Disenchanting Les Bons Temps: Identity and Authenticity in Cajun Music and Dance
| Author | Charles J. Stivale |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Series | Post-Contemporary Interventions |
| Subject | Cultural Studies, ethnomusicology |
| Publisher | Duke University Press |
Publication date | 2003 |
| Pages | 217 |
| ISBN | 0-8223-3020-2 |
Disenchanting Les Bons Temps: Identity and Authenticity in Cajun Music and Dance is a 2003 book by Charles J. Stivale. The book delves into the complexities of Cajun music and dance, exploring themes of identity, authenticity, and cultural dynamics through an ethnographic and theoretical lens. Stivale engages with the works of theorists such as Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari to dissect the interplay between tradition and modernity in Cajun cultural expressions.[1] The book is part of Duke University Press' Post-Contemporary Interventions series.[2]
Summary
[edit]Stivale analyzes Cajun music and dance and combines personal narrative with scholarly investigation. The book is structured around the author's exploration of how Cajun music, with its roots in the history of the Acadian settlers, manifests themes of displacement, loss, and cultural hybridity. Stivale's work is divided into several chapters, each addressing different aspects of Cajun cultural practices.
Format and contents
[edit]- Autobiographical Introduction: Stivale recounts his own journey into the world of Cajun music and dance, setting the stage for his analytical discourse.
- Cultural Themes in Lyrics: Analysis of themes such as disruption, nostalgia, and rooted errantry in the lyrics of prominent Cajun musicians like Zachary Richard and Michael Doucet.
- Cajun-ness in Media: Examination of the portrayal of Cajun culture in films and instructional dance videos, highlighting the tension between tradition and innovation.
- Ethnographic and Theoretical Synthesis: Application of Deleuze and Guattari's theories to the ethnographic study of musical and dance venues, focusing on concepts like territorialization and cultural identity formation.
- Sociocultural Tensions: Discussion of issues such as linguistic isolation and economic hardship within the Cajun community, as well as the exclusionary practices in Cajun dance and music.
- Future of Cajun Identity: Exploration of new creative expressions and grassroots initiatives aimed at preserving and evolving Cajun culture.
Critical reception
[edit]Tom Conley of Harvard University commended the book for bringing Cajun music into the broader field of cultural studies. He highlighted Stivale's effective use of Deleuze and Guattari's theories to analyze Cajun cultural practices and praises the book for its rich, informative presentation of Cajun music and dance. Conley noted that the book manages to protect Cajun culture from becoming an inert object of history and folklore by consistently destabilizing tactics of analysis.[3]
Denis M. Provencher lauded the book as a valuable addition to cultural studies and French and Francophone studies. He appreciated the integration of first-hand ethnographic work with close literary and textual analysis. Provencher noted that Stivale's work provides a thorough examination of the paradoxical hybridity of Cajun identity and its representations in various media.[4]
Eric Sellin acknowledged the book's detailed exploration of Cajun and zydeco music and dance, though he critiqued the heavy reliance on Deleuze and Guattari's theoretical frameworks. Sellin suggested that while the theoretical engagement is sometimes overwhelming, the book offers valuable insights into the cultural significance of Cajun music and its practitioners.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ Stivale, Charles J. (2003). Disenchanting Les Bons Temps: Identity and Authenticity in Cajun Music and Dance. Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-3033-2.
- ^ "Post-Contemporary Interventions on JSTOR".
- ^ Conley, Tom (2004). "Review of Disenchanting Les Bons Temps: Identity and Authenticity in Cajun Music and Dance". SubStance. 33 (2): 165–167. doi:10.2307/3685412. ISSN 0049-2426.
- ^ Provencher, Denis M. (2004). "Review of Disenchanting "Les Bons Temps": Identity and Authenticity in Cajun Music and Dance". The French Review. 77 (5): 1048–1049. ISSN 0016-111X.
- ^ Sellin, Eric (2004). "Disenchanting Les Bons Temps: Identity and Authenticity in Cajun Music and Dance, Charles J. Stivale (2003) Durham, NC and London: Duke University Press, 217 pp. (Review)". International Journal of Francophone Studies. 7 (1–2).
