Louisiana
HEART OF LOUISIANA: Freetown
LAFAYETTE, La. (WAFB) – The unique language, music, and culture of Creole Louisiana is the focus of a museum in an area of Lafayette known as Freetown.
Erica Fox is a musician and artist who helped found the Maison Freetown Cultural Center in Lafayette.
“Freetown is a community, was basically where free people of color of this area kind of migrated because it was the backside of what was the sugarcane plantation,” explained Fox. “We wanna share and highlight those contributions of people that at certain times in our history did not get recognized or acknowledged for their contributions to the development of this city.”
This is a place where you can hear Zydeco music sometimes sung in the Creole French language. Maison Freetown also hosts gatherings where people are encouraged to speak Creole known as Kouri Vini.
“Some people who may not know about it learn to speak it, and then there’s some folks who grew up with it. They get to celebrate, you know that conversation that they heard in their household,” said Fox.
You had a language that was actually created in Louisiana that is on the verge of disappearing.
“The language Kouri Vini, which is French Creole language, was very prevalent. As a matter of fact, my own family, that was their first language, which we spoke French within our family household,” said Fox.
And at this jam session at Maison Freetown, you hear the Creole French in these Zydeco songs.
Cedric Watson is one of the musicians who has recorded songs he sings in Kouri Vini. Randall “RJ” Jackson also performs songs in Creole French. It’s a distinctly different language from the more common Cajun French.
Jackson says the Creole language would vary from one town to the next.
“It has to be like maybe five or six different dialects of Louisiana Creole throughout the Black Creole communities in southwest Louisiana,” said Jackson.
At Maison Freetown, this endangered Creole French language has a universal appeal when it’s wrapped in the vibrant sounds of Zydeco music.
For more information, visit the Heart of Louisiana’s website.
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Louisiana
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When it comes to retiring, the best places to do so often are affordable, have a high quality of life and access to quality healthcare.
If you’re looking for a place to retire, Niche has identified the best places for retirees in Louisiana.
In its list, Niche has taken into account factors like weather, crime rates, housing costs and access to amenities.
The 5 best places to retire in Louisiana according to Niche
These are the top five best places to retire in Louisiana, according to Niche.
1. Oak Hills Place
Oak Hills Place is a suburb of Baton Rouge and is the overall best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb, located in East Baton Rouge Parish, has a population of 9,038 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. The area is highly rated for families, diversity, as well as health and fitness. Here, the median home value is $437,900 and the median rent is $1,422, according to Niche.
2. Westminster
Westminster is another suburb of Baton Rouge and is the second-best place to retire in Louisiana. Located in East Baton Rouge Parish, this suburb has a population of 2,559 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. This area is highly rated for nightlife, diversity, families, health and fitness, as well as commute. The median home value here is $266,100 and the median rent is $1,482, says Niche.
3. River Ridge
River Ridge is a suburb of New Orleans, located in Jefferson Parish, and is the third-best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb has a population of 13,312 and offers residents a dense suburban feel. The area is highly rated for public schools, family, nightlife and diversity. The median home value is $357,400 and the median rent is $1,127, according to Niche.
4. Westlake
Westlake is a town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. With a population of 4,743, this town offers residents a rural feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, jobs, cost of living, nightlife and weather. Here, the median home value is $166,100 and the median rent is $1,049, says Niche.
5. Prien
Prien is another town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. This town has a population of 7,119 and offers residents a suburban rural mix feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, nightlife and weather. The median home value here is $278,000 and the median rent is $1,292, according to Niche.
Presley Bo Tyler is the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team reporter for USA Today Network. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com
A motorcyclist is recovering after a West Monroe crash involving an 18-wheeler, while Chevron won a Louisiana Supreme Court ruling shifting a major coastal lawsuit back to lower courts. Ouachita deputies arrested a suspect and recovered more than a dozen guns, Mississippi passed a new school social-media safety requirement, and Louisiana’s House advanced a unanimous state budget. A new recovery center opened, and multiple weekend events are underway across northeast Louisiana, plus national updates include stock-market stress guidance, a Ford F-150 recall, Spirit Airlines uncertainty, and tax-refund tips.
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