Center for Louisiana Studies Archival Catalog
This searchable database provides information on images, documents, and audio and video recordings, made between 1934 and the present.
Folk tales by Bee Deshotel and Ed Deshotel
Bee Deshotel (54), Ed Deshotel (54)
Bee Deshotel:
-Jean l'Ours et la fille du roi. Tout ça il avait, il croyait était le meilleur
-Blank space
-Le meilleur entendeur, souffleur, etc.
-Il a gagné la fille et le roi lui a donné tout ce qu'il avait, et Jean l'Ours a donné tout ce qu'il avait au roi
-Bee a appris cette histoire avec son père
(7:45) - Jody McBrown, un vieux sauvage
-Blank space
-130 years old, gold bracelet, gold tooth, earrings with name on it. One day, he disappeared
-Narcisse went to hunt squirrels in McBrown's yard
-Big owl would come scare squirrels away each time Narcisse would try to shoot
-Shot the owl down, it was Jody McBrown. Brought Jean Louis to see the owl
-He was so old; he was given the choice to be whatever he wanted
-So, he chose to be an owl to take care of the squirrels in his yard and make sure no one killed them
(12:20) - Minette et ses roulettes. Un des plus vieilles histoires
-Minette woulait du lait pour ses roulettes. La vache voulait du foin pour du lait
-La faux voulait du vent et du lard pour du foin; La truie voulait des glands pour du lard
-Le chêne voulait du vent pour des glands. La mer a donné du vent pour le chêne
Ed Deshotel:
(16:05) - Le pont du Nez Piqué (conte puis chanson)
-Les bêtes disparaient. Une petit s'assiait dessus le pont pour pêcher. Le pont soufflait, en vie?
-C'était un cocodril. 10 tirages d'un gros canon pour le tuer et 100 paires de gros mulets pour l'ôter
-Le bayou a baissé 3 pieds et le monde l'a séparé en morceaux
-Gave 50 barrels of grease and enough meat for the year
-500 pairs of shoes and boots from hide. Now a cement bridge
(20:40) - Song
-Lying tradition with examples
-Le chien de chasse à perdrix et les serpents sonnette
-Tiré le serpent et le chien a resté comme s'il y avait toujours une perdrix. Jouer avec le serpent
-Le serpent a charmé le chien à lui emmener son manger, et le chien a crevé de faim
(25:04) - La grosse cabri. Elle a donné 50 gallons de graise et un 'tit brin dans une tasse
Bee Deshotel:
(31:42) - 'Tit Lou et Prospère (pêcheurs). Faire l'amour avec à la femme à l'autre et se révenger
-Le cheval de chasse à perdrix. Pareil comme le chien
-Goujon caille qui pèsait 25 livres dessus la drague
-Le cheval a sentit la perdrix dans l'estomac du goujon
-Bouki et Lapin (2 malfaiteurs) dans la grocerie
-Bouki se faisait un cochon avec lui même et pouvait pas sortir de la grocerie
-Il s'a caché, le marchand a trouvé Bouki et l'a fait travailler toute la journée
(37:53) - 'Pas proche'. Le vieil homme qu'a demander à le jeune fille qui le carressait d'aller se coucher
-Elle a dit ,"Pas proche," il avait pas de chance
-Les jumelles (Hébert) qui se ressemblaient, leur parents pouvaient pas les distingué
-"Celle-là à la droite ressemble plus à l'autre"
***Only estimate of month and year was included in original notes, no specific day***
Musical Performance by Varise Conner and Folk tales by Boone Dugas
Varise Conner, Boone Dugas
Varise Conner (Lake Arthur, LA):
-Soldier's Joy
-Boone Dugas (Lafayette, LA):
-Fragment of tale about three magic dogs (Guaillum, Singueau, Moriseau) (chanté)
-Anecdote - Un homme de couleur à la chasse de lapin avec des chiens mêlés. Meilleur siffleur qu'il a jamais entendu. 'Mon chien gain li'
-Pootlock? lived near A&W Rootbeer Stand
(4:17) - Oral History: Local politics in the 1936
-Maurice Pellissier vs. Luke LeBlanc. Bois creux, Marcelin 'Bois Creux'
-Brother handed out handbills for election. Vote for Edward Dugas
-Mr. Domengeaux
-1946/47
-He wanted a job outside, not inside at post office
-Sam Jones ran independent for governor and won the following election 4 years later
-2 parties: Long & Eddie Long?
-Sterling Calahan ran also. A lot of people were crooks, 'double/triple dippers,' cleaned out politics
-Didn't run again, someone else's turn to take office
-'Loi de Cochon' at courthouse. Went to Police jury
(9:39) - Louis Prejean from Scott, Dr. Prejean's son, wrote to Attorney General
-Each parish would decide what they wanted to do
-Meeting at the courthouse. Jack Fournet got up on the table and addressed the issue in the courthouse
-Asked who was for/against letting hogs loose in the winter
-The Legend of Martin Begnaud (frère à sa grandmère paternelle, Marie Begnaud Jenkins)
-Martin avait une 'tite grocerie à Scott
-Les 'tit français ont rentré une nuit pour voler son argent. They stabbed him
-Brought the money back to France. Ham Benton?
-Put them in prison because they believed they were guilty. Made them confess/torture
-One dreamed every night about what he did
-Les 'tit français pendus
-Sa grand-grandmère (la mère à Martin Begnaud) a été sur la galerie d'un hôtel de 2 ou 3 étages pour les voir pendre
-Son père (Edouard) et grandpère (Alcide Dugas) ont été. Bouts de cable pour un souvenir
-Bee, son plus vieux oncle, voulait pas aller voir les pendus
(17:45) - Son père rentrait dans le genier
-Ce bout de cable le laisser pas dormir, il avait pour l'ejecter dehors pour être capable de dormir
-Couldn't see hanging itself because of a fence blocking the view, but you could see them fall
-Heard their screams; That kind of crime was very uncommon in Scott
-Shootings in Church Point/did they hang the right person?
-60+ years old from here know the story and tell it to their children
-Les Domingue près d'Ossun. Avaient des portraits de la crime et les histoires en anglais et français
-Des Blancs (les français);
-Moot's Bar and Tiny's on the corner was where Martin had his store
-9 or 11 of them, but Martin was the only one who never married/had kids
(22:33) - Sa grandmère s'a marié avec Edouard Jenkins, un de ses soeurs était marié avec Nonc Jacques Arceneaux (Barry's grandmother's uncle (Odet Ancelet), Israel's brother)
-99 years old when Nonc Jacques died. He was still working in rubber boots before he died
-History of Scott area
-Kenneth à Maurice avait une livre
-Narcisse, Les Hutchinsons de Duson, La Fille à Tante Hélène (Tot)
-Scott named after SP Railroad Superintendent. Last name was Scott
-L. Leo Judice
(26:26) - Judice community named after Leo Judice (father was the first one here)
-When Leo died, all the school kids went to his house
-Guaranty Bank at the corner (now Chase bank) owned by Leo
-Gingerbread/Furniture store across the street taken over by Dr. Dakoti
-Leo Judice was a schoolboard member
-Dr. Dakoti rented the building out, swimming pool
-Scott's not old compared to places like St. Martinville
-Tante Hélène (92) was very young when they named the village Scott
-Reprinting of book through lady at Southwestern. Costs $20
-St. Martin. Tante Hélène turned 92 Jan. 19th
-Hard of hearing, lost an eye, mind is still there
-Going down as you get older
-Still does stuff around the house (cooking/cleaning)
-She eats well
-Barry went see her once
-Her father was police juror at one point
***Only estimate of month and year was included in original notes, no specific day (likely after January)***
Interview with Marc Savoy
Marc Savoy:
L'histoire des accordéons en Louisiane
-Emmené par les Allemans dans les 1950s (1850s?), un tas des Allemans sont venus en Louisiane
-Mowata/German Cove German communities
-Cajuns favored it because it could make more music than a fiddle by itself. It could back itself up. One-man band
-Fiddle music is not loud, and had to have at least 2 musicians
-No amplifiers back then, and accordions were sturdier than fiddles
-One broken reed wouldn't be the end of an accordion, as a broken string on fiddle would be
-Hard to find fiddle strings
-Jigs, Two Steps, Waltzes, Some Polkas
-Marc's grandfather (fiddler) says accordions can't play all of the songs
-1st accordions came in keys of F,G (bad keys for fiddle players who played open tuned). Couldn't play with accordion
(04:49) 1920, C & D accordions allowed for fiddlers to accompany accordions
-2nd fiddle string matches the 5th button on accordion. D est parfait, C marche aussi bien
-Songs that Dennis McGee plays would require an accordion with sharps/flats like piano/2 or 3-row accordion, impossible for diatonic
-Germans and Jews support each other. Company in New York (Buegeleisen & Jacobson) brought accordions over from Germany
-Sent them via wagon trains. Mervin Kahn in Rayne and Louis Wright in Eunice (both Jewish)
-Wooden reed instruments from Japan (clarinets/saxophones) instead of steel reed instruments
-Before Monarch and Sterling brands, there were Hohner accordions in keys of F/G
-Also have Bruno accordions (in business since 1934 (1934?)). Eagle brand, Lester, Pine Tree
-Popular instruments = a lot of makers
-Used copper/bell-metal reeds before steel came along.
-Monarch & Sterling (2 separate companies, owned by cousins, same patent and tools) brought over to U.S. by same company
-Monarch and Sterling were best ones at the time. Really not good compared to the ones that are made today
-Big reputation because the Hohners and other smaller brands were way worse than the Monarchs and Sterlings
(10:15) Like harmonica reeds, all in row/set and made of bell-metal/copper that wasn't loud and would break easily
-Ford compared to Model-T, Rolls Royce. Relative. Comparing handmade violins to Japanese fiddles, Lionel Leleux fiddle
-German factories were bombed during WWI & WWII. Hohnner became bigger after the wars and built factories. Didn't pay for others to rebuild factories
-Hohnner didn't just make accordions. Making better accordions, but never professional
-Hohnner fait bien des accordéons à 2/3-rangs wt piano, mais pas simple
-$112.50 pour un accordéon simple Hohnner, à bon marché. $150 for a good set of reeds, nothing if entire accordion costs less
-Bad materials to make bad accordion. Reeds were the only good things
-Modern accordions 100X better because they stay in tune a lot longer, are louder, prettier sound, lighter
(16:44) Marc's accordions
-Learned how to make accordions by opening up Hohnners
-Piano accordions from Germany/Italy sounded beautiful, loud, had a good response, resonance, timber
-Different reeds than reeds in Cajun accordion
-Nice accordions costed $2,000/3,000, $1,000/1,500
-Marc first used Hohnner materials. Ordered materials from Germany/Italy and gradually buying better reeds for higher price
-Guarantees a musician won't break reeds/they'll stay tuned
-He's not concerned with price of materials, he uses good materials and then charges what it cost him to make
-Regardless of the price, if the quality's good, someone will buy/appreciate it
(20:06) How Marc got interested in building accordions
-There were no longer Monarchs/Sterlings, only Hohnners. Marc's father bought him Hohnner
-All of his neighbors played accordion and he always wanted an old black accordion. Tuned differently
-Repairing old accordions for neighbors
-Painting to cover up
-Not just one part of the accordion/machine/fiddle makes it, a combination of a lot of small things makes the whole good
-Les accordéons de l'Allemagne et l'Italie. German accordions were tuned lower than 440 standard before 1920
-Italians were a little higher than 440. 1920, decided to standardize tuning to A440
-Wet tuning (Italian) vs. Dry tuning (German). Different ways to tune an accordion
(25:35) Hohnner accordions can be tuned either way. Close 3rd set of reeds, dry the tuning (Open, wet)
-1 set of reeds, low octave. 1 high, 2 middle. Overtones cause wet sound
-Octave tune vs. Tremolo Tune. Cajuns like dry tuning (don't use minor chords), Acadians like wet tuning for minor chords
-Cajun Accordion, 3rds and 5ths flatted to soften sound
-Les clefs des accordéons et des chansons (1, 4, 5). No B or E natural notes on C/D accordion, rare in Cajun music
(29:57) Bass/accompaniment
-B doubled with D and made to where no overtones. B to B flat 100 cents lowered
-Only lower about 15 cents for it to fit in the chord. Done on piano, guitar. Worse on chromatic instruments made to play in every key
-Musicians want to play in every key
-Les musiciens connaissent pas tout ça
-Marc interested in how music works
-Iry LeJeune didn't know any of this, but he didn't know theory
-Marc only knows what he taught himself/read
-Des musiciens qu'a des bonnes oreilles.
-Everyone has a good ear, some are just more refined/practiced than others at distinguishing differences
-95% have a good ear, it's just not developed
(35:13) Have to have a good ear in order for a musician to learn by ear
-Rodney LeJeune (guitar player/singer from Texas). Can sing on pitch, but can't tune his guitar
-Blind man in Canada best musician Marc has ever met. Knew theory.
-Ordered one of Marc's accordion and Marc went to retune it how he wanted it
-He didn't use his machine, he used the guy's ear. He can tell what key/octave/chord and if it's in tune or not
-Same way eyes see different colors, just requires development
-Marc can tune instruments A440 without a tuner, but can't tell what note is what. Uses A as a base note
(40:14) Les accordéons de Marc Savoy
-Fier de ses accordéons. Personne d'autre prend le temps pour les faire bien. 15 accordéon par année
-10 years since he's opened shop to sell instruments
-1st accordion he made, shop takes time from making accordion
-Marc takes a long time to make them. 15-25 layers of lacquer. Finish is like glass
-Roger Day LeJeune was different than others. He changes his style/color every year
-Candy apple red, Curly Maple, stains pretty wood and puts apoxy lacquer
-No use to use pretty wood if you're gonna cover it with black paint, Burgundy
-May, went to California with Dennis McGee and Sady Courville and met with guitar/banjo maker to learn Inlay work
-Abalone shell like a oyster in Pacific only
-Put it in wood itself, takes a lot of time, patience, practice
-Marc perfected accordion action, but he wanted to improve the appearance, make it classier, not disguise it
-Use good wood
-Freshwater clams instead of abalone in wood. Found something similar here
(45:43) Follows pattern of German-style accordion, with open keyboard
-Screen used to protect dust/dirt from getting in instrument, but Cajuns didn't like that
-He uses his measures
-Biggest change was when a lady from Alexandria brought in a $2,500 piano accordion in for him to repair
-Reeds were attached to woodblocks with gaskets and screws, not wax
-Beeswax used on cheaper instrument. Took a decimeter and a vacuum, and compared wax vs. screwed
-Screwed accordion sounded 4-6 points/degrees louder than waxed
-Takes more time without wax, exact with gaskets and without cracks
-Clearer and louder sound, plays better
-Learning on his own, trial and error
-Takes 10 times longer, but worth it. Would do it even if it took 20 times, because of good quality
-Everything today is made around a price/economical, but poor quality
***Only estimate of year was included in original notes, no specific month or day (possibly after May 1975)***
***Possible Copy on AN1-256?***
Musical Performance by The Balfa Brothers
The Balfa Brothers:
-Wedding Dance
-Wedding March
(3:27) - Jolie Blonde (Ma Blonde est Partie/La Fille de la Veuve)
-La porte d'en arrière
(10:34) - Tous les soirs
-Step It Fast
(18:48) - La valse du chemin croche (Le Cher 'Tit Chemin T'as Pris)
-Acadian Two Step
-Jeffrey who's 3 years old requested 'Grand Mamou'
(25:39) - La fille de la campagne
-Les traces de mon boghei
***Only estimate of year was included in original notes, no specific month or day***
Folk tales
Revon Reed
Folk Tales:
-First got married, living by Bayou Duralde raising ducks
-He would notice some were missing
-Racoon/alligator/opossum would eat 3 or 4 ducks
-One day, they were all eaten. Not a one came back
-2 maringouins qui se brossaient les dents
-Cousinne z-Oie (girlfriend) from Coontown au nord de Mamou
-Nonc Olide et son mulet qui se roulait
-Pascal et son bicycle
-Nonc Olide encore
(5:10) - Le Frère de Ole Gray Mare. Mulet caille Gros comme un éléphant
-Bulldozer in woods/taking out stump. Wildlife coming out
-Tête d'hibou, les oreilles de lapin, un bec de canard, griffes de chat en avant, pattes de canard en arrière, avec un queue d'écureuil
-Fur rouge dessus le dos, blanc dessus les côtés, et noir en bas
-Saute comme un frog. Pondre des oeufs carrés et faire l'amour avec n'importe quelle bétaille
-Tear gas, laughing gas, crying gas, and fart gas
-He has 7 different kinds/colors of blood (red, green, clabbered)
-Cornes de chevreuils, jappe comme un chien, beugle comme une vache, miale comme un matou, gratter dans la terre, boire un baril de bière à la fois
-How people got alcohol when it was illegal
-People would take cotton seeds/corn/sugar/thistles/pinecones with molasses and would boil it for 8 days and 8 nights
-Stir with a pirogue paddle, but it would melt
-Lumberjack from Maine avec steel helmet
-Branche de cenellier le meilleur parce que ça fond pas aussi vite
(10:01) - Steel helmet melted as fast as a butter ball melts in a hot bowl of gumbo
-3 ou 4 cornes de vaches, 2 ou 3 écrevisses
-Bouteilles en acier et bouché avec 1,000 lives de pression
-Boucanne sort par tes oreilles, ton nez, tes bouts de cheveux/orteilles, ton derrière, etc., si tu bois un filet de ça
-Hélaire Carrière 9 ft tall and weighed 100 lbs soaking wet
-Pascal a été à la lune avec son parasol. 7,000 lb rocks and rattlesnakes
-Mormans in Utah. A 19-year-old has 9 wives and 1 child
-Cent têtes de moutons, tu peux te marier encore. 7 femmes avec 700 mouton à Utah
-Puit d'huile dans un grand champs de canne à Lockport (LA) de 10,000 arpents carrés
-Red top syrup, molasses, cane syrup, and Karo syrup came out valve for hot cakes/pancakes
(14:49) - Old black lady came with her 12 children, each with a cornbread and took each different kind of syrup
-Chilly so made a fire with 4 boxes of matches et 4 toothpicks that mosquitoes used to brush their teeth
-Pierre, Paul, Jacques, Aldus, Pete, Fred, Queen, Bidou (last one)
-Ramasser son girlfriend de 400 livres dans un pick-up truck
-Soeur de Tante Horore qui coudre dessus 7 machines avec ses orteilles/ses pieds à la fois
-She's blind. 400 lbs dry, 424 lbs wet?
-Crawfish, bream, 'caps jaunes', alligators, snakes in her apron when she gets out of the Bayou
-She breathes fire like a dragon, skin as shiny as a new car
-Doesn't wax, he brings her to get greased
-12 doigts, 12 orteilles, 4 pouces qu'elle use pour hitchhike
-Hitchhiking from New Orleans, no one would stop for him
(19:29) - Old Lumberjack from Maine
-Cutting logs and hauling them with oxen/bulls to paper mill
-Used to be called Antique Don, now called Mustang
-Toughest little stead horse. Mustache
-Going see his girlfriend and drink another fifth
Elmo Ancelet:
-C.J. et Benet? Guilbeau à la pêche de patassa
-Marquer la place dessus le bâteau
-Bougre qui pariait l'autre pouvait pas frappait sa main
Clence Ancelet:
-Martin Webre le constbale chez Esta Hébert, a marié le soeur de sa mère
-Gros baset et chauve, mais avait pas peur d'a rien
-Des hommes de Marais Boleur avec les tops du bogheis baissés
-Clence? et François Guilbeau les guettaient essayer à prendre le bal
(24:23) - Marais Bouleur avec plusieurs chapeaux dessus la tête
-Martin Webre didn't mess around
-There was no trouble in his dancehall, he stopped it before it started
-Pouvais dire c'était des Marais Bouleurs à cause de tous leur chapeau noir et un mouchoir rouge dans le cou
-Came from around Bosco oil fields, they liked to fight
-Nice people now
-You used to not be able to go into another's territory, that was the way of life
-3-4 fights per night. Mr. Royer was born in Mire. 2 men who were very rich, but hardheaded
-Cockfights. Pitt Dog dogfights chez Mr. Norbert Lormand à Ossun (3 miles nord de Scott/Triangle Club)
-One won the cockfight, the other won the dogfight
-White cat vs. black cat, $100 bet on fight (like $100,000 today)
-Les chats se battaient autant qu'ils pouvaient plus les voir, mais ils savaient que les chats se battaient toujours à cause du duvet qui volait
-Batailles de chiens et de gaïmes aux gaffes/à l'éperon à Ossun chez Mr. Norbert Lormand
-Nonc Evan Ancelet et Nonc Onsbey Ancelet, un élvait les gaïmes aux gaffes et l'autre les gaïmes à éperons
-Migue Arceneaux. Gilbert Pourtois de Jeanerette
-Monde de la Nouvelle-Ibérie. Possum de Lafayette. Charles Broussard
-Tous les dimanches pendant l'été, les batailles de gaïmes se passaient à Ossun
-Dans l'automne quand il faisait frais, le monde battait les chiens
-Il connait pas où les batailes de chat se passait
(29:58) - Mr. Royer reste dessus Arthur Street
-Le Frère à Martin Webre (Mr. Romain Webre) a eu un rendez-vous pour se battre aux armes
-Il a mangé le plus gros gaïmes il avait dans la cour
-Mr. Romain waited for him at his house and they decided not to fight
-They became great friends afterwards. Le grand-père à Mme. Lurlis? Domingue
-San Antonio Hall
-Nonc Adam Webre, frère à Martin Webre, a marié Tante Choot (fille à Mr. Lou Ancelet)
-Il travaillait pas dur. Clence, Sidney Sonnier, et Louis Sonnier (des garçons à -Béb Sonnier) ont été pêché quand il travaillait dans le clos
***Unknown recording date/place. Coverage Temporal just an estimate***
Folk tales by Wilson 'Ben Guiné' Mitchell
Ben Guiné (Wilson Mitchell):
-Haler le char (continued)
-Chapelet a sauvé sa vie
-Origin of his nickname
-9 Baseball players: Batiste, Rodney, et Adlia Clément, Ervin Babin, Noeud?
-Cormier, Poteau Clément, Vieux Tchoucou. Polin LeBlanc? Derouselle
-Baseball practice. Ben et le professeur
-$20 for a pair of shoes
(5:18) - St. Martin, Iberia, Jeanerette
-Moonshine, but they didn't drink because they knew their parents would whip them
-Homerun/last man down. Ben never struck out and was never worried to bat
-All players dead now
(8:37) - Baseball Club: Régis Sting gambling and betting he'll win a game. Each bet $40 ($80 total for winner) (anecdote)
-$50 contre $20
-Ben staying on base, not running. 3 had already made it home
-Early days in Parks
(19:32) - Ben's padna à l'école? Ben connait pas lire
-First black man to ride in car (Model-T) over here
-Cost him $200 from Mr. Elie Broussard from Breaux Bridge
-Ben and friend went to Lafayette. $350 for brand new car over there
-Not making a lot of money?
(27:13) - Mr. Lasseigne's car lot is worse. Went about 6:30 (pm?)
-Saint John, buying a house with wife and making an honest life
-Trouver un fatchin
(31:00) - Vieux homme qui piochait. Bon Dieu visite 'Si Bon Dieu Veut'--why dogs do not talk and only bark (etiological tale)
(37:53) - Moi, (v)oulai mouri, "Caesar pas là" (conte)
(41:52) - Le millionnaire/homme riche et Charlotte (domestique) à la porte du paradis (conte religeux)
-Slavery. Buried Charlotte as she was when she died
-Went to purgatory and ran quickly to heaven
-Millionaire had a big funeral when he died
-Charlotte was dressed so nicely, the millionaire didn't recognize her
-Millionaire wasn't allowed to run to heaven
-Devil wanted millionaire to dance. Devil didn't think millionaire could dance
-Millionaire hadn't eaten supper yet. Ate cat. Went to hell
Musical Performance by Varise Conner and Lionel Leleux
Varise Conner (Violin), Lionel Leleux (Violin), Eric Benoit (Guitar), Edgar Benoit (Guitar), Michael Doucet (Violin):
-Lake Arthur Stomp
(3:26) - Bursitis: problèmes à manier l'archet. Went doctor in Crowley for x-ray treatment
-Lionel already had it
-La valse à Andy (d'Oscar Aguillard)
(7:03) - La Valse à Andy/Oscar Aguillard reprise? (des Aguillard)
-Tous les deux pour la même/Hollybeach Waltz? in A
-Lionel playing with an accordion player/guitar player
(12:09) - Lake Arthur Two Step
-Rabbit Stole the Pumpkin (Two Step de Bascom Mouton) in D
(17:22) - J'ai été au bal
-Maiden's Prayer
(21:56) - Perrodin Two Step (with Michael Doucet, NEA folk art apprentice)
Musical Performance by Varise Conner and Michael Doucet
Varise Conner (Violin), Michael Doucet (Violin), Lionel LeLeux (Background), Unknown Rhythm Guitar Player
-Valse sans titre de Walter Aguillard in D
-Aguillards from Eunice
(4:04) - Fi Fi Foncho
-Step it Fast (T'en a eu, t'en auras plus)
(7:25) - Step it Fast (fragment)
-Lafayette Playboys Waltz/Eunice Waltz/Crowley Waltz/Mon Vieux Home/Scott Waltz in A
(10:02) - Untitled Waltz in G
-Swing (Carroll County Blues?) (Lionel seconding?)
(14:19) - Untitled Blues
-Memphis Blues
(18:06) - Drunkard's Waltz
-Drunkard's Waltz (reprise with Lionel's 'rub-a-dub-dub' style)
-Jack Daniels to freshen Varise's memory
(22:09) - Untitled Two Step
-Evangeline Waltz (Lionel playing lead)
Ballads and Folk tales by Noélie Roulet
Noélie Roulet (72):
-'Le petit oiseau.'
-Learned when she was 8 years old from a play/with sisters (64 years she's been singing this song)
-Can repeat verses. Play for kids
(2:35) - J'ai passé devant ta porte
-J'étais à Lafayette (Allons à Lafayette)
-Doesn't remember all the different songs she knew at one time
(4:53) - Fais do-do mon bébé
-Mon bon vieux mari. On record
(7:45) - Compère lapin
-Au clair de la lune
(8:53) - 'Tit oiseau (rime)
-Pin pi po (rime)
(10:35) - Bonne Marie (cantique)
(11:30) - Cendrillon (conte)
French oral exercises
La leçon française
-French oral exercises
***Unknown recording date and place***
Games and Pascal Stories
Continued from tape F-II-D-T-8-74:
-MamouPin Pi Poloron
-Rond rond rond 'tit marias; Bois Sec Ardoin; Des noires jaunes; Laver les vaisselles
-La porte du nord qu'est ouvert; L'homme qui pu(?) tait
-Pascale dans l'aeroplane; Contes du Pascale
Interview with and musical performance by Canray Fontenot
Canray Fontenot:
First interests in music:
-Son seul oncle (frère à sa mère) il avait jouait le violon
-Douglas Bellard était premier cousins avec sa mère. La tante à Douglas
-Cigar box violins. Making each one a violin. String from screendoor wire
-Wasn't loud, but made sound. The other guy went to school and became a teacher
-Canray didn't go to school. Had to be good too in school to go through a grade in two years
-Father died and he had to go to work to help support his family. The other guy went to Texas
-15 years since he's seen him. He told Canray he couldn't carry a tune
-First violin. Uncle bought it for him if Canray would go help him work in the field
-Canray was about 11 years old. Canray and that other guy started when they were 9 years old
-Fiddle head resembled a guitar head
-First time tuning violin. Going to see Douglas to see how to tune it. Breaking strings
-Needing the desire to learn music
(5:00) - Accordions
-Mr. Adam as well-known as Dennis McGee
-Canray can play a song, but he's not interested enough to learn
-Mother played accordion, but never played dances
-$16 for the last accordion father bought in Rayne. That was expensive back then
-Used to buy accordions for $13
-Canray's brother-in-law brought Canray's father to Rayne in a Model-T. Father had $20
-Passing the hat
-Playing accordion and picking up a little extra money
-Father never sang, sometimes had a triangle/fiddle player accompany him
-Alphonse LaFleur a good second fiddler (white)
-Whites played for blacks, and vice versa
-Canray playing with his daddy on table and chairs
-Wedding dance for white people
-Bois-sec started playing before his father died in 1938
-Canray starting to play fiddle after his uncle died
(10:00) - Music changes in the 1930s
-Everyone wanted hillbilly music, George Lennon, string bands
-Playing with Bois-sec Ardoin for 40-something years. Got together in the 1940s
-Stopped played music for 8 years and going back to play around Lake Charles for 3 years with Wilfred Latour and going back to Bois-sec
-Playing with Amédé Ardoin---Pineville & Death. He could sing and play well
-Black people's music sounded different than white people's
-Amédé (and Canray's uncle) would quit working to go play. Canray would usually finish his work
-Seeing him in Crowley. Hurting behind his neck. Sent to Pineville because he lost his mind
(15:06) - Amédé had an older brother living in Elton (Thomas)
-Amédé didn't recognize him. Thomas tried to play accordion, but couldn't
-Amédé couldn't remember anything. People hated him
-He played a dance in Eunice and wiped his face with a white lady's handkerchief
-They beat him because the white lady did what she did
-Amédé played in Basile at a dancehall. Guitars were rare, but one was broken
-Amédé was a jokester. Amédé wrote everything he played
-If an accordion played could play about 5 songs, that was a big thing
-Dance at Canray's grandfather's big house
-Amédé went play a dance for white people, Canray's daddy played one for black people
-Usually, black's lasted all night. Canray's grandmother cooked a gumbo
-Amédé came play the dance. Back then, people didn't drink in the house
-White mule. Selling gumbo 10 cents a bowl
-Amédé came take Canray's father's place playing accordion
-Amédé took over the bass side from his father and then the melody side. Dancers never stopped
-Amédé jouait simple. Played sitting down in that time
(21:23) - Amédé played accordion only
-Iry LeJeune redid all of Amédé's songs
-How Amédé learned to play music. Joe Falcon
-Amédé would take two step and turn them into waltzes, and vice versa
-Pop's superstitions about recording. Shouldn't hear dead people
-Adam 'Kahzey' Fontenot, son père
-Playing music until sunrise. Father got there around 12:30 AM and lady who brought two cups of coffee
(26:29) - None of Canray 6 kids can play anything
-Canray's cousin from Lafayette played flute. Dinner in Basile at his uncle's
-Mother couldn't understand how he could become a musician since neither parent can sing (father sings for Mardi Gras)
-Easy to know when kids will be musicians. Almost all of his kids became musicians
-Played with Isaac Hayes. Can play organ
-Warren Ceasar. Horse kicked and he never regained his health
-Stopped playing with big bands because he couldn't eat just anything (bologna, etc.)
(29:13) - Traveling with Bois-sec. Started in 1966 for festivals
-Only Bois-sec and Canray went to the Folklife Festival in Newport, Rhode Island
-Record with Spotwood in Washington D.C. on the way back
-People loved their music
-Guy in Jennings who picked up trash for the city found a fiddle and brought it to Canray in Oberlin. Wasn't a good fiddle
-Stopping for 8 years because he wanted a break from it. Canray gets bored with things
-Playing with Clifton Chenier in Elton around 1969. Big election
-Canray would play one Saturday, Clifton would play the next just accordion and scrubboard (brother played)
-Not many blacks who can play fiddle like Canray
-Uncle had a sitter who only played blues. Lives in Texas now, never liked to hire himself out?
(35:10) - Bois-sec Ardoin
-Son frère est meilleur joueur d'accordéon que Bois-sec, mais il a pas l'envie
-Il garde pas un accordéon. Han?
-The Carriere family from Lawtell--Bébé Carriere (violon) et Dolan (son père)
-Carrière joue le violon drôle. Comme Canray chante drôle
-Ça me fait du mal, bassette
-Danser avec moi/La Valse à Tante Nana?
(39:51) - La Valse de 'Tit Maurice
-Mon Cher Bébé Créole (Reprise in different key: La Valse de Samedi Soir)
Interview with and musical performance by Canray Fontenot
Canray Fontenot, Michael Doucet:
-Chansons de son défunt père:
-Two Step de Misère (fragment)
-Les Balfas et Hadley Fontenot played one of his father's tunes (Le Two Step à Hadley)
-Not easy to play fiddle, not as easy as an accordion or guitar;
-La Valse à Don Montoucet (La Valse de la Grande Prairie?). Don played it in Mamou
(4:27) - Le Two Step du Vieux Temps (Old-fashioned Two Step). Touchet brothers
-Son archet. Cousin à Douglas et la mère à Canray. He takes Canray's place sometimes
-Lonesome Sundown Blues. Guy from around Opelousas
-Could play guitar and played with Clifton for a while. Clifton doesn't pay his musicians
-He can go buy himself a drink, but his musicians can't drink
-Clifton only knows people when he's broke
-Pawning his microphone and using Bois-sec's when playing in Basile
-Bois-sec lending microphone to Clifton
-Richard's club. Guy from St. Louis/Houston. Clifton said he didn't know him
(12:28) - San Antonio Rose. Homer Marcotte playing in different keys
-Les bars de la prison
-Untitled Anglo-tune. Rag?
(17:06) - Love Bridge Waltz
-Iry LeJeune--son accordéon. Bazaar in Eunice. He drank a lot and gambled. Iry's accordion was all beat up
-asked Bois-sec and Canray to go help him play the dance
-Bois-sec didn't get paid. He found out he died two weeks after
-Angélas LeJeune
(21:15) - Iry couldn't see, heard a car that sounded just like his uncle
-Missed his step and fell. Someone picked him up. He was blind
-He would be able to see if he had the money for the operation
-Rencontré Sam Jones à Lac Charles et a reçu une lettre disant qu'il aurait payé pour l'opération
-Des lunettes épais. Operé pour cataracts
-Cottonelle Club? around Jennings. Playing with Bois-sec. Iry's musicians came in and set up
-They never had a steel guitar player. Il s'a faché et a wreck son char dans un arbre
Interview with and musical performance by Canray Fontenot
Canray Fontenot:
-Chansons à Amédé (Lacassine Special, Two Step à Mama);
-J'ai Fait Une Grosse Erreur;
-Untitled Waltz (Part sounds like Rainbow Waltz);
-Fragment d'un two-step pris d'une disque 45 rpm (Les Belles Filles Veulent Plus Me Voir à Joe Falcon);
-Drunkard's Waltz (5:14);
-Reve de soulard;
-Quoi faire-à defunct Amédé. Alphonse sonnait la basse tringue;
-Blues fragment (11:30);
-Iry made Bosco Blues/World in a Jug himself;
-Rag/Polka fragment;
-Full-sized violins sound better acoustically, but 3/4-sized is more comfortable/easier for Canray to play (15:00);
-Bois-sec and Canray playing dances;
-Early tune: Le vieux Bob Wills mort dans un old-folks home. Sad with all the money he had;
-Howling Wolf Blues. Clifton redid it and called it 'Calinda';
-Fi Fi Foncho (21:31);
-Someone killed him. He retired and keeps the bottle. He says he'll die at the end of the table and he quit eating;
-Bois-sec and Canray playing at the Avalon Club on Friday nights and on Queen's Lounge? on Tuesday nights;
Musical performance by Canray Fontenot
Canray Fontenot;
-La dernière valse. Aldus Roger made that. Pretty waltz;
-Blues du voyageur (La Coulée Rodaire?);
-Bassing with special tuning/ Untitled Two Step (with special tuning for accordion). Learned that from other second fiddlers;
-Untitled Two Step à defunct Pop (5:52);
-Canray's uncle played with a certain tuning;
-Westphalia Waltz. Reprise with key change;
-Canray tries to play a song when he hears a song he likes. Playing in Lake Charles. He forgets the names of the songs (10:39);
-La Valse de Mercredi au Soir. Clark Cassinger?;
-Zydeco Gris Gris (tune from Adam Fontenot). Bois-sec and Canray recorded it under different names (15:41);
-Les haricots est/sont pas (mal) salés;
-Les bars de la prison (20:56);
Musical performance by Canray Fontenot
Canray Fontenot:
-Fragment of Two-Step à Amédé. Plaque 78 tour pour les Hébert de Jeanerette;
-Someone died in a wreck. Surprised Canray. The eve of July 4th. Horses killed 5 people?;
-Harmonica (tuned to B?) with fiddle:
-Untitled Blues;
-Lake Charles Two Step/Chameau One Step and goes into 'Jongle à Moi' at the end (4:06);
-When Canray first started playing, 3 different ways to play on harmonica. Basses on the third time;
-La Robe Barrée/Madame Etienne?;
-Zydeco à Doopsie (8:05);
-Untitled Blues;
-Would sound better with a Harmonica tuned to C;
-Je Peux Pas T'oublier;
-Untitled Two Step à son Père (same as on AN1.105) (12:17);
-Malinda?;
-Running into Queen Ida's uncle;
-Working songs. Parents both sang. Both of Canray's grandfathers would sing drinking songs when they'd come for Christmas or New Years;
-La table ronde (15:56);
-Grandfathers drinking and singing;
-Canray played in Lake Charles last year and a lady came up to him and told him she didn't know he knew those songs;
-Trinquez, trinquez les verres à la main. Explaining when others would join leader. Canray grew up with late nights hearing those songs. Giving money to Canray to eat for him to get a chicken and make a gumbo;
-Only Canray and his sister (she was spoiled) (20:42);
-Wood stove;
-Been working ever since he was strong enough to work;
-Beau-père à Bois-sec (Canray est parent avec la femme à Bois-sec);
-Welfare nowadays when a father dies. They didn't have that back then. $8/month was the first pay Canray can remember. Fontenots trying to pay debt after father died;
-Canray's used to 300-something pounds of cotton (24:34);
-One of Canray's uncles worked in rice fields. Canray's wife would go help him;
-Bois-sec's 1st cousin from Kinder, small lady. Picked more than 400 lbs of cotton;
-Nonc Howell?;
-People used to work. You had to make it or you weren't going to make it at all;
-Bonjour, Bonne année. Sung for New Years;
Interview with Ellis Richard
Ellis Richard:
-Marais Bouleur name. Marais/Bassière de Bosco. Le magasin à Sidney Babineaux
Could only go by horse when it rained. Platin (flat). Mire, tout la même place
-Sidney Babineaux vendait des selles à son magasin. Il croit qu'il est mort asteur. Magasin à Bosco
-Name of Bosco--heart of Marais Bouleur. Un vieil homme avait une bosse dans le dos et il restait alentour. Boscoyo/Bosco
-Fighting in the Marais Bouleur
-Marais Bouleur contre la Coulée Croche
-Chacun avait un mouchoir et un couteau, ils étaient des hommes qu'avaient pas peur de mourir
-Il y avait des batailles à coup de poignes? tous les dimanches
(5:00) Alléman. A peu près faire chier
-N'importe quoi occasionnait ces batailles
-Da la misère pour casser une bataille. Le jeune monde a pas de coeur. Du mauvais monde
-Un homme qu'est tué à Church Point proche tous les samedis soirs après un bal. Commun
-Arthur Thibodeaux kills Angélas ? from Church Point
(9:31) Du monde mal élevé, élevé comme des bétailles, pour battre
-Uncivilized people
-People knocking at Ellis' door, he always keeps him pistol with him
-Ellis never killed anyone, he had the chance multiple times, but never killed/shot anyone
-Came close. Prays to God he never would have to do it. He bluffed
-One instance when Ellis almost killed someone at Four Corners in Lafayette past Boustany's where there used to be a little café
-Garçon à Benoit? et Mayo Bourque lui a dit si il va jamais là, il faudra qu'il mourt
(15:54) Wes Benoit--dangerous man. He's dead now. Raised near Cankton/la Coulée Croche. Mère est une fille à Adam Bourque
-Working for Swift and Co. packing house in New Orleans for 1 year. Mother was sick and had to get back home
-Willing to give him a raise. They needed him until Friday. Called into office and asked why he was qutting
-$100 something/week if he didn't quit. He didn't take it. Ellis had a job over there if ever he needed. Big wig from Chicago
-Only job he had in his life
(21:38) Au Bal Chez 'Tit Maurice. Ellis tried to name it 'Richard's Casino' but it never stuck
-Father had a dancehall a long time ago, but his father never had much to do with 'Richard's Casino'
-Doc Guidry made the song 'La Valse de 'Tit Maurice'
-Knife fights near the freezer. Hear cracks. Stopped many fights
(24:54) Joe Hanks--constable, mauvais homme. People listened to him or he'd hit you with a stick on the head
-Buying Joe Hanks work shoes, good man
-Mel? Benoit was bouncer before Joe Hanks. Ellis had to let him go, he beat a Higginbottom fellow and almost killed him
-When a man knows he's right
-Living a good life. Not rich, but had enough
-Happy Fats is his one enemy. Borrowed money to buy a guitar and repaid Ellis
-He wanted to borrow more money to buy another guitar. Almost went to court
(30:43) Ellis made Doc Guidry. Happy Fats and Doc both his fans. Ellis helped both of them out and many more
-Cajun Thoroughbred book
-Marais Bouleur, flat from Four Corners to Sidney Babineaux's store in Mire
-Selling saddles and other field supplies. Forgot to mark down who had bought a saddle (didn't get paid for it?)
-Sidney had a dancehall where his bouncer killed a man. Still alive, old
(35:03) Babineaux's pretty daughter, brunette
-Parade where Ellis was given a gun
-He gave the gun to the girl and she sat on his lap the whole day on the buggy. Married to ? Bourque's brother
-Oge Guilbeau--bad little man. 100 lbs soaking wet. Fight with Harold Léger. Oscar Guilbeau (garçon à Ogé) took his eye out
-People were scared of Ellis. When a man's wrong, he knows. Bad when he knows he's right
(39:21) Ogé Guilbeau--throwing bottles and hitting someone. He took off on his horse after that
-Horse races, fights, and dances every Sunday afternoon. People would come from Alexandria, Cottonport, Bunkie, all over
-Ellis made money. He'd go to the bank with burlap sacks of money almost every Monday morning
-Un des ses amis qu'est mort juste quelques jours avant, il avait une place pour mettre l'argent avant ils le contaient
-Had an assistant, pretty lady whom he made love to
-Ellis done it all, and never left no track behind (always covered his tracks)
(44:59) He says he should've gotten killed. Never did anything to hurt anybody
-Neighbor's son (Don Faul) got killed in New Orleans
-Politics
-Pinning up?
-The Castilles, prominent people. Lock themselves up, 10/12 in family. Wanting to get paid to vote for Ellis
-$35 for bunch wasn't enough. $45, wasn't enough. They wanted more, Ellis could only give $5/10 more
-Somtimes Ellis had politcal meeting/speakers in his dancehall. They had money by the barrel
-Austin Fontenot would call Ellis and tell him how much he would need for the election
Interview Lee and Irene Stelly, Jody, Elmo and Maude Ancelet
Lee Stelly, Irene Stelly, Jody Ancelet, Elmo Ancelet, Maude Ancelet,
Children's game - passing shoes, Pease-porridge, Rhymes, Jump rope games, Clapping games
History of Ossun - Martin Weber, Lee and Irene Stelly, Jody, Elmo and Maude Ancelet
Interview with Ellis Richard
Ellis Richard:
-Story about James Domengeaux (politics/voting registrations). Registered minors (girls) to vote. Crooked like all politicians;
-Bootlegging: pint of whiskey at the dancehall. Worse during Prohibition than when it was legal to drink. Mr. Thibodeaux got caught and sent to the penitentiary in New Orleans;
-People today have sense, live differently;
-"I've lived the life of a millionaire". Had everything he wanted, Would've liked more money, but he got by. Legs hurt him;
-Knew of Barry's parents from Cankton, met them two/three times;
-Freddie and Ellis Richard (6:00);
-Pionc Leger as constable. Tried cutting his throat, barely missed. Blood flew, could barely breathe and talk;
-Wes Benoit and Mayo Breaux--outlaws, dangerous. From around Vatican. Oldest of Mayo's brothers was dangerous too;
-Jerome Hernandez (Arlandaise?) from Bosco/Mire around Ray Babineaux--shot a man in Duson/Scott in the face, completely blinded;
-Ils aimaient se battre, l'animal dans eux (10:00);
-Church Point--batailleur au mouchoir;
-Higgonbotham, Bearb?, and Duplechin feud-- race, smoke from musket rifles blinded, Duphé Bearb's mother drank blood from son's ears as he died. Mme. Pierre -Bearb wouldn't let her son's blood hit the ground;
-Lived in the same kinds of houses as everyone else;
-Uncivilized area about 15/20 years, maybe a little more. No education. Fought. Like that until after WWII;
-Life with the public, wouldn't do anything else. Enjoyed doing that (15:05);
-Caught a man by the throat;
-"I was all of a man, but, of course, I'm not a man anymore, but I've still got the guts I ever had.";
-There'll never be another Ellis Richard. Lucky he didn't get killed because people hated him. They were jealous of him because he was successful;
-Car races. Pictures of that somewhere. One broke his back, lucky Ellis didn't get sued because he didn't have insurance;
-Horse Races every Sunday;
-Ellis had good horses, he was hard to beat;
-Horse sold for $3,500 to people from Omaha, Nebraska;
-Winston told Mayeus that Ellis was selling a horse for $20,000 cash;
-Miss Celestine, best horse Ellis had. Named after Gwen's momma. 26 years old. Sold her for $20,000. Truth, no lie (21:01);
-Green Flash (Hitler), 5th in the nation, 10th all his life;
-Raced against the best in the nation, and won;
-Women spending time with Ellis;
-Joe Lemoine, 21/28 year-old millionaire. Ellis' buddy and money wasn't short. Gave Ellis anything he wanted;
-"I was in trouble all my life, but I always managed to get out." (25:45);
-Man from Crowley who always got himself in trouble, got out free. He was buried, his tomb came out in a flood and he got out;
-"Had life by the tail, but I had to turn her loose.";
-Ellis could drink a fifth of whiskey, take a drink every so often and work all night long. Never got drunk, felt good. Freddie helped him out (28:20);
-Freddie was always behind Ellis, tough times sometimes;
-Bar fight. Man who always made a remark about Ellis. Ellis hit him and knocked him down, threw him out;
-Beeson Venable. Civil workers thought he had died;
-Ellis broke his own fingers, paralyzed for a week or two;
-Barry says Pianc Léger (policeman for Ellis for years) got beat by Wes Benoit (criminel, mort asteur) at a dance. Ellis had never heard that;
-Wes était un picocheur, il a essayé de couper la gorge à Pianc Léger. Heard when he cut his throat. Couldn't breathe/talk. Brought him in his house until the doctor could see him;
-Truck would go around picking up people from, Lawtell, Church Point, Opelousas, Port Barré, truckloads from everywhere to go Au Bal Chez 'Tit Maurice;
-Drunk, canaille;
-Ellis and Joe Hanks had to watch everyone. Joe Hanks would scare people and tell them he'd hit them on the head with his stick (35:15);
-Louis Thibodeaux contre Joe Hanks. Joe Hanks lui a cogné un coup de bâton. Il a dit, "Hey Joe Hanks, cogne-moi encore." Ellis told him to stop before he killed him. Ellis couldn't tell whether he was black or white, he bled so much;
-Ellis doesn't see how he didn't get killed, got in all kinds of trouble. Wasn't so bad, didn't have to fight anybody. Started to calm down, people became educated. --Was like animals at one point. Ellis was just lucky;
-Never any blacks came, strictly white people. Blacks knew better not to come, they would've gotten killed it they would've tried to get in;
-O.S.T. Club in Rayne. Ellis talking to a girl at the bar. Guy with a tie came up, heading for the door?;
-Paying debts. Never hurt anybody, kind to people all his life (41:27);
-He wasn't an angel;
-Some people thought Ellis was the chief of the mafia around here. Ring leader of people around here. Never took part in that. He was just a common man whom people respected;
-No bodyguard meeting some of the worse people in the country, people who would kill you just to see you die;
'-Black' ? hated Ellis. Ellis going to his freezer and finding them fighting with switchblade knives. Never cut Ellis;
-Joe Hanks watched like a cat watches a mouse;
Musical Performance by Canray Fontenot and Alphonse 'Bois Sec' Ardoin
Canray Fontenot, Bois Sec Ardoin
-Les Barres de la prison;
-Tune (Reel/Contredanse?) à Bee Fontenot (2:10);
***Only estimate of year were included in original notes, no specific month or day. No information of coverage spatial***
Musical Performance by Jean-Pierre La Selve and Oleg Ivanitsky
Franco Payet; Gervais Picot; Joseph Huet;"La reunion ˆ Tampon" Musique Rodrique Reunion:
Musicians: Franco Payet (age 30 Caucasian)--the Caisse a fil--stringed instrument
Gervais Picot (age 25 Caucasian) - Four string banjo
M. Picot (age 59) - Accordion
Joseph Huet--(age 24)--Violin
Sega--La rose tombee played on the Caisse ˆ fil; Tout a qui me regrette, c'est mon marmaille la Reunion
Valse--Vous aves de grands yeux noirs
Polka--des 400; Sega--Petit morceau grinqembre; Quand un dechire la anise volaille
Sega--Mange un bouchee, mon cuiller la tombee
Scottishe de St. Pierre; Franco Payet, Gervais Picot, Joseph Huet
Folktales told by Bud and Mary Fentroy
Bud Fentroy, Mary Fentroy:
Bud Fentroy, Parks, LA (English):
-Bouki and Lapin raising sweet potatoes/corn (crop division). Lapin always fooled Bouki (fox);
-Bouki and Lapin raising crops with bucket of butter for lunch. Christening babies 'Lick the Top' then 'Halfway Gone' and 'Lick the Bottom'. Playing Godfather/object of Battler (Brier Patch). Lapin fooled Bouki to throw him in the bushes;
-Hearing these stories and others from his mother & grandmother (5:52);
The Little Boy and the Old Lady ("Look down in the sack") CT 327c.
-Lil Boy who ran away from home (back in the times of cannibalism). 3 bigger brothers told him he couldn't follow them. Found shovel to give to the little brother, then found some marbles, then an old house to sleep in where an old lady lived. Tied heads of the bigger boys to know who they were. She had 3 daughters and put rags around their heads. Old lady came around 2 AM and chopped her own daughters heads off. Called their names Marion, Suzanne, and Ouzane in the morning and told them she had fresh meat. They never came/woke up. Boys had left and she ran after them in her boots. The boys climbed the big tree with the lady after them. The older brothers fell in the sack. She climbed the tree going after the little boy and got stuck. The little boy jumped, let out his brothers and caught the lady in the sack and tied her up there;
Jesse James stories from his dad (11:39);
-Jesse James and his brother Frank James were outlaws and took from the rich to give to the poor. He liked to fight. He wanted revenge for the people who killed his mother. Robbed banks and trains and the rich, but never the poor;
-Jesse was the mean one, Frank always tried to quiet him down. They were working in the field when mother was murdered;
-Informant heard this story when he was 5 years old;
-They were viewed as heroes by poor. Not talking about it too much;
Not many people still tell stories to their children. So much television now (14:43);
-Thinks his children might be too old to enjoy these stories, some of his stories told to classes on Fridays. Taught for 24 years. Only 6 years he's a supervisor principal;
-Children would sometimes tell stories they heard from their parents & grandparents;
Mary Fentroy, Cade, LA (Creole):
Bouki et Lapin en bas et en haut (C.T. 1030/ K581.2).
-Bouki et Lapin faisant la récolte (patates douces et maïs) (same story as above);
-Lapin's always getting something and Bouki gets nothing. Hanging/drowning Lapin would be a sin?;
-Throwing Lapin in the briers. Lapin always won;
-Red Riding Hood & Goldilocks and Three Bears (22:52);
'Tit frere et la vieille femme (CT 327C);
-Three brothers who ran away from home (same story as above) (can't remember the latter part);
-Little brother rescued big brothers from old lady who ate children;
-Little brother didn't sleep well, maybe he was worried. Old lady brought him some tea to soothe his stomach or having her build a fire to warm him. Woke up brothers while she was gone and left. Put logs under sheets to make as if the boys were still there;
-'Fresh meat';
-Boys would've died if their little brother wouldn't have been with them;
-Bedtime stories to children after they got their lessons (30:44);
-Mary was an only child. Learned these stories from her father;
-Telling stories at school on Fridays. Country schools;
-Little Red Riding Hood;
-Grandmother made her red cape. Why she's called 'Little Red Riding Hood';
Bouki et Lapin couri batiser. Bouki priest. Butter for lunch (same story as above) (36:50);
-'Juste commené,' 'La Moitié,' et 'Licher le fond';
-La paix avec Lapin. Lapin mange tout. Hanging/throwing Lapin in the well would be a sin?;
-Throwing Lapin in the briers. Lapin always outsmarted Bouki;
-Lapin et Chat roasting chestnuts. Cat chasing mice (44:38);
-L'éléphant, le serpent?, et le temps frais. Il a peur de gêler. Monter une montagne, ça fait plus froid en haut;
-Le serpent mordant l'éléphant. Ils ont marché et ont été voir Lapin. Mettre le serpent au côté de la plage et le laisser là;
-Bouki et Lapin et la maison du Diable (Barry asks if she know it but, she doesn't. Also asked about Sauterelle et Froumi earlier and she didn't know that one either) (53:09);
Pascal Stories by Hubert Reed, Alexandre Manuel, and Alvin Fontenot
Hubert Reed (51), Alexandre Manuel (62), Elvin Fontenot (48):
(same as AN1.089a)
-Breathing 'de la brèle' 300 yards away like a box of matches;
-Manche de pipe à Bouki, une corne d'éléphant;
-En haut dans le ciel, ça prend 3 trois pour prendre le chemin. Le chemin blanc pour les anges et le chemin rouge pour le diable, ça fait chaud là;
-Tonerre le chien. 13 chiens, 3 qu'est mort. Le plus petit pèse 400 livres;
-Les chiens aiment pas les cadiens, ils ont peur que ça va les empoisonner;
-Le plus vieux chien a 102 ans et fait des boulettes premier avec son passepartout?;
-Jeter un nègre dans la rivière en Afrique aux crocodrils;
-Jane, Tarzan et cheetah?;
-Des cries dans ces grands bois, bananes, coconuts;
Pascal a été à la lune/en Afrique (5:05);
-3 ou 4 fois en Afrique. Une bande de sauvages avec leur spears.100 nègres. Bales de coton;
-Commencé avec $10, sortit avec $10, a bu 3 bières, gagné sa bière et 3 sous en échange. $15;
-Jouer aux cartes à Basile, 3 pairs de deux, une bonne main. L'autre avait 7 aces;
-$10/mois et garocher;
-Aller à la boutique une fois par semaine (samedi après-midi);
-Quel qu'un dormait tant les autres ramassait du coton?;
-Des cendres/de la suie de la cheminée;
Mettre l'eau dans la baille, l'eau devenait noir et il sortit dehors sans linge (10:28);
-Hack à Moreau mettait du bleu dessus des oeufs;
-Langues bleus resseblaient à un arc-en-ciel;
-Pondait 3 oeufs par jour;
-Gros gaïme rouge (silver spur);
-Prêcheur et les gros animaux en pairs. La sauterelle en fer (combine). La fin du monde;
Tout le monde serait mangé execpt les cadiens. Les Carencros mange pas un cadien, rien mange un cadien (14:46);
-Mailman et chiens;
-L'opération de Hube (cervelle d'éléphant et un coeur de caouenne, Pascal stories);
-Cervelle, oublie jamais;
-Il va pas se raser. 300 années;
-Il y avait pas des ciseaux dans ce temps là;
-Charette à boeuf;
-Wild West;
Bully Severne toujours dans la savane. Un boucher (Boulé Sévenne (bougre, petit Marais Bouleur, Pascal stories))(19:39);
-Les talles d'éronces;
-Portraits. 15 livres;
-Jambes molles comme un cushion;
-Une branche à pelote;
-Hypnotized;
-l'Amour. Chevaux tout blanc, une dans toute la bande qu'est noir;
-Jim et un cheval qui restait;
-Sel et bon;
-Mayo;
-Monkey see, monkey do. Hair transplant?;
-Bonne terre, une 'tite graine de moutard. Après deux semaines, c'était gros comme un chêne, 24 pieds de long et 16 pieds de large;
-Lapin gros comme un éléphant;
-Jim avait une grosse moiselle (25:19);
-Baloon. Waterwell tank;
-Boire du coal oil pour les caprices/la galle de 7/8 ans/du mal au vent;
-Vieux taïeut grattait bien;
-Pascal sur la lune et partager la lune. Il y avait un étranger avec un oeil, un gros nez, des grands oreilles qui pouvait entendre de 5,000 miles;
-Military glider;
-Crop duster dans l'orage;
-Sirens (30:22);
-La viande de cochon (pork chops) à 4 heures. Femmes qu'arrivait à la messe à 3:30 pm;
-La tonnerre a frappé 3 fois. L'orage de tonnerre;
-Une éclaire a touché la barrière?;
Nonc Olide (35:40);
-Santa Clause a la grippe et il prends sa place;
-Tante Horore c'est une soeur à Nonc Olide. Elle a 102 ans et fait ça depuis elle a 4 ans. Elle bois ses vitamins;
-Bunny bread cheaper. 3 pour $1. Prendre 6 pains de tête de lapin. Ça va venir dur, il voulait 12 après ça;
-Ed et Bee Deshotels ont raconté une histoire de Bouki et Lapin à Barry (39:10);
-Bouki et Lapin à la chasse;
-4 jours;
La vieille truie qui mangeait les poules;
-16? Laver du linge dessus le frottoir avec du sel;
-6 pieds de neige demain;
-Les oreilles à Hube sonnent (Pascal stories);
***Only estimate of year were included in original notes, no specific month or day***
Pascal Stories by Hubert Reed, Alexandre Manuel, and Alvin Fontenot
Hubert Reed; Alexandre Manuel;
How the Pascal stories began:
-Piano player played 500-lb piano on his head. Half razorback hog, little mule;
-Il usait ses orteilles pour frotter le violin sur l'archet (à l'envers). Played in G flat;
-Taïeut à Reddell beuglaient;
-Tombé et épaille tous ses notes parterre. Il l'a remis enssemble à l'envers;
-Jouer Jolie Blonde, Le Two Step de Frissons de la Ville Platte sortait. Grand Mamou, Jolie Blonde sortait. Ses notes étaient à l'envers;
-Peinturé at usait des marteaux de forge pour cogner les notes. Un de 16 livres et un de 14/13 livres pour cogner les springs de boghei;
-2 négresses avec des lataniers de 16 pieds de diamètre pour l'évanter. Il jouait bien, tout le monde dansait;
-Sauvages, nègres, et cadiens (2 qualités: à pies gris et à ventre jaune);
-Hitler? cognait le guitar et Tojo jouait le violon. 3 mois passé et il a une cervelle d'éléphant;
-Bande de souris qui fait strip key, go-go girls étaient des puces vu en travers un grand vitre. Ça coûtait pas cher, une douzaine d'oeuf ou un morceau de béquine;
-Tente fait des sacs-à-riz et un tas des peeping toms. Guard avait le bat à Babe Ruth et cognait des home runs chaque fois il trouvait un peeping tom. 12 oeufs pour 15 min., 6 oeufs pour 7 et 3/4 min.;
-Les puces faisaient strip tease;
-Vieux taïeut qu'avait pas de dents/ongles pouvait pas se gratter. Nourissait avec une patate chaude tous les trois jours et trois ou quatre oeufs pourrit;
-Pascal avait 12 pieds de haut et pèsait 70 livres. Maigre et taille 14 dans les souliers (7:01):
-Rode high line wires 700 mph et rouge comme une brèle avec un dent en haut et un en bas comme un écureuil. Il mangeait des noix/des pacanes;
-Il a été en Angleterre pour ésperer Lindburg à mer dessus son bicycle. Il a cogné quelques baleines;
-He answered the phone himself;
-Vieille Tante Coque s'a teint les cheveux verts, avait une moustache, 3 tours au tour de ses oreilles, catogan avec les bouts qui restaient;
-Haler le barbed wire;
-Nonc Olide, son boyfriend, est mort quand il avait 123 ans le 32 de février. La grippe et la gomme? Briques/bloques en ciment chaudes dans le front pour le faire tousser;
-Nonc Olide aimait manger pour son déssert 15 livres des bulls rouge/noir (11:55);
-Son coeur a changé de place. Mal au ventre tout le monde. Mis son coeur dans le dos;
-La limonade de Texas vient du l'eau de la Coulée Duralde;
-L'eau dans le pistes des vaches, t'as pas pour metter autant de sucre. Sucre est cher asteur;
-Delton tout taindu. Marcher dans les pistes de vache;
-Camp avec de la graisse de crapaud;
-Pascal avait été à la lune dans une emballeuse. Oulbié la bloque pour séparer le bale. Coupé un pied de moutard qui vient 10 pieds de diamètre. Perdu la bloque. -Amarré avec des petits chaines de 150 livres;
-Il pouvait pas éteindre sa machine;
-Pascal était gâté, il était enfant unique (16:05);
-Les brancards de son bicycle ont cassé et il fallait ordonner ça. Il a essayé avec une corne de la lune?;
-Bouki nettoies les crachoires et dad arrange les craques? pour 20 ans;
-Tu peux pas retire quand t'arrive en haut. Astronauts;
-He speaks English like a Chinese person;
-Tramp et puis un hobo. Ses pouces;
-Defunct Francis;
-Bottes et des cuillottes verts. 3 our 4 frogs, 1 ou 2 patassas, des écrevisses dans tes poches. T'as ton seafood platter droite-là;
-Making whiskey at Duralde Coulée;
-5 sous la cigarette de Mexique. Fume 3 tours dessus ça et lèves plus haut que ta tête? Pas trop cher;
-Dyes: des verts, des bleus, des rouges, et des blancs (20:38);
-Spin around, corners around cut, like a top;
-2 'tit razobacks (mulets) pour l'emballeuse avec des patches dessus leurs yeux;
-'Tit verrat et des nouvelles d'en haut (si ça mouille);
-Sauver le foin;
-Combine à Jim a 700 pieds de haut. Coupe ces moutards gros comme les gros chênes de mers;
-Maudit Lapins raising hell. Diamètre de 6 pieds. Feuilles 16 pieds de large, 24 pieds de longs. Déjà salé et pimenté;
-Plus fort dessus le bord brillant de la lune que dessus le bord noir;
-Plus mexicains;
-Sac-à-riz. Aiment pas les poivres;
-Jim a tout dévéloppé l'affaire et ésperait les astronauts pour les flag comment atterir;
-Léger;
-Bring headlights, ox, and 'charrette' to explore the dark side of the moon (25:11);
-Ox digs so fast in 15 min., he'll be 20 feet deep;
-Bully (Boulé Sevenne) dug a whole 9 X 14 and 100 ft deep;
-Pèsait 7 tonnes. Commencé à acheter la terre, haut comme un water well tank;
-Cloche d'église pendu dans le cou;
-Partir à 4/4:15 am en pétard/balloon. Prend 26 heures et quelques minutes;
-Tenir son souffle 3 heures de temps;
-Comme une pelote en élastique;
-Premièrement découvrir la lune. Pascal et son bicycle cassé;
-Ouragans et tourbillions 3 mois passé. Ramassé mémère qui brodait dans sa berceuse, "land sake, what a breeze";
La roulette (30:46);
-Cable en acier;
-Le village qui l'aimait pas en Chine/Pacific/Guam/Manilla;
-Put cord around whole village;
-Coupé en dent avec le passepartout de 50 pieds de longs à Bouki;
-Jolie fille à la bar;
-Your mother still cooks for the priest?;
-Woke him up to go to Hollybeach;
-Bouki et les sauvages en haut;
-Corne à Mardi Gras de 7 pieds de long;
-Tué des éléphants dans la guerre. Tiré avec fusils de 90" de canon. 4,000 livres. Slingshots;
-Jim fed that way while in Japan (34:55);
-3 or 4 boxcars of rocks for his slingshot;
-Il restait a Mamou et a parti après son cheval est mort. L'anse à Guiguiche?:
-L'anse à Guiguiche est à l'autre bord de Chatainger. Pas de soleil, seulement des étoiles parce qu'ils sont dans un trou. Comme une montagne;
-Des macaronis coupés en tranches. Bloque de 2 miles carré;
-Redwood Trees in Californie;
-Istitube? drôle de nom;
-Le chien à Pascal était le plus petit dans le monde, il pèsait 3 onces. Les chevreuils se sauvaient quand il allait à la chasse. Il le perdait pour 3 mois de temps;
-Le chien a passé à travers le canon, double-barrel, et a jamais arrêté (40:40);
-Could hear him cry from 3 miles away in the woods;
-Barry parle while people play pool: Vendre du pain dessus les routes. Revenir à son boss avec 36 poules, 12? douzaines d'oeufs, et 10 sous. Pas d'argent;
-Entre Bouki et Jim, ils ont tout cassé les boutiques alentour d'ici;
-Boire du lait et manger du pain;
-Jim set a trap on the staircase;
-28 population 100 quarts par jour pour aller nourrir leurs patassas;
-9-lb bream;
***Only estimate of year were included in original notes, no specific month or day***
Interview with Will Bolfa
Unknown singer singing folk song;
Will Bolfa:
-L'échange de places dans le sac (conte) Le 'tit bougre poussait ses mouton et a changé de place avec celui dans le sac qui le roi voulait pour marier sa fille, mais il voulait pas. Le roi a noyé le bougre qui voulait marier sa fille. Appris cette histoire de son papa;
-Father told stories when they were young;
-Une conte qu'est pas trop propre: La fille, son 'tit frère et son prétendu. Le châpeau sur le petit oiseau;
-Le 'tit garçon avec la gueule sale (le poulet pour soupper). Donner la tête à son petit frère;
-Le même 'tit garçon et son 'tit chien (puppy) (5:22);
The life of a musician according to Will:
-Some like to get drunk, make love. Musicians have bad reputations;
-40 years Will's been playing music and 38 years he's married and still with his wife. A lot of musicians are no longer with their wives;
-Ordinary musicians have more of a chance being put in bad situations/temptations;
-Not all musicians are alike;
-3 brothers who play music, all still with their wives. Hadley Fontenot, Nathan Abshire;
-Others are no good, drunk, chase women, etc.;
-Will likes his family life;
-He does it for a little extra money (10:08);
-Farming didn't make a whole lot of money. Playing dances with brothers in 1945/46 for $5/person;
-Playing every night Mon.-Fri. Got paid $10 Sat. nights, better night;
-Playing as a trio;
-Vieux Model-A, jouer à Opelousas, Port Barré; Puis, il s'a acheté un '41 Ford;
-Will cut hair for 10 cents to get gas money and go to store. No $96-electricity bills back then;
-Will started playing fiddle when he was 12 years old;
-Always liked music. Singing with sticks;
-Buying Will a fiddle from an old neighbor who played a little. Traded a pig for the fiddle he learned on;
-When he got good enough to play dances, he ordered one for $9 from a book (Sears?). Still had it when he got married, then someone stole it;
-Déa Frugé vit toujours. Ville Platte (15:00);
-Fiddle had to be repaired and stayed on the porch to dry when someone stole it;
-Fiddle with head on it. Will went to have his fiddle fixed by a guy from Eunice, and he had a fiddle he wanted to sell. 2 fiddles, played both. $125 was too expensive. Came back, talked to his wife and went back after it. Label said it was made in 1720;
-Learned from friends/neighbors. Housedances/Fais-dodo. 10 cents to get in. Sometimes, Will didn't have the money to get in. Got in to give other musician friends a break. Before he got married;
-Stopped playing when he got married. Dewey learned on Will's fiddle and took it when Will got married;
-1945/46, Dewey and Hick (Hick's Wagon Wheel) got home, took a drink, told Will to pick up his fiddle. Hick wanted to hear Will and Dewey play together. Picked up his fiddle and played 2-3 songs. Hick wanted them to play Sat. in Ville Platte.
-Got a friend to play guitar (20:06);
-Played until 12 AM, each $5. When they finally decided to stop, they passed the hat and picked up more than what they made. Picking up and extra $4/5 for an extra hour. A lot of money back then. Sleep at his father's;
-Playing Sunday afternoons, races. Come back with $25/30. All acoustic, no amplification;
-Dewey went get amplifiers and started the band;
-No clubs, dancehalls. Played house dances with an accordion player, sometimes a guitar player. Joe Saucie? Havley de l'Anse Grise. Played with 3 accordion players that he can remember;
-Ches Fontenot de Mamou. Wasn't best accordion player, but got the job done;
-Nathan Abshire is the best in Will's eyes because he plays 'égale' and he likes Nathan. Played with a lot of accordion players. Milton Molitor was good when Will he young, but he didn't play 'égale' like Nathan Abshire and Maurice Berzas;
Bons chanteurs: Adam Landreneau, il jouait pas trop bien, mais il chantait haut (24:53);
-Chanter haut dans la musique cadienne;
-Can sing low now with microphones. Had to sing loud and high to be heard before amplification;
-Hadley Fonetnot chantait haut aussi;
-Plus besoin de chanter haut et fort;
-Déa Frugé was sought after, Ville Platte et Mamou. Playing on higher strings to be heard. Hard to hear lower strings acoustically. Accordion was louder than fiddles. -Sometimes dancers only saw when the song was over, they kept dancing after the song had stopped;
-'Jouer par des escousses'. Different patterns and turns. Nathan Abshire and Maurice Berzas have patterns of where they'll go. Some players cut time and don't have a pattern. Easy to follow Nathan;
-Playing festivals with other well-known accordion players. Playing with a Bruneau from Canada (30:30);
-Don't always use same accordion player. Sometimes Nonc Allie Young, Hadley Fontenot, Nathan Abshire;
-Dewey a été à Eunice? the first year;
-Will built his house himself, without thinking he could. He was given an old house and decided to undo it/clean the wood and build a new house. Bought another house and cleaned it. Started to collect bricks from old chimneys to make a brick house. 6 years from the time he started cleaning wood/bricks to the time he was able to move in. 16 months to actually build it after the bricks and woods were all cleaned. Built it on weekends. There's 2 years he's moved into it now;
-Bricks cost him $70 and wood cost him $300. Took more time than money to build the house;
-Bricks from old broken/burned down houses (35:05);
-$10 for an old chimney, bought 7 and picked up another 2 for free (12 total);
-Enough to cover the house and he has enough for an outdoor kitchen;
-Will likes his bricks, house. Better than flat bricks. Old bricks because they were cheap, not for the taste;
-Origins of 'La Valse des Balfa/Bolfa'. Son défunct père et grandpère jouait ça. Émasse, Will's grandfather, Sériah, great-uncle, played fiddle together. First Balfa Brothers;
-Will was 6 years old when his grandfather died. He remembers his grandfather coming play fiddle for him and his younger sister, Cécile, and she would dance;
-Thinks he played old songs;
-Father never had trouble with his wife. Will wrote the words himself (not the same words as his father);
-Will named it 'La Valse des Balfa' because it came from the family;
-Will wrote the words from an idea/imagination. He had friends who had marital troubles, not him (40:07);
-Story has to go with the tune. Sad tune, sad words;
-Will's wife wasn't too happy about the song, but it's just a song. Seems true/real;
-'La Danse des Mardi Gras' une chanson d'assemblé chanté partout ici;
-Vieilles danses comme 'Nonc Charlot' et 'Rosina';
-Vieilles contes. Tu pratiques pas et t'oublies;
-TV took the place of storytellers and visiters;
-Pin pi po lo rond (jeu d'enfant). Last one had to go hide and bringing them back by their big toe;
-Pigéon vole. Poule vole, canard vole, chat vole (vole pas) et celui qui avait le doigt levé avait pour dire qui c'était son boyfriend/sa belle (45:22);
-La Vieille Truie. Les 'tits graçons jouaient ça dehors avec des bâtons, tin can (la truie), des trous dans la terre. Rough game. Almost the same as (ice) hockey, same principle;
-Hurt when you got hit by stick;
-TV and toys for kids instead of playing outside;
-When they get older, they don't want to get out of the house and get a job. They get lazy;
Interview with Clence Ancelet
Clence Ancelet:
-Le grand chou à Nonc Bee Dugas (le nonc à sa femme (Verna Mae), garçon à Narcisse Dugas). Edouard Dugas et Michel Dugas des frères à Narcisse (faiseurs de maïs);
-Bee était un bon blagueur. Giraumont de 60 livres dedans la cheminée. Grosses patates douces pour faire un pont;
-Myrtle? Broussard's feed store. La graine a poussé autant des navets;
-Boucherie de cochon de 32-35 personnse chez Elinor Lantier et Nonc Bee est arrivé et commençait à parler de son grand chou;
-La grosse chaudière ils ont trouvé sur la terre d'école entre Scott et Duson. Ils doutaient que le vieux monde usait cette chaudière pour faire bouillier ses choux;
-L'homme qui était après faire la chasse à musquette (heard from grandfather Louis Ancelet);
-11 cloux et a attaché un chevreuil à un arbre. Cloué chaque pouce. Tuer 2 lapins avec le peau de chevreuils, 12 perdrix aveec un lapin. Ran 7 miles when he felt something move in his pants after crossing the bayou, afraid it was a snake. Tired out, stopped, and found 2 dozen bream. Attrapé 2 tourtes quand il levait ses main pour remercier le Bon Dieu;
-Des cerfs-volants du vieux temps (4:42);
-Papiers fin qui venaient dans le boites de souliers, poteaux de barrière de cypre mis en côté pour faire de la graisse, couper 3 palettes (2 grandes et une petite, une bride), queue avec du vieux linge, la farine et l'eau pour faire de la colle pour coller 2 papiers. Bride fait avec du fil #8 qui coutait 5 sous;
-Louis Ancelet montrer aux petits enfants des canards indiens qui couvaient;
-Ozone, Louis Jr.'s heifer, had 14 calves. 3 miles north of Crowley in the woods. Un taure et un beouf;
-Sirop fait au sucrerie;
-Des pralines aux benné. 5-6 ft. tall always planted by the fence so cattle wouldn't eat it. Small seed as white as milk. Cut with scissors, put in cotton sack, and dried on a sheet/tarpualin (something that they couldn't fall through) and made sure they didn't get wet from rain/dew. Put in a closed (sugar) sack and beat with a broomstick. Une chique dans l'eau voulait dire que le sirop était fini;
-Des pistaches grillées et des pralines aux sirop. Le sucre, le riz, et la farine était seulment à manger parce que c'était acheté;
-La grande eau de '27. Tout a noyer. 8.5-10 inches of rain in 3 days. Lloyd Ancelet. Had to put all animals that weren't lost on front porch (9:40);
-La grande eau de '40. Lost everything but 6 lbs of cotton seed. 6 ft. of water covering cotton. About 8.5 inches of rain. Lost whole crop. Barry's dad went to the CC camp. Quand Malcolm "Coco" Broussard (garçon à Lee Broussard) qui travaillait pour REA/Slemco. "Highwater";
-La levée à Henderson a cassé. Lloyd (Clence's brother) worked on it 12 hours a day for 10 cents an hour. Made first levee with horses and mules and broke in '27. -Water all the way to the border of Lafayette, Delasalle Normand School, la butte des Abadies à Carencro. Pêcher des choupiques/goujons jaunes là. Nonc McGee, Loyd, et Clence;
-Seiner des écrevisses dans une maison abandonné avec Mr. Greo qui avait un truck. Water stayed 7-8 months;
-Mr. Whitney Trosclair avait un cheval et un bouriquet;
-Water covered houses, ruined cars. Not many fatalities because people were forced to evacuate;
-Why people from Breaux Bridge, Cecilia, Nina all know how to do carpentry, painter, etc. everything needed to rebuild;
-Le monde de la Prairie Basse asking for Silver Lace Wine Dot (chickens);
-1927, a man came to get sweet potato vines to plant from Conque's Superet/Narcisse Dugas;
-Nonc Bee donne 3 ou 5 rangs de patates pour sa famille manger dans l'hiver;
-Des bétailles ont noyé, mais pas un tas de monde;
-Slim et Shorty qu'a fait la course. La fille du roi peut voir voir quoi c'est il a, elle peut pas voir ça l'autre avait (15:48);
-La negresse qu'a cassé ses globes de lampes;
-La femme qu'a trouvé le boeuf et la vache en amour. Barguiner la gaïme pour des groceries et étouffer la gaïme;
-La femme avec la gaïme de 11/12 livres. Elle a tordu le cou et pouvait plus la barguiner pour des groceries;
-Le bouriquet à Monsieur Trosclair. Pendant l'eau haut de '40. La jeune pouliche. Cash or credit;
-Le poisson armée. Octave Escudier? Mordre dessus des chenilles de papillion, des lèches, des huitres. Pêcher des patassas et le poisson armée de 12 pieds (20:50);
-Le poisson armée de 20 pieds sortit de l'eau avec un paire de mulets, une paire de boeufs, et sa foi;
-Les pistaches à Nonc Bee Dugas;
-Deux garçons et une vieille fille qui s'a acheté un char/Model-T Ford. Patch tires, there were no spare tires;
-Un serpent fouetteuse--Bluerunner. White on the bottom and green, not bigger than your thumb. Easton et Isaac Domingue sauter la barrière. Not poisonous, but would beat people;
-Bringing in hay on 15 arpents on hay rake. Daisy. Tuer le serpent avec le palonnier (25:36);
-Des vivers avec un scoop. Rabourer (plowing) with a team of mules and charrue simple. Le viver à William Credeur 12 pieds creux. Faire un chemin chez William;
-Des serpents qui tétait des femmes et les bébé maigrissait. Le serpent mêttait la queue dans la bouche du bébé. Vrai. La maman s'appercevait pas. Ils passaient à travers les craques dans la maison;
-La chasse des renards. Ils ont tué 5 dessus 7 à la place des vieux garçons John et Tène? Domingue. 0.5 miles toward sunrise from Ossun. Never had electricity and always did with what they had. Stayed on dirt floor after floor wore out. One just died and Mme. Harris Domingue is taking care of the other one (her brother-in-law);
-Le puit qui levait les baquets tout seul?;
Les 'Tits Français qui ont tué Martin Begnaud (29:21);
-Chez Mr. Leo Judice. Turn right at Guaranty Bank (now Chase Bank) in Scott, first store on the left where Landry sells furniture. Across the street, Martin Begnaud had a store. The frenchmen went to buy something at night and had 'une lime à 3 écalles pour filer des égouines'. Killed him, took money, and went back to France. -They lived by the canal/junkyard. Les taïauts et la seule maison à l'autre bord du canal. It bothered them/their conscience enough for them to return and turn themselves in;
-Martin Webre hanged them, bad weather that day. He took the noose home and couldn't sleep, he had to bring it back. Leave things like that for God to handle;
***Only year was included in original notes, no specific month or day***
Interview with Don Montoucet
Don Montoucet (49):
-Grandmère Louloutte Gautreaux mariée avec grandpère Pierre Jacques Montoucet;
-Des ouragans, de la tonnerre, des affaires pour déranger quand quel qu'un allait après de l'argent;
-T'emmenais un serpent avec toi et quand le train commençait, tu le tuait. Ça te quittait tranquille et tu pouvais continuer chercher;
-La chaudière à Jean. Commis voyageur chez la grocerie des Judices à Scott. Dropped a map while asking for directions. Old balck man picked up the map and Mr. Judice read where the money was buried;
-La Terre des Boudreaux asteur;
-Mr. Judice et Dédé Anderson ont fouillé l'argent;
-Pierre Jacques Montoucet a fouillé l'argent dans le même trou, mais il a pas été assez creux. Ils ont just fouillé 4 pieds de fond;
-J.I. Boudreaux knows more than Don, probably his grandfather;
-Jean Lafitte (les pirates) et l'Isle de Cypre?. Pas de bayou;
-Les pirates ont fait cet argent dessus le black market et ont venu enterrer l'argent ici;
-L'homme de couleur ('Nonc John') qu'est mort au dessus 100 ans (5:08);
-Cave d'argent, ils ont jamais pu la retouver quand ils ont retourné. Plus creux et la terre monte. Comme un cerceuil;
-Supposé d'avoir plus d'argent;
-Mr. Elmo Broussard (le meilleur soudeur) a la chaudière comme une auge pour faire boire ses animaux et il voulait faire un trou au fond pour la nettoyer tous les temps en temps. Il pouvait pas la couper avec son welding torch. Don aimerait que quel qu'un retourne pour essayer encore;
-Fait avec une certaine qualité de fer. Width of half an inch. 6 ft. diameter;
-The following neighbors saw the pot empty;
-L'homme de couleur et M. Judice split l'argent en deux. L'homme noir était pauvre, mais Mr. Judice avait un business et avait un peu d'argent;
-Pirates ou Vigilantes? (9:48);
Dieu Donné Montoucet from Southwest Louisiana:
-True tales: L'homme avec la mémoire courte, son souffle et la belle fille;
-Cyrus Guidry of Guidry's Hardware n'a pas eu une heure d'école. Engagé à l'école à Carencro comme un janitor. Fired because he didn't have an education;
-Cyrus a nettoyé le board qu'avait des informations important là dessus;
-Ouvert une forge et était le meilleur forgeron à Lafayette. S'il aurait eu une éducation, il aurait toujours été un janitor;
-Ses amis Laodés? Hébert, Adolphe Domingue faisant des courses en ville (15:22);
-Cyrus peut pas parler anglais, il va se faire embarassé. 'Make it two' was all he had to learn how to say in order to get a plate lunch, beer, etc;
-Le commis voyaguer parle à Cyrus en anglais;
-Cyrus n'a pas d'éducation, mais peut parler un 'tit peu d'anglais et est pas un coullion;
-Il a la bonne tête;
-Le défunct père à Don aurait jamais essayé à parler anglais;
-'Signe pas rien';
-Une lettre de Texaco;
-Manger des écrevisses qui sentent bonnes;
***Only year was included in original notes, no specific month or day***
Interview with Ambrose Thibodeaux
Ambrose Thibodeaux:
-First accordion bought second-hand by picking wild coffee in the rice (fields?) to get the money to buy it around age 15 years;
-Father or mother had to decide what was bought. Ambrose's father wanted to see the accordion to see if it was worth it. The guy selling the accordion brought it over for Ambrose's father to check out and Ambrose was surprised to see his father start playing accordion;
-Ambrose knew his father played fiddle, but he didn't know he played accordion;
-He bought the accordion for Ambrose. A "Lester" brand. Ambrose doesn't remember if Monarchs were out yet;
-Ambrose got a Monarch when he was 18-19 years old. He needed a better accordion to play dances;
-He had an accordion in between his Monarch and his Lester, but he doesn't remember the brand name. Back then, you were happy to get the accordion. You didn't' care about what brand it was;
-Monarch and Sterling accordions were the best sounding and longest lasting accordions around at the time;
-Blue Steel Reeds no longer available after the world wars because the metal was needed for more important things;
-His current accordion he bought 12 years ago from an old accordion player who had quit playing. His niece wanted to buy it for her husband and Ambrose got it from him. He sold it to Ambrose because the singer of the band couldn't sing with a D accordion. They sold it for a C accordion. Ambrose was driving a school bus delivering bread every two days. One Friday morning, Ambrose told the guy who had a boutique for the guy selling the accordion to come meet him at his shop. $150 for the Monarch. Ambrose got it Saturday morning and it was better than Ambrose expected. Ambrose would've given him more for it if he had known how good it was;
-D Accordion bought 6 years before he retired;
-Only 12 years Ambrose has picked up playing the accordion again;
-38 years without playing. He sold the accordion when he got married and started working. You couldn't wear out the team of horses working in the fields all day and staying gone all night. There wasn't much money in playing dances back then. 50 cents from playing a dance was a lot;
Courtship practices:
-Ambrose quit going to the dances, until his 4 daughters were old enough to go to the dance. Then, he'd have to bring them and wait in the car until they were ready to go home;
-Forgetting all the old songs he used to play;
-Giving his daughters the chance to enjoy their youth. Back then, boys could go by themselves, but girls couldn't. And boys didn't come pick up girls and bring them to the dance. If a boy wanted to see a girl, it was at a dance or on a Sunday afternoon at home, not outside without any supervision;
-Now girls go pick up the boys;
-Raising a family by working. Ambrose had to work hard to support a wife and kids;
-La vie d'un musicien à voyager pour faire de l'argent. Ambrose traveling to Washington (D.C.) and Virginia;
-La vie d'un musicien. Bringing your family on the road with you?;
-Ambrose had the mindset of working in the fields from sunup to sundown if one wanted to make it in life;
-Jouer des bals dans le temps. He started learning at 15 years old. He started playing dances at 17. 4-hour dances and playing for himself;
-Ambrose wanted to go to a dance with girls, not sit in with the band and play music. There weren't as many musicians as there are now;
-He played many dances;
-Leaving music for marriage and starting again 38 years later;
-Marital troubles, jealousy associated with being a musician;
-Ambrose bought a Sterling Accordion in 1940 and sold it not long after because he wasn't interested in playing music too much;
-Revon Reed's radio program in Eunice? on Saturday mornings. Ambrose decided he would go on that program because a lot of them weren't professionals;
Relearning songs;
-Ambrose played on Revon's program all by himself. Sometimes there was a fiddler or a triangle player to back you up;
-Ambrose had never played with a fiddle or guitar before. Always accordion by itself or with spoons/triangle backing up;
-Merlin Fontenot was the first fiddler to play with Ambrose;
-First record with Rachou at La Louisianne Records;
-They couldn't practice too much because Merlin was living in Florida at that time (in the service). He would come once a year on vacation;
-Recording with Preston (Manuel?) and Merlin on a Tuesday. Revon and Preston came on Monday to practice 8 songs with Ambrose before going record;
-Rehearsing the day of recording;
-La Valse du Grand Marais was the first song recorded. After they finished recording, Rachou came out and asked for 12 songs like they just played to make an album;
-"La valse qu'a cassé la glace.";
-Albums sold better than singles according to Rachou;
-Royalties and all the albums he wanted for his family. Talking about it his daughter and with Merlin;
-12 songs vs just 2;
-Ambrose didn't have to pay anything. He's still getting royalties from it;
-Making other albums. 2 are already made and the fourth hasn't been pressed yet because the last album Ambrose released was still selling too well;
-Young people buying records;
-Ambrose getting royalties from across the country and even outside of the country (France);
-There 6 years he's retired and he quit playing dances, but he's still called to play festivals;
Popularity of Cajun music at festivals:
-Chicago, Washington (D.C.), Virginia, Florida (television);
-Ambrose enjoys traveling and people appreciating Cajun music;
-Mindset of only Cajuns liking Cajun music. Americans like Cajun music too;
-All kinds of different music at these festivals;
-Article of Ambrose in the paper?;
-People followed Ambrose;
-Different bands playing on different stages at the same time;
-Musicians play better music when people appreciate their music;
Appreciation of style and timing and the importance for dancing:
-Ambrose was one of the best/easiest musicians to dance to;
-Telling a difference and making more people dance after he let someone sit in on accordion;
-Importance of timing for dancers;
-Young people coming to learn Ambrose's style;
-Seconding is list a watch/clock. Equal time between notes/beats;
-Dancers can't dance to musicians who don't keep time. Ambrose learned that while dancing;
-People not using their bass box. Ambrose can't play without playing his bass box because that's what keeps time and fills the sound/makes better music;
-Barry notes Ambrose plays with good timing and shows it by looks too;
-Ambrose would sometimes play accordion on/behind his head before he got married. Showing what he could do without messing up the dancers. It was a show and you had to practice it. Had to know how to play accordion before he could do the show part;
-Tour de force when he was a young musician. He can't do that anymore, he'll be 72 years old the 18th of October (35:57);
-Playing 4 hours, songs one after the other. Ambrose likes to play music;
-Playing at Crowley High School and "Old Folks" home;
-Georgia, Pennsylvania (2 places), Virginia. He can't go because he won't have Merlin and he won't go for just any amount of money (all expenses paid with $150 a musician);
-Ambrose had the right to collect 25% since he was the manager of the band. $600 for 4 musicians, each one got $150;
-Spending $1 his first trip to Washington for a coke;
-Ambrose got the highest price. The following year, the booking agent wanted Ambrose back for a lower price, but Ambrose wouldn't lower it because of the precedent. He didn't want his musicians thinking he was taking a cut of their pay;
-Another booking agent trying to get Ambrose to go play;
-People think a lot of Ambrose. Ambrose said he shouldn't hesitate to pay what Ambrose was asking for then;
-Not having a permit for one of the festival;
-Not going without Merlin because Merlin's too busy playing music;
-Merlin didn't go with Ambrose to St. Petersburg or Chicago (Dewey Balfa went to Chicago with him);
-Ambrose likes the way Dewey plays;
-The current state of music--festivals;
Ambrose Thibodeaux (72)
***Possible Copy on AN1-255?***
Stories by Burke Guillory, Jake Blanchard and Fred Tate
***Catalogue and audio match up?***
Burke Guillory, Jake Blanchard, Fred Tate:
-Burke Guillory
-Surveilleur dans le département d'éducation;
-Jokes, tall tales;
-Jake Blanchard, owner of Casanova Bar;
-Anecdotes, Pascal tradition;
-Fred Tate, Fred's Bar;
-Burke Guillory (contes, jokes): Il veut péter et il a besoin d'un numéro;
-Elle va revenir toute suite, elle a parti en pétant;
-Mange une balle de foin (CT 2200, Motif X903);
-J'ai passé devant ta porte (chanson Ð sung by 5-year old Steven Riley);
-L'homme qui entendait dur à la messe;
-(Revon) Grosse pance, cuisses fines, grande gueule;
-Le gros poisson et la grosse chaudière;
-Le cochon de 16, 000 livres; (Le conte à Philip Lahaye);
-La truie entre les jambes;
-L'affaire la plus forte de tous;
-(Revon) Le banco d'éléphant;
-La grande sensation;
-(Revon) L'échange de closettes;
-Le prêcheur baptiste et le prêtre dans le confessional;
-Pas assez de merde;
-Jake Blanchard: Jean Morvant 'Le Model T' pris dans la boue;
-Pascal tradition (comment) Early Research;
-Anatase Reed et son petit chien (Rosebud);
-Fred Tate (contes): Les désavantages de la vieillesse;
-L'homme de 70 ans qui se sentait comme 20 ans;
-Alexon Gauthreaux 'C'est toujours aussi bon';
-Les deux 'tites filles et leurs catins (salé);
-Le saoulard qui devait se tirer;
-à la chasse des ours;
-Les 4 chasseurs desquels un ronfllait (salé);
-Le vagabond et le bartender maudit;
-La question avant de répondre pour l'atomic energy (salé);
-Le qui croisait le chemin de fer;
Burke Guillory (62), Jake Blanchard, Fred Tate (62)
Interview with Mrs. Alcide Broussard
Mrs. Alcide Broussard:
Oral history of Ossun area and Scott:
-Walking to school house. 1 teacher with 60 kids. Learning in French & English up until 5th grade;
-Bruce Martin was the school teacher by Mr. Arceneaux's?;
-No gravel roads at that time, had to walk through dirt, mud, fields to get to school;
-Going to catechism/make first communion in Rayne once a week on Sundays. There was no church in Scott at that time;
-Her brothers made first communion in Scott;
-Father Dutch? the best priest (Father J. M. Detchemendy Pastor at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Scott between 1906-1919);
-Nonc Joe, un Hebert, Alcide Judice (Leo Judice's father);
-L. Leo Judice School;
-Scott wasn't big, there was no bank, no pharmacy, more? stores that there are now;
-Main Street in Scott;
-She never went to school in Scott;
-Higher grades at the school in Scott. Those that had the means went to higher schooling;
-L'école des Matthieu at the corner of Highway 93 and Rue Bon Secours ('Brud" & Vern Domingue);
-Private/public schools;
-No black people at school or church. Only churches were in Lafayette, Carencro, & Rayne;
-Going to Nonc Joe's once a year by wagon;
-Barouche? was covered with curtains around and 2 seats (not a buggy. Carioles was just 1 seat) Wagons, sulkies (2 wheels, a seat, and a compartment below, horses);
-4-5 of Jacques Arceneaux's kids (relatives of Mrs. Alcide) traveling by sulky;
-Mr. Jenkins - English school teacher;
-Catechism in French. Her mother taught catechism in French. Her mother died when she wasn't 17 years old yet;
-Her and her sister taught Catechism after their mother died;
Reading only in French:
-Praying rosaries in French beginning to become rare;
-Ossun was never big, always had a store at the corner of Highway 93 and Wyman Rd. (Romero's Grocery Store?);
-Sidney Sonnier?, Adam Webre, Hebert, Nonc Joe, Chiasson (oncle à sa mère);
-60 years Mrs. Alcide lives where she lives now;
Les bals/salles de danse:
-Father would bring her to the dance and they never stayed until midnight. Couldn't stay long because you had to go to mass in Rayne the next morning;
-Les bals de noce;
-Accordions were
-Simar LeRose? et sa soeur, Carmelite jouaient l'accordéon?;
-Tout le monde était Catholique, pas Méthodiste ou arien d'autre;
-Not being able to travel when it would rain;
-Legend of Martin Begnaud, her mother had a book about it. Alexis et Ernest LeBlanc?;
-Martin had a store and a lot of money, and they killed him and took all his money;
-Hanging the LeBlanc brothers in Lafayette, 'les 'tits français';
-Most everyone spoke French around here. English was rare except in schools;
-Les dégos parlaient français (mais croche);
-Nonc Jogue Haul? - old school teacher;
-Not the same dialect as France;
-'Black French' spoken in Breaux Bridge;
-St. Martinville one of the oldest settlments;
-The farthest she went was Sulphur to get married;
-Traveling to Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Hammond, Covington, Houston after she was widowed;
-Only locals worked in Ossun;
-Grandchildren who speak (or cannot speak) French;
Speaking English instead of French. Ridiculing for being from the country:
-People who speak only English aren't any better than people who only speak French;
-Louis Bearb, Mme. Pellerin babysits him and speaks French;
-Government and outside world all anglophone;
-Les cadiens tout parlaient français;
-"Too late to teach French in schools";
-Speaking French or English at schools;
-Learning to read;
-She can name everything in English, but she can't have a conversation;
Agricultural History: hoeing, picking cotton, digging potatoes, breaking corn:
-Sugar Mill at Elie 'Greo' Sonnier's;
-Mme. Nobert's father (Domingue) had a corn shucking mill?;
-Nonc Beb's (Bosso's brother) Tannery;
-Growing sugar cane for syrup;
-Sugar cane don't make good syrup anymore;
-Monroe syrup good;
-Everyone made their own syrup;
-Des sorghos, Sorghum for pigs;
-Shucking corn and milling corn to use to make cornbread/couche-couche;
-Mr. Vincent and Mr. Adrien milled corn using horse power;
-Grits and flour;
-Sickness associated with processed foods;
-Her father died at 73, her grandmother died at 89 years old and never saw a doctor;
Folk medicine:
-Laying down on a bed of willow leaves for sunstroke. Treating for sunstroke;
-Des herbes à Malo (lizard's tail, swamp lily) to treat stomachaches. Soaked in whiskey;
-Everyone had a little "marsh" on their property, and some people would grow rice there;
-Only eating rice on Sundays. Protecting rice from blackbirds and processing the rice;
-Eating grits during the week;
-There was no money back in the day. Cotton sold for 5-6 cents a pound;
-Living off the land, everyone had everything they needed at home;
-47 years father had a slaughterhouse (twice a week, Tuesday and Saturday). Separating the meat among neighbors;
-No electricity, wood stoves to heat during the winter;
-Les pralines aux herbes à ver;
-Les fleurs de sirop (white flower) 24 de Juin;
-Du thé de cabri, it grow on turnrows;
-Du thé de sassafras pour la rougeole;
-Des graines de Mamou pour la pneumonie;
-De la moutard;
-Covering Mamou plant with a mosquito net to keep the birds from eating it;
-There were no doctors back then, people were not sick like they are now;
Blacksmith shops:
-Buying plow blades and bringing them to the blacksmith;
-Various Blacksmiths around Ossun;
-Her nephew is a priest in Eunice who asks her for this kind of information;
How people got money. They didn't spend money, they kept it:
-100-200 arpents at $2/arpent;
-No bank around, maybe one in Lafayette;
-Burying money during Civil War time;
-Union Soldiers stealing cattle and horses;
-Old men (her grandfather's age) went to fight in the war;
-People forgot where they buried money;
L'ile aux Pins:
-Dédé Anderson, Alcide Judice and Bigeaux Chiasson and a buried pot of money/gold;
-One of her aunt's husband's, Lidley 'Nunu' Dugas
-Indian heads found while plowing;
-Placing food in a room to hide it from the indians?;
-Owl a sign or mortality when hunting for treasure. Someone dying soon if a relative dies on a Sunday. All tales;
-Bee LeBlanc treating for all kinds of stuff (bleeding and sun stroke). It couldn't cross water. You had to ask for their treatment and you couldn't pay them;
-Elson Faul's mother treats for bleeding and her treating a hog they were butchering;
-Treating cut horses and warts (corn in a paper bag);
-Treating must be passed on between sexes;
-Lady treating for rheumatisms and shingles;
-Prayers, not accepted in the Catholic Church or by doctors?
-Treating for pneumonia;
-1st Doctor in Scott;
-Théophile treating for worms. Treatment included crushing garlic and eating it with sugar;
-Elie Trahan treating for sun stroke;
-Dr. Tuney;
Mrs. Alcide Broussard (85)
Interview with Ambrose Thibodeaux
Ambrose Thibodeaux:
-La différence entre la vieille musique et la nouvelle;
Mélange entre le français et l'anglais:
-Parler l'anglais/le français avec un accent cadien;
-La valse de Kaplan, la vieille manière. The way people played it when he was about 18 (about 54 years ago, 1921) (Barry didn't record it, he was using it to set recording levels);
-Ambrose never changed his style to accommodate the newer styles of playing;
-Chère Toutoute. Playing with a singer who sings the newer style at a benefit. Playing by himself with cold hands during the winter;
-Chère Toutoute is Barry's father (Elmo)'s favorite song;
-Two-Step de Platin (Jambalaya recorded it as 'Le Two-Step d'Ambrose);
Discussion de la composition:
-Having a song in your head, thinking about which notes to hit, and learning what you can and can't do until you have a song how you like it;
-Nouvelle composition. Just an experiment;
-Finding notes/things that work;
-La Valse d'Indépendence;
Ambrose Thibodeaux (72)
***Possible Copy on AN1-255?***
Interview with Joseph Wiltz
Joseph Wiltz:
-Parks, LA name origin. William Parks was an African American man working on the railroad. The workers asked him what this village/town was called and he called it Parks. -Depot, store, etc. until it grew to what it is today (Before 1912);
-1912-1926: Living in Houston, Texas;
-Personal History (WWI). Drafted for army in 1917 and serving until 1919;
-Being born/living on Bayou Teche. Father raising cattle and hogs;
-1920: November, sent to hospital in Alexandria, he broke ? in 1918. January, he went to hospital in New Orleans;
-1922: Sent to an industrial school in Alabama Doctors sent him home after 3 months to protect his eyes? Sent home to his family until 1923;
-Not enough money to support his family, returning to the company he worked for during the war. Getting a medical certificate to allow him to work? Worked until -August 1926 when he was forced to quit that job and become a postman;
-Opening a grocery store in September 1926;
-Flood of 1927. Father and a neighbor stayed, but Wiltz was in Lafayette with his family. Went back to Parks on 27 July 1927 to a ruined store;
-Government rations. Working in the fields until 1940;
-Flood of 1940 and the boat;
-1942 - WWII. Returning to the company in Orange, Texas that built boats until June;
-Coming back to his store;
-Children/relatives/neighbors in the service and farming;
-Son returning from the service, farming for a few years, and becomes a plumber/mechanic;
-The store was a weekend business, nothing to depend on. Quit that to farm;
-6 girls, 3 boys, wife, and himself. Daughters going to school/college to study nursing, pharmacist (husband was a pharmacy who worked for the government), dentist's assistant, X-ray technician;
-He's the last resident of Parks;
-Promised Land built by Joseph Dugas. Farmland;
-Wiltz's father was a storyteller. He had to fight with the Confederacy because he was a free person of color 18 years of age;
-William Robert Alvin sold to Ben Potier. Wiltz's father had first choice, but he didn't want to buy it. 6 brothers (Wiltz family) on a small farm was okay (87 acres for $1,800). Potier sold it to Dugas who established 'Promised Land';
-Wiltz's father named it 'Promised Land';
-'l'Esprit Présent";
Bible story, 'Promised Land':
-Stories of slavery from his father who was a free person of color;
-Cotton and Sugar Cane (Dugas and Babineaux 'plantations');
-'Sucre Rouge';
-Agriculture (rice, corn, cotton, sugar) worked by hand. Processing rice;
-Grits Mill. Processing sugar cane and making syrup;
-Bayou Teche serving as a water source to drink. No factories around here. Not being able to dump anything (sugar mill waste) in the bayou or drink the water from it (due to poison, chemicals, bacteria). The water is no longer clean it used to be;
-Le Chêne d'évangeline, port in St. Martinville got stuff from New Orleans. Bayou along Courtableau, Breaux Bridge, all the way to Opelousas by boat;
-Origin of French presence (Indian Territory before they were forced West to Texas) French descendants who speak French, but not Parisian French;
-Wiltz knows English, but his Missal to follow mass is in French and Latin;
-Trying to retain the little French he used as a child;
-Can't say if 'Teche' is an Indian or French name. They came from Canada from the north, Opelousas to St. Martinville;
-Catholic Church in St. Martinville 2nd or 3rd oldest church in the state of Louisiana. Just refurbished/restored it;
-Agriculture territory. Division between St. Martinville and Breaux Bridge. Growing beans for animals, melons, pumpkins, lots of vegetables;
Family history:
-His father died at 94 years old (born in 1846, died in 1940). Paralyzed (la voix et la langue). He always said he wanted to live to be 100 because his grandmother (Wiltz's great-grandmother) lived that long;
-90 year old (oldest) brother who's a doctor in New Orleans blind;
-Wiltz is the fourth brother. Four siblings left ('rendu au poteau');
-Thanking God for the grace He gave him because his life was not wasted. Worked hard, big family, good life;
-Home schooling because it was expensive to send kids to Catholic School in Lafayette;
-23 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild and their schooling (law, working on airplanes);
Joseph Wiltz (84)
Interview with Alphée Bergeron
Alphée Bergeron:
-Commencer à jouer des bals à 12 ans. Bande de p'tits graçons qui se sont devenus musiciens(Stephen LeJeune, Gervais? Matte);
-Né à Branch dans le Clos;
-Iry LeJeune, premier cousin à Alphée (les deux mères étaient soeurs, des Bellard). Il est mort dans un accident;
-Il y a 49 ans qu'Alphée joue des bals à des Salles de Danses (Ducré? LeBleu, Alcée Richard);
-Tous ses oncles étaient des musiciens. La musique de la famille;
-Il faut avoir un talent de musqiue dans le sang, tu ne peux pas le forcer;
-Le père à Alphée n'était pas musicien. Entre les 5 frères, c'est seulement Alphée qu'est musicien. Shirley Ray (son garçon et ses filles à lui tous des musicens, RN/infirmière jouant pour la graduation);
-Des bons musciens: Iry LeJeune, Mayeuse LaFleur de Basile, Leo Soileau de la Ville Platte, Amédé Ardoin (noir) était un des meilleurs chanteurs, Amédé Breaux (il n'était pas grand chanteur, mais un bon joueur);
-Iry LeJeune était beaucoup nerveux et jouait vite avec trop de notes;
Des compositions d'Alphée Bergeron:
-La valse de quatre-vignt dix neuf ans--discussion, l'histoire. Alphée l'a écrit et l'a donné à Iry pour recorder et faire quelques sous (il était aveugle et ne pouvait pas travailler. Alphée avait sa vue et pouvait travailler);
-'La Branche du Mûrier' d'une des tantes à Alphée;
-Alphée, Shirley Ray Bergeron et Adam Hébert (fiddler) étaient les premiers à recorder 'La Valse de 99 ans.' Alphée aimait le sien plus que celui à Iry. Alphée a eu la chanson d'Amédé Ardoin;
-Style Blanc vs. Style Noir;
-Amédé Breaux;
-Angélas LeJeune (oncle du père à Iry);
L'accordéon:
-Jeune de 15 ans qui joue l'accordéon. Alphée l'a jugé au Cajun Day à Port Arthur. Son grandpère et ses parents/ses oncles sont musiciens (fameux ou pas);
-Les accordéon bien accordé;
-Alphée a un accordéon Monarch depuis il a 27-28 ans (34-35 ans il a l'accordéon) et il ne manque pas une musique dedans);
-Jouer toutes les nuits pour 5 ans. Travailler un team de chevaux/mulets, la moitié du clos pour 40 bales de coton. Il s'est acheté une machine après Shirley s'est marié;
-La femme à Aplhée n'est pas une musicenne, mais une danseuse. Elle et Shirley venait partout Alphée allait;
-Alphée going to talk to Shirley Ray. Barry working for CODOFIL;
Des différentes places Alphée a joué en Louisiane:
-Jouer 10-12 ans dans les mêmes places/salles;
-Des clubs. Bon Temps Rouler, Country Club, et Landry's Club à Lafayette. Il a joué 7-8 ans au Chinaball Club (Alec Léger et Castille) à Bristol, LA (à coté de Cankton). Sunset Guam Club (Frank Domingue, Mack Devalcourt);
-Selling the Chinaball Club;
-Clence Cormier. Jay's Lounge et Clifton Chenier;
-Il n'y a plus un tas de bons musiciens qui reste;
-Nathan Abshire. Iry est mort. Phil Menard n'est pas bon;
-La differénce entre la vieille et la nouveau maniére. Alphée a jamais appris la nouvelle manière (qu'est joué plus vite);
-Jouer égale;
-La bonne musique pour qu'elle dure et reste. Si ce n'est pas bon, ça ne va pas rester;
-Jouer en des accordéons avec des différentes clés ne sonne pas bon;
-Marc Savoy. Il a essayé tout. Il va trop vite pour Alphée;
-Silver Bells sonne pas trop bien;
Le nouveau style de l'accordéon:
-La manière de jouer à Clifton Chenier contre Rockin' Dopsie;
-Aldus Roger vs. Lawrence Walker vs. Alphée;
-Aldus joue plus vite qu'Angélas, mais Angélas jouait plus égal/unis;
-Lawrence Walker--son joueur d'accordéon le plus favorite parce qu'il joue pareil comme Alphée. Il joue égal avec le même temps/beat/note d'une nuit à l'autre;
-Vendre des accordéon à $600 aujourd'hui. $10.50 pour l'accordéon qu'il a acheté des années passé. Refuser $600 pour son Monarch. Il a plus de différence en prix qu'il y a des styles;
-50 ans passé--des square dances, des mazurkas, des polkas. Aujourd'hui--des valse et des two-steps;
-Sugar Bee, il ne connait pas quelle qualité de danse c'est;
-Toutes ces vieilles danses, c'est des square dances;
-Vouloir connaitre quoi c'est le nouveau style;
-Lawrence Walker joue "new style." Pas pouvoir et pouvoir, pas vieux et nouveau;
-Jouer avec Robert Bertrand, un bon joueur de violon. Alphée plays the old style. Everyone forgot the old songs, and Alphée thinks all those old songs are the best. -A good musician is an old one, not a new one;
-Jouer deux accordéons à la fois--joueur le même style;
-Il faut avoir bonne tête pour vraiment apprendre à jouer l'accordéon;
-Leger's club between Opelousas and Washington. Le 'tit bougre n'a pas de direction/mesure de comment long faire des danses. Malarranger des accordéons?;
-Commencer à 12 ans et broadcast dessus les stations de radio (KSIG à Crowley);
-Veteran Playboys--Alphée et Shirley Ray, Joe Melancon, Ernest Castille. KSLO, KEUN, KROF Abbeville, faire des plaques pour J.D. Miller à Crowley et Lee Lavergne (LANOR Records);
-Ils n'ont pas eu de chance avec J.D. Miller, il était tout pour lui même;
-Des 45 rpm et des albums. Jamais être payé et pas de royalties, maybe a little bit of money for Christmas. Aller recorder juste pour s'amuser, jamais chercher à faire de l'argent. Il faisait sa vie dans le clos;
-Jimmy Newman, Nathan Abshire's new album at La Louisianne (25 cents in royalties per album);
-Des batailles dans les bals à coup de bâton/pistolet/couteau. Voir tuer, couper, etc.;
-Cow Island was the roughest town Alphée played;
-Le 'tit garçon de 16 ans tiré et tué au Bayou Mallet. Tuer du monde comme des bêtes avec un couteau;
-Montrer l'esprit aux musiciens. Ils sont différents des autres, ils étaient jamais des criminels ni des voleurs;
-La musqiue Créole ne s'écrit pas, tout le temps après calculer pour faire des nouvelles danses;
-Etre déterminé à apprendre une certaine danse et la jouer une certaine manière apres travailler dur la journée;
-Composing songs with Shirley Ray--J'ai Fait Mon Idée, La Valse du Passé, et plusieurs d'autres (françai et anglais);
-Comment composer des chansons. "J'ai fait mon idée en faisant mon paquet" de John Bertrand. Il faut que ça vient de loin;
-Vinnis LeJeune a dit qu'ils ont volé sa chanson. Shirley Ray foullier pour voir où une chanson devient;
-Les airs (tunes) juste viennent;
-Songs that make sense, chanter assez haut et pas trop bas. Il sonne mieux et plus jolie de chanter plus haut;
-Adam Hebert a vendu des plaques, une voix fine avec des bonnes paroles;
-Du monde qui ne connait pas les bonnes paroles. Rhyming and meaning necessary. Stories like Chère Mom and Ton Papa m'a Jeté Dehors;
-Wallace LaFleur de Eunice, le cousin à Mayeuse. Il connait toutes les paroles à Mayeuse. Il a deux femmes, une femme et une belle. Il a joué tambours et chanté avec Alphée pour 20 ans;
-Zoé Bourque (la mère à Mayeuse LaFleur) ne lui a pas voulu, elle lui a donné à d'autre monde. Mayeuse tué à un Honky Tonk, il se préparait d'aller voir sa mère. -Son beau-père ne l'as permit d'aller voir sa fille malade qui mourrait. Deux plaques d'aller voir sa mère;
-La Valse Criminelle, toutes des vraies histoires;
-Un oncle (Cursey? Manuel) à Shelton Maunel, bélier, qu'il a tué Mayeuse;
-La Valse de 99 Ans d'Amédé Ardoin;
-Douglas Bellard et la pénitentiaire;
-Un tas des hommes qui perdaient leurs femmes et leurs mères. Chère Alice;
-Connaitre 'Tit Dam Hanks (le premier à jouer Chère Alice) et le couteau.
-L'histoire de son père. Des presses pour faire le monde parler (le mettre dans une citerne pour faire pomper ou noyer pour lui faire dire qu'il a tué Célestine Royer). Battre à une noce avec Royer.
-Elle était couché avec un 'tit bébé, monter dessus une baquet de candi pour la tuer sans tuer le bébé. Garder 'Tit Dam en prison pour 9 mois. Son portrait dans le livre;
-'Tit Dam était plus vieux qu'Alphée. Ils n'ont jamais pu prouver qu 'Tit Dam l'a tué;
-'Tit Dam aller rejoindre Alphée tous les samedis quand il broadcast à KSIG. Alphée ne croit pas qu'il a tué la femme;
-La femme avait deux enfants, elle ne s'est jamais marié;
-La Valse du Malchanceux à Lawrence Walker. Lawrence était un bon composeur. Les Bons Temps Rouler une jolie valse aussi;
-Practicing and always having something good and new;
-Job to do as a musician, being hired and having to do a good job to keep the dancers;
-Manquer l'accordéon pendant la Deuxième Guerre Mondiale. Alphée ne jouait pas pendant la guerre. Ses parents restaient près de lui, ses frères dans le service (23 ans dans le service WWII, Korea et il était supposé d'aller à Vietnam, mais il n'a pas été);
-Lester accordions, they had the best from that time (but they were'nt that great);
String bands during WWII:
-Les accordéons à Marc Savoy le meilleur faiseur;
-Nathan Abshire a lâcher l'accordéon pour le violon dans le temps de la guerre. Nathan est un vrai macaque;
-L'album a sorti avec Alphée avec son chapeau assis dessus une galerie. Le meilleur portrait de Nathan aussi;
-Le meilleur joueur de violon qu'il a joué avec c'était Merlin Fontenot. Il a joué avec Merlin un tas des places;
-Merlin va dire Alphée est le joueur d'accordéon le plus égale et il est le plus aisé à suivre;
-Merlin can't be beat in Alphée's book, he doesn't miss any notes and he plays the song how it's supposed to be played;
-He's played with about 80 fiddlers regularly. Playing with good fiddlers, bass players, and steel guitar players;
-Playing with Shirley Ray since he's 13-14 years old. Hard to replace Shirley on steel guitar;
-Allen Ardoin is another good fiddler;
Alphée Bergeron (62)
Interview with Sady Courville and Preston Manuel
Sady Courville, Preston Manuel:
Sady Courville:
-Comment Sady a commencé à jouer la musique;
-Son père était un musicien, la famille Courville n'étaient pas connus comme des musiciens, c'était les Frugé;
-Dernières années des 1700s, les Frugé sont venus ici et ils jouaient tout la musique;
-La musique du violon (un ou deux violons);
-La musique cours dans la famille;
-Son père et son oncle dans le portrait, leur mère chantait des airs pour qu'ils apprennent comment jouer;
-Les airs, des contredanses, des mazurkas, des breakdowns, des gigues, des valsuriennes, des valses, des danses carrées;
-Le mouchoir sur le plancher. Il fallait giguer autour du mouchoir sans touchant un coin;
-Son père aurait joué un bal pour $1-1.50;
-Eraste Courville (père à Sady) et Arville (le frère à Eraste) jouait tout le temp ensemble;
-Aller au bal en wagon (1907). Bol et Charlot: les deux chevaux;
-Cas de malice?, la mère à Sady n'aimait pas danser;
-Bol et Charlot, Sady et Sadia était la première danse que Eraste et Arville aurait joué;
-Sady est né en 1905;
-Son père faisait Sady cogner la quatrième corde du violon au même temp qu'il jouait (fiddlesticks);
-Father gave up music for a few years;
-Starting to play with Dennis McGee and Amédé Ardoin;
-Sady a premièrement commencé à jouer avec Amédé. Sady aimait ça;
-Du monde de couleur;
-Seconder l'accordéon;
-Un band avait un accordéon et un violon ou deux violons et un basse-tringue? (triangle);
-Abe's Palace à Eunice. Chataigner le samedi soir et Eunice le dimanche soir;
-Amédé Ardoin: des bals privés et des bals des noces pour des blancs;
-Amédé était un homme bien respectueux et respectable. Il restait à Crowley wuand il est mort;
-1928-1929 faire des plaques avec Dennis McGee;
-Dennis était bien connu et populaire;
-Angélas LeJeune;
-Sept. 1929--Sady arrête de jouer et recommence en 1954 quand il a reçu son violon de son père après il est mort;
-Sady a arrêté de jouer parce qu'il avait un travail et ne pouavait pas faire une vie avec la musique;
La différence entre la musique d'Amédé et la nouvelle musique:
-La musique change tout le temps. Reproductions à Aldus Roger;
-Amédé Ardoin, Angélas LeJeune et Iry? LeJeune jouait différent qu'Aldus;
-Modernized music, plus de musiciens change le style de musique;
-"La Vraie Musique Cadienne" de 1900-1935 ou 1936 deux violons et l'accordéon;
-"Un Vrai Band" asteur - accordéon, violon, rhythm guitar, steel guitar, bass guitar, drums;
-Sady aime mieux jouer la vieille manière. La nouvelle musique n'est plus aussi "Cadien" que avant, il faut préserver la musique que les Acadiens ont emmené ici;
-Son père a recommencé à jouer quand Sady avait arrêté;
-Jouer pour des jam sessions/soupers;
-Revon Reed radio program 9 ans passé. Sady avait peur du microphone;
-Il est trop vieux pour jouer beaucoup de bals;
-Un bal de 5 heures sans boire plus que du 7-UP ou du Coke. Tu n'as pas pour boire pour jouer de la musique et s'amuser;
-Sady joue de la musique pour relaxer;
-Musique dans le sang;
-6-piece Dixieland Band dans les 1920s--Sady jouait tenor banjo. Sady jouait aussi le piano, les tambours, et l'orge, mais tout à l'oreille et pour des noces. Jouer la musique caiden aussi. Avant il s'est marié;
-Arrêter de jouer pour travailler;
-Le meilleur joueur de second violon. Un bon second dans la musique cadien est bien nécessaire pour aider ceux qui joue l'air;
-Doubler les trois différentes cordes (ADG) en bas la petite corde (E);
-Le père à Sady seconder son oncle. Sady a tout le temps seconder Dennis, Angélas, Amédé;
-La musique à Sady et Dennis blend ensemble. Ça ne dépend pas dessus comment t'es un bon musicien, mais comment tu mets la musique ensemble pour la faire sonner bien. Apprendre à jouer avec des autres;
-S'habituer à des jeux/styles des différents musiciens et jouer des différents styles avec différents monde;
-Des musiciens que Sady avait apprécié jouer avec: deux violons avec Dennis McGee, l'accordéon avec Nathan Abshire;
-Nathan est beaucoup aisé à jouer avec;
***Possible Copy on AN1-257?***
Preston Manuel:
-Jouer le guitare avec J.B. Fuselier (l'accordéon et violon), Chuck Guillory & the Rhythm Boys, Nathan Abshire, Eddie Bearb & the Bristol Ramblers ("Hillbilly Bands");
-Nathan Abshire--smoothness, aisé à jouer avec parce que il joue comme il faut (pas trop vite ou doucement, une danse complète, bon "timing";
-Il a essayé l'accordéon quand il était jeune, mais il aimait chanter et s'accompagner avec le guitare;
-Jimmy Rogers;
-La musique réligieuse (jouer avec des prêches et des cantiques);
-Frère "Tit dor?" Cormier et Lawrence Thibodeaux lui a montré Preston ses premiers chords;
-Premier band Cadien--J.B. Fuselier lui a volé pour aller jouer à Iota. 2 guitares et 1 violon;
-Miller's Merrymakers. Beethoven Miller et son père (Edward, leur manager en 1936). Ils jouaient tous les soirs;
-Faire des plaques. $100 pour 4 plaques ($25 par plaque);
-Sady Courville with Preston Manuel: Record royalties. Voyage gratuit à la Nouvelle Orléans;
-Royalties de l'album du bougre de Berkley, CA?;
-J.B. Fuselier & his Merrymakers after Miller's Merrymakers;
-Dennis and Sady got each $18;
-Preston avec les Balfa (Le Sauvage dessus le Chicot et La Valse de Bambocheur). Juste lui et Rodney Balfa dessus guitare;
-L'album avec Ambroise Thibodeaux $15 et $25 pour faire des albums;
-Harrison Fontenot;
-$50 pour l'album (Preston, Sady, et Hubert?);
-Floyd a donné Preston $5 pour payer ses portes;
-Faire plus pour un bal ($20-25);
-Country Western à Nasvhille le fait riche (Webb Pierce et 'Wandering'). $40,000 après vendre des millions de plaques;
-Hackberry Ramblers l'ont coupé 10 fois avant qu'ils étaient content;
-4-string tenor banjo (de Sears-Roebuck) à Sady de quand il jouait avec Dixieland Band. Il l'a vendu à Hubert? qui l'a vendu à Miller;
-Miller a commencé dessus le guitare, mais c'était trop fort. Tenor banjo gardait un bon temp sec;
Sady Courville (70), Preston Manuel (59)
Ballads Performed by and Interview with Odile Trahan Falcon and Solange Falcon
Odile Trahan Falcon, Solange Falcon:
-Odile Trahan Falcon: Au Pont du Nantes;
-Les veillées avec ses grandparents. Chanter dessus la galerie jusqu'à 11 heures le soir. Prendre des tours à chanter des vieilles chansons;
-Le vieux monde ne racontait pas des histoires;
-Oh, Grand Dieu, quand je suis à mon aise;
-Il y a des années qu'elle chante. La manière de chanter et dire des mots deux fois pour garder le temp;
-Les montagnes (la Californie);
-Apprendre des chansons des grandparents et du aveugle;
-L'aveugle qui chantait et jouer du violon de Grand Chenier. Il voulait déménager à Rayne, mais il s'est tué. Il avait un tas des amis et des filles à Rayne: Sévène?;
-'Oh, Grand Dieu' et 'Les Montagnes' et des chansons de guerre devient du aveugle;
-Oh, ma reine, Vierge Marie (cantique, la chanson à son père et de sa mère à lui);
-Callais (La belle, elle est malade);
-Solange Falcon: La reine de la salle;
-'Catin' était la soeur à sa défunt belle-mère parce qu'elle était si bonne danseuse. Nonc Adam Lougon (oncle à Odile) l'a fait;
-La salle à Paul Royer une vieilles salle de danse à Rayne;
-Preston Breaux (fils à Amédé, neveu à Cleoma Breaux Falcon) était un bon musicien. 2 garçons qui joue l'accordéon dessus TV. Un jeune qui joue les tambours (Pat, Gary, & Jimmy);
-Les mots d'un chanson;
-Joe Falcon et Cleoma Breaux Falcon et Lula;
Reminiscing:
-Joe a commencé à l'age de 17 ans. Portable graphophone and $500 pour ses premiers deux plaques. Recorder dessus commission après ça;
-Joe était charpentier et jouait des bals;
-'Le Vieux Soulard et Sa Femme' ou 'Mon Bon Voeux Mari';
-Joe Falcon arrête de boire par rapport à Lulu, sa fille;
-Joe mange du gombo quand il était saoule le soir;
-Joe n'était jamais riche, mais il faisait une bonne vie. Il buvait tout ce qu'il faisait;
-Les autres faisait $10-15 travailler dans le clos et Joe avait $200 pour un bal au Texas. Coucher le soir à Hackberry chez l'oncle à Joe;
-Joe boire du whiskey;
-La mère de Joe Falcon (invalite). Joe retournait saoule;
-La composition de 'Allons à Lafayette.' Madame 'Canaille' Comeaux a été à la court pour ça;
-'Why Can't We Get Along' copyrighted. Le shériff des Opelousas est venu avait un officiel du gouvernement. Aller à la court pour chanter des chansons copyright. -$750 et puis elle pouvait chanter n'importe quelle danse;
-Des hommes qui rentraient au bal faisaient des affaires avec une femme mariée;
-Des femmes qui chantaient avec Joe;
-Cleoma Breaux;
-Thérèse Falcon a commencé à chanter et jouer les tambours;
Odile Trahan Falcon, Solange Falcon
Interview with Clément Boudreaux, Anthony Boudreaux, Gladys Guilbeau, and Odile Falcon
Gladie:
-Le garçon qui avait des grands cheveux et la grande barbe (Jésus Christ marchait);
-Naked in a hospital, looking for his gun because he thought some people were trying to break into his house to steal his son's money;
-Clément between 88-90;
-Baptismal certificate would tell his age;
-Il est cochon depuis il est vieux;
-Les fleurs qui fleurissent ne sentent jamais bon;
-Conte de chien qui allait chier?;
-Bouki et Lapin;
-Il connaissait un tas des contes dans le temps;
-Il a oublié tous ces contes. Il connaissait mieux ses contes que ses prières;
-Conter des contes pour des menteries;
-Peut-être ça reviendrait s'il avait quelque chose pour le pousser;
-Les chiens qui jappaient et qui faisaient le monde passer la buit blanche;
-Le serpent qui montait la jambe;
-Mr. Jack? Rougeau dormait pas dans une maison décroché;
-He stole a pair of mares to work in the fields and went to court for that;
-Jules Baronné?;
-Couper du bois et faire boucherie l'hiver;
-Maman Clément cuit déjeuner et Rougeau allant à la chasse. Rougeau a volé tous les biscuits pour aller chasser;
-Le tour de la maison de court;
-Biggest crook and wanderer;
-His mother was a big black lady and his father was white. He had never realized it was his mother, he thought it was just a servant;
-Whites and blacks not eating together;
-Near Opelousas;
-A lot of interracial marriages;
-Narcisse Arceneaux;
-Interracial marriages not rare today. A lot of things were hidden back in the day and new didn't travel as fast either;
-Le monde était contre les nègres/les ésclaves;
-La tannerie;
-Chaudière anglaise. Pattes comme des doigts. Son grandpère a arraché une pleine d'argent;
-Fouiller pour de l'argent;
-Chaurdière à sucre enterrée;
-Pauvre vieux homme a trouvé une tombe en brique et a trouvé des piastres;
-Willie Heinan?, un alleman qui buvait comme un cochon;
-5 chevaux atelé à la charrue de 3 lames (gang plow);
-Tourner millionaire après être pauvre;
-Pendent la guerre confédérée, ils ont enterré cet argent;
-Il a du mal tout partout?;
-Annie est la fille à Willie. Tina est sa plus vieille;
-Il parle anglais comme une vache espagnole;
-Tu ne pouvais pas entendre sonner à l'autre bord si tu cognait un bord avec un coup de marteau?;
-L'eau bouillait au soleil, ça faisait assez chaud;
-La trou en bas de la chaudière;
-Devenir fou dans l'hôpital après son stroke;
-Négresse propre, bonne;
Musical Performance by Don Montoucet, Lionel Leleux and Hubert Maitre; and by Lionel Leleux and Jr. Benoit
Don Montoucet, Lionel Leleux, Hubert Maitre
Demo Tape for FAF 1976:
-Hathaway Two-step;
-La Valse du Saoulard;
-Donnez-moi mon Chapeau/Le Two-step du Vieux Temps pour Jack Montoucet;
-La Valse de 99 ans/Mermentau Waltz;
-Eunice Two-step;
-Les Flammes D'enfer;
Lionel Leleux (fiddle), Jr. Benoit (guitar)
-Chère Bassette;
-Pauvre Hobo pour Keith;
-Madame Sosthène;
-La porte d'en arrière pour Jr. Benoit;
Interview with Mrs. Walter (Evelia) Boudreaux
Mrs. Walter (Evelia) Boudreaux:
***Copy of AN1-058***
-Le garçon et l'aveugle (joueur de football qui tenait le vieux homme par la main. Il quémandait/mendiait de jouer et a fait si bien. Il jouait pour son père puisse lui voir jouer). Du prône du prêtre qui a fait l'enterrement d'un de ses cousins de Duson;
-La personne qui méprisait tout le monde. Elle a été se confesser et sa pénitence. Salir le monde sans être capable de reprendre ses mots);
-Des contes de curé/prêtre du Canada;
-La fille qui faisait des somersets (elle avait pour revenir parce qu'elle n'avait pas ses caleçons);
-'Tit Poucette (ses frères et soeurs étaient jaloux et ont essayé de le laisser an arrière dans le bois. Lancer une pierre où ils passaient pour retourner chez lui, mais il ne pouvait pas. La maitresse de la maison du vieux diable et passer la nuit là. La maitresse qui cuisait le souper. Tous les enfants se couchaient avec un petit bonnet. Le vieux diable est arrivé et a mangé celui sans le bonnet. 'Tit Poucette a volé les bottes et l'argent du diable et a finalement retrouvé sa famille qui était pauvre);
-Grand-père et son grand-fils le médecin: le truck et le cadillac (Grandmère se plaint de Grandpère, il voulait quelque chose pour lui rajeunir. Grandpère aurait acheté un nouveau truck. Grandmère était content et a acheté un beau char);
Discussion of telling stories and reviving memories:
-Sa mère racontait ('Tit Poucette, Boukie Lapin, 'Tit Ouaouaron) pour faire passer le temp aux enfants sans tv ou radio. Quelque fois, il y avait des graphophones seulement avec des chansons;
-Souvent après ça faisait noir ou ils avaient las de jouer avec des poupets/des jouets;
-Disant des contes plus forts en vieillissant;
-Elle ne conte jamais des contes à son mari;
-Des bétisses, des histoires en français qui use des mots anglais;
-Son mari ne s'intéresse pas à ça;
-Aller en quelque part et revenir avec des contes nouveaux;
-Conter des contes avec du nouveau monde;
-Conter 6 contes à Barry la première fois qu'il est venu en Janvier 1974. Janvier 1975, une douzaine de contes différents (17 entiers). Elle chercher des autres contes et histoires pour la prochaine fois que Barry revient;
-'Joueur de pélote' un nouveau conte. Un des premiers cousins à son père, de Rayne. Enterré le vendredi et le lundi, un autre cousin était enterré à Carencro;
-Conter des contes beaucoup forts = des menteries;
-Reference to 'Suce ma langue', forgotten story;
-Le si bon chat, le chat remarkable - histoire d'enfant;
-L'homme qui vendait du lait et de la crème. Il était un joueur de violon et jouait pour des enfants. Le chat a commencé à danser. L'homme à l'hôtel voulait acheter le chat, mais il ne l'a pas vendu. Le roi voulait voir ce chat danser. Toute la famille du roi dansait. Le roi voulait le chat. Les faire danser jusqu'à ils sont venus las. Le roi arrête la musique et le chat danser. L'homme ne peut pas arrêter de jouer tant que le chat dansait. Le roi ne pouvait plus danser, ça fait il a pu garder s'en aller avec son chat;
-Le commis-voyageur. Sa fils l'a rencontré cette histoire pour leur anniversaire de mariage de 50 ans;
Son char était cassé et ils demandait pour logement chez des habitants. Coucher avec le 'tit garçon. Le 'tit garçon priait et le commis-voyageur faisait comme si lui priait. Punchline?;
Experience story:
-L'homme de couleur embourbé. Passer Jour de l'An chez Grandmère Richard et Noël chez Grandmère Guilbeau. Beau temp, assis dessus la galerie. L'homme en cariole avec un cheval maigre, il était saoule. La roue tombait, il a perdu le boulon, et les hommes ont été faire des farces avec lui. Fier était son nom. Remettre son boulon. Une vraie histoire;
-Des fois, des vraies histoires sont aussi farce que des contes;
-Les salles de danse dans le voisinage: Silver Slipper à la Pacannière, La salle à Romain Mèche. Happy Landing n'existait pas (à la Pacannière). René et Félix Stelly à Frozard chez les Olivier dessus le chemin d'Arnaudville;
-Les musiciens de la région: Joe Falcon. Lawrence Léger, Ozémé Guilbeau et son frère 'Chaoui'. Joe Robin (accordéon);
-Gérard Forestier à Carencro. Kaliste Comeaux, Noé Brasseux. Esta Hébert;
-Martin Webre and other bouncers;
-La salle à Romain Mèche. Cognait un jeune homme avec son baton;
-Il fallait avoir des constables durs. Mais des fois, des contables abusait leur pouvoir;
-La salle à Ophé Mèche à peu pres 1-3 miles nord de là
-La bataille chez Ophé Mèche, Ogé était avec les Guilbeau contre les Landry;
-Son mari était là et lui et son oncle ont sorti pour voir la commotion;
-Battre dans la savane, puis le chemin;
-Un des battailleurs criait après Jean. Jean allait, mais bien tard;
Mrs. Walter (Evelia) Boudreaux
Interview with Andrew Chautin
Andrew Chautin;
Bird Nest: Reminiscences about Valerie (Valéry) 'Pop' Mayer and Prohibition:
-Mayer gets job at the sawmill putting smoke in a sack because no one else would do it. Easy to leave it outside of the sack, harder to put it in;
-Faire comme s'il a coupé son doigt. La femme du bougre voulait qu'ils se dépêchent à l'hôpital. Il n'a pas répondu son téléphone pour deux jours;
-Mayer as bread salesman. Route in a Model-T Ford, in 1933 during the Depression. 5 gallons of used oil. Bruler 5 gallons par jour dessus une route de 100 miles;
-Mille pains par jour, il aurait eu un nouveau truck;
-Andrew Chautin as bread salesman. 700-800 pain par jour;
-Il n'avait plus de pain l'après-midi, il en avait besoin d'autre;
-Il avait un nouveau truck la prochaine fois qu'il arrivait à Lafayette;
-Mayer as bread salesman (barters bread for eggs, chickens, shoes, saddle...), bartering. Il vendait 200-300 pains. Lalonde et O.J.? LeBlanc;
-Ramasser le vieux pain, et vendre du nouveau;
-Vendre le plus de pain. Il achetait des souliers pour le monde. Barguinner du pain pour des souliers ou du gas. Une selle à Arnaudville de $27 avec du pain;
-14 pains par jour. 25-30 pains par jour jusqu'à la selle était payée;
-Acheter les oeufs un sous plus que les autres la douzaine;
-20 sous asteur est comme 5 sous;
-Il n'était pas éduqué, mais il était farce;
-On the road to Cecilia. People were picking cotton, made anisette - (Mayer feigned sorrow). People came to see what was wrong;
-Coucher les enfants ensemble quand il avait 10 ans. Waking Andrew in the night because he was snoring. Mayer making as if he was sleeping;
-Watching Mayer through a crack in the door and catching him waking Andrew up at night;
-Jouer des niches toute sa vie;
-Il buvait;
-His grandfather's picture;
-Andrew making whiskey during the Depression and Mayer buying it. Half a mile from the house;
-Gilbert just before his lung operation. About 50 years old. He was sober when he was smart, but alcohol did something to him;
-Mayer bought 20-30 gallons to sell it in Lafayette;
-Andrew and Mayer going to sell whiskey in Opelousas in a Model '32 Chevrolet;
-Not wanting to get him (his brother-in-law) in trouble, but keeping him safe because he was driving drunk;
-Escaping the revenue men. 20 stills paid to protect in the woods. 3 shots fired meant they had plenty of time to hide everything. 3 shots and 2 shortly after meant an emergency and to hide asap;
-Tracks in the mud he didn't recognize. Riding horse;
-Getting caught by the revenue man who was hiding. The horse was nervous and could sense something was wrong. Escaping through the woods by horse (jumping logs, running through briars);
-Andrew was caught once in 1939 (emprisonned for 8 months?) and went into the service for 1941;
-Mayer never got caught that Andrew knows of;
-Mayer and Edwin (Andrew's brother) in Monroe - getting caught and escaping. 4 gallons of whiskey by bus. Prices of buying and selling alcohol. Made enough money to buy a Studebaker. Mayer put in prison in Monroe. Mayer and another man escaped to the woods and flagged down a ride as far as they would take them. -They stayed escaped for a week;
-Charlie Thibodeaux, Sheriff in Opelousas. He lied to the Monroe police to protect Mayer. Thibodeaux supported his community, even if it wasn't right;
-Fining people. Federal police came in;
-Mayer made a lot of money and drank it and gave it away;
-Barry 12 years old going to see him for Easter and listening to him tell stories on a washtub in the yard;
Menteries;
-A man traveling cross-country. His truck broke down with about 20 blacks hiding in back of the truck; Wrecked a telephone pole;
-Enterrer tous les nègres. Ils ont dit un tas des affaires avant ils sont morts, mais ils mentaient;
-Making up stories himself and putting stories together;
-One day he was selling bread and was coming up the road. $2 every Saturday when they paid you. Meyer would give $2?;
-Meyer riding with Andrew with his bottle. Got to a house and a lady thought she saw someone riding with Andrew. Meyer was hiding;
-Barry's mother and her first boyfriend;
***Too many things going on to understand***
-Two hobos;
-Railings too low;
-A moité fou;
-Catching whiskey in the ditch;
-Copper still and a trough;
Andrew Chautin
Interview with Madame Gérard
Madame Gérard:
-Traditional Herb Remedies, traiteurs and recollections from La Coulée Kenny;
-Du plantain-pour dégonfler des bobos. Guérir la pâte d'un cheval. Le faire faner dans l'eau chaude, squeeze bien, et mets lé dessus le mal;
-Elle a pris ça quand elle était au village, de sa mère;
-Partout dans la cour;
-Les docteurs faisaient pas rien;
-Du plantain-un poison;
-Ça prend 1-2 jours pour les bobos sécher;
-L'herbe à malo-pour des bébés et l'inflamation de l'estomach, pour raffraichir;
-3/5/9 mailles pour les dents de bébés;
-Les docteurs donnent juste des shots asteur;
-De la coulée/la terre basse;
-Des inflammations dessus l'estomach;
-La raquette--pour des inflamations. Il faut boire l'eau que tu fanes la raquette en-dedans;
-Jamais voir le docteur;
-Travailler dans ses 60s dessus la glace?;
-Le rheumatisme;
-Les medecines marchent pas;
-Price of doctors ($8 la visite, $4.50 le shot). Elle croit que c'est de l'eau dans les shots. Les herbes dans la cour marche mieux;
-L'herbe à chien--pour arranger/nettoyer le sang;
-Thé du laurier-pour le sang haut et l'estomach, boire tant qu'ils mangeaient;
-Un hiver avec autant de monde malade;
-La dineire-detruire la fievre;
-De la vinéraire-la fievre. Les pharmaciens fait du 3-6 cough medecine avec ça. Faire un thé, mais les enfants n'aiment pas boire ça;
-Elle se force à boire le thé sans du sucre et ne pas le bouillir un tas;
-Ça coupe la fièvre;
-La citronelle (elle est crévée)-la fievre et le sang (thé) Use les feuilles pour faire du thé;
-Jamais avoir un docteur quand elle élevait ses enfants;
-Prendre une 'tite pillule du gouvernement pour le sang haut;
-Les opérations, Dr. Edwards;
-Boire d'une pompe n'est pas bon et la fièvre prend, selon Dr. Edwards;
-Les racines et des graines d'anis-la roséole, la rougeole. C'est doux doux;
-Des candis pleine d'anisette;
-L'anis pour des bébés (measels, smallpox). Les docteurs donnent des shots;
-L'anis est un grosse talle, écraser des graines pout faire du thé;
-La roséole sort bleu. Tu aies ça partout quand tu deviens vieux. Ça sort plus dessus un blond qu'un brun;
-Des cheveux blancs à 20 ans, avant elle avait les cheveux bruns/chatain "une vilaine couleur de cheveux);
-Faire du thé avec les racines et les graines d'anis, manger les feuilles pour le bon gout;
-Bouillir de l'anis pour les malades de dents des bébés;
-Le père à Vickie:
-L'estragon (tarragon)-bon pour proche n'importe quoi. Cone like a pine tree, tremper et boire l'eau;
-Toutes les opérations deviennent des inflammations;
-Une 'tite fleur jaune pour rinser la bouche avec. Un bougre qui s'est fait mal et ne pouvait plus mangeait, il pouvait seulement boire. Iced tea avec ça et un limon l'été;
-Better than what you buy in the store and you don't know what's in it when you buy it;
-Des graines de Mamou grillés dessus un fer blanc, les écrase, et les bouille-bon pour infection, pour du sang;
-10 sous pour 3 graines de Mamou, aller ramasser des graines au ras du chemin de fer;
-La vinéraire est amère, haigre, doux;
-Les médecines sont cher;
-Ses soeurs, leurs médecines ne les aidaient jamais;
-La plus gaillarde de sa famille;
-New Iberia 20 miles from here;
-Quelqu'un qu'est malade?;
-Les traiteurs, il n'y en a plus, ils sont tout morts. La négresse qui l'a traité avec la farine de maïs et du whisky camphré. Elle a élever cette négresse;
-Traiter pour le sang. Mr. Bergeron traitait pour tout, sa mère traitait pour le sang. Elle les traitait de chez elle, traiter un mulet;
-Le Bon Dieu entend, des prières. Sa mère a jamais montré ces prières à ses enfants;
-Abshire traiter les verrures;
-Traiter un veau;
-Son frère traitait;
-Sa mère a arrêté de traiter;
-Mr. Azar? traitait jusqu'à sa mort à 91 ans. Il condusait un tranfers d'école pour 35 ans. Un hack avec des chevaux, puis un tranfers;
-Elle reste ici 53 ans, née dessus la Coulée Kenny;
-Travailler au métier à la Coulée, courte-pointes;
-Une dame de 70 ans qui fait des couverts et devient de la Coulée. Elle s'est mariée avec un Clark et sa mère vit et frappe toujours (95 ans). Mrs. Alexis Clark (Gladys)?;
-écarter du coton pour faire des quilts;
-Des rouettes;
-80 acres de terre, des grosse récoltes de coton et de foin;
-1-2 rang du coton jaune;
-Sauver des carreaux;
-L'oct(r)agon?;
Madame Gérard