Night Out // Bayou Night Life
by Brandy Dunbar, staff videographer
Cultural Blending // Vietnamese Culture
by Madison Boudoin, Staff Writer Many refugees of the Vietnam War found themselves in the Bayou Region of Southern Louisiana, surrounded by rich Cajun culture and opportunities for work. The journey across the world was tough and risky, but it is greatly appreciated by the young Vietnamese generation living on the bayou today. “It makes me feel grateful that I have the opportunity for a proper education and to pursue a career of my choice instead of having limited options,” says Tri Tran of Houma, whose family traveled from Vietnam to America. Refugees were limited to specific careers in America due to a language barrier and a lack of education. There were only a few options to choose from. Unlike his father, Tri has the resources to choose any career path that he wants. Tri’s father left Vietnam after the war, when the North began taking over the South. According to Tri, his father’s dream— a dream that was shared among fellow Vietnamese refugees— was to create a better life for himself and for his future family in the land of the free. Thanks to his father’s escape from Vietnam, Tri is now pursuing a degree in business administration at Nicholls State University. Tri says that the refugees came to America on over-crowded ships. Many did not survive the voyage. Disease and illness spread quickly aboard the ships because of the cramped living conditions. Other refugees were caught in dangerous storms and pirate attacks that left them dead according to the CBS Digital Archives. Brandy Vo, of Houma, says that her parents sacrificed a lot to come to America. “It makes me sad to think about the sacrifices that my family made to get here. They traveled across the world to a new location to make sure their future generations— my generation— would have a better life,” says Vo. The Vietnamese searched for jobs upon their arrival in America. Groups of refugees fled to the Bayou Region for job opportunities, as they had very little money and clothing. Refugees generally only spoke Vietnamese, so it was important to find work that did not require the English language. Many discovered careers in fishing, shrimping, and crabbing in the bayou’s seafood industry. This was also the best career choice for refugees who wanted to make a decent amount of money without needing an American education. “The reason why a lot of refugees chose this type of profession is because they didn’t really need to talk to get the job done. A lot of body language was used instead. They simply watched the Americans do the work, and learned the profession from them in that way,” says Vo. Vo learned Vietnamese from her parents as her first language. She didn’t learn English until she started Kindergarten. This made it difficult for her to fit in with the other children. “I got teased a lot. Thankfully they had a program at my school called ESL— English Second Language— and this was how I learned to speak English,” says Vo. Vo’s parents know very little English to this day. Her father is part of a fishing crew, and her mother works in a seafood packaging factory. Neither job requires fluency in English. According to Vo, Vietnamese families contribute to the seafood industry of the Bayou Region, which is an industry that will never go out of style in Southern Louisiana— an area known for so many authentic Cajun seafood dishes. Not only are the Vietnamese helping to keep the traditional Cajun culture alive through careers in the seafood industry, but they are also striving to preserve their own culture and traditions of Vietnam. Vo says that Vietnamese communities are smaller on the bayou than in other areas of Louisiana, and they tend to stick to the traditional ways of the Vietnamese culture. This includes practicing Buddhism. Chua Chan Nguyen is a Buddhist temple located in Houma, Louisiana. The temple serves as a place of worship for the Vietnamese communities in the area. People also gather at the temple to celebrate the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, the most important traditional celebration of the Vietnamese culture according to Vo. “The Vietnamese community on the bayou remains very old-fashioned. A lot of Vietnamese still cook the same traditional food that was cooked in Vietnam,” says Vy Truong, a student at Nicholls State University. Truong says that a few Vietnamese people on the bayou are slowly starting to break away from the traditional ways, but most are staying true to their culture.
Cajun Eats // Seasonal Eating
by Sam Gruenig, video editor
Sweet Finishes // Cajun Desserts
by Kaitlyn Biri, photo editor
Lighter Fare // HEALTHe Cafe & Carrot Patch
by Sydney Moxley, staff videographer
Eat Like a Local // Restaurants
by Ashlyn Verda, staff videographer
Bayou To Go // Eats to Bring Home
by Trevor Johnson, features editor In South Louisiana, if we put on a blindfold, spin around three times, and throw a rock, we’ll probably break the window of a great restaurant with decades of rich history. However, vandalism is generally frowned upon, so normally it’s best to just eat at those restaurants instead. But what should someone do if they only plan to visit the Bayou Region on vacation, or they’re only in town to attend a family reunion at Cousin Boudreaux’s house? Luckily, there are many dishes and desserts made in Louisiana that can be taken home for whenever there’s a hankering for that one-of-a-kind taste of the bayou. Louisiana’s deep and diverse history may play a part in that one-of-a-kind taste for which Cajun food is so popular. “Food is such an integral part of our tradition,” says Chef Marcelle Bienvenu, a culinary historian, journalist, and instructor at Nicholls State University. “What I think happened is that the best parts of German food, Italian food, African-American, the British, the Spanish— the best part of what they had ended up in our pot. Aren’t we lucky?” King cake, which is said to have a French origin, has become synonymous with Mardi Gras, but there are ways to obtain the frosting-topped treat year round. Cannata’s Family Market has served the South Louisiana area and abroad with their king cakes for almost 90 years. There are three locations in Louisiana— one in Morgan City, and two in Houma. However, anyone from around the country can order Cannata’s king cakes, whether or not it’s Mardi Gras season. “In many ways, King Cakes have become the unofficial mascot of Mardi Gras,” says Joni Blakeman, the sister of Vince Cannata, the owner of Cannata’s Family Market. “When people can’t attend the festivities, king cakes at least give them a little piece of the party.” Liza Verda manages In the Mix, a bakery that she runs from her home in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, where she bakes cakes, king cakes, and cookies to order. Since In the Mix is a personal endeavor, as opposed to a corporation like Cannata’s, Verda is able to directly interact with the community. “I think king cakes remind people of spending time with family and friends, the people you care about most, and just having a good time,” Verda says. “Like the saying goes, laissez les bon temps rouler— or let the good times roll!” Tasty, portable Cajun eats come in many forms. King cake is arguably the most recognizable and iconic Cajun dessert, but there are other deliverable Cajun dishes and snacks deserving of attention— Zapp’s, the original “spicy cajun crawtator” chips, which come in easily packaged bags; Abita beer, which is brewed in its namesake Abita Springs, Louisiana; or Tabasco, the world famous hot sauce that calls Louisiana its home— that all play an important role in shaping the perception of Louisiana food at home and abroad. So, if someone should ever find themselves in the heart of Cajun country, whether it be for a week or just a few hours, they shouldn’t forget to take home a taste of the bayou.
Bar Hopping // Drink Like a Local
