On my fathers side, my family was descended from France. The Bourgeois family moved to Nova-Scotia when France was colonizing Canada. Britain and France fought a war, causing the English to occupy Nova Scotia. They kicked all of the French out, so they fled to South Louisiana. My other descendents fled from Paris to the Great Pyrenees during the French revolution. Their last name was Senac. His first name is unknown, but he migrated to Louisiana around the late 1700s for a better life. I am a mix of direct French and also Cajun descent. All of my family still lives in South Louisiana. I visit frequently. Cajun culture is heavy in my life. My grandma gave me this Gator head. It reminds me of the simple cajun life and her home back down the swamp. She calls me “sha”, which means cute in creole. Being a LSU fan is in ny blood, and my parents still cook me cajun meals like Gumbo, Po Boys, Jambalaya, and Etouffee. Both of my parents and my dad’s side are from Thibodaux, Louisiana. This gator head symbolizes a common cajun practice: gator hunting. It reminds me of all the little traditions and pieces of my ancestors that are still around today. Mardi Gras is celebrated every year by my family, and my grandma makes sure to send me a mail-order king cake.

– AB

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more