I missed out on the first Bastille Day last year. My wife and family went and they had a good time. I was working that day. It's a significant thing because they were celebrating Creole heritage right smack in Ville Platte. Something that should have been done a long time ago. I did see the Honarium a few months before and I thought that was cool. But this year I should see Bastille Day. Should be a blast.
--from John LaFleur
In its Regular Session 2013 the Louisiana State Legislature passed and approved a remarkable and historic Resolution presented by the honorable Senator Eric LaFleur of Ville Platte.
This resolution proclaims July 14 weekend or date, as "Louisiana's Multi-ethnic Creole Families Bastille Day Festival" and is intended to re-unite ALL OF US together again, in our singular Louisiana Creole cultural heritage!
Why Bastille Day? Bastille Day is the French Day of Independence from abusive authority and oppression which brought democracy to France and all of her territories. It was also the day that began the end of African slavery in the French and Creole world.
It's motto remains ours: Freedom, Equality & Brotherhood-for all! We are democratic-loving and Christian people, after all.
Senator LaFleur is my cousin, and acknowledged to me personally, that his late grandfather (my dad's familiar cousin) had always told him that "we are Creoles" to which I responded: "... both your parents' sides!"
This resolution proclaims the historic cultural primacy of Louisiana's multi-ethnic peoples-all of them-who contributed and created this unique culture; its language, food ways and social traditions, which we all share and which was present across 'lower Louisiana' long before our Acadian cousins arrived in Spanish Louisiana; and which culture, they too, adopted as their own.
We salute Senator Eric LaFleur for his bold move to re-marry our shared historical and cultural reality to contemporary reality over myth-histories manufactured from ignorance, racist fears and now, relentless greed which seeks to force this ugly ignorance upon all the world.
Without Senator LaFleur's support, this resolution might not have happened!
Take time to call his office in Ville Platte and say, "merci cousin!" (He is a trained French teacher, later becoming a lawyer).
This historic and beautiful document now known forever as SENATE RESOLUTION NO.30 will be made available for donations of $5.00 to offset printing costs (it's about 4-5 p. in length!), was passed and signed by scores of living, professionals, black, white and anything in-between-all French Creoles- ... on July 14, 2013 our first Louisiana Creole Families Bastille Day Festival & Honorarium ... it represents our community repentance, acceptance of all of our Creole brethren and determination to remain united in perpetuating our proud, historic and true cultural heritage; Louisiana's Creole & Metis Culture! Don't forget to SHARE this!
SENATE RESOLUTION SR 30, Images for all to enjoy! Representative families and authority figures from 5 parishes supported and signed a petition of approval and support which were hand-delivered to Senator Eric LaFleur's office in order to have this accomplished.
Fortunately, Senator LaFleur has been a life-long and proud supporter of our Louisiana French/Creole culture! Representatives such as Evangeline Parish's Bonne Nouvelle magazine's Outdoors Writer Gene & wife Becky Buller, the remarkable Dr. Charles Fontenot, Coroner & Cultural Intellectual, retired judges, John & wife Susan Saunders, Wendell & wife Fran Fuselier and Ms. Pam McGee were among our first and remain our strongest supporters, Dr. & Mrs. JS Fontenot, Mr. David Ortego, Michael Bordelon & Steve Hallam of the Ville Platte Gazette have been unrelenting supporters as have been Mr. Martel Ardoin, KVPI station manager, Mr. J.D. Soileau, Jason Joplin, Mayor Jennifer Vidrine & the Ville Platte City Council, Evangeline Parish Police Jury president, Mr. Brian Vidrine, Mr. Gurvis & Shirlene O'Connor, Rev. Darwan Lazard, Fr. Richard & Fr. Jason Vidrine, Mr. Blake Vidrine (Pharmacies), Mardell Sibley-Vidrine, Ms. Kathleen DeVille Goudchaux, Ms. Nancy Duplechain, Dr. Grace Vidrine-Sibley, Representative Bernard LeBas, Evangeline Historical & Genealogical Society, Ville Platte Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Bobby Dardeau, Bonnes Nouvelles Magazine, Mr. Norris & Phoebe Fontenot for all of their volunteerism, photography and good meals during our work, Ms. Ellen Jack, Mr. Paul "Tee Boy's" Boudin Berza, and to the ever-beloved, Mr. Elvin Reed of Reed's Pharmacy & family, Mamou, La, ... remains a dear friend.
St. Landry Parish, Vieux Village's faculty and tourist leadership, Melanie Lee Boudreau, Mr. Harold & Athalee Dupre,' Mr. Bobby Dupre' of Orphan Train Museum, Ms. Lisa Bowles, Tourism, Mr. "Nick" Marshall & Bernita Fontenot of Grand Prairie and my beloved neighbor, Mark Gillis for the fabulous floral representing our Louisiana-based Creole culture.
Pointe Coupee: Scholar/author Mr. Brian & Mary Costello, Ms. Julie Eschelmann & Felix Lee, Dr. Jack & Ms. Pat Holden; Avoyelles Parish: Mr. Randy DeCuir & Carlos Mayeux, Mr. Goudeau, atty. family.
New Orleans Historic Collection, Dr. Jessica Dorman, Dr. Ina Fandrich and Ms. Lenora Gobert, our West African friends Andrew and Coco and now retired, Ms. Dionne Butler of WWL TV.
Lafayette Parish, KLFY CHANNEL 10! Dr. Tony Soileau, Dr. David Cheramie, Ms. Charissa Helluin, Mr. Brandon 'Beausoleil" Broussard, Mr. "Pem" Broussard of St. Martinville and their Lion's & Rotary Clubs! Roar!
Natchitoches: the library leadership, the Kitchen Shop and of course, the Cane River Creoles and many, many more!
Bien merci a tous vous les bons Creoles honnete de la louisiane pour vos efforts a supporter notre vraie heritage culturelle de la louisiane!
Et venez nous joindre encore sur le 12 juillet au Civic Centre a la Ville Platte, samedi matin a 10h-3hh pour nous encore celebrer tous!
Thank you to all you good and honest Louisiana Creoles for your efforts and support of our true Louisiana cultural heritage! And, come out to join us again on July 12 at the Ville Platte Civic Center, on Saturday morning from 10:00 am-3:00pm to again celebrate US all!
--John LaFleur