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ACADIAN DRIFTWOOD by Paul-Emile Comeau

Excerpt:

Despite the ominous predictions one occasionally heard over the years about its gradual extinction, Cajun music and culture has always remained very much alive and is sporadically given a boost by sudden bursts of energy that gives it a renewed momentum.

In spite of the fact that Cajun culture is often exploited as a means of attracting tourists one should nonetheless not harbor any doubts about how the authenticity and the vitality of the Cajun community continues to be a source of inspiration for other minorities, French-speaking or otherwise. Furthermore, in spite of the United States’ image as a melting pot, there exist a number of local cultures within the country and Cajun culture tenaciously resisted being swallowed up in the crucible. Cajun music remains one of the most appreciated American forms of regional music, not only within the country itself but in Europe and beyond as well.

Cajun music is considered to be a form of music that comes from the heart and is inspired by the experience and history of the people. The music may appear to be simple and light but it’s often quite complex. If the singing is sometimes profoundly sad, the music can sometimes be subtly humorous and consistently reflects the people’s joie de vivre.

The roots of modern-day Cajun music are both wide and deep, encompassing old French songs, Celtic and Anglo-Saxon influences, Afro-Caribbean and Spanish rhythms, Native American chants, country music, jazz, and Western swing. The German immigrants provided them with their signature instrument, the accordion. The blues and Creole-based style of music had an especially strong influence on the genre, besides being at the root of zydeco music. In return some non-Cajun artists have been shaped by Cajun music to one degree or another and this has helped disseminate the sounds of Acadiana far and wide.

The producers at Channel Four Television, a British public service broadcaster, were looking for something special for a 1988/1989 New Year program so a competition was held. Out of thirty entrants the winner was a project featuring Aly Bain, a brilliant and renowned Shetland fiddler, and some Cajun and zydeco musicians. As one of the producers pointed out, “Cajun music is quite simply the most infectiously festive traditional music of them all.” …What initially seemed like a localized phenomenon was increasingly being recognized as music of virtually international appeal.

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