Oral Histories: Audio & Transcripts
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Jerry and Ramona Alfonso
IDENTIFICATION (title): Jerry and Ramona Alfonso Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux
DATES: February 16, 2011
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): unknown
SUMMARY: …
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2, …) : 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 1:02:59
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 42
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (58MB, MP3)
View Transcript (286KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Jodie Avair and Jay Thornhill at Dupuy’s Restaurant
IDENTIFICATION (title): Dupuy’s Interview
INTERVIEWER: Carl Brasseaux
DATES:
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1869, 1960s,
SUMMARY: Jodie Avair and Jay Thornhill discuss the origin and history of Dupuy’s Oyster Shop. She talks about the diversification of the menu and the oyster dealers.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: ): 17:36
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 6
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (16MB, MP3)
View Transcript (281KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Dr. Len Bahr
IDENTIFICATION (title): Len Bahr Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux
DATES: March 28, 2017
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about):
SUMMARY: Dr. Len Bahr (interviewed by Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux) discusses his work as a coastal scientist focused on oyster research, policy, his interest in painting, running, both as a planner of events and as a participant, and critic. His interview showcases his passion to save Louisiana’s disappearing coast by insisting science should drive policy. In this regard, he worked for five gubernatorial administrations and helped establish a cohesive response to the state’s disappearing coast.
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INTERVIEWEE NAME: Dorothy and Michael Benge
IDENTIFICATION (title): Dorothy and Michael Benge Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis
DATES: July 12, 2013
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1920s-present
SUMMARY: Dorothy Benge and her son Michael Benge discuss their family company the Delacroix Corporation, an operator and leaser of land for oil development. They discuss the trapping and duck hunting industries. They also discuss their Isleño heritage and living in St. Bernard Parish.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2, …) : 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 1:27:39
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 26
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (40MB, MP3)
View Transcript (374KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Dot Benge
IDENTIFICATION (title): Dot Benge Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux
DATES: August 9, 2013
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about):
SUMMARY:
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2, …) : 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 1:05:36
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 23
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (60MB, MP3)
View Transcript (138KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Dr. Shane Bernard
IDENTIFICATION (title): Shane Bernard 9-12
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux
DATES: October 1, 2012
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1860s – present
SUMMARY: Dr. Shane Bernard is giving an introduction of the McIlhennys conservation efforts. E.A. McIlhenny and Walter McIlhenny were ahead of their time in their conservation contributions. Although E.A. McIlhenny was a big hunter, he still wanted to protect certain wildfowl species. Walter McIlhenny pushed for the alligator to be listed on the Endangered Species list. Dr. Shane mentions the different hunting clubs the McIlhennys and Averys belong to and talks about the failed hunting club E.A. McIlhenny tried to start. He also talks about the conservation films E.A. produced.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2, …) : 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 65:18
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 15
RESTRICTIONS: none
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INTERVIEWEE NAME: Philip Blanchard
IDENTIFICATION (title): Philip Blanchard Interview
INTERVIEWER: Carl Brasseaux
DATES: July 24, 2019
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): post-World War II era to the present
SUMMARY: Philip Blanchard’s family became involved in the shrimp industry in the 1950s, when Philip’s father went into a partnership with Gibson Collins. His father bought shrimp from the boats and sold to the local “factories.” He also had two boats the Ocean City and Atlantic City that came to Bayou Lafourche from the east coast. Mr. Blanchard notes the Florida-type boats [see interview with Nick Deonas] appeared just prior to World War II. By the end of the war local shipbuilders were building this new type of shrimp trawler in their front yards. Further, the iced catch and frozen products were being shipped by truck to various, largely, Louisiana markets. He concludes his interview, based on more than 70 years as a shrimper, with his experiences and observations of the shrimp industry evolution from the post-World War II era to the present, with a keen understanding of the market and the price of shrimp.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 36:59
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 14
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (17MB, MP3)
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INTERVIEWEE NAME: Louis Blum
IDENTIFICATION (title): Louis Blum Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux
DATES: November 4, 2009
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1900, 1926
SUMMARY: Blum talks about his grandfather who started his shrimping and drying company. He talks about the shrimp platforms and how his grandfather had started most of the shrimp drying in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes. He talks about the different kinds of boilers and the many families that would live of the platforms. Blum mentions a hurricane in 1926 that made his grandfather change his business. He talks about the different brands that emerged as well as the growth of the shrimp drying business. In the ‘60s, the price of shrimp almost tripled and his grandfather invented a drying machine to help the platforms dry more. He talks about what they do with the shells and heads of the shrimp. He also mentions that their product ships to all over the world and was particularly popular in China.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 1:12:17
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 16
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (66MB, MP3)
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INTERVIEWEE NAME: Marshall Borel
IDENTIFICATION (title): Marshall Borel Interview
INTERVIEWER: Paula Ouder and Thomas Hymel
DATES: July 2010
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1930s,
SUMMARY: Borel discusses his early life and his father who was a fisherman in the 1930s. He described crabbing in the Atchafalaya Basin with a roller line. He talks about the different kinds of fish he caught as well as frogs. He talks about the net he made specifically to catch frogs. He boasts working forty hours a week and never missing it.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 1:39:39
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 23
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (91MB, MP3)
View Transcript (320KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Sandra Bouquet
IDENTIFICATION (title):Sandra Bouquet Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux and Roy Kron
DATES: December 2009
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about):
SUMMARY: Bouquet talks about growing up as a shrimper’s daughter. She talks about drying the shrimp on platforms and the small oyster shop she has. She discusses the regulations for dehydrating shrimp. She talks about the decreasing numbers of shrimpers over the years. She also talks briefly about trapping.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 0:39:59
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 13
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (37MB, MP3)
View Transcript (165KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Thu Bui
IDENTIFICATION (title): Thu Bui Interview
INTERVIEWER: Matilda Asuzu
DATES: July 2009
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about):
SUMMARY: Bui discusses Vietnamese fishermen and their traditions and history. She talks about her job as a Sea Grant agent and her dealings with the Vietnamese fishermen.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME:0:4:47
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 7
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (4MB, MP3)
View Transcript (149KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: The Carinhas Family
IDENTIFICATION (title): The Carinhas Family Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux
DATES:
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1896, 1918, 1920s, 1930, 1940s,
SUMMARY: The Carinhas talk about their family’s contribution to the seafood industry. They talk about processing shrimp on the boats before shipping them to market. They tell stories of their family members driving the shrimp to the markets and sometimes dodging the cops with their shipment. They talk about shrimping seasons. They talk about the shrimp market before and after WWII. They talk about the Portuguese and their roles in the shrimp industry. They talk about the progression of the oil industry. They talk about hurricanes and their effect on the shrimp industry.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME:1:23:40
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 25
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (77MB, MP3)
View Transcript (192KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Chris Cenac, Sr.
IDENTIFICATION (title): Chris Cenac, Sr.
INTERVIEWER: Carl Brasseaux, Don Davis
DATES: October 29, 2010
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1850s, 1920s, 1930s, 1960s,
SUMMARY: Chris Cenac Sr. discusses the dried shrimp industry in the 1930s. He also talks about the Germans and their use of the shrimp. He also tells about LSU in the 60s. He talks about his ancestors and their travel to Louisiana. This transcript also discusses the invention of canning and pasteurization and its introduction into America. The creation and use of Tabasco on seafood was being promoted around the time. He talks about the steamboats and trains as mode of transportation as well as the development of the telegraph.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 1:00:23
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 14
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (55MB, MP3)
View Transcript (337KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Dr. Chris Cenac
IDENTIFICATION (title): Chris Cenac Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis
DATES: September 15, 2011
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1809 – 1920
SUMMARY: Dr. Chris Cenac is talking about the book he wrote, Eyes of an Eagle. The book describes the history of Houma, Louisiana, through the eyes of Dr. Chris Cenac’s great-grandfather Jean Pierre Cenac, Sr. The Cenac family made many contributions to the improvement of technology and modernization of Houma and the surrounding areas. These include Houma Fish & Oyster Company, the first Ford dealership, and Louisiana Crushing Company. He also described the events leading up to the invention of the can, the air conditioner, the label making process, and getting gasoline out of the ground. He describes how the oyster industry started in Houma and how the canals were dug so that people could travel by boat from Westwego to the Atchafalaya River. He gives a very detailed account of what is going on in south Louisiana and the United States during this time period.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 110:15
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 15
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (101MB, MP3)
View Transcript (267KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Hollis Chapman and Paul Coreil
IDENTIFICATION (title): Hollis Chapman
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux
DATES: April 2011
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): Period before the Civil War
SUMMARY: The focus of this interview was the origins of Louisiana cattle breeds and the cattle traditions in Evangeline Parish and the surrounding areas. The lifestyles and traditions of Hollis and Paul’s great-grandfathers, grandfathers, and fathers.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 2:17:10
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 29
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (125MB, MP3)
View Transcript (299KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Judge Edwards
IDENTIFICATION (title): Judge Edwards
INTERVIEWER: Carl Brasseaux and Don Davis
DATES:
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s,
SUMMARY: McIlhenny Canal building, oil lease, Hurricane Rita, fur trade market, oyster reefs, oil and gas fields, hunting season, the geography of Vermillion Parish and the formation of the beach ridges, The Louisiana Gulf Coast Clubhouse
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 1:44:40
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 47
RESTRICTIONS: none
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INTERVIEWEE NAME: Allen Ensminger
IDENTIFICATION (title):
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis
DATES:
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1930s, 1950s, 1970s, 1980s
SUMMARY: Wooden Decoys, Commercial Duck Hunting, Natural Gas Dredging, Fur Trappers and Trade, Hurricanes (Audrey, Ike, Rita, Gustav), Salinity Issues in the Marsh, Oil Pipeline, Cattle, Amoco, Lake Catawachi, Churchill Downs, Shrimp Drying, Nutria Trapping, Passaloot, Prohibition
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 4:30:10
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 59
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (247MB, MP3)
View Transcript (487KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Houston Foret
IDENTIFICATION (title): Houston Foret Interview
INTERVIEWER: Carl Brasseaux and Don Davis
DATES: December 2009
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1960
SUMMARY: Foret discusses shrimp drying platforms and the sale of shrimp. He talks about the other crops and shrimp seasons. He tells about the different location of the platforms and how far each was from the coast. Foret talks about other seafood markets in the area such as oysters. He talks about the hurricanes and the levees. He tells of people bringing whiskey into the coastal islands during prohibition. He also discusses the canning trade and cans as well as the different types of boats and what they were used for. He goes into detail on how to make a trawl board. He talks about the changes in the trades as well as predicting what will happen to the trades in the future.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 1:26:35
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 29
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (79MB, MP3)
View Transcript (355KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Mr. Sterling Fryou
IDENTIFICATION (title): Mr. Sterling Fryou
INTERVIEWER: Carl Brasseaux
DATES: December 5, 2012
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1930-present
SUMMARY: Mr. Sterling Fryou is a 75 year old trapper, fisherman, and parish councilman. He has lived on the bayou for his whole life. He lived on a houseboat until 1963. He has done a little bit of everything in his lifetime such as helping steer the Cypress logs, trapping, crawfishing, fishing hoop nets, crabbing, alligator hunting, and moss picking. Mr. Sterling goes on to describe how each one was done then and now. Mr. Sterling also describes what the marsh was like when he was growing up compared to what it is like now. He talks about the effects nutrias and erosion have had on our vanishing land.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 63:49
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 22
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (1GB, MP3)
View Transcript (267KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Ray Gautreaux
IDENTIFICATION (title): Ray Gautreaux Interview
INTERVIEWER: Carl Brasseux and Don Davis
DATES: February 6, 2013
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1941, 1940s, 1951, 1956, 1960’s, 1970’s, modern day
SUMMARY: Gautreaux describes life growing up in a working family on a sugar cane plantation in Mattews, Louisiana. He talked about the various places he has lived and worked, including Lockport, Houma, Raceland, Plaquemine, and now Baton Rouge. He describes working in a sugar refinery and using a dummy railroad to transport the sugar cane from the field to the refinery. He describes the difficulty going to school with various medical problems and briefly mentions the ban on French in the schools. Gautreaux began traveling around the world when he joined the Air Force in 1951, after trying to enlist with other branches. He talks about technical school and earning his high school G.E.D. He also discusses how he learned important trades, such as fixing cars and trucks, welding, and carpentry from technical schools, from friends, and by teaching himself. Gautreaux discusses his Air Force training as a jet mechanic in Texas and his tour in England and TDY all over the world. He also discusses the reunion he organized for his squadron. Throughout the interview, Gautreaux demonstrates his ability to respond to complex situations by creating innovative mechanical solutions, such as building a floating hunting/fishing camp. Relatedly, Gautreaux discusses building multiple camps and the importance of camps to him. He also talks about his Grandfather’s whiskey-making and animal trapping during Prohibition to support his 18-children home.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 01:47:31
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 35
RESTRICTIONS:
Listen to Audio (98MB, MP3)
View Transcript (359KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Andy Gibson
IDENTIFICATION (title): Andy Gibson Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis
DATES: June 19, 2019
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1920s
SUMMARY: Andy Gibson (interviewed by Don Davis) is the owner of Hi-Seas Seafood in Dulac. The company traces its origins back to the early 1920s when the family was invested in the dried shrimp industry. Andy’s great grandfather started the business. The company transitioned from the dried shrimp business to canning and is now focused on wild-caught frozen shrimp. For more than fifty years Hi-Seas has been involved in freezing shrimp. Originally, the shrimp were handed peeled. The same process was used in the original freezing of shrimp. Through time, and innovations, the use of “pickers” has disappeared from the shrimp shed. The key element today is imported pond-raised shrimp that is forcing many to leave the industry, as the price point between wild-caught and pond-raised shrimp favors imports. Andy’s passion related to the price advantage of imports and other matters related to the industry are clear in this interview.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 0:38:47
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 23
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (36MB, MP3)
View Transcript (238KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Roland Guidry
IDENTIFICATION (title): Roland Guidry Interview
INTERVIEWER: Carl Brasseaux & Don Davis
DATES: July 24, 2019
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about):
SUMMARY:
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 1:01:24
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 25
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (11MB, MP4)
View Transcript (284KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Joycelyn Hebert
IDENTIFICATION (title): Joycelyn Hebert Interview
INTERVIEWER: Carl Brasseaux and Don Davis
DATES:
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1930s, 1940s
SUMMARY: Hebert discusses the boat trips she took as a child to the different islands on the coast of Louisiana as well as Grand Isle. She talks about her family’s house and the school.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 0:41:44
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 17
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (38MB, MP3)
View Transcript (262KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: William de Marigny Hyland
IDENTIFICATION (title): William de Marigny Hyland Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux
DATES: January 2007
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): unknown
SUMMARY: …
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 00:08:00
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 2
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (7MB, MP3)
View Transcript (187KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Robert Hoy
IDENTIFICATION (title): Robert Hoy Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux
DATES: January 19, 2011
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1900s
SUMMARY: Hoy discusses his father’s company and the many different shrimp drying platforms. He also talks about shipping the shrimp to China. He talks about his family drying fish as well. He mentions shelling and cleaning the shrimp.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 0:45:05
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 15
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (41MB, MP3)
View Transcript (331KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Pierre Lee
IDENTIFICATION (title): Pierre Lee Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis
DATES: March 19, 2013
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1965, 1970s, 1986, 1987, from Vietnam War to today
SUMMARY: Lee tells the tale of his escape from Vietnam with his family after the war ended. He discusses being the first Vietnamese to transition to Abbeville, Louisiana for the warm climate and the strong Catholic influence. Although trained as a pilot and engineer, Lee began his life in the U.S. as a car washer, worked his way up to mechanic, and then became a top engineer for an oil company. Lee discusses the challenges of this process and how he later decided to expand his goals to helping out new Vietnamese immigrants (the Boat People) and those who remained in Vietnam by entering the shrimping industry. He describes working with banks to get the first boats and fighting the politics and jealousies involved in the shrimping industry. He talks about fostering immigration from Vietnam by helping immigrants to find jobs and learn English. He also discusses military technology and world politics.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 01:35:36
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 18
RESTRICTIONS: ?
Listen to Audio (88MB, MP3)
View Transcript (270KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Leven LeJeune
IDENTIFICATION (title): Leven LeJeune Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis
DATES: January 30, 2013
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1940s, 1950s
SUMMARY: Leven LeJeune discusses his experiences growing up in the small town of Iota, Louisiana. He talks about the religious composition of the town, the access to healthcare, school demographics, and growing up knowing both French and English. He also describes the need to move from Iota to Lake Charles for economic opportunities and keeping up with family back home. Food was a large part of this discussion, including what was eaten on a regular basis at home, during Lent, for Sunday dinner, and at small family boucheries. Social activities involving French music at dance halls and on the radio were also discussed.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 00:37:23
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 18
RESTRICTIONS: (none)
Listen to Audio (34MB, MP3)
View Transcript (247KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Greg Linscombe
IDENTIFICATION (title): Greg Linscombe Interview
INTERVIEWER: Carl Brasseaux and Don Davis
DATES: March 2, 2011
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1920s, 1930s, 1940s,
SUMMARY: Linscombe discusses trapping and trade, which animals were most valuable and when. He talks about how the men would trap and skin the animals while the women would process the fur. He then talks about the seasons for trapping and where most of the fur would go after it was processed. Linscombe then discusses the international trade and the nutria problem. He talks about nutria meat and its popularity and possible uses for third world countries. He also discusses the history of alligator trapping as well as population issues.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 2:46:14
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 32
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (152MB, MP3)
View Transcript (478KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Freddie Matherne
IDENTIFICATION (title): Freddie Matherne Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis
DATES: July 17, 2013
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1930s to 1940s to 2000s, present
SUMMARY: Freddie Matherne takes us on a trip around the bayous and coast of Louisiana in this interview about the changing coastline. He describes navigating the bayous and canals for shrimping, logging, fishing, and crabbing. With 50 years of experience shrimping, he details his process of catching and preserving the best shrimp through knowledge of the waters, cleanliness, boats, and attention to improvements in technology, like cell phones and GPS. Matherne also discusses his interactions with oil companies while shrimping and his work for shrimp drying platforms with his father at a young age. The disappearing coastline and subsequent major changes to lives and communities are prominent themes within this interview. Different types of boats and modifications used for shrimping and crabbing are also discussed.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2…): 1 of 1.
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 01:50:15
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 36
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (50MB, MP3)
View Transcript (329KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Norris Melancon and Mrs. Melancon
IDENTIFICATION (title): Norris Melancon
INTERVIEWER: Carl Brasseaux
DATES: July 2, 2009
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about):
SUMMARY: The Melancons discuss the cattle farming in South Louisiana. He discusses the slaughtering of the calves and the division of the meat to all of the families involved as well as the price per pound and the storage of the meat.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 0:22:52
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 5
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (21MB, MP3)
View Transcript (140KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Edmond C. Mouton, Jr.
IDENTIFICATION (title): Edmond Mouton 10-12
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux
DATES: October 27, 2012
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1930s-present day
SUMMARY: Edmond Mouton works for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and is a biologist program manager and has worked there since 1994. He was involved in the fur and refuge section within the wildlife office. Edmond talked about the trends of fur trapping in Louisiana and how they have changed over the years. He also explained why the nutria control program and tail bounty was put into effect as a way to control marsh damage. The trapping industry is greatly controlled by the price of fur which depends on the economy which makes fur trapping a very unstable career. Because of this, nowadays trapping is not the main source of income for people as it had been in the past. Now it is sort of a hobby or a way to make a little extra money during the winter months when other jobs become slower. Right now the fur trapping industry is a dying trade because not many of the younger generations have stepped up to take the places of the older generation trappers who are retiring or passing away.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2, …) : 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 54:16.6
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 14
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (894MB, MP3)
View Transcript (242KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Edmond C. Mouton, Jr.
IDENTIFICATION (title): Edmond Mouton 11-12
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux
DATES: November 19, 2012
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1930s-present day
SUMMARY: Edmond Mouton works for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and is a biologist program manager and has worked there since 1994. He was involved in the fur and refuge section within the wildlife office. For this interview he explains how the older gentlemen open up in conversation if you speak French with them, they feel you are one of them and not a threat to them. He mentions how the trappers are probably the first that can tell you if something is going on in the marsh since they are out there every day. The impacts the oil and gas companies and traînasse machines had on the hydrology of the marsh were also discussed.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2, …) : 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 46:30.3
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 14
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (766MB, MP3)
View Transcript (233KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Dovie Naquin
IDENTIFICATION (title): Dovie Naquin Interview
INTERVIEWER: Earl Robicheaux
DATES: August 2009
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about):1914
SUMMARY: Naquin sings in French and discusses Cajun music. He also discusses growing up in the swamp, the crops, and the work they had in the early 1900s.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2, …) : 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 1:05:13
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 7
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (45MB, MP3)
View Transcript (295KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Paul Paskoff
IDENTIFICATION (title): Dr. Paul Paskoff Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux
DATES: October 4, 2010
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 2005, 2008
SUMMARY: Paskoff talks about his work with the Red Cross. He talks about hurricanes Katrina and Rita. He mentions how no one had really been able to prepare for the amount of devastation both hurricanes unleashed and how many people didn’t evacuate. He talks about the work he did in order to aid recovery and how much area the teams had to cover. He talks about FEMA and the recovery effort made by everyone. He talks about the suicides and the looting. He talks about the lack of communication in the field and the issues with finding fresh, uncontaminated water. He discusses the issues with FEMA and Rita.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 2:54:37
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 31
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (160MB, MP3)
View Transcript (492KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Norris Price
IDENTIFICATION (title): Norris Price Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux
DATES: December 2009
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1970s, 1980s
SUMMARY: Price talks about shrimp drying platforms and learning how to dry shrimp. He also mentions the prominent platforms in the area. He talks about the price of shrimp and the financial risk associated with it. He mentions the amount of shrimp that can be boxed on the platforms. He talks about rebuilding platforms after major storms. He would trap in the seasons when he couldn’t shrimp.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 0:50:39
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 18
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (46MB, MP3)
View Transcript (266KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Cokie Rathborne and Greg Lier
IDENTIFICATION (title): Cokie Rathborne and Greg Lier Interview
INTERVIEWER: Carl Brasseux, Roy Kron, Don Davis
DATES: June 2, 2010 and June 9, 2010
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1940s, 1950s, 1980s
SUMMARY: They start off by discussing the logging situation and the issues with animals eating the seedlings of the cypress trees before they could grow. They also talk about the leveeing of the Mississippi River and that effect on the cypress tree crop. They discuss trapping and the auctions of trapping. They then move to discussing the progression of subdivisions and modernization of the South as well as the emergence of oil companies.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2…): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 1:42:23
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 35
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (94MB, MP3)
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INTERVIEWEE NAME: David Richard and Kent Ledoux
IDENTIFICATION (title): David Richard Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis, Carl Brasseaux
DATES: November 11, 2009
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about):1930s, 1940s, 1980s
SUMMARY:Richard and Ledoux discuss the cattle business in the South. Richard talks about the type of cattle needed to work the marsh while Ledoux discusses what he does with his cattle every hurricane season. Ledoux talks about the introduction of the quarter horse. They discuss the breeding of quarter horses and the activity of cutting.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 2:06:18
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 26
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (116MB, MP3)
View Transcript (422KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Edmond “Doogie” Robin
IDENTIFICATION (title): Edmond Robin Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux
DATES: December 2013
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about):
SUMMARY:
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2 …): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 40:01
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 15
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (36.6MB, MP3)
View Transcript (302KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Edward and Brad Robin
IDENTIFICATION (title): Edward and Brad Robin Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux
DATES: September 2011
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1940s – present
SUMMARY: Edward and Brad Robin are two oyster fishermen from Yscloskey. They explain the process of how to catch oysters and the technology and terms used in the trade. They mentioned the problems since the BP Oil Spill and hardships and struggles to keep all of their employees. They also discussed the pirate wars between Mississippi and Louisiana. Edward described life after World War II when he started Robin’s Seafood and the modern changes to the way oysters are caught from when he started as a child.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2 …): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 1:48.48.6
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 22
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (100MB, MP3)
View Transcript (302KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Sherill Sagrera
IDENTIFICATION (title): Sherill Sagrera
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux and Jay Darden
DATES: July 2009
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1927, 1930s, 1940s
SUMMARY: Cattle Driving, Seasonal Moving, Cattle Breeds, Brahman, Jersey, Holstein, Barging Cattle, Shipping and Market, Fur Trapping, Watermelon Crop, Prohibition, Muscatine, Four Mile Canal, Buggies, Pirogues, Cow Dipping, Cajun Music, Hurricane Rita, Saddle-making, The Swamp Angels, Marsh Wildlife, Oil Industry.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 2:33:48
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 43
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (141MB, MP3)
View Transcript (412KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Sherill Sagrera
IDENTIFICATION (title): Sherill Sagrera 9-12
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux
DATES: September 19, 2012
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1860s – present
SUMMARY: Sherill Sagrera is talking about the frustrations he has being a marsh cattle farmer. He still does not have a fresh water supply for his cattle since Hurricanes Ike and Rita. He mentioned how the salt water killed the rice crops in some spots in the fields. He also talked about how they are just starting to be able to harvest crawfish again since the storm. It is not quite back to pre-storm levels but it is improving slowly compared to past years. He describes how his family does cattle drives. Sherrill also talks about how it is almost impossible for new people to get into agriculture if they do not inherit land or equipment because farming has so much overhead costs that making a living is unattainable.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2, …) : 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 29:56.8
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 10
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (27MB, MP3)
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INTERVIEWEE NAME: Red Sellers
IDENTIFICATION (title): Sellers
INTERVIEWER: Carl Brasseaux
DATES:
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1937
SUMMARY: Red Sellers discusses when he worked at the clubhouse and the additions he helped add to it. He talks about what’s happened to the clubhouse after hurricanes and what future plans are for it. He talks about the oyster business and where his family sold the oysters. He talks about cattle driving and the techniques the families used to move the cattle. He mentions the wolves killing cattle. He discusses the doctors of the day. He talks about dipping the cows to keep ticks off of them. He talks about other things that people did in their everyday lives and the dance halls that the neighbors and eventually their children would go to. He talks about the different types of musical instruments as well.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME:1:20:32
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 19
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (74MB, MP3)
View Transcript (218KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Lloyd (Wimpy) Serigne
IDENTIFICATION (title): Lloyd (Wimpy) Serigne Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux
DATES: unknown
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): unknown
SUMMARY: …
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2, …) : 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 2:34:42
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 78
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (142MB, MP3)
View Transcript (266KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Eric, Dennis, and Ray Skermetta
IDENTIFICATION (title): Mavar-Skermetta Family Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux
DATES: October 15, 2010
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1800s, 1904, 1930s, 1946
SUMMARY: Canneries, Seafood Processing, Shrimp Peeling, Oysters, Mavar Shrimp and Oil Company, Shipyard, Canning Companies, Shrimp Drying, Prohibition and Dry States, The Great Depression.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME:2:08:01
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 41
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (117MB, MP3)
View Transcript (475KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Clifford Smith
IDENTIFICATION (title): Clifford Smith Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux
DATES: November 4, 2009
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1900s, 1930s, 1940s,
SUMMARY: Smith talks about his family’s history and the Cypress business. He talks about the oil and gas industry. He talks about the storms and how the people raised their houses for themselves without FEMA having to tell them to do it.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 1:15:24
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 21
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (69MB, MP3)
View Transcript (299KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Clifford Smith
IDENTIFICATION (title): Clifford Smith Interview
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux
DATES: May 27, 2011
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1900s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s,
SUMMARY: Smith talks about the Mississippi River and the cities along it. He talks about the floods and the sand boils and the levees. He talks about flooding the spillway and the issues with the river in the past.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 1:55:33
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 31
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (106MB, MP3)
View Transcript (423KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Clifford Smith and Skippy
IDENTIFICATION (title): Clifford Smith and Skippy
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux
DATES:
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1850s, 1909, 1920s, 1935, 1940s, 1950s,
SUMMARY: Clifford: Growing up in the bayou, houseboats, oil and gas in the Gulf of Mexico, land surveys and business in the 1850s, post-Civil War politics and Louisiana, levee districts, oil industry and Texaco, sawmills, immigration between 1830-1840, Hurricanes Ivan, Rita, Gustav, Katrina, Betsy, bootlegging, shrimping industry, World War II airbases, oyster packing companies, canning process and progress, sugarcane crop and plantations post-Civil War.
Skippy: Chinese railroad and shrimping industry. Shrimping platforms, drying fish, trade with China, Hawaii, Cuba, and South America, shrimp marketing process,
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2…): 1 of 2
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 4:28:17
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 85
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (245MB, MP3)
View Transcript (472KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Mark Staton
IDENTIFICATION (title): Mark Staton Interview
INTERVIEWER: Carl Brasseaux and Don Davis
DATES:
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1970s, 1980s
SUMMARY: Staton discusses his academic achievements as well as his early jobs working on chicken farms and eventually alligator farms. He did research to see what kind of nutrition alligators needed. He discusses the process used to manufacture the feed. He discusses the different markets for alligator and crocodile skins. He discusses the size of alligators and crocodiles as well.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 2:34:59
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 24
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (142MB, MP3)
View Transcript (339KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Mark Staton
IDENTIFICATION (title): Mark Staton
INTERVIEWER: Don Davis and Carl Brasseaux
DATES: April 2012, July 2009
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1990s – present
SUMMARY: Mark Staton owns an alligator leather business in Lafayette. He makes some small products in house like iphone cases, sandals, and customized bags. However, his main business is buying alligator skins from farmers and hunters, sending them off to the tannery to be processed, and then selling them to manufactures to be made into final products. He makes a lot of belt strips for companies because belt makers only need a little bit of leather and buying a whole alligator skin would not benefit them. So instead they buy belt strips from Mark and Mark is able to use the rest of the alligator so none of the skin is wasted. This interview covers the day-to-day operations of Mark’s shop and some general information about alligators. He briefly discussed Cites tags and how temperature affects the sex of the alligator in the eggs.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2, …: ) 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 1:17:07
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 20
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (71MB, MP3)
View Transcript (262KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Eugene Theriot
IDENTIFICATION (title): Theriot Family Interview
INTERVIEWER: Paula Ouder and Thomas Hymel
DATES: May 2010
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1923, 927, 1940s,
SUMMARY: Shrimp Factory, Shrimp Drying Platforms, Ice Boats, Hurricanes, Canneries, Manila Village, Fur Trapping, Oysters, Seabreeze, Kerosene, Prohibition, Storm of 1926, Shrimp Strike.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME:1:49:12
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 56
RESTRICTIONS: none
Listen to Audio (100MB, MP3)
View Transcript (499KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Brenda Bertrand Thibodeaux
IDENTIFICATION (title): Cajun Women
INTERVIEWER: Carl Brasseaux
DATES: November 11, 2012
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1929-1970s
SUMMARY: Brenda talks about the roles the Cajun women played in her generation and in her mother’s generation and how different they were. She also mentions what roles the mother and father played in the home and outside of the home. Brenda also describes life on the farm and the forms of entertainment they had.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2, …) : 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 20:24.0
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 11
RESTRICTIONS: None
Listen to Audio (336MB, MP3)
View Transcript (135KB, PDF)
INTERVIEWEE NAME: Michael Vanover
IDENTIFICATION (title): Michael Vanover Interview
INTERVIEWER: Carl Brasseux and Don Davis
DATES: January 23, 2013
FOCUS DATES (dates of things they’re talking about): 1950s to today
SUMMARY: Michael Vanover, currently the C.E.O. of a landowning company, worked for oil companies for many years. In this interview, he details a wide range of topics about his life in Louisiana tied to the oil and gas industry and his deep connection to the land. He illustrates the complicated negotiations between landowners and oil companies from the unique perspective of someone who has worked on both sides. His discussion ranges from shifts in well drilling technology to fighting for oil company culpability in environmental cleanup to being an informed landowner to growing up in a Louisiana outdoor family with hunting as an important part of life. He also talks about his involvement with the Wild Game Appreciation Dinner in Morgan City, his projections for the future of the oil and gas industry, and reality shows in Louisiana.
RECORDINGS (1 of 1, 1 of 2…): 1 of 1
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 01:34:15
# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 33
RESTRICTIONS: ?
Listen to Audio (86MB, MP3)
View Transcript (334KB, PDF)