Month: April 2016
New Introduction
Culture. Noun. “the way of life of a particular people, as shown in their ordinary behavior and habits, their attitudes toward each other, and their moral and religious beliefs” (Cambridge Dictionary). It is easy to Google search for the definition of “culture”, but gaining a deep understanding of a foreign culture involves more than one Google search, a task that many rarely dare to perform, due to its difficulty. New Orleans, or “The Big Easy”, as many call it, has one of the more complex cultures in the United States, despite “Easy” being a part of its common name. The rich history of New Orleans has defined its modern culture, giving emphasis to the food and religion of the area. Creole food has become “the way of life”, and many rest their “religious beliefs” in Voodoo. Creole food and New Orleans Voodoo have nearly identical historical backgrounds, and, being two static aspects of New Orleans culture, many people, especially women, feel called to dedicate their life to both, or either. The culture and history of New Orleans food and Voodoo is rich and yet, pop culture misrepresents the vital role that women play in both, essentially masking the truths of New Orleans culture to the masses.
The edited paper- not too drastic- just some phrasing
New Orleans Food, Voodoo and Women
As portrayed in History and Pop Culture
When you go to New Orleans, you are not just visiting a city, you are immersing yourself in a whole new culture. Quite frankly, for a city called “The Big Easy”, New Orleans culture is quite difficult to understand, especially for those who are not natives. Ruta Sepetsy, a New Orleans author, puts it perfectly by saying “New Orleans is a sensory experience…and there’s a story lurking around every corner. Its cultural diversity is woven into the food, the music…even the local superstitions.” New Orleans is one of the most popular cities in the United States, so it is quite the hotspot for movies and TV, as if New Orleans needs any more stories. Food is a very important aspect of New Orleans culture, so it often given a spotlight on the big screen. There is a fascinating history behind New Orleans food, a history that is almost identical to that of New Orleans Voodoo, and while Voodoo is given a spotlight on the big screen as well, this light is not as bright. There is a striking disparity between the way pop culture portrays food, and the way it portrays Voodoo, even though both contain cultural influences from the same people. In each case, those who participate in the act are given the same attention, whether that attention be beneficial or detrimental.
One of the most famous commodities that New Orleans offers is its food. In New Orleans, Creole cuisine dominates the market, due to its variance of delicious flavors and ingredients. According to a nineteenth century historian, Paul Beckwith, who published a book on famous Creole families in 1803, A Creole person is defined as “ one born of European parents, in the American colonies of France or Spain… Especially those of French or Spanish descent who are natives of Louisiana and their descendants”(Beckwith, Creoles of St. Louis). Creole culture begins with the French. Louisiana was claimed by the French explorer Robert De La Salle in 1682, with the help of Canadians and Native Americans. La Nouvelle- Orleans was founded in 1718, and it became the dream city of La Salle. In 1719, the first African slaves were brought to Louisiana. These slaves often ran the kitchens of French colonists, introducing African foods and techniques into the colonists’ diets by the use of okra and one of the first versions of Gumbo, the name derived from the West African word for Okra. While gumbo is a very famous Creole dish, this, still, did not spark the beginning of Creole food.
The Beckwith definition of a Creole person can be used for Creole Food as well. In figurative terms, Creole food is the child of American ingredients, and French settler techniques. In 1722, Creole food began at the hands of a group of 27 young French women. These women were upset that the colony was experiencing a shortage of familiar French cooking ingredients. They formed a culinary coup d’etat, and marched to the governor’s house clanging on pots and pans (Langlois). While the governor couldn’t do much about the shortage of ingredients, he decided that the women could use some guidance for cooking in the colony. The governor’s cook, Madame Langlois, was instructed to teach the women how to cook with local American ingredients. One of the dishes that she taught them was a variation of the African Gumbo that the slaves often made(Elie, Oxford American). This recipe would become the Louisiana Creole Gumbo that many people know and love. Though Madame Langlois at the time was just a house cook, she would later be recognized as “the first great cook in Louisiana”(Elie, Oxford American). I believe this is a gross understatement. In my eyes, Langlois could be considered a revolutionist. At a time when colonists believed they were better than their cooks or non-white counterparts , the fate of their dinners, and ultimately the fate of Creole cuisine, rested in the hands of Madame Langlois. She challenged the social barriers at that time, and in some ways, knocked them down. While she was a great cook, she was so much more than just that.
Madame Langlois began Creole Cuisine, but it did not end with her. Much like a young child, Creole food grew and adapted to its influences, becoming more diverse than its original French and American ‘parents’. In 1764, Spain took Louisiana from the French. Colonists traded with France, Spain, and many Caribbean countries, spices and various ingredients being a vital part of the imports. In 1809, Haitians fled to New Orleans after a revolution in Saint Domingue, introducing more flavors to New Orleans Creole food.
Creole cuisine started with the 27 women and Madame Langlois, so it is not surprising to see other female chefs in New Orleans continuing the revolution that Langlois began. Despite facing economic, social, and gender-related issues in their day, women chefs in New Orleans have risen to the top. While this is a male-dominated career, women chefs have flourished, even while balancing children, home-life and long hours in their kitchen and restaurant. Some examples of these famous women are Lena Richard, who was the first black woman to demonstrate cooking on television during the times of segregation; and Leah Chase, who still shows up to work in her kitchen at 92 years old, and has even had the honor of cooking for President Barack Obama. Leah Chase has done many influential things during her lifetime, other than being one of the longest working chefs in the area. At one time, her restaurant served as a safe haven for civil rights leaders during their visits in New Orleans, and she has been a great example for other up and coming chefs in the area. One notable chef, Linda Green, who is famous for her New Orleans anti-hangover meal, says she “admires Ms. Chase for being an example for me to follow,” She remembers meeting Ms.Chase at her restaurant, Dooky Chase, a moment that inspired her to become a chef. Leah Chase, Linda Green, and other current women chefs in New Orleans have the honor of inspiring other young girls, leaving the dreams of future women chefs in New Orleans in great hands.
Popular culture has also embraced the opportunity to inspire and promote the dreams of young girls. Notably, a 2009 Disney movie, The Princess and the Frog, has done the most to support young female chefs in New Orleans. In this film, the main character, Tiana, has always had the dream of owning her own restaurant, with the idea that it would become the most famous restaurant in New Orleans. As the first black princess, and the only Disney princess with actual life goals, Tiana and her movie have the potential to be very influential for the new generation of young black women. One of the most memorable quotes in the film holds a strong distinction from ideas set by previous Disney movies. “‘Fairytales can come true, but you gotta make ‘em happen, it all depends on you’” (Anika Noni Rose, The Princess and The Frog). Other Disney films have promoted the idea that fairy tales just happen, especially for pretty princesses. This can actually be seen in another quote of the film, which Tiana quickly refutes. “Why would a princess need hard work?”. While I am not necessarily saying that Disney films are damaging to working women, these quotes just show how Disney films have adapted over time to give more power to women, just as the chef profession in New Orleans has adapted.
This film has had amazing results since its release. Disney and Pixar began releasing more movies with strong female leads, like Brave and Inside Out, and it has inspired young girls to reach for the stars. I have seen the strong influence that Princess and The Frog has had, as I have 8 young girl cousins, all of mixed race. Their attitudes toward life took a 180 degree turn. They went from wishing they could marry the princes to aspiring to own their own businesses, even spending more time helping in the kitchen just like Tiana did. A strong parallel can be drawn between the way Leah Chase influenced Linda Green and the strong influence The Princess and The Frog has had for young girls. In this case, pop culture played an important role by promoting positive images of New Orleans female chefs, inspiring others to join the profession, and changing the way women are portrayed in other animated films. While pop culture did incredible things for this profession in New Orleans, that is not always the case.
On the same streets as famous New Orleans restaurants, Voodoo shops and temples can be found. Voodoo in New Orleans, has been influenced and morphed by some of the same people who influenced New Orleans food. One of the main influences of modern New Orleans Voodoo were the African slaves brought to New Orleans. There is a very strong chance that these were the same slaves that introduced African spices and cooking techniques to the food that inspired modern Creole food. In a time where they were considered less than human, African slaves found solace and unity in Voodoo. Those who practice Voodoo believe in one supreme God, and Spirits, or Loa who overlook aspects of daily life such as family, justice and health. In this respect, Voodoo is not very different from Catholicism, which allowed many slaves to continue their worship and spirituality during times where they were threatened with death for their rituals. New Orleans Voodoo was also influenced by the Haitians that immigrated to New Orleans in 1809. These immigrants brought their own slaves with them, who incorporated some of their rituals into the Voodoo of New Orleans. New Orleans was the perfect growth medium for Voodoo, and it was revitalized with each new influence and members.
Voodoo is another profession that has seen women flourish in positions of power, much like being a chef. According to Brenda Osbey, a renowned New Orleans poet and writer, “Men…lack the capacity for what is called Deep Work. Deep Work requires a cleanness which only a woman can possess” (Osbey, SLJ). Men may be able to work as herbalists, or work with roots, but they will never be able to function as a Voodoo leader. Fittingly, Voodoo leaders, or Voodoo women, are called Mothers. Since being a Mother requires a specific set of values and qualities, there is no initiation into Mother-hood, Mothers are chosen. These women have descended from other Mothers, and are called into the work of Voodoo often during a spiritual dream where a Mother in their lineage visits them (Osbey, SLJ).They are, quite literally, born into the craft. Mothers run a church in a way similar to how a chef runs a kitchen. People, or Seekers as they call them, come to the Mothers for help, and everything happens behind the scenes. Mothers have completely embraced Voodoo, and they say that it lives inside of them, giving them a strength that is unbounded.
Pop culture does not cast a very bright light on New Orleans Voodoo. In many cases, Voodoo is inaccurately portrayed, giving it and the Mothers an evil appearance. One version of this twisted Voodoo can be seen in the Princess and the Frog as well. Since Voodoo is prominent in New Orleans, Princess and The Frog used it to set up the story line. In the film, Prince Naveen was tricked by an evil Voodoo doctor, Dr. Facilier. Naveen was turned into a frog, and seeks the help of Tiana, who he thinks is a princess at the time, so that she will kiss him. Since Tiana, at the beginning of the movie, is not a princess, she too is turned into a frog. In order to solve both of their predicaments, they travel down the Bayou to find Voodoo Mother, Mama Odie, with the hope that she will turn them back into humans. One major inaccuracy about this movie is that, as previously stated, men are rarely a part of New Orleans Voodoo, especially not given enough power to turn someone into a frog. He would not be called a “doctor”, as that term is not used, and if a man is to call himself a Voodoo Doctor, he is most certainly lying (Osbey, SLJ). While Mama Odie is also a Voodoo character, she is not portrayed as strong as she should be. She is blind, uses a snake for a walking stick, and ultimately helps Naveen and Tiana only with advice. While advice can be as powerful as magic in some circumstances, Mama Odie’s character is lacking importance and strength. Even though this may not be an intentional jab at Voodoo and Mothers, it is surprising that the one powerful Voodoo character is a man. This film is definitely the lesser of two evils when it comes to pop culture portraying Voodoo.
On the opposite side of the spectrum as Mama Odie, American Horror Story: Coven portrays its main Voodoo woman as an evil and vengeful character. AHS: Coven contains one of the many adaptations of famous Voodoo woman Marie Laveau. Marie, a part black and part Choctaw woman, lived from 1794 to 1881. She worked as a hairdresser, and a nurse, but devoted most of her life to raising her 15 children. During this time at home, she quickly became the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, after becoming increasingly interested in the African religion of her mother and ancestors. Marie was dubbed the Voodoo Queen by 1830, doing all of this while raising 15 children (Frey, JSH). She quickly overthrew the other voodoo queens of New Orleans, due to the fact that she had a strong clientele from working as a hairdresser. Though she was feared throughout the city, she spent a lot of her time doing humanitarian work such as healing the sick, visiting those in prisons, and even helping women get pregnant(Frey, JSH). There is, however, some controversy surrounding Marie, with many articles claiming that her supernatural powers came from the sheer number of informants she had around the city, others say that she saw money to be made in the trade of Voodoo, so she falsified everything, exploiting real Mothers and real Voodoo (Osbey, SLJ). It is hard to say what is true about Marie Laveau and what is false, as her life has been adapted for legends and popular culture since she was alive.
In short, AHS: Coven is based in modern times, even though Marie Laveau supposedly died in 1881. In the show, she is said to have made a deal with an evil spirit, Papa Legba, for immortality. Papa Legba demands the life of an innocent every year, making Marie’s newborn the first sacrifice for her immortality. Not days later does Marie learn that an evil slave owner has tortured and killed the love of her life, which begins her never ending hatred for the woman, LaLaurie, whom she makes immortal and buries. In modern times, she makes enemies with the local Salem Witch Coven, after they uncover LaLaurie and free her. In this season of AHS, Marie constantly makes enemies, using her powers to get revenge on them. She is the one character to be feared, eventually meeting a deadly and torturous end at the hands of LaLaurie and Papa Legba.
This show is based on some fact. Delphine LaLaurie and Marie Laveau are real historical people. LaLaurie was known for torturing her slaves and house workers, often burying them in her yard in a way similar to how she was buried by Marie Laveau. There is no evidence that Marie Laveau and Delphine LaLaurie had any relationship in history, though considering they lived at the same time, there can be some suspicion that they at least knew of each other. It is said that they lived mere blocks away from each other (NOLA). The show also includes the fact that Marie Laveau owned a hair salon. That is where the facts end, and the show writers begin to defame Marie Laveau and Voodoo.
The show freely depicts Marie Laveau as a vengeful and evil character, giving her about the same amount of morals and mindset as LaLaurie, an insult to her actual self. As said before, Marie Laveau was known for volunteering her time helping those less fortunate, a fact that the show writers gracefully ignored. In one scene, a woman comes to Marie Laveau for help with fertility, prompting Marie to detail a gruesome ritual, that includes gutting a goat above the woman, that would supposedly ensure that she would become pregnant (“The Replacements”, AHS: Coven). New Orleans Voodoo, though, included neither public rituals nor animal sacrifice (Osbey, SLJ). The scene was more reflective of African Voodoo, and though New Orleans Voodoo was influenced by African Voodoo, the traditions are distinctively different. New Orleans Voodoo would more likely involve a private meeting with a Mother, and a potion, powder, or candle (New Orleans Voodoo, Western Folklore). This show has completely dismissed the truths about Voodoo and Mothers, appropriating the religion to fit its story and agenda. The Mothers stay vigilant, even amongst the falsities and fakers, because as they say it “really takes nothing from the Religion, because the Religion lives within,” (Osbey, SLJ). This is not to be taken lightly. Though the Mothers are not affected, it is still important that lies are not spread about a peaceful religion. They themselves would not stop tourists from their fake rituals, or tv shows from their scary storylines, especially not if it empowers the viewer in some way, because they respect that. Yet, Mothers and others who practice Voodoo will remind you that “a liar lives and eventually dies by her own tongue,” (Osbey, SLJ).
It is very evident how influential pop culture is in this day and age. Pop culture has the ability to inspire young woman to become chefs and follow their dreams, a very powerful and important role to have. On the other hand, pop culture can demean when it pleases, leaving Voodoo and Mothers the victims false information and defamation. While there is a beautiful and similar history to both New Orleans food and New Orleans Voodoo, they are portrayed strikingly differently in TV and film, promoting food and demoting Voodoo simultaneously. (THIS NEEDS TO BE CHANGED BADLY BUT I’M NOT SURE HOW)
Current thesis statement
There is a striking disparity between the way pop culture portrays food, and the way it portrays Voodoo, even though both contain cultural influences from the same people. In each case, those who participate in the act are given the same attention, whether that attention be beneficial or detrimental.
Me right now
Edited paper
When you go to New Orleans, you are not just visiting a city, you are immersing yourself in a whole new culture. Quite frankly, for a city called “The Big Easy”, New Orleans culture is quite difficult to understand, especially for those who are not natives. Ruta Sepetsy, a New Orleans author, puts it perfectly by saying “New Orleans is a sensory experience…and there’s a story lurking around every corner. Its cultural diversity is woven into the food, the music…even the local superstitions.” New Orleans is one of the most popular cities in the United States, so it is quite the hotspot for movies and TV, as if New Orleans needs any more stories. Food is a very important aspect of New Orleans culture, so it often given a spotlight on the big screen. There is a fascinating history behind New Orleans food, a history that is almost identical to that of New Orleans Voodoo, and while Voodoo is given a spotlight on the big screen as well, this light is not as bright. There is a striking disparity between the way pop culture portrays food, and the way it portrays Voodoo, even though both contain cultural influences from the same people. In each case, those who participate in the act are given the same attention, whether that attention be beneficial or detrimental.
One of the most famous commodities that New Orleans offers is its food. In New Orleans, you’ll find Creole and Cajun food, often in the same restaurants, but that does not mean that they are the same types of food. Both Creole and Cajun have a long history that is important to understanding the culture of New Orleans as a whole.
According to a nineteenth century historian, who published a famous book on Creole families in 1803, A Creole person is defined as “ one born of European parents, in the American colonies of France or Spain… Especially those of French or Spanish descent who are natives of Louisiana and their descendants”(Beckwith, Creoles of St. Louis). Louisiana was claimed by the French explorer Robert De La Salle in 1682, with the help of Canadians and Native Americans. La Nouvelle- Orleans was founded in 1718, and it became the dream city of La Salle. In 1719, the first African slaves were brought to Louisiana. These slaves often ran the kitchens of French colonists, introducing African foods and techniques into the colonists’ diets by the use of okra and one of the first versions of Gumbo. While gumbo is a very famous Creole dish, this, still, did not spark the beginning of Creole food.
The Beckwith definition of a Creole person can be used for Creole Food as well. In figurative terms, Creole food is the child of American ingredients, and French settler techniques. In 1722, Creole food began at the hands of a group of young French women. These women were upset that the colony was experiencing a shortage of familiar French cooking ingredients. They formed a culinary coup of sorts, and marched to the governor’s house clanging on pots and pans. While the governor couldn’t do much about the shortage of ingredients, he decided that the women could use some guidance for cooking in the colony. The governor’s cook, Madame Langlois, was instructed to teach the women how to cook with local American ingredients. One of the dishes that she taught them was a variation of the African Gumbo that the slaves often made. This recipe would become the Louisiana Creole Gumbo that many people know and love. Though Madame Langlois at the time was just a house cook, she would later be recognized as “the first great cook in Louisiana”(Elie, Oxford American). I believe this is a gross understatement. Langlois was a revolutionary. At a time when colonists believed they were better than their cooks or non-white counterparts , the fate of their dinners and ultimately the fate of Creole cuisine, rested in the hands of Madame Langlois. While she was a great cook, she was so much more than just that. Though, you can be sure that she would not be the last great revolutionary cook in New Orleans.
While Madame Langlois began Creole Cuisine, it did not end with her. Much like a young child, Creole food grew and adapted to its influences, becoming more diverse than its ‘parents’. In 1764, Spain took Louisiana from the French. Colonists traded with France, Spain, and many Caribbean countries, spices and various ingredients being a vital part of the imports. Haitians fled to New Orleans after a revolution in Saint Domingue, introducing more flavors to New Orleans Creole food.
Creole cuisine started with the 27 women and Madame Langlois, so it is not unusual to see that many of the most famous chefs in New Orleans are women. Despite facing economic, social, and gender-related issues in their day, women chefs in New Orleans have risen to the top. While this is a male-dominated career, women chefs have flourished, even while balancing home-life and long hours in the kitchen. Some examples of these famous women are Lena Richard, who was the first black woman to demonstrate cooking on television during the times of segregation; Leah Chase, who still shows up to work in her kitchen at 92 years old; and Susan Spicer, an award winning chef who flawlessly balances a new marriage, children, and her restaurant. According to chef Sue Zemanick, “[ New Orleans] is more supportive, women hold each other up.”
Popular culture has also embraced powerful female chefs, most recognizably with The Princess and The Frog, a 2009 animated Disney movie. The main character, Tiana, has always had the dream of owning her own restaurant, with the idea that it would become the most famous restaurant in New Orleans. As the first black princess, and the only Disney princess with actual life goals, Tiana and her movie have the potential to be very influential for the new generation of young black women. I have seen this “revolution” myself in my cousins, who are all of mixed race. I have seen how this movie empowered them to embrace their gender and their race, in a world that thinks that ignoring both is the way to equality.
New Orleans is also considered the home of Voodoo. Their Voodoo is not to be confused with Haitian Voudou, or hoodoo. Voodoo in New Orleans, has been influenced and morphed by some of the same people who influenced New Orleans food. The main influences of modern Voodoo were the African slaves brought to New Orleans. These are most likely the same slaves that introduced African spices and cooking techniques to Creole food. Those who practice Voodoo believe in one supreme God, and Spirits who overlook aspects of daily life such as family, justice and health. In this respect, Voodoo is not very different from Catholicism, which allowed many slaves to continue their worship and spirituality during times where they were threatened with death for their rituals. New Orleans is one of the places where Voodoo did not change much, apart from the immigration of the Haitians that incorporated some of their rituals into the Voodoo of New Orleans. About 15% of people in New Orleans still practice Voodoo, with the goal of searching for higher levels of consciousness in order to grow into a better version of themselves.
Voodoo is another profession that has seen women flourish in positions of power, much like being a chef. Deep Voodoo Work requires certain qualities that only a woman can possess, so the Voodoo leaders are called Mothers. There is no initiation into Mother-hood, Mothers are chosen. These women have descended from other Mothers, and are called into the work of Voodoo often during a spiritual dream where a Mother in their lineage visits them. They are, quite literally, born into the craft. Mothers run a church in a way similar to how a chef runs a kitchen. Mothers have completely embraced Voodoo, and they say that it lives inside of them, giving them a strength that is unbounded.
One of the most recognizable women in Voodoo is Marie Laveau. Marie, a part black and part Choctaw woman, lived from 1794 to 1881, she worked as a hairdresser, and a nurse, but devoted most of her life to raising her 15 children. During this time at home, she quickly became the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, after becoming increasingly interested in the African religion of her mother and ancestors. With the help of John Bayou, a voodoo doctor, Marie was dubbed the Voodoo Queen by 1830, doing all of this while raising 15 children. She quickly overthrew the other voodoo queens of New Orleans, due to the fact that she had a strong clientele from working as a hairdresser. Though she was feared throughout the city, she spent a lot of her time doing humanitarian work such as healing the sick, visiting those in prisons, and even helping women get pregnant. There is, however, some controversy surrounding Marie, with many articles claiming that her supernatural powers came from the sheer number of informants she had around the city, others say that she saw money to be made in the trade of Voodoo, so she falsified everything, exploiting real Mothers and real Voodoo. It is hard to say what is true about Marie Laveau and what is false, as her life has been adapted for popular culture since she was alive.
More sources- an. bib to follow
That N’Awlins Music
Big Thanks to Kermit Ruffins for keeping me in the mood to write my paper.
Introduction #2
When you go to New Orleans, you are not just visiting a city, you are immersing yourself in a whole new culture. Quite frankly, for a city called “The Big Easy”, New Orleans culture is quite difficult to understand, especially for those who are not natives. Ruta Sepetsy, a New Orleans author, puts it perfectly by saying “New Orleans is a sensory experience…and there’s a story lurking around every corner. Its cultural diversity is woven into the food, the music…even the local superstitions.” New Orleans is one of the most popular cities in the United States, so it is quite the hotspot for movies and TV, as if New Orleans needs any more stories. Food is a very important aspect of New Orleans culture, so it often given a spotlight on the big screen. There is a fascinating history behind New Orleans food, a history that is almost identical to that of New Orleans Voodoo, and while Voodoo is given a spotlight on the big screen as well, this light is not as bright. There is a striking disparity between the way pop culture portrays food, and the way it portrays Voodoo, even though both contain cultural influences from the same people. In each case, those who participate in the act are given the same attention, whether that attention be beneficial or detrimental.
My Interesting English Life 