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New Orleans carver Cal Kingsmill, an event judge at the 40th Annual Cajun Heritage Festival in Larose, examines a hen widgeon entered in the hunting pair division. (Submitted Photo/Courtesy of John K. Flores)

Larose carvers keep their heritage going

By JOHN K. FLORES

One of the things I constantly hear from nearly every person involved in some sort of outdoor activity here in the Sportsman’s Paradise is: “We’ve got to keep it going. It’s our heritage.”
The outdoor activities they’re talking about aren’t just the one’s associated with hooks and bullets all of the time, though they are a large part of it.
No, Louisianians also love to cook a big pot of gumbo or jambalaya outside. They love to dance. They love to go to places like Chicot State Park to do a little RV camping during a three-day holiday weekend like we just had. They love to do a little canoe racing along the Atchafalaya River. And, some even like to hike in places like Tunica Hills Wildlife Management Area.
In short, one of the definitions of heritage is simply, “practices or characteristics passed down through the years.”
Recently, I happened to attend the 40th Annual Cajun Heritage Festival down in Larose, a town of approximately 7,300 in Lafourche Parish. As one would imagine, this region is as steeped in the traditional hunting and fishing culture you’d find anywhere in the state, with waterfowl hunting being the custom come fall.
However, from duck hunting spawned what this bayou community is uniquely known for and what many locals do to pass time the rest of the year: Carving. Eye-popping renditions of anything carved out of a piece of wood.
As such, the town of Larose annually hosts the Cajun Heritage Festival, whose central theme features carving decoys.
For the past 19 years, Robby Matherne has been chairman of the Cajun Heritage Festival’s decoy show. For Matherne, the festival is all about the continuation of a true Cajun form of art.
“In the Cajun culture, we’re known for our food and our music and things like that,” Matherne said. “But, the decoy carving part of our culture is actually our art. It started out when we had hunters that hunted for a living. They were market hunters who had to make their own equipment. You had to make your own paddles, boats and decoys.
“Over the years, these things evolved from being tools to go hunting with to more of an art form,” Matherne added. “It’s an American art form — something that originated down here — something whose roots are right here in south Louisiana. And it ties in to our hunting and fishing culture.”
According to Matherne, during the ’70s, the festival was more about a bunch of local carvers that wanted to put together a small contest for competition.
Today, the festival contest has grown and evolved, becoming more inclusive. There are 86 different categories individuals can participate in that, besides decoys, include boats, fish and even walking canes.
What’s more, contest organizers also are sensitive to each entrant’s skill level, having set up novice, amateur and professional divisions.
However, it’s the decoys that people come to see in this bayou community. During the 2016 festival, several hundred people walked through the doors of the Larose Regional Park’s Civic Center.
What the untrained eye will first notice about hunting decoys is they have been carved minus any fine edges or intricate detailing. These extra features would be ruined quickly by exposing them to harsh treatment, such as tossing them into a boat, brackish marsh or stump-filled swamp.
By contrast, decorative decoys are of the highest quality when carved and painted. Many carvers burn each individual feather in the piece they are working on to make them look as life-like as possible.
Decorative decoys, though judged in the water for balance while floating, are seldom hunted for fear of damage. These fancier decoys take longer and considerable more effort to make than traditional hunting-style decoys.
The majority of hunting and decorative decoys are made from the tupelo gum tree found in the bottomland hardwood swamps throughout Louisiana. However, other woods used include cypress root and balsa.
Decoys are judged by how accurate they are with respect to a duck’s size, its eye placement and float balance. They also are judged according to how correct the piece is from a scientific perspective, as well as the paint quality and accuracy of color.
Matherne said, “Carvers from down here along Bayou Lafourche, like Carl and Reagan Danos, have styles that are very memorable and highly recognizable to other carvers. The Danos’ have probably a little bit more detail with their painting and things like that.
“But, over the years, carvers develop what they like to do,” Matherne added. “Some guys like doing one style of decoy, where others like doing 4 or 5 different styles. Still, others bounce between them. But, what carving is about today is keeping the heritage going. Plus, it’s fun. It’s relaxing. And, guys just really enjoy it.”
There are other communities throughout the United States where, like Louisianians, people are involved in arts and crafts that reveal the historical folklore and period culture of their past. All too often these traditional things wind up in museums.
One thing for certain: here in Louisiana, nearly every community has some sort of heritage. The folks down along Bayou Lafourche are keeping theirs alive.
UPCOMING EVENT — The 2016 Baton Rouge Antique Decoy Show will be held Aug. 27 at the BREC Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center, 10503 N. Oak Hills Parkway, Baton Rouge. The event starts at 9 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m. For event information, contact Gary Lipham at 225-571-2835 or garylipham1@gmail.com
EDITOR’S NOTE: John Flores is The Daily Review’s Outdoor Writer. If you wish to make a comment or have an anecdote, recipe or story you wish to share, you can contact Flores at 985-395-5586 or at gowiththeflo@cox.net or message him on his Facebook page, gowiththeflo outdoors.

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