Cajun and Zydeco Music: Flavors of Southwest Louisiana (6-8)

The musical culture of Southwest Louisiana is full of rich traditions not found anywhere else in the United States. Through displacement and hardship, both the Cajuns (descendants of what is today known as Nova Scotia) and the Creoles (people from a combination of Caribbean, West African, Native American, Spanish, and Portuguese descent) ended up along the banks of the Mississippi River in what is today known as “Acadiana,” and their exchange of French music and cultural traditions created what we think of as “Cajun” and “zydeco” music today. Although these styles have different origins, Cajun and zydeco music are unique musical flavors of Southwest Louisiana that have formed and influenced one another endlessly. This pathway explores the diverse roots and stylistic developments of the genres and celebrates the “laissez les bons temps rouler” ethos that is alive and well in the music of Louisiana today.