‘Ici on parle français’

Ici on parle français means: French is spoken here; and that is exactly what Evangeline Parish people did at last week’s police jury meeting.
Working to keep the parish’s culture alive and proving that some people in Evangeline Parish do in fact still speak French, the police jury held their entire December meeting in the language that once dominated this area.
A meeting held in French was once the norm here, but now people can only experience a meeting like this once a year.
In the year 2000, the Census of the United States, reported that 8,345 individuals five-years and older spoke French in their households in the parish of Evangeline. By 2010, that number had dropped to 5,740 individuals speaking the French language in their home.
It is through events like the EPPJ’s French meeting though, that EPPJ Member Rocky Rider said “we are able to work to try and keep our culture here in Evangeline Parish alive.”
For some French speaking individuals like Sonja Ardoin, this event is one they never miss.
Ardoin said, “It’s enjoyable to get to hear everything done in French, because it’s something that doesn’t happen much anymore. It’s so nice to hear the language spoken when someone gets up there and speaks it well. ”
The police jury meeting opened with the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance in French by William Saunders, which was then followed by a familiar tune being played on an instrument that is well known here in Louisiana, the Cajun accordion.
As Assistant District Attorney Timmy Fontenot played The Star Spangled Banner on the Cajun accordion, the crowd was now set to hear an entire meeting in a language that is so dear to the people from this area.
The sound of the national anthem being played on the Cajun accordion and the prayers being recited in French are things that french speaker and Ville Platte Mayor Jennifer Vidrine described as “beautiful.”
Following Fontenot’s flawless performance on the Cajun accordion, was Evangeline Parish Clerk of Court Randy Deshotel who recited The Lord’s Prayer in French. Reciting
For the mayor, that beautiful sound of the accordion and the french language being spoken is one she enjoys so much because of what it reminds her of.
Vidrine said, “Hearing the government business being conducted in French takes me back to the years where you heard people speaking French at every business in town.”
While some of the police jury members are not fluent in French, their attempt at staying true to the culture that makes up this parish provided laughs for the audience.
Laughter filled the police jury meeting room as the role was called, and police jury members responded with a simple “ici.” The crowd wasn’t laughing at the way they said the french term that means “here,” they laughed more at the clear confusion that was written all over some police jury members’ faces who were just hoping they said the correct word.
When it was time for the engineer’s report, Ronnie Landreneau said in French, “My dog ate my report so I just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,” which added even more humor to the already humorous meeting.
Along with hearing police jury members make a good effort at speaking the parish’s dieing language, those in attendance were also able to hear French spoken from local individuals as well as from state officials who couldn’t miss being a part of this unique night.
The crowd was able to hear from fluent French speaking guest like former EPPJ Secretary/Treasurer Wilbur Ardoin, Louisiana State Representative for District 46 Mike Huval, and former EPPJ Member Davis Manuel.
Huval had enjoyed himself so much at the meeting that by its end, he was already thinking about the one next year.
Huval said, “It was great to get to be a part of the French meeting. I’m looking forward to next year now.”
Although the meeting, which provided tons of food and drinks to those who attended, seemed like a party somewhat, there was still business to be handled.
While conducting the meeting fully in French, the police jury approved a trail ride to be held in the Mamou area on December 18 and a list of supplies needed for the jail.
The items on the agenda stayed simple for this meeting, because this meeting in particular is more about preserving a way of life in Evangeline Parish.
By the end of their December French meeting, there was really only one thing EPPJ Member Bryan Vidrine could say in French about how things went.
With a grin on his face, Bryan, who knows little French, said, “Il est allé très bien,” which means “it went very well.”