Vermilionville

Docent Training Manual

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: BVD & Vermilionville Hierarchy & Policies/Procedures

· Introduction 3

· Lafayette Parish Bayou Vermilion District Board Commissioners5

· Vermilionville Foundation6

· Museum Staff and Administration 7

· Museum Operations Policies8

· Object Handling Procedure10

· Object Cleaning Procedure12

· Wardrobe Policies & Procedures 13

Chapter 2: Giving a Tour

· Tour logistics

· Outline of tour16

· Orientation (English & French)18

· Reading the daily rotation20

· Example of daily rotations21

· Docent tips 24

· Knowing Your Audience et al27

· General Rules and Guidelines30

Chapter 3: Vermilionville Village

· Map of Village31

· List of Structures in Village32

Chapter 4: Lagniappe Information

· Reading list36

· Video list39

· FAQ’s 47

· Glossary49

· Myths and Legends54

39

Introduction to Vermilionville

Mission Statements

Lafayette Parish Bayou Vermilion District’s mission is to improve water quality in Bayou Vermilion, to maintain its riparian facilities and installations, to empower its recreational users and to engage the public in a greater awareness of our cultural and natural resources.

The mission of Bayou Operations at the Bayou Vermilion District is to remove and dispose of all items found in Bayou Vermilion that have a detrimental effect on its health and beauty, to prevent degradation and restore its banks whenever possible and to educate the public on how to become good stewards of its resources.

Vermilionville’s mission is to educate the public on the origins of the unique cultures developed in the Attakapas area and to foster their continued growth in an authentic and engaging fashion rooted in the Acadian, Creole and Native American traditions.

La Cuisine de Maman’s mission is to provide consistent high-quality food, beverages and hospitality services in the authentic Cajun and Creole traditions of south Louisiana.

Vision Statements

The Bayou Vermilion District’s vision is to make the Bayou Vermilion’s watershed an integral part of Lafayette Parish’s economic, cultural and environmental plans for success and growth.

Vermilionville’s vision is to be an esteemed source of entertainment, education and information about the Creole, Cajun and Native American cultures of the Attakapas District from 1765 to 1890, as well as the locus of cultural and educational events and products that legitimately represent those traditions.

La Cuisine de Maman’s vision is to establish its reputation as one of the prime examples of authentic, traditional Creole and Cajun cuisine in the world.

Description

Vermilionville is a living history museum, whose purpose is to preserve and interpret authentic elements of folklife cultures of the Attakapas area between 1765 and 1890. The celebration of these cultures includes language; music and dance; the performance of traditional arts and artifacts and landscaping; historic costuming; beliefs and customs; cuisine; and traditional holidays and festivals. Vermilionville seeks to enlighten visitors and youth about the history and culture of Acadiana and to help ethnic groups of this area gain a better understanding and appreciation of their own cultures and those of others in this multi-ethnic region.

Background

The Vermilionville Living History Museum and Folklife Park is considered by many one of the world's largest physical representations of an early Acadian settlement using original structures (dating from 1790 to 1890), and new ones built in the style of the 19th century. It opened its doors to the public in 1992 and has welcomed tourists and residents of the area since then.

The many artisans on-site demonstrate the folklife of the region representing a time period from 1765 to 1890. The restored homes and reproductions are a great expression of the architecture of this period of time. The artifacts and the artisans who demonstrate traditional crafts provide visitors with an excellent historical view of the early life of the Acadians, Creoles and Native Americans in Louisiana. 

What is Vermilionville?

Vermilionville is a reconstruction of an early Acadian settlement utilizing early structures (dating from 1790 -1890) and new ones built in the style of the 19th century. Folk occupation and crafts demonstrate the folk life of the region during the period of 1765-1890.

Why is it called Vermilionville?

That was the original name of present day Lafayette. Vermilionville was founded by Jean Mouton in 1822 when he gave the land for the courthouse, the church and the cemetery. The name of the town was changed in 1884 to honor the Marquis de Lafayette, the Frenchman who fought for the republic in the Revolutionary War. The Parish of Lafayette was created by the act of the legislature of 1822.

Definitions of CulturesThe following definitions of our three founding cultures are the official Vermilionville stance.

Acadians: French-speaking Catholic colonists who settled, beginning in 1632, the French colony of Acadie founded in 1604. They became English subjects with the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 and remained so until English authorities forcibly displaced them from what is today Nova Scotia between 1749 and 1763. The largest déportation of Acadians, Le Grand Dérangement, happened in 1755. They were scattered across North America, England and France. Many eventually found their way to south Louisiana between 1765 and 1785. Many of their descendants are now known as Cajuns.

 

Creoles:  first used to refer to those who were born in the Louisiana colony. Later, referred exclusively to people of wholly European descent. Today, Creole refers to descendants of colonial settlers in LA, mainly free people of color.

 

Native Americans:  refers to the Native people that have been established in the Americas for approximately 12,000 years. A few tribes that inhabited colonial Louisiana in the 1700s were the Atakapa, the Caddo, the Chitimacha, the Houma, the Natchez, and the Tunica. Today, there are fourteen federally and state recognized tribes in Louisiana.

Lafayette Parish Bayou Vermilion District Board Commissioners

Dr. A. David Barry, PresidentCommittees: Executive; Finance/Capital (Chair)

Ray Landry, Vice-PresidentCommittees: Executive; Marketing/PR (Chair); Ops/Bayou/Maintenance

Andrea Rubinstein, SecretaryCommittees: Executive; Acquisitions (Chair); Marketing/PR

Derek LandryCommittees: Marketing/PR; Education/Programming

John BroussardCommittees: Marketing/Public Relations; Education/Programming

Thomas MichotCommittees: Environmental (Chair); Finance/Capital

Rodney RichardCommittees: Environmental

Steve GremillionCommittees: Operations/Bayou/Maintenance (Chair); Finance/Capital; Acquisitions

John TroutmanCommittees: Education/Programming (Chair); Operations/Bayou/Maintenance; Environmental

The Lafayette Parish Bayou Vermilion District was created as a political subdivision of the state of Louisiana in 1984 as an act of legislation cited as RS 33:9201 and RS 33:9202.  The territorial limits of the district shall be coterminous with the boundaries of the parish of Lafayette and jurisdiction of its authority shall extend throughout the parish of Lafayette.  For the purposes of this Chapter, any and all references to Bayou Vermilion shall include that body of water known as either Bayou Vermilion or Vermilion River within the boundaries of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana.

The Lafayette Parish Bayou Vermilion District was created for the following purposes:

(1) Improving the water quality of and beautifying Bayou Vermilion in the parish of Lafayette in an effort to promote the bayou as a recreational and cultural asset.(2) Creating and controlling a new type of viable economic development adjacent to Bayou Vermilion so as to provide a diversified economic base for the city and parish of Lafayette.(3) Doing any and all other acts which would enhance the general condition of Bayou Vermilion.

Vermilionville Living History Museum Foundation, Inc.

President

Dr. Michael Martin

Vice President

Dr. Mark DeWitt

Treasurer

Ethan Jordan

Secretary

Deborah Dennis Simeral

Council:

Dr. C. Ray Brassieur

Edward Cazayoux

Joe Dennis

Lucius Fontenot

Patricia Foster

Allen J. Bacque

Chris Segura

Jane Vidrine

On November 5, 1992, the Vermilionville Historic Foundation, Inc. was established as a nonprofit corporation exclusively for the support, management, and furtherance of Vermilionville, a living history museum. On December 31, 2001, the IRS 501(c-3) status was awarded to the new and renamed non-profit corporation the Vermilionville Living History Museum Foundation, Inc. (Vermilionville Foundation).

In October 2002, the direct management of Vermilionville was removed from the VLHMF, Inc. and reclaimed by the Lafayette Parish Bayou Vermilion District. The decision was made for the Foundation Board to remain active in its support and furtherance of Vermilionville as a living history museum.

Bayou Vermilion District Administration

CEO - David Cheramie Ph.D. CEO@BayouVermillionDistrict.org

Office Manager – Kim Fournet Accounting@BayouVermillionDistrict.org

BVD Operations - Curtis WilliamsCurtis@BayouVermillionDistrict.org

Curator- Charissa HelluinCurator@BayouVermillionDistrict.org

Marketing – Erin Stickney Marketing@BayouVermillionDistrict.org

Museum Operations – Jolie S. JohnsonVville@BayouVermillionDistrict.org

Tour Coordinator - Catherine FontenotTours@BayouVermillionDistrict.org

Education Coordinator- Peggy FeehanEducation@BayouVermilionDistrict.org

Food and Beverage – Millicent NorbertCuisine@BayouVermillionDistrict.org

Gift Shop Manager – Chris Benoit Giftshop@BayouVermillionDistrict.org

Horticulturalist- Margot Addison

Museum Operations Policies & Procedures

Clocking in and out:

-If you are a contract employee, you will need to turn in your time to the Museum Operations Coordinator after every shift. There is a drawer in the office area with scrap pieces of paper. Write your name, the date, and the time you worked. Place it in the box. Contract employees are paid weekly. Check requests are submitted on Monday and issued on Friday.

-If you are a permanent employee, you will use your card to swipe in and out in the break room. Permanent employees are paid biweekly. The pay periods are from Saturday to Friday.

Requesting off:

-The schedule is posted the Wednesday before the current one expires (every other Wednesday). If you need off during this biweekly period, a formal request off time sheet must be filled out and turned into the Museum Operations Coordinator. This is due by 5 PM on the Monday before the schedule is distributed.

-Example: If the schedule is distributed on Wednesday, March 5th, your time off request is due Monday, March 3rd.

-If the schedule is already distributed and you need off, you need to talk with your coworkers to see if someone will trade or cover your shift for you. The Museum Operations Coordinator must approve this switch.

Checking In:

-You should check in with the coordinators every morning before reporting to your station for the most up to date schedule and news regarding the day.

Cell Phones:

-You are permitted to have your cell phone on you while you are at work. It is an expansive village and hard to relay messages so we do text or call you occasionally during the workday.

-You should never call or text the coordinators outside of operation hours unless it is an emergency.

-If it is a weekend, you should not call or text the coordinators unless they are the Manager on Duty. You must call the main office line on weekend shift days. The Manager on Duty is listed on your biweekly schedule.

Sick:

-Please call the main office line and speak to someone if you are sick and unable to come into work. It is imperative that you speak with someone. Do not text or leave a message on a voicemail.

Lunch:

-You are given 30 minutes for your lunch break. This is automatically taken out of your time. To avoid loosing time, we ask that you report to work 30 minutes before your shift is scheduled to begin.

-Pay attention to the door in the break room for your lunch schedule. It is imperative that you stick to this schedule. You are required to put your return time on the chalkboard so visitors know when they should return to learn from you.

Smoking:

-If you smoke, you are allowed to take 2, 15 minute breaks during the day. No visitor or administrative personnel should see you smoking. Please dispose of buds properly and out of sight.

Gift Shop Consignment:

-You are allowed to make hand crafted items for sale in the gift shop; we encourage it!

-You need to meet with the gift shop manager beforehand for briefing on policies and procedures.

-You are responsible for supplying your own material for any item you may wish to sell.

-If we request for you to make an item, we will provide the material for you.

Google Document Access:

-The Vermilionville calendar and schedule can always be found through our google system. The login information is below.

-Access the calendar for the total operations schedule. Access the drive for all documents.

-Login: Artisans@BayouVermilion.org

-Password: Gator-1234

Object Handling Procedure

Handling an artifact is serious business, and while it is important to be cordial with your colleagues and friends, you must never lose sight of the gravity of the task of working with valuable objects and museum collections. Consider each object you work with as unique and irreplaceable.

Do not handle an artifact unless it is necessary and expressed permission has been given by the owner or responsible staff member. Never eat, smoke, or drink in the vicinity of an object. Serious consequences can be avoided with careful thought and preparation before, during, and after handling an object.

Before Handling

To protect the artifact from scratching, marking, or bumping, remove dangling necklaces, sharp rings, protruding belt buckles, pens and pencils from shirt pockets, and tuck neckties into shirts.

Before moving an object, look at it carefully, find its weakness, and handle it accordingly. To the extent possible, remove covers and loose parts prior to moving. Secure any other loose parts, such as drawers or cabinet doors of furniture pieces, and broken glass.

When handling artifacts, choose your gloves carefully. For most artifacts, clean latex, or nitrile gloves work best. In some cases, paper and textile artifacts may be handled with freshly washed and dried hands. Clean cotton gloves may be used for handling if necessary, although they could catch or snag on rough or fragile artifacts. If they must be used, be sure to change them frequently to minimize soil transfer from one object to another. They should not be used to handle heavy objects or slippery artifacts like ceramics or glass. When handling ethnographic artifacts or natural history specimens contaminated with pesticides such as arsenic, DDT, mercuric chloride, or lead, cotton gloves may not provide adequate protection.

Assure the safety of artifacts by carefully and thoughtfully packing and/or padding them for transport. Never discard packing materials without searching them for loose or associated materials (flakes, lids, labels, etc.) When using a ladder, always work with a partner. Hand the object down to your partner before descending; do not climb down with the item in your hand.

Plan the movement of objects. Prior to moving an artifact, prepare a clean, clear space to receive the object that covered with clean padding as needed. If possible, always work with a partner. While this is obvious for large objects, it is also beneficial when handling small artifacts. When planning your route, consider drafts, doors, people, uneven floors, etc. Once you decide on your route, inform others of your plans. Planning and communication are essential to minimize the possibility of unnecessary damage.

During Handling

Always use a cart, container, or support board to move objects more than a few steps, especially when going up or down stairs. Move artifacts into the cart or container one at a time.

When moving artifacts, support their weight by placing your hands under them or on the strongest parts of the main body. Use both hands to move artifacts. Do not lift objects by parts such as handles, straps, or lids. Do not lift furniture by arms or backs, paintings by top frame rails or hanging hardware, or ceramics by handles. Carry textiles fully supported on both arms, on a rigid support, or rolled on a tube. Do not lift them by the edges.

To lift or move paper documents use both hands. Hold diagonal corners of the sheet, if stable, or use an acid-free folder or blotter to support the piece during movement. With paper objects, special care must be taken while moving to ensure that loose parts do not blow away. Handle paper objects mounted in mats or other devices by their mounts.

Never touch the surface of a painting or material with a friable surface (for example, pastel or crayon drawing, flaking paint surface, cracked or crizzled glass).

If you must transfer an artifact to another person, place it on a table or cart and allow the other person to lift it from there. Do not transfer the artifact directly to the other person.

When handling and examining an artifact, hold it over a table or other surface so that if the object is dropped it will fall a shorter distance. It is often necessary to carry out examinations on padded surfaces to prevent abrasion and provide better support.

After Handling

If it is necessary to leave an artifact unattended in a secure area, place a protective cover over it and clearly indicate its presence with a hand-written or printed “OBJECT BELOW” card placed on top of the protective cover.

If an artifact is damaged, do not panic. Prior to moving the artifact or retrieving the associated pieces, take a photograph to document the accident. Retain all pieces, however small, and clearly associate them with the artifact, placing them in labeled zip top bags or acid-free boxes. Do not attempt to put the pieces back together. This is a job for a conservator. Prepare a written document outlining the accident and place it with the photographs in the artifact’s permanent record file.

Artifacts Cleaning Policy

Any stain removal or major cleaning of any artifact should be handled by a professional conservator, or at least with the advice of a professional conservator. Otherwise, cleaning may do more harm than good and could irreversibly damage the artifact. All repairs should be left to a professional conservator.

Dusting

However, museum staff can carry out some routine cleaning tasks, such as dusting. Before dusting, examine the object carefully to determine how sturdy it is. Proceed only if the object is in sound structural condition. Dust can be removed with a soft, clean, with cotton cloth or a soft natural bristle brush. Dust slowly, gently and in one direction. Do not use feather dusters, because they can snag or catch on the surface of an object.

Avoid using dusting sprays or polishes on artifacts. The chemicals released by these products can be harmful, as is the build-up of the products over time. A small amount of distilled water and a clean white cotton cloth can be used to remove any stubborn dirt.

Another way that museum staff can remove dust from structurally sound artifacts is with a special museum vacuum. Note that it is not acceptable to use a regular vacuum for this task; it must be done with a vacuum specifically designed for use with museum collections. These vacuums allow the user to adjust the amount of suction depending on the type and condition of the artifact. Take care to use the appropriate attachment or nozzle for each type of artifact.

Vacuuming can be a particularly effective cleaning method for textiles in good condition. To insure that damage does not occur, the following procedure is recommended: begin by gently brushing dirt from the surface of the textile with a soft brush. Then vacuum the surface using a low-suction museum vacuum with a clean brush nozzle attachment. A nylon screen should be placed between the textile and vacuum during cleaning to catch any loose fragments that could be detached during the process. Cover the edges of the screen with cotton bias tape (or something similar) to keep it from snagging the textile. Vacuum both sides of the textile.

General Housekeeping

As for general museum housekeeping, such as cleaning the floors, walls, windows, storage shelves, light fixtures and office equipment, use only mild cleansers. Avoid harsh commercial cleaners that contain bleach or ammonia. Chemicals and gasses given off by harsh cleansers can transfer to your artifacts. It is absolutely necessary to use such products, use the smallest amount possible and make sure the area is well ventilated.

If you have any questions on how to clean a particular artifact please do not hesitate to contact the Curator.

Wardrobe Policies & Procedures:

Orientation

An initial wardrobe appointment will be made in advance by the employee's supervisor. At the appointment, the employee's measurements will be taken and kept on file for future reference. A wardrobe packet consisting of a copy of the Wardrobe Policies and Procedures, Historical Significance, Measurement Chart, and Wardrobe Contract will be provided to the employee. A wardrobe representative will review the entire packet with the employee answering any questions.

Employees should arrive at Vermilionville wearing the appropriate garments for their assigned areas. In special instances, the employee must receive approval from their supervisor before arriving at Vermilionville in other than assigned historical garments.

Interpretation

The ultimate goal of Wardrobe is to establish, maintain and further develop the authentic interpretation of garments worn at Vermilionville. WARDROBE HAS DEVELOPED STRICT GUIDELINES AND INSTRUCTIONS, WHICH MUST BE FOLLOWED EXPLICITLY. NO ALTERATIONS ARE TO BE MADE WITHOUT FIRST CONSULTING WARDROBE.

Employees should be aware of the historical significance of their particular garments, especially traditional garments, to enhance the interpretation with the visitors.

Costumed employees are required to wear their respective hats/bonnets and aprons, if assigned while on the grounds.

Loan of Garments

Wardrobe maintains an inventory of garments available for loan to employees. A Wardrobe Contract will be completed during initial orientation. Should the garments be damaged or lost the employee will be responsible to cover the expenses of the item.

Patterns

Patterns are available upon request for employees who would prefer to have their garments made. During the orientation, the Wardrobe representation will review in detail patterns and notes regarding pattern alterations or other changes the employee will be allowed to wear. Some patterns do not have pattern pieces per se, but merely instructions on how to cut the fabric and construct the garment (these instructions are included in the pattern packet). Wardrobe has drafted pattern pieces for these particular patterns and are available to be copied by the employee. The remaining patterns contain pattern pieces and directions and are available on a loan basis.

Patterns will be loaned for a period of (two) weeks. A pattern loan form will be completed, signed and dated by the employee. Should the pattern not be returned in other than the original condition, a replacement fee will be charged.

Fabric

Should an employee request to make their garment a wardrobe employee will review fabric requirements including types and colors of fabric appropriate to the area assigned.

Wardrobe maintains a fabric inventory. Depending on the availability, the employee has the option of purchasing fabric directly through this Department.

Should the employee wish to purchase their own fabric, A FABRIC SWATCH MUST BE APPROVED BY WARDROBE BEFORE PURCHASE. This procedure eliminates unnecessary expenditures on any fabric not suitable in the assigned area.

Costume Care

The employee is responsible for maintaining the proper care of their garments and wearing them authentically as directed. This means laundering the garments appropriately. You may machine wash the costume (permanent press or delicate) in cold or warm water. Detergent can be used as well as fabric softener. DO NOT use bleach. DO NOT take it upon yourself to get tough stains out, instead return the costume to the wardrobe department immediately. Tumble dry on low heat, or hang dry -- which will make the garment look more authentic. Do not iron the costume. If the costume needs repairs report it to the wardrobe department.

Seamstresses

Should the employee elect to construct the garments themselves or contract with individuals other than Vermilionville the employee must be reminded that GUIDELINES AND INSTRUCTIONS MUST BE FOLLOWED EXPLICITLY. NO ALTERATIONS ARE TO BE MADE WITHOUT FIRST CONSULTING WARDROBE.

Should an individual wish to qualify as a Vermilionville-approved seamstress, the individual should schedule an appointment with Wardrobe providing samples of their work as well as references.

Eyeglasses

To maintain the authenticity of our living history museum, only approved adaptations of frames will be acceptable. This requirement will be enforced once the employee reaches her/his one-year anniversary of employment with Vermilionville.

Hair

Hair must be kept clean and appropriately combed. Hairstyles not fitting in the period must be concealed by some type of head covering. Men with longer hair should wear the hair pulled back and secured.

For the girls, hair may be worn under a bonnet, drawn together with a large bow or bun snood, and braided. For the women wearing the traditional la capine, hair should be drawn together at the nape of the neck or worn completely under the bonnet. Should you elect to dress according to the area to which you are assigned, hair guidelines will be discussed with you at the time of your consultation.

Jewelry

Adults are allowed to wear wedding rings and watches (only if the watch is concealed beneath a sleeve).

Women are allowed to wear appropriate jewelry (earrings, pendants) depending on the assigned area. For any traditional wardrobe, a pair of simple gold, silver, or pearl studs are allowed.

It is preferred that children do not wear any jewelry. Girls having pierced ears may wear a pair of simple gold, silver, or pearl studs.

Makeup

For the women, makeup should be simple (little or no mascara, light blush, clear or light lip gloss). Children should not wear any makeup.

Nail polish may not be worn. Nails must be kept at a minimal length.

Shoes

The employee will be advised of selections available for the particular costume period and area assigned. If shoes are available locally, the employee is encouraged to handle the selection and payment directly with the local merchant.

Miscellaneous

During winter months, thermal garments may be worn, if not visible. Any other winter apparel must first be approved by Wardrobe. Any modern object carried on site must not be visible to the public. Baskets or other authentic carriers should be used instead.

Plain black umbrellas are allowed, with parasols for the ladies.

Special/seasonal event costuming

Should additional costuming be required for special or seasonal events, Wardrobe will be responsible for providing the appropriate garments. Authorization for additional garments should be directed in memo form from the Program Director to Wardrobe, submitting a costume request form for each participant. Should the participant’s measurements not be on file, the Program Director should make an appointment with Wardrobe for measurements.

Guest craftsmen

Garments will be loaned on a temporary basis depending on the extent of services by guest craftsmen. A Wardrobe Contract and measurement form will be completed, signed and dated by the individual. These individuals will be responsible for adherence to the established policies as outlined in this document.

Volunteers

The policies and procedures as outlined above also apply to volunteers. For volunteers under eighteen years of age, a parent or guardian should schedule the appropriate appointments for in-processing.

Tour Logistics

Outline of a typical tour from arrival to departure

Pre-arrival

1. We ask that all guests requesting guided tours schedule their visit at least 2 weeks in advance. If a guided tour is requested with less than two weeks notice, we inform the booker that we will attempt to reserve a guide but cannot guarantee one will be available. Guides are notified of upcoming tours as soon as the tour coordinator begins creating the schedule. This task is completed at least one week in advance.

2. On the day of the tour, we ask that guides arrive 30 minutes prior to your scheduled tour start time.

3. Guides should arrive in proper costume. If you are unable to, you should arrive 45 minutes prior to your start time for dressing purposes.

4. In the 30 minutes prior to the tour, guides should study the tour rotation, be aware of time allotments, lunch, any enhancements that group requested and plan accordingly.

5. If multiple tours are occurring simultaneously, guides should meet to discuss tour routes to insure that there is no congestion within the village.

6. Guides should also use this time to learn which homes have artisans for this day to ensure that those homes are visited.

7. Be prepared to greet the group on the porch at scheduled time of arrival. The Tour Coordinator may request you wait indoors for your group. This is why it is important for you to arrive 30 minutes before your start time so the tour coordinator may go over group specifics with you.

Arrival (Orientation done by Tour Coordinator before guide meets group)

1. Tour coordinator greets tour group on porch

2. If school groups should arrive early tour coordinator will unlock Group Lobby Entrance and allow a few students at a time to use restrooms.

3. Ensure everyone is divided into appropriate number of groups (no more than 25 per group, 16 if they have scheduled a boat tour).

4. Tour coordinator does brief 5 min orientations with all teachers and chaperones to give general rules and regulations of the village while acknowledging their responsibilities for the day.

5. Tour coordinator will then complete an orientation for the group. If a large group has been split into multiple groups then multiple orientations may be required.

6. Tour coordinator then introduces group to their assigned guide and tour begins.

7. Do not use the service entrance or back path for a short cut with your group. It is a safety hazard for visitors to be in that area. You should use the lobby.

Beginning & During Tour

1. Before you start your tour, you have the option to begin the tour right away or conduct a small orientation if you would like to add to the tour coordinator’s orientation. The way you begin your tour will develop over time as you conduct more tours. You find what flow works for you and your tour style. This is an area we allow you to be flexible and capture your audience’s interests.

2. Begin your tour at agreed upon starting point. You need to take scheduled activities into consideration when selecting your starting point. For example, if your group will have a dance lesson in the Performance Center during the middle of your tour, you should start at the middle of the village and work your way to the front. If your group will have a dance lesson at the end of your tour, you should start at the very end of the village and work your way to the front.

3. Be aware of pacing, make sure to escort groups to scheduled enhancements (rag doll classes, dance lessons, cooking demos, etc.) at scheduled times. Tour coordinator is responsible for ensuring all enhancements are on schedule. You may set alarms on your phone to give a 5-minute warning. Please set it on a vibration to ensure period authenticity.

4. When visiting a home with an artisan who does a demonstration, you should introduce the artisan first and let him or her lead the group through the demonstration. If you notice certain facts you like to touch upon were left out, you may add these facts once the artisan demonstration is complete. Please do not interrupt the artisan during the demo.

5. Be aware of the length of the artisan demonstration. If needed, signal the artisan that it is approaching the time for the group to move on. This signal is a circular motion made with the index finger to “wrap it up.”

6. When arriving at enhancements, introduce the group to the instructor and let them take over. Guides must stay in the immediate area in case they are needed. If the tour is in French, the bilingual guide is required to stay in the building to assist with translation.

7. Be sure to return to location of the enhancement in time to direct the group to their next destination.

8. Guides are expected to stay with the group throughout the entire length of the tour especially school groups and French speaking groups. For adult tours, English speaking tour guide may take a break while group is at lunch. You may need to assist the Food & Beverage team with serving lunches so please check in with them before you take a break. You must remain in the vicinity of your group.

After a Tour

1. Bring your tour group to their departure area and see them off. Bon voyage!

2. Turn in your time sheet to Museum Operations Coordinator or swipe your card in the break room.

3. Return all necessary belongings to Museum Operations Coordinator.

4. Inform Tour Coordinator of any issues that came up during your tour so we can correct them.

5. Turn in any questions you were unable to answer.

Orientation – English

Welcome to Vermilionville! We call our museum Vermilionville because it was the original name of the city of Lafayette. Two hundred years ago, this region was known as the Attakapas District. We represent the time frame 1765 to 1890. We preserve and interpret three cultures of the area, the Acadians, Creoles, and Native Americans. There are costumed artisans in various homes, showing the way of life of our ancestors. There is a map in the center of the booklet. I will quickly tell you where our artisans are today.

(Cross out any artisans not working that day. Make sure to list the appropriate house.)

Today, you will meet…

In Maison des Cultures, Janice tells Native American stories with morals.

…Lynn is working on her quilting. …Barbara is making corn husk dolls.

In Beau Bassin, Brenda is spinning cotton.

…Lynn is working on her quilting.

In the School House, Nonc Jules is a musician who plays the accordion.

In the School House, Merlin is a musician who plays the fiddle.

In the School House, John plays along with Merlin on the accordion or harmonica. (Saturdays only)

In the School House, D’Jalma is a musician who plays the fiddle.

In Maison Mouton, Mr. Cliff is working on his wood carvings.

In Maison Broussard, Larry or John or Steve or Em or Abbey will interpret the history of the house and the artifacts for you.

In Maison Boucvalt, Kati may be working on some embroidery or clothes for her family.

In the Chapel, Jeanette is making rosaries out of Job’s tears.

In Maison Buller, Barbara is making corn husk dolls.

…Em is weaving palmetto leaves.

Many of the things our artisans make by hand, you can purchase in the gift shop.

Please feel free to take photos of everything you may see in the village. Please do not touch any of the objects in the homes. They are on display as they would be in your home rather than in a glass case. They are very fragile and we want to protect them for the next generation.

You will find bathrooms in the lobby (point), in the Performance Center, and in the village just past Maison Boucvalt.

Do you have any questions? Thank you and enjoy your visit!

Orientation – en Français

Bienvenue à Vermilionville ! Nous appelons notre musée Vermilionville parce que c’est le nom d’origine de la ville de Lafayette. Il y a deux cent (200) ans, cette région était connue comme le district des Attakapas. Nous représentons la période de mille sept cent soixante-cinq (1765) à mille huit cent quatre-vingt-dix (1890). Nous représentons trois (3) cultures d’ici. Ce sont celles des Acadiens, des Créoles et des Amérindiens. Il y a des artisans costumés dans différentes maisons, montrant les styles de vie de nos ancêtres. Il y a une carte au centre de la brochure. Je vais brièvement vous dire où se trouvent nos artisans aujourd’hui.

(Barrez les artisans absents ce jour-là. Soyez sûrs de mentionner la bonne maison.)

Aujourd’hui vous allez rencontrer…

À la Maison des Cultures, Madame Janice raconte des fables amérindiennes.

…Madame Lynn fait des courtepointes. Madame Barbara fait les poupées en robe de maïs

À Beau Bassin, Madame Brenda fait le filage du coton.

…Madame Lynn fait des courtepointes.

À l’école, Nonc Jules est un musicien qui joue de l’accordéon dans l’école.

À l’école, Monsieur Merlin est un musicien qui joue du violon dans l’école.

À l’école, Monsieur John joue de l’accordéon avec lui.

À l’école, Monsieur D’Jalma est un musicien qui joue du violon dans l’école.

À la maison Mouton, Mr. Cliff fait des sculptures en bois.

À la Maison Broussard, la plus vielle et la plus grande maison dans notre village, Monsieur Larry ou John ou Steve ou Madame Em ou Mademoiselle Abbey interprète son histoire.

À la Maison Boucvalt, il y a Madame Kati qui fait peut-être de la broderie ou du linge pour sa famille.

À la chapelle, Madame Jeanette fait des chapelets avec des larmes de Job.

À la Maison Buller, il y a Madame Barbara qui fait les poupées en robe de maïs.

… il y a Madame Em qui tisse du latanier.

Plusieurs articles fabriqués par nos artisans sont à vendre dans la boutique.

Vous pouvez prendre autant de photos que vous souhaitez. On demande seulement que vous ne touchiez pas aux objets dans les maisons. Ils sont arrangés comme s’ils étaient chez vous plutôt que sous une vitrine. Ils sont tellement fragiles et nous essayons de les protéger pour la prochaine génération.

Les toilettes sont là (à indiquer) dans le grand bâtiment en face d’ici et il y en a d’autres juste après la Maison Boucvalt.

Avez-vous des questions? Merci beaucoup! Bonne Visite!

Reading the Daily Rotation

Every artisan and guide is expected to have a copy of the daily rotation everyday so that they can be aware of when tours are occurring. Tour guides should arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the assigned start of their tour to receive and review a copy of the daily rotation as well as consulting with the tour coordinator and other guides who will be leading tours at the same time. Each guide is responsible for plotting out the route of his or her tour, it is important that you consult with the other guides to insure that there is no backup as multiple groups attempt to visit the same home at the same time. Take a look at the example and review the notes below.

NOTES:

1. The date and day of the week is located on the top line of the daily rotation.

2. The day is broken up into 15-minute intervals starting at 9:00 a.m. and ending at 4:00 p.m.

3. Each school/tour group is labeled with the name of school/organization, number of participants, and name of contact person

4. Under the name of school/organization, you will see if the groups have been divided into subgroups

5. Pay attention to the rotation to see if your group has any additional activities.

6. Please be conscience of the schedule throughout the tour, it is very important that all groups stay on schedule.

7. Each guide is responsible for plotting out the route of their tour, please use the 30 minutes prior to the start of the tour to consult with the tour coordinator and other guides for your assigned group.

8. Look at lunch schedules to see when the artisans are scheduled for their break. The artisan will leave a chalkboard with a return time on their porch. Pay attention to these times so you can make sure you don’t miss any of the artisan demonstrations.

On the next few pages you will see examples of rotations. The first is a basic rotation that explains how you should prepare on the morning of a tour. The second is an advanced rotation with multiple groups to show the complexity a busy day presents. The third rotation is a test and contains mistakes. Please review. You will be given a written exam by the department before you are cleared as an interpreter.

Put print out of daily rotation with notes & numbers in place of this page

Put busy day daily rotation with many activities in place of this page.

Put daily rotation with mistakes for new artisans/guides to identify and make suggestions for correcting the rotation. **Exam

Docent Tips

Accuracy - All docents have the responsibility to provide factual information as distributed by museum staff. Legends, personal and unverified stories as well as local tales should always be distinguished from historical fact. All interpretation should be free from personal opinion or bias while reflecting good taste.

Appearance - Pay attention to your appearance; make sure you are wearing the provided costuming appropriately. Guides should not have personal items out during tours (ie: watches, cell phones). Refer to the wardrobe policy & procedure if you have any questions. The curator oversees all wardrobe development. Please schedule an appointment with the curator if you have any questions.

Attention Span - Gauge the attention span of your guests and pace tour accordingly. The attention span of the guests usually correlates to their ages and can vary from group to group. Always make eye contact with your group when talking to them. If you notice you’re loosing the attention of someone, ask him or her a direct question. If it is a student, ask them to be your helper or that they will be quizzed later so they should pay close attention!

Attitude - Have a friendly and positive attitude. Remember smiles make visitors feel welcome. Guides should never let any issues of a personal nature be visible to guests. You are the front line of the museum and the way your project yourself stays with the group after they have left.

Audience - Be aware of who you audience is. Why are they coming on this tour? What do they hope to gain/learn? These are good questions to start your orientations with in order to tailor a tour for their interests or needs.

Confidence - Be confident when presenting information or answering questions. Be comfortable with the information you are presenting, you do not want to appear as though you have simply memorized a speech.

Courtesy - Guides should always have a pleasant and courteous manner. Do not let difficult or frustrating situations allow you to lose that manner. Never lose one’s temper or composure with visitors. If you are dealing with a difficult visitor, you may reach out to museum staff to come and address the situation. We are here to help you! If it is a student acting up, please ask the teacher or chaperone to address the matter. You are not there to correct them.

Emergencies - If there is any type of emergency, remain calm and be helpful to our guests. Keep in mind the location of the nearest phone at all times. Contact a manager on duty to report any incidents. You may break character and pull out your cell phone to alert office staff of an emergency.

Enthusiasm - Show enthusiasm about the history you are presenting. If you seem uninterested, the visitors will as well.

Flexibility - As a guide you should be flexible, for instance, if you notice a group has a particular interest you should gear the tour more towards that. If you lose track of time, ask the group which home or artisan they would rather visit with in order to stay on schedule with other enhancements.

Gestures - Avoid using any hand gestures that are distracting to others, or that can be seen as offensive such as pointing at an individual.

Groups - As you move from house to house, keep track of your visitors to ensure you don’t lose them. You can reach out to the tour organizer for help with this. You shouldn’t start your next interpretation until all visitors have gathered around you. We limit 25 people per guide.

Individuality - Although most tours will present the same basic information, it is okay to be creative. A good tour often combines the background of factual data with the flavor of stories and anecdotes, but the visitor should be aware of the differences. See Accuracy.

Introduction - Greet the visitor, Introduce yourself, ask the group a few questions about themselves.

· Adults- Where are you from? Is this your first time visiting Vermilionville? What other museums/attractions have you seen in our area?

· Schools- Does anyone know some French words? What school do you go to and what grade are you in? Have you ever been to Vermilionville before? Does anyone know the 3 cultures we represent?

Location – Know where you are at all times. Be aware of the closest restroom and water fountain so you may direct your guests to those areas when needed.

Moving - It can be difficult to move a large group. Make sure all members of the group are gathered at the new location before continuing your presentation.

Noise - If your tour is interrupted by a loud noise (machinery, airplane) do not try to yell over the noise, instead wait until the noise stops to continue speaking.

Pacing - Be clear on the length of the tour and make sure to pay attention to your pacing as well as the artisans’ presentations.

Positioning - Be aware of your body position in relation to the group. When speaking to them they should be able to see your face. Always maintain eye contact with your group.

Preparation – Arrive 30 minutes before your group is scheduled to start their orientation in order to review the daily rotation, check in with the tour coordinator, and talk with the other guides for your group.

Questions – If a visitor asks a question you do not know the answer to, you should respond “What a great question. I don’t know the answer, but I will ask the staff, can you give me a way to contact you later?” These questions should be added to the FAQ sheet for staff to research and address. You can also ask the curator for business cards to hand out to visitors if they wish to contact him or her to learn more about a specific topic.

Safety – Inform your groups to please stay on the paved pathways. If they are attacked by wasps, caterpillars, or ants (or a gator!), inform museum staff. We have a first aid kit in the main administration offices as well as the stranger’s room of Maison Mouton.

Security – Instruct guests to please not touch or handle any artifacts and do not pull any of the plants. We all have harmful oils on our hands and they rub off on everything we touch. A good way to show this to children is to explain how fingerprints always stay on a mirror. If you notice that an artifact is missing or broken, inform the curator upon completion of your tour.

Speech - Keep the range of your voice natural. Speak clearly and make sure that the entire group can hear you, but do not shout at them. Project from your diaphragm!

** These tips were compiled from various published works and are part of the public domain. They have been adapted to suit Vermilionville’s needs.

Knowing Your Audience

Who visits Vermilionville?

School groups (k-12, homeschool, and university), tour company groups, and general walk-in visitors.

2013 Admission Statistics:

22% are in-state visitors43% are out-of-state visitors35% are international visitors

33% of our visitors come on a pre-scheduled tour67% of our visitors are walk-ins

72% of our visitors are adults and senior citizens28% of our visitors are students and children

Top 5 visiting countries and states (not including LA & TX):

1. France, 47%2. Canada, 25%3. Germany, 7%4. Australia, 3%5. Belgium, 3%1. California, 19%2. Florida, 15%3. New York, 9%4. Mississippi, 8%5. PA, GA, IL, OH, MS, 6%

We welcomed visitors from every state in the United States in 2013 and visitors from 44 different countries. Other countries include but are not limited to: Austria, Brazil, China, Cuba, Denmark, Holland, Ireland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Nederland, Portugal, South African, Scotland, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.

We welcomed over 30k visitors in 2013 and saw an overall increase in admission of 8.5%.

People visit museums for several different reasons, and people learn in many different ways. Guides should ask themselves:

1. Who is my audience?

2. Why are they coming on this tour?

3. What do they hope to gain/learn?

4. What do I need to do to help them achieve that?

Multiple Learning Styles

1. Visual - These learners tend to think in pictures and need to create vivid mental images to retain information

2. Verbal - These learners have highly developed auditory skills and are generally elegant speakers. They think in words rather than pictures.

3. Logical - These learners think conceptually in logical and numerical patterns making connections between pieces of information.

4. Bodily – These learners express themselves through movement. They have a good sense of balance and eye hand coordination

For example, most of us are visual learners, so including plenty of objects, pictures will help visitors, and students stay attentive and increase their understanding. Additionally, younger audiences are more apt to learn best with kinesthetic activities involving movement and hands on discovery

**http://www.parkcityhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Docent-Manual.pdf

Why Do People Visit Museums?

1. The Explorer: the need to satisfy personal curiosity and interest in an intellectually challenging environment

2. The Facilitator: the wish to engage in a meaningful social experience with someone whom you care about in an educationally supportive environment

3. The Experience Seeker: the aspiration to be exposed to the things and ideas that exemplify what is best and intellectually most important within a culture or community

4. The Professional/Hobbyist: the desire to further specific intellectual needs in a setting with a specific subject matter focus

5. The Recharger: the yearning to physically, emotionally, and intellectually recharge in a beautiful and refreshing environment.

FIGURE 1. VISITOR EXPERIENCE (or why people might visit a museum)

VISITOR EXPERIENCE

DEFINITION

Social

Chance to spend enjoyable time and share experiences with friends/family/other people

Light relief

Entertainment/ Relaxation

Relaxation or physical exercise

Unique

A chance to forget about every day cares and concerns

Chance to see rare/beautiful/real things

Inducing feelings of nostalgia

Personal Identification

Stimulating memories

Promoting a sense of belonging or connection to other people

Strengthening relationships between family members

Parenting

A chance to pass on values in children/grandchildren (e.g. museum visiting, art appreciation, learning about the history of science)

Experiencing a Place

Experiencing “the place” (e.g. doing the London Museums)

**http://www.parkcityhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Docent-Manual.pdf

General Rules for the Village

1. No touching, using, or sitting on artifacts is allowed. They can be very fragile and we need visitor cooperation in order to continue to preserve these pieces.

2. No picking of any moss or plants in the village. Some of our plants are used as research materials and are pertinent to our operations.

3. In the event of a minor injury, first aid is available in the Welcome Center. For serious incidents, we ask that visitors notify a staff member so that we can call 911.

4. No outside food allowed within the park. A picnic area is provided outside of the village, bagged lunches can be preordered but guests may not bring food outside of picnic area.

5. Water is the only beverage allowed in the village.

6. We ask that guest disable any cell phones or other electronic devices that may make noise. If they need to take a call, please ask them politely to take the call outside as to not distract the other visitors.

7. Stay on the sidewalks as this helps prevent insect bites. We do have ant piles, caterpillars, wasp nests, and snakes on the property.

8. Please do not feed any animals you may encounter on the property: turtles, alligators, cats, raccoons, etc. (or Curtis)

Map of Village

Structures in Village

Festive Area

In the festive area, all construction is new, but designed in the manner of a 19th century Creole Plantation.

· Visitor’s center – the visitor’s center is the main entrance to our village and is modeled after a plantation house

· La Cuisine de Maman (restaurant) - the restaurant takes it’s style from a plantation overseer’s house

· Cooking school – located to the right of the visitor’s center, the cooking school is reminiscent of slave quarters although typically slave quarters were smaller.

· Watershed exhibit - Like the cooking school, the watershed exhibit is reminiscent of slave quarters. The watershed exhibit is made up of an eight-room interactive exhibit demonstrating the role water plays in our lives.

· Performance Center - The performance center is at the center of the festive area and is fashioned after an agricultural building.

Folklife Area

The folklife area is a mixture of original and new constructions.

· La Maison des Cultures (The Culture House) - Maison des Cultures is an Acadian style home build it the 1840s of colombage (a half timber wall framing system) and bousillage (a mixture of mud and Spanish moss). Inside the home, are exhibits comparing and contrasting the three major cultural components that contributed to the culture of South Louisiana, Acadian, Creole, and Native American.

· Le Cabanage De Latanier (the Palmetto Hut)- this is a replica of a Native American dwelling circa 1840s. It was hand build at Vermilionville by an elder member of the Houma Nation. It is made of cane, palmetto, and bousillage. It is complete with various tools of the period and features outdoor cooking with a bousillage oven.

· Le Cabanage de Piégeur (trapper’s hut) – this is a replica of an Acadian trapper’s hut featuring critical early survival skills: boat building, net and trap making, and decoy carving.

· Le Hanger À Bateau (the boat shed) – Early Acadians lived near water and used boats for transportation. The boat shed features several styles of boats built during the time of the early Acadian settlement in Louisiana.

· Beau Bassin – was build circa 1840 of colombage and bousillage with a blend of Creole and American Greek Revival styles. Spinning, weaving, quilting, and textile crafts are demonstrated in Beau Bassin and on display is a 150-year-old loom.

· L’école (school) - L’Academie de Vermilionville is a replica patterned after an 1890 Lafayette Parish schoolhouse.

· La Maison Mouton - the Mouton house is a reproduction of an 1810 house, a basic Acadian house with a detached kitchen. There are no glass windows, only shutters. La Galerie, or the porch served as an extra room in good weather.

· La Forge - is a reproduction of a blacksmith shop that was generally near the center of each community, sometimes near the church.

· La Maison Buller - Buller house was built circa 1803. It’s steeply pitched, hipped roof is typical of Creole construction. Opening from the parents room is a small bedroom for the daughters. Opening to the porch with no entry to the interior of the house was a “stranger’s” room, which was available for travelers in the days before commercial lodging.

· La Chapelle des Attakapas - the chapel is a reproduction based on Catholic Churches at Pointe Coupee (1760) and St. Martinville (1773)

· Le Presbytére – located next to the chapel the presbytere is a tiny cottage that is an original structure built circa 1840, which was originally located in the town of Grand Coteau.

· La Maison Acadienne – built circa 1830s the Acadienne house is a 500 square foot bousillage structure that was originally located on the Mouton Plantation in Carencro, Louisiana. It was used as the plantation schoolhouse for the children of François and Antoine Emile Mouton, sons of Jean Mouton, founder of Vermilionville (present day Lafayette). The house is used today to show the healing arts used in South Louisiana.

· La Maison Boucvalt – built circa 1860, Boucvalt house is a classic 19th century Acadian/ Creole house. The kitchen and bathroom were added around the turn of the 20th century.

· La Maison Broussard - The Broussard house is the oldest and largest home at Vermilionville. Built in 1790 it was once home to Amand Broussard, son of Joseph “Beausoleil” Broussard, the leader of the Acadians during their exile. It was located on a cattle ranch along the Bayou Teche. Built of the traditional colombage and bousillage, it is a French Creole house that borrows from Anglo- American architecture.

· Le Magasin-L’écurie (barn) - Located behind Broussard House, the barn is a replica of a typical barn on a cattle ranch

Historic houses:

· Maison des Cultures (c. 1840) was moved to the site from the

· Beau Bassin (c. 1840) was moved to the site from the Carencro area.

· Maison Buller (c. 1803) is from the Ville Plate area.

· Maison Boucvalt (c. 1880) is from Opelousas.

· Maison Acadienne (c. 1860) is from the Carencro area.

· Le Presbytère (c. 1840) moved from the Grand Coteau area.

New Construction:

· L’école

· La Forge

· La Chapelle des Attakapas

· La Maison Mouton

· The kitchen and the barn of the Broussard house

· The ferry

Suggested Reading List

*Ancelet, Barry.  "Capitaine, voyage ton flag":  The Traditional Cajun Country Mardi Gras.  UL Press, 1989. 38 p.

Ancelet, Barry Jean, Jay Dearborn Edwards, and Glen Pitre. Cajun Country. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1991. 256 p.

*Bernard, Shane K. Cajuns and their Acadian Ancestors: A Young Reader’s History. University Press of Mississippi, 2013. 96 p.

Bernard, Shane K. The Cajuns Americanization of a People. Jackson: University Press ofMississippi, 2003. 224 p.

*Bienvenue, Marcelle, Brassieaux, Carl A., and Brasseaux, Ryan A. Stir the Pot: The History of Cajun Cuisine. New York: Hippocrene Books, 1995. 208 p.

*Brasseaux, Carl A. Acadian to Cajun Transformation of a People, 1803-1877. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1992. 252 p.

*Brasseux, Carl A. In Search of Evangeline: Birth and Evolution of the Evangeline Myth. Thibodaux: Blue Heron Press, 1988. 64 p.

Brasseaux, Carl A. French, Cajun, Creole, Houma A Primer on Francophone Louisiana. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2005. 159 p.

*Brasseaux, Carl A. The Founding of New Acadia The Beginnings of Acadian Life in Louisiana, 1765-1803. Baton Rouge, La: Louisiana State University Press, 1987, 229 p.

Brasseaux, Carl A., Keith P. Fontenot, and Claude F. Oubre. Creoles of Color in the Bayou Country. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1994. 174 p.

Brasseaux, Carl A., and Philip Gould. Acadiana Louisiana's Historic Cajun Country. Baton Rouge, La: Louisiana State University Press, 2011. 190 p.

*Brasseaux, Ryan, and Kevin Fontenot.  Accordions, Fiddles, Two Steps, and Waltzes:  A Cajun Music Reader.  UL Press, 2006. 512 p.

Brown, Joseph Epes. The Sacred Pipe: Black Elk’s Account of the Seven Rites of the Oglala Sioux. University of Oklahoma Press, 1989. 143 p.

Bruce, Clint, and Gipson, Jennifer. Cajun French-English, English-Cajun French Dictionary & Phrasebook. Hippocrene Books, Inc., 2002. 164 p.

Carrigan, Jo Ann.  Saffron Scourge:  A History of Yellow Fever in Louisiana, 1791-1905.  Lafayette:  UL Press, 1994. 487 p.

Cummins, Light Townsend, Haas, Edward F., Kurtz, Michael L., and Schafer, Judith Kelleher. Louisiana: A History. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2014. 552 p.

Davis, Donald.  Washed Away?  The Invisible Peoples of Louisiana's Wetlands.  UL Press, 2010. 592 p. ($30)

Din, Gilbert.  Populating the Barrera:  Spanish Immigration Efforts in Colonial Louisiana.  Lafayette:  UL Press, 2014. 213 p.

Dronet, General Curney J. A Century of Acadian Culture, The Development of a Cajun Community: Erath (1899-1999). 2000. 252 p.

*Edmunds, David.  Yankee Autumn in Acadiana.  UL Press, 2005. 495 p. ($10)

Follett, Richard.  The Sugar Masters:  Planters and Slaves in Louisiana's Cane World, 1820-1860.  Baton Rouge:  LSU Press, 2005. 290 p.

Fowler Jr. William M. Empires at War: The French and Indian War and the Struggle for North American, 1754-1763. Walker Publishing Company, 2005. 368 p.

Faragher, John Mack. A Great and Noble Scheme: The Tragic Story of the Expulsion of the French Acadians from their American Homeland. W.W. Norton & Company, 2006. 592 p.

Frazier, Donald S.  Fire in the Cane Field:  The Federal Invasion of Louisiana and Texas, January 1861-May 1863.  2009. 384 p.

Hall, Gwendolyn Midlo. Africans in Colonial Louisiana: The Development of Afro-Creole Culture in the Eighteenth Century. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1992. 434 p.

Istre, Elista Dawn. "Honey, We's All Creoles": Exploring South Louisiana's Creole Identity, Culture, and Heritage. 2013. 309 p.

Jolivétte, Andrew. Louisiana Creoles: Cultural Recovery and Mixed-Race Native American Identity. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2007. 123 p.

Kein, Sybil. Creole: The History and Legacy of Louisiana's Free People of Color. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2000. 344 p.

Kniffen, Fred. The Indians of Louisiana. Pelican Publishing, 1985. 112 p.

*Kniffen, Fred Bowerman, Hiram F. Gregory, and George A. Stokes. The Historic Indian Tribes of Louisiana: From 1542 to the Present. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1987. 344 p.

Malone, Anne Patton.  Sweet Chariot:  Slave Family Structure in Nineteenth Century Louisiana.  Chapel Hill:  UNC Press, 1992. 383 p.

Mayeux, John. The Avogel Tribe of Louisiana. Bloomington, Ind: AuthorHouse, 2004. 124 p.

*Reneaux, J.J. Cajun Folktales. Little Rock: August House, Inc., 1992. 176 p.

*Richard, Zachary.  The History of the Acadians of Louisiana.  UL Press, 2013. 125 p. ($24.95)

Ripley, Peter C.  Slaves and Freedmen in Civil War Louisiana.  Baton Rouge:  LSU Press, 1976.

Rodrigue, John C.  Reconstruction in the Cane Fields:  From Slavery to Free Labor in Louisiana's Sugar Parishes, 1862-1880.  Baton Rouge: LSU Press, 2001. 253 p.

Read, William A. Louisiana Place Names of Indian Origin: A Collection of Words. The University of Alabama Press, 2008. 168 p.

Rottet, Kevin J., and Valdman, Albert. Dictionary of Louisiana French: As Spoken in Cajun, Creole, and American Indian Communities. University Press of Mississippi, 2009. 900 p.

*Rushton, William Faulkner. The Cajuns: From Acadia to Louisiana. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1979. 352 p.

Tisserand, Michael. The Kingdom of Zydeco. Arcade Publishing, 1998. 382 p.

Taylor, Joe Gray.  Louisiana Reconstructed.  Baton Rouge:  LSU Press, 1974. 552 p.

Taylor, Joe Gray.  Negro Slavery in Louisiana.  Baton Rouge:  LSU Press, 1963. 271 p.

Usner Daniel H. Jr. Indians, Settlers, and Slaves in a Frontier Exchange Economy: The Lower Mississippi Valley Before 1783. The University of North Carolina Press, 1992. 314 p.

White, Sophie.  Wild Frenchmen and Frenchified Indians:  Material Culture and Race in Colonial Louisiana.  Philadelphia:  UPENN Press, 2012. 360 p.

Winters, John D.  The Civil War in Louisiana.  Baton Rouge, LSU Press, 1963. 536 p.

*Indicates that the Museum Operations Department owns these books are available for reading. This is not a full list of the reference library. Not all books we have are recommended for interpretation application, some are for leisurely reading that may apply to our culture and programs.

To view the most up to date list of books the department has in stock, please login to the google system. Details are on page 9 of the manual.

Video Inventory

If you would like to watch any of the films listed below, please inform the Museum Operations Department to schedule a viewing.

BluRay Collection

Title: Don’t Follow Me (I’m Lost) a film about Bobby Bare Jr.  

Dir.: William Miller

Run Time: 90 min

Summary:

DVD Collection

Title: Against the Tide The Story of the Cajun People of Louisiana

Director: (no director listed) LPB, Producer: Zachary Richard

Run Time:

Summary:

Title: Mon Cher Camarade

Director: Pat Mire

Run Time: 60 min

Summary: Tells the story of French speaking Cajun soldiers during WWII

Title: It Just Is: Folkways of South Louisiana’s Catholic Cajuns

Director:Chere Breaux

Run Time:30 min

Summary: Discusses the imporance of the Catholic faith in the lives of Louisiana Cajuns

Title: Les Vents De La Liberte: L’Odyssee Acadienne

Director: Michele Touret

Run Time: 95 min

Summary: French Language

Title: I Always Do My Collars First: A Film About Ironing (2 copies)

Director:  Conni Castille and Allison Bohl

Run Time: 24 min

Summary: follows four Cajun women along their daily life to show how the act of ironing “weaves its way throughout the fabric of family life and their sense of identity”

Title: Pie Day: the Good Friday Tradition in Southwest Louisiana

Director: Drew Landry

Run Time:

Summary:

Title:  Our Lives . . . Our Water

Director:  No  director listed, distributed by Louisiana Department of Natural Resources

Run Time:11 min

Summary: educational video to teach the significance of our water resources in Louisiana

Title: Reconstructing Creole

Director:   Fresh Media

Run Time: 56 min

Summary:  Reconstructing Creole offers an unflinching view of culture, race, and history on one Louisiana plantation. In August 2004, an electrical fire burned away the Victorian additions to Laura Plantation in Vacherie, Louisiana, leaving the original Creole house. In this film, a young team of builders reverse-engineers the unusual structure, a blend of African, French, and Native American building techniques. As restoration begins, the memoir of 19th century plantation mistress Laura Locoul Gore opens up a world of slavery and society balls, of race mixing and family bonds, of cruelty, love, and joie de vivre. The film weaves past and present with music by 19th century Creole composer Louis Moreau Gottschalk, as well as original works from Louisiana musicians Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes, Mitch Caponetto, and Adam Kennedy. In the memoir of a Creole matriarch, and the restoration of her old plantation home, a Louisiana legacy comes to life.

Title: Tintamarre: La Piste Acadie en Amerique

Director: Andre Gladu

Run Time: 79 min 45 s

Summary: French Language - Un documentaire de l’ONF sur la lutte des Acadiens et Acadiennes pour la défense de leur culture.

Title: Ken Burns America Collection Huey Long

Director: Ken Burns

Run Time: 88 min

Summary: In this excellent documentary, the controversial life and political career of Louisiana governor and state senator Huey P. Long is admirably covered from all possible angles. Director Ken Burns does not spare the politician's personal corruption nor ignore his critics while citing the benefits he brought to his dirt-poor state during his tenure in office (1928-1935). Mendacious and charismatic from the beginning, Long was trained in law and made his way to the gubernatorial mansion by first becoming railroad commissioner. Long's oratory shines forth in archival footage, interviews with family and critics lay bare the private and public persona, and commentary fills in a context and a background on the man and his times.

Title: Atchafalaya

Director: no director listed, distributed by the National Park Service

Run Time:

Summary:

Title: Trashed: No Place for Waste (2 copies)

Director: Candida Brady

Run Time: 97 minutes

Summary: Jeremy Irons sets out to discover the extent and effects of the global waste problem, as he travels around the world to beautiful destinations tainted by pollution. This is a meticulous, brave investigative journey that takes Irons (and us) from skepticism to sorrow and from horror to hope.

Title: This Week in Louisiana Agriculture (11/2/13)

Director:  No director listed, produced by Farm Bureau Louisiana

Run Time:

Summary: "This Week in Louisiana Agriculture" is one of the longest running, locally produced television programs in the state. Signing on the air September 22, 1981, TWILA is watched by more than 400,000 viewers on 18 TV affiliates across Louisiana and across the country on RFD-TV each week.

Title: Gumb-Oh! La! La! Episode 1

Director: Richard Guidry

Run Time:27 minutes

Summary: Gumb-Oh! Là! Là! is the first ever Louisiana French documentary series, celebrating French Louisiana in the 21st century. This series demonstrates the continuing vitality of Louisiana's French-speaking ethnic groups. Each episode is a personal portrait of the Cajuns, Creoles and Native Americans who make up this rich gumbo culture.

Title: Makers Women Who Make America

Director: Kunhart McGee Productions, Distributed by PBS

Run Time:180 minuted

Summary: MAKERS: Women Who Make America tells the remarkable story of the most sweeping social revolution in American history, as women have asserted their rights to a full and fair share of political power, economic opportunity, and personal autonomy. It’s a revolution that has unfolded in public and private, in courts and Congress, in the boardroom and the bedroom, changing not only what the world expects from women, but what women expect from themselves.

Title: Harvest: The Blood, Sweat and Tears That Go Into Every Bottle of Wine

Director: John Beck

Run Time:71 min

Summary: Shot entirely in Sonoma County, the feature-length documentary Harvest reveals the blood, sweat and tears that go into every bottle of wine. There is no swirling, no sniffing, no sipping or quaffing. This is all about back-breaking manual labor and night picks at 2 a.m. with only tiny headlamps. Over the course of three months during Harvest 2011, the film follows five family wineries – Robledo, Rafanelli, Foppiano, Harvest Moon and Robert Hunter, along with an amateur home winemaker and an extremely rare all-female picking crew – made up of women from Michoacan and Oaxaca, Mexico.                                                                          

Title: Dance for a Chicken: the Cajun Mardi Gras

Director: Pat Mire

Run Time:57

Summary: Cajun filmmaker Pat Mire gives us an inside look at the colorful, rural Cajun Mardi Gras. Every year before Lent begins, processions of masked and costumed revelers, often on horseback, go from house to house gathering ingredients for communal gumbos in communities across rural southwest Louisiana. The often-unruly participants in this ancient tradition play as beggars, fools, and thieves as they raid farmsteads and perform in exchange for charity or, in other words, "dance for a chicken."

Title: Louisiana a History: Episode 1 This Affair of Louisiana

Director: Tika Laudun

Run Time: 76 min

Summary: Highlights include a look at Louisiana's geography, especially the Mississippi River, as a defining element of our history. The program explores the cultures of Louisiana's first residents, the state's Native American tribes. Also featured are the personalities and events of Louisiana's Colonial Period, which left a lasting imprint on the state. Part one ends with Napoleon selling Louisiana to the United States for $15 million.

Title: Louisiana a History: Episode Two: The New Americans

Director: Tika Laudun and Al Godoy

Run Time:57 min

Summary: Louisiana becomes America's 18th state in 1812 and begins to become a part of the fledgling nation. There is also an examination of everyday life in Antebellum Louisiana and the economic and cultural forces that drive the state to secede from the Union.

Title: Louisiana a History: Episode Three: War On The Home Front

Director: Tika Laudun and Al Godoy

Run Time:57

Summary: This episode examines Louisiana's role in the Civil War and the impact of this pivotal event on the state and its people. The focus is on the war as it is fought on Louisiana’s soil.

Title: Louisiana a History: Episode Four: The Search for Order

Director: Tika Laudun and Al Godoy

Run Time: 57

Summary: Reconstruction and the rebuilding of our devastated state is viewed through the eyes of both whites and African-Americans. The political, economic, and cultural growing pains at the close of the 19th century are examined.

Title: Louisiana a History: Episode Five: The Currents of Change

Director: Tika Laudun

Run Time: 57

Summary: Mississippi River flood ravages Louisiana and is the impetus for the creation of a unified levee system along the great river. The emergence of future governor and U. S. Senator Huey Long changes Louisiana politics forever and still affects the state six decades after his assassination. His colorful and erratic younger brother Earl also serves three terms as Governor, with some well-publicized visits to mental institutions during his second term.

Title: Louisiana a History: Episode  Six: No Story Is Ever Over

Director: Tika Laudun and Al Godoy

Run Time: 57

Summary: The transformation of Louisiana's economy from agriculture to industry, the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s and Louisiana's place in the 21st century are featured in the final episode of the series.

Title: The Richard J. Catalon Sr. Creole Heritage Award

Director:

Run Time: 10 min 45s

Summary: Tells the story of Richard J. Catalon and his work with preserving Creole heritage

VHS Collection

Title:  Vermilionville Employee Training Sessions

Part One: Philosophy and Mission Statement

Stan Brosky, Executive Director

Wednesday, August 12, 1992

Title:  Vermilionville Employee Training Sessions

Part Four: “Louisiana’s Creoles of Color”

Mary Alice  Drake, member HSC

Wednesday October 14, 1992

Title:  Vermilionville Employee Training Sessions

Part Five: Traditional Occupations in French Louisiana

Dr. Marcia Gaudet, USL

November 4, 1992

Title:  Vermilionville Employee Training Sessions

Part Six: Native American History and Culture in Louisiana

Dr. Michael Russo, USL

December 9, 1992

Title:  Vermilionville Employee Training Sessions

Part Seven: Louisiana History in Regional and Historical Context

Glenn Conrad, USL

January 13, 1993

Title:  Vermilionville Employee Training Sessions

Part Eight: Creoles in Louisiana

Dr. Carl Brasseaux, USL

January 27, 1993

Title:  Vermilionville Employee Training Sessions

Part Nine:  South Louisiana Vernacular Gumbo (Architecture)

Edward Cazayoux, AIA

February 10, 1993

Title:  Vermilionville Employee Training Sessions

Part Ten: French Louisiana Foodways

Dr. Mathe Allain, USL

February 24, 1993

Title:  Vermilionville Employee Training Sessions

Part Eleven: Guided/Group Tours- Getting Them In, Getting Them Around and Getting Them to Spend More Money While Here

Stan Brosky and Nancy Broussard Vermilionville Employee Training Sessions

March 10, 1993

Title:  Vermilionville Employee Training Sessions

Part Twelve: Vermilionville Plant Life - What Grows Where at Vermilionville

Ted Viator, Landscape Architect

May 26, 1993

Title:  Crawfish Farming and Processing (Duplicated Tape)

Eunice Chamber of Commerce

October 6, 1992

Title: New Orleans!

Distributed by: Toucan Video Productions

Summary: A video visit to New Orleans, including Mardi Gras, the Super Dome, City Park, the Audubon Zoo, a buggy ride through the French Quarter, and other New Orleans staples.

Title:  Cajun Injector’s Chef Reece William’s Presents Cajun Fried Turkey

Distributed by: Cajun Injector

Run Time: 40 Min

Summary: Chef Williams presents step by step instructions on how to set up your turkey fry kit and fry the original “Cajun Fried  Turkey”  and six other recipes

Title: Louisiana Purchase: the Making of a Nation

Video Courtesy of WDSU in New Orleans

Title: Old Salem

Distributed by:  Video Tours Inc

Run Time: Approx. 30 min

Summary: An educational and entertaining video tour of Old Salem

Title: Colonial Williamsburg

Distributed by:  Video Tours Inc

Run Time: Approx. 30 min

Summary: An educational and entertaining video tour of Colonial Williamsburg, showing what “Becoming Americans” meant in the years between the first colonial settlements and the American Revolution

Title: Old Sturbridge Village (2 copies)

Distributed by:  Video Tours Inc

Run Time: Approx. 30 min

Summary: An educational and entertaining video tour of Old Sturbridge Village, depicting life in rural New England in the 1830’s

Title: Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village

Distributed by:  Video Tours Inc

Run Time: Approx. 30 min

Summary: An educational and entertaining video tour of Henry Ford’s  original inventions, antiques and architecture, as well as the homes and workplaces of Thomas Edison, the Wright Brothers and more.

Title: Plimoth Plantation

Distributed by:  Video Tours Inc

Run Time: Approx. 30 min

Summary: An educational and entertaining video tour of Plimoth Plantation in the year 1627 to learn the stories of the men and women who settled the new world.

Title: Raising Cane in Louisiana

Distributed by: The American Sugar Cane League

Run Time: 13 min  

Summary: Discusses the history and economic impact of Louisiana’s sugar cane industry

Title:  Louisiana We’re Really Cookin’! (2 copies)

Distributed by: The Louisiana Office of Tourism

Summary: Shows an overview of Louisiana’s five regions, Sportsman’s Paradise, The Crossroads, Cajun Country, Plantation Country, and Greater New Orleans, and the unique sights, sounds, and tastes each offer.

Title: South Louisiana’s Scenic Byways

Distributed by: The Jean Lafitte Scenic Byway Commission and the Highway 93 Scenic Byway Commission

Summary: Shows the natural beauty and richness of the cultures of South Louisiana that can only be discovered when you leave the interstate highways

Title: Gotta Dance Cajun Style

Distributed by Billy and Bobbye Keyes, Gotta Dance Cajun Style

Run Time: 1 hour 42 minutes

Summary: Billy and Bobbye Keyes lead the view in a video dance lesson of the three Cajun dances, the waltz, the two-step and the jig.

Title: After the Storm

Distributed by: The EPA and the Weather Channel

Run Time: 22 minutes

Summary: Shows the importance of protecting the nation’s water resources using three case studies that focus on the interconnections between water supply, water quality, and the economic vitality and quality of life in our communities.

Title:  The Louisiana Swamplands

Distributed by: Video Tours

Summary: Showcases the ecological wonder that is relatively untouched by human interference- the Louisiana swamplands.

Title: Dance for a Chicken: The Cajun Mardi Gras (says bad copy)

Distributed by: Attakapas Production

Run Time: 57 min

Summary: Pat Mire gives us an entertaining look inside the colorful and exotic rural Cajun Mardi Gras

Frequently Asked Questions

· What is the difference between Cajun and Creole?

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· What do the flags represent?

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· Why are the shingles on the roof made like that?

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· How did the Acadians make money?

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· How did they dress, especially shoes?

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· Who led the Acadians after Joseph Broussard died?

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· How many families came with Joseph Broussard?

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· What are some remedies used by traiteurs?

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· What Attakapas Indian families lived around Vermilionville?

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· What is the difference between Cajun and Zydeco music?

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· Why did you have to learn English/ Why couldn’t you speak French in school?

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FAQ- What do our visitors ask me?

Please list all questions that you are asked by visitors. When you don’t know the answer to a question, the best response is “That’s a great question. I’m going to find out the answer for you.” Please ask for their contact information, fill out this sheet, and submit it to the curator to address.

Glossary

Definitions of some French Cajun words: The words are in alphabetical order after the article.

un arpent - A French land measure, 192 linear feet.

une avalasse – A heavy downpour of rain.

un bal de maison - Weekly neighborhood dances, probably on a rotating basis.

un bal de noce - Wedding dance.

la barbe espagnole - Spanish-moss. Used in making bousillage, seat and bed stuffing, and rope.

barreaux - Bars or “rabbits” - sticks inserted between vertical posts of a timber frame wall for support of the bousillage.

un battoir - Small wooden paddle used in washing to beat the clothes.

un bec croche – Ibis.

une borne - Boundary marker using gourds and bottles.

une boucherie - Slaughter of hog and preparation of pork; members of community took part an and shared in the meat. Held frequently because of quick spoilage of meat.

la bourre - A game of cards. Players bet, take tricks. When a player takes no tricks, he or she is “bourré(e)” and must put up the next pot to continue playing.

le bousillage - In Louisiana an infill used in the walls of colombage buildings, called bousillage entre poteaux. It was composed of clay, Spanish-moss and lime. It is supported on barreaux, completely filling the spaces between the posts. The method was derived from France, but the recipe was Native American.

un boutac - A sling back chair, seat of hide or textile, Spanish in origin.

un patassa - Blue gill, perch, bream.

une cabane - Cabin, very small house, usually one room.

des cabresses - Horse-hair rope made and used by ranchers.

un calèche – Home-made horse-drawn gig.

un cantique de mariage - Wedding song.

des cantiques des morts - Funeral songs.

des capuchons – Pointed hats of Mardi Gras runners and riders.

un carencro - Turkey vulture. Some say this is perhaps an Anglicism of “carrion crow.” But the term predates the arrival of the English in Louisiana.

du cassant - Fermented corn meal added to sugar and boiled.

un chabec – Type of fishing boat with sails no longer in use.

un chaland - Flat boat.

un charivari - When a widow or widower marries or when there is a significant age difference between the bride and groom. Friends serenade with pots and pans until they are invited in for refreshments.

un charron – Wheelwright.

un chasse-mouche - Punkah; large fan-like mechanism suspended from the ceiling over the dining table to chase flies and insects away, or to fan cooling breezes.

une chaudière à trois - Black, 3-legged cast iron cook-pot.

des chênières – Elevated strips of land where oak trees can be found.

un choupique - Bowfin, mudfish, cypress trout.

une citerne - Barrel-like, the cistern served to collect rain water. The staves were made of cypress.

un cochon de lait - Roasted suckling pig.

colombage - A timber frame wall.

du coton jaune – Naturally colored yellow cotton. Sometimes called brown cotton.

cottonade -- Cloth made of cotton.

couche mal/couchemar - Evil spirits that sit on a sleeping person preventing him or her from moving. Nightmare is le cauchemar.

un coup de main - Coming together to work, first for one, then another, e.g., ramasserie (bringing in the harvest) barn-building, boucherie, couvrage (shingling).

du courtbouillon - A broth made with seafood.

un couvrage - A shingling party wherein friends put a new roof on house or barn.

une crevasse - A break in the levee.

de la cuite - Thick residue left after making cane syrup.

une danse ronde - A dance in the round with no musical instrument, only singing; especially popular for young people during Lent; “courting dance.”

un esquif - A small boat.

un faire-part - Death notice to friends.

un fais-dodo - Family parties with music and dancing.

une fête champêtre -Rural or outdoor festival.

du filé - Spice made of ground green sassafras.

un feu follet - A spirit always moving, will-o’-the-wisp, actually swamp gas. Said to be the souls of children who passed away before being baptized.

du fromage de tête - Hog’s head cheese.

un frottoir – Washboard.

une garçonnière - Quarters for the young men in the family usually in the attic with a separate entrance.

un garde-manger - Food safe.

un garde-soleil - Sun bonnet.

un gâteau de sirop - Syrup cakes.

les gens de couleur libres - Free people of color.

la giboulée – Freezing rain mixed with sleet.

du gombo - Traditional spicy Creole and Cajun soup/stew with roux base, seasoning vegetables and meat, fowl and/or seafood of African origin that is usually served over rice.

du gombo févi - Gumbo made with okra.

du gombo filé - Gumbo using file.

du gombo z’herbes - A green gumbo made with mustard greens, spinach, and other spring greens, sometimes seasoned with meat. Often prepared during Lent (Câreme) with boiled eggs as a substitute for meat.

des graines à voler - The dried seed of the native water lotus, edible; water-chinquipin.

une grisette - Dress made from gray woolen cloth worn by working girls.

un gris-gris - A spell put on a person.

un gros-bec - A night heron.

une ha