Fall 2023

Grand Bayou: The Last Indian Village on the Water | La Veillée

The French language in Louisiana is most heavily associated with the Cajun and Creole parishes of Southwest and Central Louisiana, but there are other Francophone communities scattered throughout the State. In this episode, we visited one such community in the far Southeast of the State, near the mouth of the Mississippi in Plaquemines Parish. We learned from residents of the Grand Bayou Indian Village, accessible only by boat, about their unique Indigenous and French roots and their contemporary cultural, environmental, and economic challenges.

Courir de Mardi Gras | La Veillée

Faquetaïque : Un Courir de Mardi Gras pour le Peuple Faquetaïque: A Mardi Gras Courir for the People In the spring premiere of season 2, the team takes viewers to the prairies of St. Landry and Evangeline to experience a different kind of Mardi Gras: the Courir. At a unique Mardi Gras in Faquetaïque Praire founded in 2006 by young Cajun leaders to practice old traditions in a modern and inclusive way, we speak with Courir participants about what the event entails and with a co-founder of the Courir about the event’s cultural significance for his community and Louisiana as a whole.

Swamp People: The Real Story | La Veillée

Swamp People: The Real Story Les Gens des Marais: La Vraie Histoire History Channel’s Swamp People and its Louisiana star Troy Landry put alligator hunting on the map for the first time for viewers across the United States and world. We visit Troy in his hometown of Pierre Part to go alligator hunting and talk to him about the role Louisiana’s French language and culture have played in his life and career.

The Giant Omelet: An Abbeville Celebration | La Veillée

Larose is a bayou community in Lafourche Parish where the French language is very much alive and embedded throughout the culture. In this episode, we visit the small town’s biggest festival of the year to practice our down-the-bayou French, learn how to cook some festival favorites, and hear what this Festival means to the local community.

French Food Festival in Larose | Episode 206 | La Veillée

French Food Festival in Larose Le Festival du Manger Français à Larose Larose is a bayou community in Lafourche Parish where the French language is very much alive and embedded throughout the culture. In this episode, we visit the small town’s biggest festival of the year to practice our down-the-bayou French, learn how to cook some festival favorites, and hear what this Festival means to the local community.

Sid's One Stop and North Lafayette | La Veillée

The Northside of Lafayette is known for its rich culture and strong community of Black Creole families. At its center: Sid’s One Stop Shop.

France in Louisiana: The Role of the French Consulate | La Veillée

France in Louisiana: The Role of the French Consulate La France en Louisiane: Le Rôle du Consulat Français The French Consulate General in Louisiana is the oldest French Consulate in the United States and the only one dedicated exclusively to a State. In this episode, we delve into France’s current investments in Louisiana and have an exclusive first interview with the newly-arrived Consul General Rodolphe Sambou.

Shrimping: A Louisiana Industry in Crisis | La Veillée

Shrimping is a hallmark of Louisiana’s coastal economy and cuisine, yet in recent years, Louisiana’s shrimpers are struggling to stay afloat like never before. In this episode, we go shrimping with two local fishermen in South Terrebonne to learn about the process and hear about the current economic difficulties facing shrimpers across the state.

Pointe Coupee Creoles | La Veillée

Creole culture is present throughout the State from Kouri-Vini speakers near Lafayette and Bayou Teche to Creole Mardi Gras Indians in New Orleans. In this episode, we visit the Creoles of Pointe Coupee parish. We speak with local residents to learn about the history of this diverse community and the contemporary situation of its Creole language. In Louisiana French with English subtitles.

Ecole Point-Au-Chien: A Historic Victory

In our season two premiere, the team revisits a story from last season, École Pointe-au-Chien–a ground-breaking new French immersion school based in South Terrebonne–just weeks after opening. We speak with teachers and School Leader Christine Verdin on how they are incorporating the local language and culture and what this historic win means for this small Indian and Cajun community.