Despite being located at the heart of Louisiana, 75% of Tulane University’s population comes from over 500 miles away. Because of this, some Louisiana native Tulane students feel a lack of representation on campus. One of Tulane’s Office of Multicultural Affairs’s newest clubs seeks to fill that gap. Tulane Cajun and Louisiana Creole Association hopes to provide a space for people of Cajun and Louisiana Creole descent, as well as anyone who wants to learn about these cultures, to feel welcomed and understood.  

Juniors and Baton Rouge natives Sophia Guillory and Katie Luckett started TUCALCA to create a designated space for Louisiana Creole and Cajun students to celebrate and engage with their own culture on campus and around the city and state.  

“I want it to become a place where students feel like they belong and feel like they are represented and understood,” Guillory, the president of the club, explained. 

But it is not exclusive to Cajun and Creole students. The club is a space for students of all backgrounds to learn about and appreciate Louisiana culture. 

Both Cajun and Louisiana Creole people play an important part in Louisiana’s history and cultural landscape, but finding spaces to engage with and learn about the cultures can be difficult. Cajun French and Kouri-Vini, or Louisiana Creole, are endangered languages due to the forceful Americanization of Louisiana in the early 20th century, so many in newer generations never learned them. TUCALCA hopes to make efforts to change that for the future.  

“We thought that if we created this club, it would create a group where we can help each other revitalize the cultures and preserve them for future generations,” said Guillory. 

Still a fledgling club, TUCALCA has only had one meeting so far this year. However, they plan to have monthly meetings where members can socialize, learn about the cultures and even eat some Cajun or Creole food. Outside of routine meetings, members can participate in events off campus to engage with the cultures as well. In November, the club plans to volunteer at the Zydeco Festival and attend a lecture on the traditions of the Houma tribe of Louisiana. They hope to attend other lectures as well as host speakers on campus to talk to the club, along with other fun activities like documentary and film watch parties. Music and food are a huge part of Cajun and Creole cultures and TUCALCA plans to lean into that with their programming. 

“Hopefully, we’ll be able to host some sort of dance lesson or cooking class related to Cajun and Creole cultures,” Guillory added. “It’ll probably be in the spring if it happens.” 

In terms of what the co-founder’s hopes for the future of the club holds, she said that she wants it to have a lasting impact in New Orleans and southern Louisiana, helping cultural leaders and community organizers work towards solving the problem of preserving the cultures and the languages that the club celebrates.  

“I hope that after me and Katie graduate, it continues to thrive and be a place for students to celebrate their culture,” she said.  

Tulane students can join their WaveSync or follow their Instagram to find more information on the club. For interested students, TUCALCA is looking for a new treasurer and secretary, especially students with Creole background to ensure the club’s leadership represents the whole club. Anyone outside of the Tulane community who wants to contribute, collaborate or be featured for an event can reach out to the club through their email at [email protected].