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The culture, tradition, and natural splendor of Cajun country makes
Southwestern Louisiana one of the most interesting and exciting
regions of the United States. In addition to the area's rich heritage
and environment, there are also important petrochemical, shipping,
tourism and entertainment industries making the region a thriving
and diverse one.
 The
State of Louisiana has a long and colorful history and has served
as one of the main cultural crossroads in American History. Long
before the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, which made the state part
of the United States, the region was home to the Attakapas Indians
who gave the name Calcasieu, meaning "crying eagle," to
the area around Lake Charles. Spanish and French explorers traded
with the Indians and created early colonial Louisiana. The first
settlers in Lake Charles arrived in 1781 from France. The word Cajun
is commonly used to refer to the French Canadians who migrated from
Canada to avoid religious persecution. Today many people view the
early difficulties faced by the Cajuns as the source of their "joie
de vivre" or their love of life attitude. The bicentennial
of the Louisiana Purchase will be celebrated in 2003, and Cajun
culture is still very much alive in this area.
 Southwestern
Louisiana's diverse heritage with French, Spanish, African and American
Indian roots makes for a lot of variety, especially in the food
and music. Perhaps the greatest local attraction is the Cajun food,
which is the pride of southwestern Louisiana. The local specialties
include boiled crawfish, shrimp étouffée, gumbo, rice
boudin, pecan pralines, sauce piquante, and fried alligator. The
Lake Charles area has many specialty restaurants from which to choose.
The food, like everything in Southwestern Louisiana, is unique and
full of flavor and zest. Zydeco music, a mixture of African-American
and Cajun French music that features a fiddle, accordion and washboard,
is particular to the region and the subject of several festivals.
And of course New Orleans, the Blues capital of the world, is only
a few hours away by car.
Southwestern Louisiana is home to over 75 different festivals.
Cajuns love to eat, dance, laugh and be merry and there are many
occasions to do so. The Contraband Days, a two week festival in
May that re-enacts the times of pirates like Jean Lafitte, is the
second largest festival in the entire state. Mardi Gras is also
a festive time throughout Louisiana and is a clear reminder of the
region's French heritage. The Lake Charles area boasts many other
entertainment possibilities with riverboat casinos, local professional
and collegiate sports teams, a symphony orchestra, and an Arts and
Humanities Center.
 The
natural splendor of Louisiana is uniquely beautiful. The southwestern
part of the state is graced by rich costal areas and protected wetlands,
filled with ducks, geese, speckled trout, redfish and shrimp. Sinewy,
white egrets and blue herons wading though the water, silent alligators
lying in wait in the shade of a tall cypress tress jetting from
the water, and green turtles basking in the sun in a fallen log
are common sights in many local parks and nature preserves. Fishing,
bird watching and hunting are important parts of the tourism industry
in Louisiana, which is nicknamed the "Sportsman's Paradise".
The Gulf of Mexico, which feeds into the Port of Lake Charles, is
just a short distance from the city. The City of Lake Charles overlooks
a lake bordered by a 4-mile long boardwalk and the only white-sand
inland beach on the entire Gulf Coast, making it a perfect place
to swim, boat or just relax and watch the sun set on a warm evening.
Author
Preble Girard
McNeese State University
www.mcneese.edu
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