tradition will live on is if others who share the gift are willing to take the time to learn the old treatments and prayers to keep this unique aspect of southern culture alive. Meet these Bayou Woman of Spirit

Women Serving the Bayou // Volunteerism

by Jessica Taylor, Features Editor Service leagues around the United States focus on helping their communities and local businesses. Specifically to South Louisiana, the Thibodaux Service League, Ta-Wa-Si Civic Club, and Femmes Natales are groups comprised of female members that focus on helping local schools, universities, businesses, and the community. Thibodaux Service League Thibodaux Service League works closely with the community in more than a dozen community projects. TSL puts together six distinctive fundraising events throughout the year. Kristi Gravois, former president of the Thibodaux Service League, explains how the service league has benefited the community. “Each year we give about $25,000 back to the community. By doing these things we’re supporting the community and local businesses,” she says. Gravois, who was born and raised in Morgan City, La., is part of the TSL for ten consecutive years. For two of those years, she served as the league’s president. After finishing college and having a child, the positive work the service league was doing in the community inspired Gravois to join. “I’ve always had a passion for helping others and when the time was right, I decided to join the Thibodaux Service League and I immediately fell in love,” Gravois says. TSL was incorporated in 1974, after a group of 16 young women decided to form an organization on whose purposes would be educational and charitable. Currently the league has 143 sustaining members that, in other words, are local women “who have served for 6 years or done 300 hours of service for Thibodaux and the surrounding communities.” Gravois credits much of the league’s success to the women in charge and those who have helped her. “Women in South Louisiana are truly one of a kind. They are humble, hard-working, genuine, and they never meet a stranger,” Gravois says. Women throughout the league are always willing to help and provide for the community any way they can. “People throughout the community will reach out to us for service help and we do whatever we can to help those in need,” Gravois says. Along with Gravois, Katherine Elias is a league member and will serve as the Vice President for the upcoming year. Elias is involved in the making of the new Service League Legacy Cookbook, Santa’s Land sponsorship, Cinderella’s Closet and other community projects. Elias has been involved in the league for 3 years. “The rewarding feeling of helping people in need throughout the community is something I’ll cherish forever,” she says. Community Projects & Fundraisers To support the greater Thibodaux community, the league is involved with businesses and organizations such as the Bayou Country Children’s Museum, Crossroads, Hope for Animals, Upside Downs and the St. Francis Vegetable Garden. The league is also involved with Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children of Lafourche Parish (CASA), the Office of Juvenile Justice, and the Lafourche Parish Library, and the league assists the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Toy Drive through which toys for needy children are collected and distributed over the holidays. Cinderella’s Closet, another community project the service league is involved with, takes place once a year around the time of prom and the ROTC ball. Through this event, TSL provides dresses and accessories, including shoes, jewelry, and handbags, to young women who may not be able to afford these things. The event is hosted at Thibodaux High School. In addition to community projects, there are many fundraisers put on by the Thibodaux Service League to help the community, schools, and local businesses. From a daddy-daughter dance to a holiday market, Thibodaux Service League works to make serving the community fun. Other Service Organizations Many other women’s service organizations around South Louisiana help the community. The Ta-Wa-Si civic club was formed in 1947 and took its name from an Indian word meaning friends, or helper. Through annual antique shows, the club contributes to projects, schools, and charities within the South Louisiana region. One of the organization’s many contributions includes tuition scholarships awarded annually to local students who need assistance to attend Nicholls State University. The club’s proceeds benefit students at Nicholls to ensure the future of scholarship opportunities. Along with Thibodaux Service League and Ta-Wa-Si, Femmes Natales is a non-profit organization which serves the Thibodaux community, as well as other communities throughout the year. Femmes Natales’ Annual Runabout was hosted this past October, and the beneficiaries were Isaiah Barnett and St. Francis Vegetable Garden. Isaiah Barnett, 17-months-old, was born with neuroblastoma, which is a rare but aggressive cancer that usually attacks infants and toddlers. At seven months Isaiah began to have bruising and experienced bulging around his eyes. After going to the doctor, he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Since the diagnoses, Isaiah has undergone 12 rounds of chemotherapy, which has been extremely hard on Isaiah’s body, as well as his family. Along with the Barnett family, a portion of the proceeds benefited the St. Francis Vegetable Garden. The garden’s purpose is to grow and harvest vegetables to donate to the local food banks, provide a living, and support growers by educating the community about fresh, healthy foods. Women in South Louisiana put others needs before their own, and are always willing to lend a helping hand. So, “Look at This” to learn more about the women who have impacted our community in so many ways. by Tatum Gehbauer, Video/Audio Editor Meet these Bayou Women of Service

In Government // Annette Fontana

by Jessica Taylor, Features Editor South Louisiana is not short of powerful women. From police officers to business owners and government officials, the women in Louisiana are taking leadership positions and making a difference in the community. Annette Fontana is one of the brave, all-around southern women whose path to success is inspiring. Fontana works as Clerk of Court of Lafourche Parish since October of 2015. Prior to being elected, she was an Assistant District Attorney for Lafourche Parish serving as a felony prosecutor of major crimes including homicides and other violent crimes. Fontana was also a private practicing attorney in Lafourche Parish with the law firm of Morvant & Cavell, dealing with civil and family law. She taught Family Law at Nicholls State University from 2009 to 2015. Becoming the Clerk of Court was a long, tiring journey for Fontana, but she loves every minute of it. Fontana graduated from Nicholls State University in education and headed to Southern University in Baton Rouge, where she obtained her Juris Doctorate. Despite going to law school, Fontana says she never saw herself as a practicing lawyer. “I always felt I wanted to be in administration, government, or private sector and the clerk’s office provided me with an opportunity to use my legal skills, as well as those I acquired from my various degrees,” she says. In 2011 was chosen as one of the Top Women in Business by the Tri-Parish Times, and in 2014 she was named Best of Lafourche 40 under 40. Also, she has received the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Officer Certificate of Commendation twice for her work as a felony prosecutor. Fontana is not only dedicated to her job and career, but she has also been involved in several organizations in the Thibodaux community. She served as president of the Lafourche Parish Bar Association, Chairperson of the Board of the Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce and as a chairperson on the American Red Cross Leadership Committee. She was also a delegate to the House of Delegates of the Louisiana State Bar Association and an advisory board member for the Bayou Country Children’s Museum. She volunteers for numerous civic activities, including Habitat for Humanity and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Thibodaux Main Street Organization and Hi-5, a non-profit corporation providing an afterschool program for students. “I’ve learned that the women of South Louisiana know how to balance everything from their jobs to being the primary caregiver,” she says. Fontana explains that’s one of her many reasons for being involved in the community besides being the Clerk of Court. “I see how hard other women work, especially in my department, and I see how great of a job they do balancing every aspect of their hectic schedules,” she says. Throughout her term, Fontana says she is focused on adapting the processes of the Clerk’s office to the information age to provide citizens, businesses, and even visitors the resources to obtain any information when they need it. The successful women of power in South Louisiana are essential to the success of the community. “Look at this” to get to know more about the women in power in the Bayou Region! Meet this Bayou Woman in Power

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