The new documentary ‘Roots of Fire’ explores a movement underway with young Cajun musicians who are evolving their traditional south Louisiana music. The music is a driving force in saving their Cajun French language and culture.
I first heard the young Cajun band Feufollet 12 years ago playing in Lafayette. Their lyrics were sung in French, but there was a youthful energy and a new twist on a familiar sound. Singer Anna Laura Edmiston explained, “We love what South Louisiana has to offer. We love the French language. We choose to make of it what we feel in our hearts.”
roots of fire inspired by the music
Since that night, the group has continued to evolve their Cajun themed music. They’ve been Grammy nominated, and they caught the attention of filmmakers Jeremy and Abby Berendt Lavoi. Jeremy grew up hearing Cajun music in southwest Louisiana. “I thought of it as old people music,” Jeremy says. But the couple heard a recording of a new Cajun sound from Chris Stafford, one of the founding members of Feufollet. Jeremy and Abby went to a live show with Feufollet. Abby, a veteran of the music industry who had been to countless live shows, was impressed, “To see these young people dancing, there was just something that I had never experienced before.” The Lavois wanted other people to experience this new sound.
going behind the scenes
The Lavois began a ten-year-long documentary project, filming younger Cajun musicians and their live shows. But they also went behind the scenes and filmed them cooking gumbo and duck stew. They also filmed a traditional Cajun Mardi Gras celebration. The filmmakers learned how important the preservation of the French language was to preserving the Cajun culture. They saw the musicians as culture bearers of their south Louisiana traditions.
new roots of fire documentary featured on tv
If you’re not living your culture….
There was an unplanned moment while the Lavois were wrapping up filming at a French music festival in Lafayette. Musician Jourdan Thibodaux was on stage and delivered an impassioned challenge for his audience. “If you’re not living your culture, you are killing your culture,” Thibodaux said, “and there is no in-between.” Those comments set the tone for the 90-minute Roots of Fire documentary. The program opens a window into the music and customs of a group of young musicians who seem determined to keep their Cajun culture alive.
a great loss
Just as Root of Fire was being released, musician Chris Stafford, a founding member of Feufollet and a source of inspiration for the documentary, was killed in a car accident. He was 36 years old. (Stafford’s Obituary)
Roots of fire now streaming
As of May 2024, the Roots of Fire documentary is streaming on Apple TV and Amazon Prime. The program is also available on DVD from RootsofFire.com/shop
my introduction to feufollet
I heard the young Cajun band Feufollet for the first time in 2012 at the Blue Moon Saloon in Lafayette, LA. I was impressed with their musicianship and youthful energy, as well as their commitment to growing their music and French culture. Here’s the story from February, 2012.
rediscovering old cajun songs
One of the albums released by the Cajun band Bonsoir Catin featured old traditional Cajun songs. Musician Kristi Guillory dug up old recordings in the archives of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Guillory is also one of the musicians featured in Roots of Fire. Watch my story with Guillory and musician Anya Burgess from August, 2013.
A family tradition
Musician and accordion maker Marc Savoy is one of the treasures of Cajun music. He has been hosting Saturday morning traditional Cajun jam sessions at his Eunice Louisiana music center since the 1960’s. His son Joel Savoy, a Grammy-winning Cajun musician is now following in his father’s footsteps in the accordion shop. Joel is also featured in Roots of Fire. It was evident from my visit to Savoy Music Center in January, 2024 that father and son put a different spin on the future of Cajun music. Here’s the story.
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