batonrougecajundance

President’s Message

// July 1st, 2009 // No Comments » // Announcements, President's Messages

Thanks to all who came to our Cajun Luau dance with Don Fontenot June 19th. Everyone passed a good time and you can see all the pictures are on our website.
Please buy your book of tickets for the LeCajun accordion raffle that you received in the mail. And reserve August 15th for the LeCajun Festival in Lafayette, it is a wonderful day of great Cajun music and food and one of the best things you can do to preserve our heritage and culture. Seven bands, gumbo and Jambalaya, chapter queens, dance troupes, a Mardi Gras run, all for 10 bucks and all in an air conditioned building.

Merci, John Pellerin

Dance Troupe

// July 1st, 2009 // No Comments » // Announcements, Dance Troupe

In July the Dance Troupe will be dancing at the War Veterans Home in Jackson for their Christmas in July. We will also dance at the Heritage House Nursing Home and at the Greenwell Springs Library in Baton Rouge.

Merci Beaucoup, Kathy Bonvillion

Happy Birthdays

// July 1st, 2009 // 2 Comments » // Announcements, Birthdays

• Fay Taylor-6/2
• Kyle Blanchard-6/2
• Jim McDaniel-6/8
• Pat Walker-6/12
• Tiffany Boudreaux-6/25
• Jeanette Marino-6/26
• Lisa Bellelo-7/15
• J.C. Petit-7/19
• Madeline Bellelo-7/24
• Robert Harris-7/24
• Liz Humphries-7/26
• Billie Petit-7/31
• Earl Berthelot-7/31

To include your special date, contact Pearl Bellelo at 931-6551 or vicandpearl@startelco.net  **new address

Happy Anniversaries

// July 1st, 2009 // No Comments » // Anniversaries, Announcements

• Harry & Bea Boudreaux-6/28
• Maurice & Flo Lasserre-7/6
• John & Charlotte Pellerin-7/14
• J.C. & Billie Petit-7/24/1951
• Robert & Wanda Harris-7/24/70
• Merle & Vera Achee-7/30/64

To include your special date, contact Pearl Bellelo at 931-6551 or vicandpearl@startelco.net  **new address

Flowers/Sympathy

// July 1st, 2009 // No Comments » // Announcements, Flowers/Sympathy

Sympathies to Bill and Myrna Edwards on the passing of Myrna’s mother, Marie Firmin Laborde. And to Emmeline Cain on the passing of her mother, Mary Emmeline Fairbanks.

A. J. Blackwell died recently at 92; he was one of our oldest and most faithful members. His recognition and attention to things Cajun predated the C.F.M.A. He and Dorothy were part of the group that introduced Cajun Dance to Baton Rouge in the early days of Catfish Town.

Please contact Vera Achee at (225-357-5647) with information concerning members who are ill, hospitalized or those that have passed away.

LeCajun Accordion Raffle

// July 1st, 2009 // No Comments » // Announcements

You should have received your raffle tickets in the mail by now. This beautiful new accordion is worth over $2000, the $1 tickets go towards the expenses of our LeCajun Festival in August. So please buy a book of ten and give your stubs and checks to Fay Taylor at the meetings or dances.

CFMA Meeting

// July 1st, 2009 // No Comments » // Announcements, Meetings

NEXT MEETING –Tuesday July 14th - 6:30 PM–Bluebonnet Library
Open /combined Board and General Meeting at 6:30 PM, everyone’s input is welcomed and really needed if we are to keep Cajun Music alive in the  Baton Rouge area.

LeCajun Festival

// July 1st, 2009 // No Comments » // Announcements

Our chapter needs volunteers to do our share on this great day of Cajun music, dance and heritage, August 15 at the Blackham Coliseum in Lafayette. If you can give an hour or two between 9 AM and10 PM please see or call Ralph Marino at 292-2778.

Cajun Heritage (and art)

// July 1st, 2009 // No Comments » // History, Language

Mattre la vache au pasturage, is to free a cow into a pasture, but mettre la vache au raclage (a’chaine) means to limit the area where the cow can graze by chaining it to an iron stake. The grass that has been so grazed is cut short, sometimes to bare ground; hence racle (rock-lay) cropped or “cleaned out”. Around New Orleans, milk cows were chained on empty house lots or upon the river levee. As the grass was eaten, the cow had to be re-staked in another spot, two, maybe three times a day. This was done by the youngsters before and after school, and by adults during the noon lunch hour. In Algiers, cows learned that the sound of the railroad shop whistle meant that they would soon be moved to another spot; they would all turn in unison, and face the direction of that shop whistle to await their attendant. Et, c’est las verite (and that is the truth).

Maurice