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Regional Folklife Program
Louisiana's Regional Folklife Program is a cooperative endeavor between Louisiana universities and the Louisiana Folklife Program within the Division of the Arts. The primary goal of the program is to provide in-depth documentation of Louisiana's folk traditions and to facilitate its appropriate use by the public and cultural tourism. Through grants to the universities, the Division of the Arts provides funds for a folklorist in each section of the state. The folklorists have the following mission:
Benefits For the Community: Community members in each region will have access to a folklorist to assist them in identifying individuals and traditions that can be presented to the public and in schools. The Regional Folklorist can help communities determine effective and responsible means of presenting the findings in cultural tourism efforts by offering communities potential activities for visitors. For Louisiana's Heritage: The folklorist can encourage responsible approaches to cultural tourism and cultural conservation, which will not endanger the traditional community. Documentation and archiving will provide a means to permanently record Louisiana's cultural resources and will assist in developing an awareness and an appreciation of our cultural heritage. See examples of how the Regional Folklorists have helped Louisiana communities. For more information, contact: Louisiana Folklife Program
The Regions The Louisiana Regional Folklife Program divides the state into five regions based on cultural and geographic factors. Each parish will be assigned to a specific Regional Folklorist. To date, three regional folklorists' positions are in place:
Two regions have not been funded:
Funded Regions 1. The Upper Louisiana Delta and the North Central Hill Country: Northeast and north central Louisiana are predominantly British and African American, and include both Lowland and Upland South culture. Most of the region is rural, but includes Monroe and Ruston and the parishes of Bienville, Caldwell, Catahoula, Claiborne, Concordia, East Carroll, Franklin, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Ouachita, Richland, Tensas, Union, Webster, and West Carroll. The Regional Folklorist is Dr. Susan Roach at Faculty website
2. Louisiana Red River Valley and the Neutral Strip Basically Lowland South culture, the Red River Valley cuts across the state from Shreveport to the Mississippi River and includes Shreveport, Alexandria, and Natchitoches. The Neutral Strip along the western border includes Hispanic remnants of early Texas. Other cultural groups include Natchitoches French, Cane River Creoles, Native Americans, and Czechs. The parishes are Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bossier, Caddo, DeSoto, Grant, Natchitoches, Rapides, Red River, Sabine, Vernon, and Winn. The Regional Folklorist is Ms. Sheila Richmond at
5. Greater New Orleans The city of New Orleans and the surrounding suburban and rural parishes make up Region 5. New Orleans urban culture is a complex blend of French, African, Spanish, German, Irish, and Italian influences. Other groups include Latinos, Vietnamese, Croatians, and Isleņos. This region includes the parishes of Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, and St. Tammany. The Regional Folklorist is Dr. Laura Renée Westbrook at
Unfunded Regions: For information on these regions, contact Maida Owens at
3. Western Acadiana The Acadiana parishes are located from west of the Atchafalaya Swamp to the Texas border. Most of the region is rural, but includes Lafayette, City of Lake Charles, and New Iberia. The region includes the Louisiana prairie, Bayou Teche, coastal marshes, and parts of the Atchafalaya swamp. The predominant culture is a complex blend of French, Spanish, and African. Other cultural groups include Anglos, Laotians, and Chitimacha and Koasati Indians. The region includes the cities of Lafayette and Lake Charles and the parishes of Acadia, Allen, Calcasieu, Cameron, Evangeline, Iberia, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, and Vermilion. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Center for Cultural and Eco-Tourism will host the Regional Folklorist position once funded.
4. Louisiana's Florida Parishes, Mississippi River Road, and Eastern Acadiana Including three distinct cultural regions, Louisiana's Florida Parishes are the "toe of the boot" and are predominantly British and African American. There are also significant numbers of Hungarians and Italians. The predominant culture of the Mississippi River Road parishes from St. Francisville to north of New Orleans is a blend of French and Lowland South plantation culture. Eastern Acadiana includes Bayou Lafourche and the Terrebonne marshes, and parts of the Atchafalaya swamp where the dominant culture is a blend of French, Spanish, African, and Houma Indian. Cities include Baton Rouge, Hammond, Thibodaux, and Houma. The parishes are Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Lafourche, Livingston, Point Coupee, St. John the Baptist, Tangipahoa, St. Charles, St. James, St. Helena, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana. Louisiana State University Department of Geography and Anthropology at Baton Rouge will host the Regional Folklorist once funded. |
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NOTE: The Regional Folklife Program was not funded in the 2009-2010 fiscal year. The future of the program is uncertain. Below is a description of the program in previous years. 
