At the first Louisiana visitor center I hit after crossing over from Mississippi, the greeter mentioned that northern Louisiana was different from other parts of Louisiana, that it was more Mississippi-like than the southern half of the state.
More recently, "Thibodeaux," a student of history, explained to me that there are three states within Louisiana:
- New Orleans, with its Catholic, French-from-France, Spanish, Caribbean-neé-Africa-and-France, and German roots;
- North Louisiana, which was not part of the Louisiana Purchase (a delicious, salacious story in itself), predominantly Protestant, and its development more like the typical westward colonization from "Americans" as in Mississippi; and
- South Louisiana, or Acadiana, with its strong French-from Nova Scotia-expelled to Louisiana culture.
Well, then there's Baton Rouge, added Thibodeaux, which has only one culture- make that "cult" - that of LSU and its high priests of the Church of Football.
More on the three states of Louisiana in the future, I'm sure.
