Tour Guide, New Orleans, United States of America
| 4 mins read
One of the most common misconceptions about the word “CREOLE” is that it means a person of mixed French, Spanish, African and Native American ancestry. Well, let’s look at a cosmopolitan city such as New York; in New York City would it be impossible today for a child to be born of that same cultural makeup? Of course not. So, why is that child not called “Creole?” It is because that child does not have a family lineage that descends from the Louisiana Colony. Any child born in the Louisiana Colony - before the 1803 Louisiana Purchase - regardless of where the family originated - was called “Creole.” It means “native” – not “mixture.” The first wave of settlers were French, bringing with them enslaved Africans, and right on the heels of them came the Germans. By 1745 Louisiana had more German Creoles than French. The Colony turned into a melting pot, the same way the United States did and eventually, everybody got French fried; they assimilated into a French society, spoke French, lived a French lifestyle and before you know it the German name Schneider is spelled Schnaydre. (Now spelled Schnayder.)
It isn’t difficult to understand. Think of Ellis Island in 1900. An Italian family named DiMartino emigrates to the United States and their name is Americanized to Martin. Two generations down, the grandchildren not only don’t speak Italian but they are impatient with their old-world grandparents whose English is poor. (Later they grow up and regret that they didn’t learn Italian when they had the chance.) So it was, too, for the native born Louisiana colonists. Everyone spoke French. In 1762 Louisiana was ceded to Spain. The Spaniards had to speak French in order to govern here; they did not try to convert the people of Louisiana to a Spanish culture. Of course, in the 18th century, French was the language of the cultured intelligentsia all throughout Europe, so speaking French in Louisiana was a non-issue. The lifestyle, culture and language remained French. In 1800 Spain returned Louisiana to France. Napoleon Bonaparte did not take possession of the colony and for almost 4 years we were owned by France but governed by Spain. The Creoles had no idea they were French again. They would have been overjoyed by the news. But then in 1803 came the Louisiana Purchase and the Creole joie de vivre came to a grinding halt!
The Americans stepped in and tried to Americanize this French Creole culture by expecting them to learn English and anglicizing their Franco culture. Remember, these Creoles were four and five generations in. For them to be expected to adapt to an American way of life, an American style of conducting business, a British based/protestant based form of government, learn a new language (even Spain did not force them to abandon their beloved French mother tongue), give up Civil Law for Common Law and (quelle horreur!) SEPARATE CHURCH FROM STATE – was total effrontery! “Il est scandaleux! ” So the Creole population, for all intents and purposes, segregated themselves from les Américains vulgaires. They officially “drew the line” and Canal Street was it. As the Americans began building their neighborhoods on the upriver side, the descendants of the Franco colonists staunchly remained entrenched in their way of life and wouldn’t budge.
The colonial descendants kept the word “CREOLE” to identify themselves as a proud (at times arrogant) Franco culture separate and apart from the more puritanical (at times arrogant) Anglo culture. The rivalry was intense, the animosity was fierce and they tended to antagonize one another until 1852 when the city finally brought these two divisive cultures into one cohesive city. All of the political, economic, commercial and social power shifted to the American side and Creoles slowly lost their grip. By the early 20th century the remnants of the old Creole aristocracy were as decayed and battered as the crumbling French Quarter buildings in which they lived. Great Creole wealth vanished and, as a matter of fact, a home for elderly Creole women was founded specifically because they had no idea how to be poor after a lifetime of monied privilege.
Ah, well - quelle domage!.
So, strictly speaking, that word “CREOLE” - once a common word understood by all with no explanation - is defined as anyone who was born in, or is descended from one who was born in, the Colony of Louisiana, regardless of the family’s country of origin, be it Europe or Africa.
Cajun? Well – that’s another story for another tour.
Note that there are Creoles of every conceivable skin tone and race. With some, it is impossible to tell if they are of African, European or mixed descent.