Southern Louisiana Summary

Outside perception of Louisiana is spicy crawfish, deep accents, and bad hygiene, but this perception does not portray Louisiana’s rich culture. Mike Tidwell, the author, felt like researching was not enough to grasp the full feel for the unique southern Louisiana living. Tidwell takes it upon himself to explore the culture by embedding himself in with the local people, which by doing so opened his eyes to a lot of individuals who are being affected by the vanishing cajun culture. The culture of the cajun coast is struggling due to the motivation loss of new generations, poverty, oil dredging, and the flooding of the Louisiana's bayous. While venturing on the Bayou in the beginning of his journey Tidwell notices that generations of shrimpers have thrived on the land. For some families fishing, shrimping, or even crabbing has been passed down several generations and it will continue to be passed down, for other families however they do not feel as if it is their calling. With cajun …show more content…
Homes, cemeteries, and wetlands have been claimed by the flooding water. The flooding has pushed people out of their homes, which can within itself carry its own set of problems, because most families located along the bayou do not have enough money or means to pack up and move. Cemeteries, that was once on high grounds, now lay under several feet of water. Wetlands play a huge role in the growth of shrimp and other seafood. Shrimp will lay their eggs and grow in the marsh grass, without it there will be fewer and smaller shrimp. In conclusion, cajun life is becoming scarce because of several factors that have a domino effect on each other, which in turn makes living on the bayou harder each year. Daily the Louisiana’s canals and wetlands start disappearing and forming a bigger body of water that will eventually eliminate the unique bayou