Well for instance, culturally, I never did anything related to a Mardi Gras until I moved south for college. And this was just in the mid-90s. Now, not only are there Mardi Gras parades, but the kids actually get out of school for Mardi Gras. Cajun and creole dishes that were unheard of on Northern menus years ago are now commonplace. Now don't get me wrong, we love our BBQ...but we season with some Tony's now too, lol. We don't even mind if you put etoufee on our fried fish. I'm certainly not saying anyone up there is claiming to be cajuns, but it's certainly not as un-"Louisiana" as one might think. I can't speak for the Shreveport area, but I know for sure everything east of Shreveport and North of Alexandria is Saints and Tiger country.
Now that you mention it, I have noticed some of this as well. When I was in high school, the kids in Avoyelles parish got off for Mardi Gras, a holiday that was meaningless in the Baptist Belt of Rapides and Grant, so we got off for Huey Long's birthday instead.
Kids in Rapides have been getting out of school for Mardi Gras for quite a few years now. Can't speak for anyone else north of here. They also have a pretty good Mardi Gras Parade in Alexandria that draws about 150,000 or so each year. Think they have one in Monroe too, but I'd have to get 'Nupe to confirm that.
I have heard people say for years "North of I-10 and you're a yankee" even among some on this site... even though it seems y'all get more snow and ice than we do. And as I type this, we have a Winter Storm Watch for tonight through tomorrow... but y'all had your bout a few weeks back. I think if the attitude of the state changed, as in, we're all Louisianians... we must stick together, that attitude might change, but historically there's always been a struggle between the Northern and Southern part of the state.
I don't say yankee, but I do say if you are north of I-10 its closer to south arkansas than it is Louisiana. Yeah I know its wrong but everything is so different north of the interstate, the dirt, the language, the religions and culture, the food, the accent, the trees, it is like an entirely different state up there. I'm sure this can be said for most states and I don't ever mean it in a derogatory way, just pointing out that it is vastly different from what I grew up on, what I know to be Louisiana.
I have family that originated from and still live in south LA, and some of them for whatever reason moved to northern LA. I currently live in Bossier City, but I consider myself simply "from Louisiana", while I have lived all over the country, South and North, only because my dad had a job that moved us every 3 years growing up, I consider LA my home and i'm glad to be back home. With that said, I respect and love the southern LA culture and people, always have, but I tend to tire of the Us vs. Them mentality in this state, like the rest of this country, once the people of LA realise we're all in this together things will begin to get better for the state as a whole. And for the record, if anyone on this site ever calls me an R-kansan, i'll bust'em in the mouth if we ever met.
Quiet down you southern arkansasan, I don't have an us vs them I love em all the same. I was just pointing out how much of a difference there is between the two
