Culture of New Orleans

Culture of New Orleans
Bird's-eye view of New Orleans in 1862

The people and culture of New Orleans have made New Orleans, Louisiana unique among and distinct from other cities in the United States, including other Southern U.S. cities. New Orleans in modern times has been described as being not a Southern city but a Caribbean city.[1][2][3]

In a locale once used by Choctaw, Houmas, and other Indians,[4][5] prominent cultural influences date to the French and Spanish colonial periods and the introduction of African slaves in the 18th century.

Contents

Language

American English, with significant variations, is the dominant language in New Orleans. Despite the city's French colonial history, French is rarely used. However, its expressions and pronunciation have influenced various dialects in New Orleans, and it was still in significant use at the start of the 20th century. Spanish is perhaps the most frequently heard non-English language in New Orleans; the city has a long tradition of Hispanic immigrants dating back to the 18th century. Cajun French and Vietnamese are also heard in the city; Cajun speakers from southeast Louisiana entered the city during the 1970s–1980s oil boom, and a sizable Vietnamese community established itself in the city in the last third of the 20th century.

The distinctive local accent is unlike either Cajun or the stereotypical Southern accent so often misportrayed by film and television actors. It does, like earlier Southern Englishes, features frequent deletion of post-vocalic "r". It is similar to a New York "Brooklynese" accent to people unfamiliar with it. There are many theories of the origin of the accent, but it likely results from New Orleans' geographic isolation by water, and the fact that New Orleans was a major port of entry into the United States throughout the 19th century [1]. Many of the immigrant groups who reside in Brooklyn also reside in New Orleans, with the largest groups being Irish, Germans, and Italians (with Sicilians predominating in the last group).

The prestige associated with being from New Orleans by many residents is likely a factor in the linguistic assimilation of the ethnically divergent population. This distinctive accent is dying out generation by generation in the city (but remains very strong in the surrounding parishes). As with many sociolinguistic artifacts, it is usually attested much more strongly by older members of the population. One subtype of the New Orleans accent is sometimes identified as Yat (from "Where y'at). This word is not used as a generalized term for the New Orleans accent, and is generally reserved for the strongest varieties.

New Orleans is usually pronounced by locals as "noo-AW-lyenz", "noo-AW-linz", "noo-OR-linz", or "noo-OR-lyenz". The tendency among people around the world to say "noo-or-LEENZ" stems from the use of that pronunciation by singers and songwriters, who find it easy to rhyme[citation needed]. The pronunciation "NAW-linz" is likewise not generally used nor liked by locals but has been popularized by the tourist trade.[6][7][8]

Local pronunciations: /nuːˈɔːljənz/, /nuːˈɔːliːnz/, /nuːˈɔrliːnz/, /nuːˈɔrliːənz/, /nuːˈɔrlənz/
French: la Nouvelle-Orléans [la nuvɛl ɔʁle.ɑ̃] ( listen)

Also notable are lexical items specific to the city, such as lagniappe (pronounced /ˈlɒnjɒp/) meaning "a little something extra," makin' groceries for grocery shopping, or neutral ground for a street median.

Music

Louis Armstrong, famous New Orleans Jazz musician.

New Orleans has always been a significant center for music with its intertwined European, Latin American, and African-American cultures. It was the site of the first opera house in the United States.[9] The city engendered jazz with its brass bands.[10][11] Decades later it was home to a distinctive brand of rhythm and blues that contributed greatly to the growth of rock and roll. In addition, the nearby countryside is the home of Cajun music, Zydeco music, and Delta blues.

Demographics

{{USCensusPop |1810=17242

Crime

New Orleans has a high violent crime rate. Its per-capita homicide rate average (59 per 100,000) ranks highest of large cities in the country from 1990 to 2009 per Bureau Of Justice Statistics from FBI Uniform Crime Reports. In 1994, 421 people were killed (85.8 per 100,000 people), a homicide rate which has not been matched by any major city to date.[12] The homicide rate rose and fell year to year throughout the late 1990s, but the overall trend from 1994 to 1999 was a steady reduction in homicides.

Beginning in 2000, the homicide rate again increased. New Orleans had the highest murder rate of any major American city in 2000 (42.1 per 100,000 people) 2001 (44.0 per 100,000) 2002 (53.1 per 100,000) 2003 (57.7 per 100,000) 2004 (56.0 per 100,000) In 2005, there were 202 murders after 8 months a rate of 43 per 100,000 which was still a higher rate than any major city's 12 month rate, but was not official because there was still 1 month left until the end of 3rd quarter crime data was to be released.In 2006,(70 per 100,000) 2007 (81 per 100,000) 2008 (64 per 100,000) 2009 (52 per 100,000) and 2010 (49 per 100,000) it was more of the same as the previous years with New Orleans posting the highest per capta murder rate of any major American city. In 2004,2006,2007,2008,2009 and 2010 New Orleans' per capita murder rate lead cities with populations of 100,000 or more residents which made it the nation's murder capital in each of those years according to Bureau of Justice Statistics from FBI Uniform Crime Reports, nola.com and Criminalogist Dr.Peter Scharf {[13]

After Hurricane Katrina, media attention focused on the reduced violent crime rate following the exodus of many New Orleanians. That trend is beginning to reverse itself as more people return to the city, although calculating the homicide rate remains difficult given that no authoritative source can cite a total population figure.[14]

As in other U.S. cities of comparable size, the incidence of homicide and other violent crimes is highly concentrated in certain city neighborhoods that are sites of open air drug trade. Most murder victims have criminal records. In 2003, most victims in New Orleans were killed within three months of their last arrest.[15] The homicide rate for the New Orleans metropolitan statistical area, which includes the suburbs, was 24.4 per 100,000 in 2002.[16]

However, New Orleans has its own based criminal organizations, namely the Sicilian American New Orleans crime family amongst others.

Media

The major daily newspaper is the New Orleans Times-Picayune, publishing since 1837. Other alternative weekly publications include The Louisiana Weekly and Gambit Weekly.[17]

Greater New Orleans is well served by television and radio. The market is the 43rd largest Designated Market Area (DMA) in the U.S., serving 672,150 homes and 0.610% of the U.S. Major television network affiliates serving the area include WWL 4 (CBS), WGNO 26 (ABC), WDSU 6 (NBC), WVUE 8 (FOX), WNOL 38 (WB), WUPL 54 (UPN), and WPXL 49 (ION). PBS stations include WYES 12 and WLAE 32. WHNO 20 also operates as an independent station in the area, providing mainly religious programming.

Radio stations serving Greater New Orleans include:

Museums and other attractions

Bourbon Street, New Orleans, in 2003, looking towards Canal Street.

Greater New Orleans has many major attractions, from the world-renowned Bourbon Street and the French Quarter's notorious nightlife, St. Charles Avenue (home of Tulane and Loyola Universities), and many stately 19th century mansions.

Favorite tourist scenes in New Orleans include the French Quarter (known locally as "the Quarter"), which dates from the French and Spanish eras. The neighborhood contains many popular hotels, bars, and nightclubs, most notably around Bourbon Street. Other notable tourist attractions in the quarter include Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, the French Market (including the Café du Monde, famous for café au lait and beignets), and Preservation Hall.

Also located near the French Quarter is the old New Orleans Mint, formerly a branch of the United States Mint, which now operates as a museum. The National World War II Museum is relatively new, having opened in 2000 as the National D-Day Museum. It provides information and materials related to the allied invasion of Normandy, France. The Natchez is an authentic steamboat with a calliope, which tours the Mississippi twice daily.

Art museums in the city include the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) in City Park and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art. The Audubon Park and the Audubon Zoo are also located in the city of New Orleans. New Orleans is also noted for its many beautiful cemeteries. Some famous cemeteries in the city include Saint Louis Cemetery and Metairie Cemetery.

Significant gardens include Longue Vue House and Gardens and the New Orleans Botanical Garden.

Annual cultural events and fairs

Mounted Krewe Officers in the Thoth Parade during Mardi Gras.

Greater New Orleans is home to numerous year-around celebrations, including Mardi Gras, New Year's Eve celebrations, and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. New Orleans' most famous celebration is its Carnival Season. The Carnival season is often known (especially by out-of-towners) by the name of the last and biggest day, Mardi Gras (literally, "Fat Tuesday"), held just before the beginning of the Catholic liturgical season of Lent. Mardi Gras celebrations include parades and floats; participants toss strings of cheap colorful beads and doubloons to the crowds. The Mardi Gras season is kicked off with the only parade allowed through the French Quarter (Vieux Carré, translated Old Square), a walking parade aptly named Krewe du Vieux.

The largest of the city's many musical festivals is the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Commonly referred to simply as, "Jazz Fest", it is one of the largest music festivals in the nation, and features crowds coming from all over the world to experience music, food, arts, and crafts. Despite the name, it features not only jazz but a large variety of music, including both native Louisiana music and nationally-known popular music artists.

Sports and recreation

Club Sport Founded League Venue
New Orleans Saints Football 1967 NFL:NFC Louisiana Superdome
New Orleans Hornets Basketball 1988 (as Charlotte Hornets) NBA: Western Conference New Orleans Arena
New Orleans VooDoo Arena Football 2004 AFL New Orleans Arena
New Orleans Zephyrs Baseball 1902 Pacific Coast League Zephyr Field
The Louisiana Superdome, home to the New Orleans Saints.

The city also hosts two college football bowl games annually: the New Orleans Bowl and the Sugar Bowl. The city also holds the Bayou Classic, which is an annual college football game between Grambling State University and Southern University. Nine Super Bowls have been contested in New Orleans.

Historically, many teams have been formerly located in the city, including the New Orleans Pelicans baseball team (1887–1959), the New Orleans Breakers of the United States Football League, the New Orleans Night of the Arena Football League (1991–1992), and the New Orleans Brass ice hockey team (1997–2003). Former basketball teams were the New Orleans Buccaneers (c. 1967–1970), and the New Orleans Jazz (1974–1980) which became the Utah Jazz.

New Orleans is also home to Southern Yacht Club, located at West End on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Established in 1849, it is the second oldest yacht club in the United States. The building was severely damaged, first by storm surge and then by fire, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Recreations of New Orleans

New Orleans Square, a replica of the French Quarter, was built in Disneyland in 1966, with buildings and landscaping meant to evoke 19th-century New Orleans. When it opened, Walt Disney had then-New Orleans mayor Victor H. Schiro made honorary mayor of New Orleans Square. Schiro, in turn, made Disney an honorary citizen of the real New Orleans.[18]

Movie sets have been built in different parts of the world purporting to resemble the French Quarter or other parts of New Orleans.[citation needed]

Food in New Orleans

New Orleans is world-famous for its food. The indigenous cuisine is distinctive and influential. From centuries of amalgamation of local Creole, haute Creole, and New Orleans French cuisines, New Orleans food has developed. Local ingredients, French, Spanish, Italian, African, Native American, Cajun, and a hint of Cuban traditions combine to produce a truly unique and easily recognizable Louisiana flavor.

Unique specialties include beignets, square-shaped fried pastries that could be called "French doughnuts" (served with coffee and chicory, known as café au lait); Po'boy and Italian Muffaletta sandwiches; Gulf oysters on the half-shell, boiled crawfish, and other seafood; étouffée, jambalaya, gumbo, and other Creole dishes; and the Monday favorite of red beans and rice (Louis Armstrong often signed his letters, "Red beans and ricely yours"). New Orleans residents enjoy some of the best restaurants in the United States that cater specifically to locals, and visitors are encouraged to try the local establishments recommended by their hosts.

References


  1. ^ New Orleans, "now under the flag of the United States, is still very much a Caribbean city...." "The Pearl of the Antilles and the Crescent City: Historic Maps of the Caribbean in the Latin American Library Map Collections". Latin American Library, Tulane University. Archived from the original on 2005-12-22. http://web.archive.org/web/20051222183458/http://lal.tulane.edu/mapsexib2.html. Retrieved 2006-05-27. 
  2. ^ New Orleans is described as "a Caribbean city, an exuberant, semi-tropical city, perhaps the most hedonistic city in the United States." R.W. Apple, Jr.. "Apple's America" (quoted on ePodunk.com). http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/allProp.php?localID=3502&tpropID=quote&sec=0. Retrieved 2006-05-27. 
  3. ^ New Orleans "is often called the northernmost Caribbean city." Kemp, John R. (1997-11-30). "When the painter met the Creoles". Boston Globe: p. G3. http://www.boston.com/globe/search/stories/books/books97/christopher_benfey.htm. Retrieved 2006-05-27. 
  4. ^ "Indian Women". French Creoles. http://www.frenchcreoles.com/indianwomen.htm. Retrieved 2006-05-30. 
  5. ^ King, Grace. "Founding of New Orleans". New Orleans: The Place and the People. New York: The Macmillan Company. http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/Louisiana/New_Orleans/_Texts/KINPAP/3*.html. Retrieved 2006-05-30. 
  6. ^ "Speaking like a local". Fodor's: New Orleans. http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgresults.cfm?destination=new_orleans@110&cur_section=fea&feature=30010. Retrieved 2006-05-30. 
  7. ^ "Elegy for New Orleans". Godspy. http://www.godspy.com/reviews/Elegy-for-New-Orleans-by-Charles-A-Coulombe.cfm. Retrieved 2006-05-30. 
  8. ^ "Do you know what it means to pronounce New Orleans?" (blog). Semantic Compositions. http://semanticcompositions.typepad.com/index/2005/05/do_you_know_wha.html. Retrieved 2006-05-30. 
  9. ^ "Music Student Opportunities". Loyola University New Orleans, College of Music. http://music.loyno.edu/opportunities.html. Retrieved 2006-05-30. 
  10. ^ "New Orleans: The Birthplace of Jazz" (primarily excerpted from Jazz: A History of America's Music). PBS – JAZZ A Film By Ken Burns. http://www.pbs.org/jazz/places/places_new_orleans.htm. Retrieved 2006-05-17. 
  11. ^ "America Savors Its Music During Jazz Appreciation Month". U.S. Dept. of State – USINFO. http://usinfo.state.gov/scv/Archive/2006/Apr/03-859354.html. Retrieved 2006-05-17. 
  12. ^ "New Orleans murder rate on the rise again". MSNBC. 2005-08-18. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8999837. Retrieved 2006-05-17. 
  13. ^ New Orleans Crime Statistics (LA) - CityRating.com
  14. ^ Nossiter, Adam (2006-03-30). "As Life Returns to New Orleans, So Does Crime". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/30/national/nationalspecial/30crime.html?ex=1301374800&en=f848a95030af9495&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss. Retrieved 2010-04-30. 
  15. ^ http://www.nola.com/speced/cycleofdeath/pdf/02080405.pdf
  16. ^ FBI - Crime in the US, 2002 - Crime Index Offenses Reported
  17. ^ Gambit Weekly
  18. ^ Sampson, Wade (2008-09-03). "Sounds Like Walt". http://www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=ww080903ws. Retrieved 2008-10-31. 

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