Louisiane

Donna Dupre: Down the Bayou | Louisiane #12

Today on Louisiane, Will McGrew talks to Donna Dupre about life down the bayou in Pointe-au-Chien. They talk about what it was like growing up in a French-speaking Indian community down the bayou, the connection between Pointe-au-Chien and Ile Jean-Charles, and the new French immersion school in Montague, Ecole Pointe-au-Chien. Special thanks to Randall Kennedy for sponsoring this episode of Louisiane.

Misty McElroy: Building Bridges | Louisiane #11

Today on Louisiane, Will McGrew sits down with Misty McElroy to talk about the Louisiana music scene, the difference between Houma and Thibodaux, and whether Cajun TikTok influencers are putting on their accent. They discuss building cultural bridges between the different parts of the state. Misty is a professional photographer and founding member of the Cajun Music Preservation Society. Special thanks to Kenneth Bacon for sponsoring this episode of Louisiane.

Lana Phillips: Vacherie, Louisiana | Louisiane #10

Today on Louisiane, Will McGrew sits down with Lana Phillips to talk about her home, Vacherie, Louisiana. Located along the Missippi between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Vacherie is shaped by the river, fishing, agriculture, and the chemical industry. Lana talks about the history and culture of her hometown, and the diverse community that calls it home. Special thanks to Melanie Boulet for sponsoring this episode of Louisiane.

Gary LaFleur: Cajun Heritage and the Gulf Coast | Louisiane #9

Dr. Gary LaFleur is a biologist and the Director of the Center for Bayou Studies at Nicholls State University. He joins Will McGrew for a conversation about his roots in Eunice and his career that took him out of state and back. Topics include Louisiana French, the Cajun Triangle and Cajun dance and music culture in Acadiana as well as a discussion on land loss and the importance of the Gulf coast to Louisiana’s future. Special thanks to Kenneth Bacon for sponsoring this episode of Louisiane.

Pierre Solet: Houma Indian Heritage and Louisiana French | Louisiane #8

In this episode of Louisiane, we sit down with Pierre Solet of the United Houma Nation for a wide-ranging conversation about language, place, and memory in coastal Louisiana. Pierre reflects on growing up speaking French at home and learning English only once he entered school, an experience shaped by his childhood in Grand Caillou and years spent in an Indian-only elementary school from first through ninth grade. He traces a working life rooted in Terrebonne Parish—from working at a local shipyard to running a grocery store—and speaks candidly about life in Dulac, a community transformed repeatedly by hurricanes and coastal change. Throughout the conversation, Pierre returns to what has endured: family, language, and the importance of preserving Indian heritage in Louisiana.