Tuesday, Oct 10, 2006
What do pirogue races, Cajun music, cast net throwing, and shrimp eating contests have in common. The 10th annual Fete de Ecologie. The ecology festival was held September 30 at the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center of the Jean Lafitte NHP&P. It was according to Site Supervisor, Angela Rathle, “The perfect day for a festival. The sky was blue, the air warm, the music hot, and the crowd ready to celebrate all that Louisiana has to offer.”
For more than 10 years the Jean Lafitte National Park in Thibodaux and the Barataria Terrebonne National Estaury Program has been working toward the preservation of the estuary and the culture relying upon it. For the past four years the Wetlands Center has been assisting BTNEP in presenting their annual festival. This year the assistance was stepped to include hosting the event.
BTNEP had hosted the past nine events at a community park, but the park was landlocked. “Doing a Louisiana ecology festival in a landlocked park felt wrong. “Getting on the Bayou seemed like a natural fit.” said Joni Blanchard, Public Involvement Coordinator for Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program. The event hosted more than 30 federal and state, and local agencies distributing information about the many issues facing coastal Louisiana. A select group of decoy carvers, flint knappers, and more were on hand to display their traditional crafts.
The musical lineup was Cajun, headlined by Bonsoir, Catin. A toe tappin’ group that plays everything from good ole’ home music to the post World War II Cajun dance hall favorites. This all star band really warmed up the crowd for Les Freres Michot, and The Creole Zydeco Farmers. As the locals say, “Everybody passed a good time, cher.”
For many locals this festival provided an opportunity to reconnect with the Bayou, while for others it was an introduction to the history, culture, and issues surrounding the bayou and the greater Barataria-Terrebonne estuary. Through pirogue races, boat tours, and more folks were able to immerse themselves in the estuary. The Festival hopes to call the Wetlands Center home for years to come!
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