Louisiana: A Louisiana: A Geographic Geographic

InterpretationInterpretation

Martha L. Henderson, Ph.D.Martha L. Henderson, Ph.D.May 1, 2006May 1, 2006

Louisiana – An Outsider’s Louisiana – An Outsider’s PerspectivePerspective

►Where is Louisiana on the American Where is Louisiana on the American landscape?landscape?

►Geography at LSUGeography at LSU

►Learning and living in a foreign placeLearning and living in a foreign place

American LandscapesAmerican Landscapes

►Landscapes: Landscapes:

Legacies of Past Ideas and IdealsLegacies of Past Ideas and Ideals

Records of CultureRecords of Culture

RepresentativeRepresentative

SymbolicSymbolic

Inclusive of physical environmentInclusive of physical environment

Social constructionSocial construction

Fields of Landscape StudyFields of Landscape Study

►Landscapes are bounded areas Landscapes are bounded areas ►Multi-layered and temporally sensitiveMulti-layered and temporally sensitive►Located within a ‘grid’ of identifiersLocated within a ‘grid’ of identifiers►ComparableComparable►Varying valueVarying value►A set of relationships and processesA set of relationships and processes►Multi-culturalMulti-cultural► InterdisciplinaryInterdisciplinary

Interdisciplinary Interdisciplinary RepresentationRepresentation

►American StudiesAmerican Studies►Landscape ArchitectureLandscape Architecture►HistoryHistory►AnthropologyAnthropology►GeographyGeography

GeographyGeography

►Not the subject you learned in 6Not the subject you learned in 6thth grad grad►The study of the surface of Earth, both The study of the surface of Earth, both

physical and cultural processessphysical and cultural processess►A social scienceA social science►The study of spatial relationships and The study of spatial relationships and

placeplace►Place: cultural landscapesPlace: cultural landscapes

cultural or political ecologycultural or political ecology cultural geographycultural geography

Geographical Studies of Geographical Studies of LandscapeLandscape

►Culture or political processesCulture or political processes►Cultural or political indicatorsCultural or political indicators►Significant landscapes or placesSignificant landscapes or places►Formal or folkFormal or folk►Where is it? Why is it? How did it Where is it? Why is it? How did it

become this? Who are the major become this? Who are the major agents? What is the structureagents? What is the structure

Department of Geography and Department of Geography and AnthropologyAnthropology

School of GeoscienceSchool of Geoscience

Louisiana State University Louisiana State University ►Physical GeographyPhysical Geography

Coastal GeomorphologyCoastal Geomorphology ClimatologyClimatology BiogeographyBiogeography Fluvial GeographyFluvial Geography

GISGIS

Berkeley School of GeographyBerkeley School of Geography“muddy boots geographers”“muddy boots geographers”

► Cultural Geography - Dr. Fred Kniffen, LSUCultural Geography - Dr. Fred Kniffen, LSUThe study of regional variation of material culture indicators: The study of regional variation of material culture indicators: architecture, religion, language, agriculture, food, music, ect. architecture, religion, language, agriculture, food, music, ect.

Tracing origins, transformations, integration, adaptation, Tracing origins, transformations, integration, adaptation, diffusiondiffusion

Asking major questions about human creativity, evolution, Asking major questions about human creativity, evolution, local vs global, sustainability, and resource managementlocal vs global, sustainability, and resource management

Ethnographic Methods/ Field Work/American South/Ethnographic Methods/ Field Work/American South/Central American regions and landscapes (non-quantitative)Central American regions and landscapes (non-quantitative)

Louisiana Landscapes at LSULouisiana Landscapes at LSU

►Studied in conjunction with Studied in conjunction with anthropologists including anthropologists including archaeologistsarchaeologists

►Mapping diffusion of form and functionMapping diffusion of form and function

►Multi-cultural and historically rich Multi-cultural and historically rich regionregion

Louisiana: Where is it?Louisiana: Where is it?

►Not part of the ‘western migration’ storyNot part of the ‘western migration’ story

►On the Gulf of Mexico and CaribbeanOn the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean

►Mouth of the Mississippi RiverMouth of the Mississippi River

►More in common with remote areas of More in common with remote areas of North American than immediate North American than immediate surrounding areasurrounding area

Culturally DiverseCulturally Diverse

►Significantly diverse cultures in a small Significantly diverse cultures in a small areaarea NativeNative AfricanAfrican EuropeanEuropean

►SpanishSpanish►FrenchFrench►BritishBritish

A landscape created by external forcesA landscape created by external forces

Multi-culturalism and Multi-culturalism and LandscapeLandscape

►Representative cultural Representative cultural indicators/groupindicators/group

►Acculturation processesAcculturation processes

►Cultural transformationCultural transformation

►Ecological processes and disasterEcological processes and disaster

Material Culture as IndicatorsMaterial Culture as Indicators

►House typesHouse types

►FoodFood

►Religious practicesReligious practices

►LanguageLanguage

Coping with Natural DisastersCoping with Natural DisastersOver TimeOver Time

►Extreme EventsExtreme Events

►Major EventsMajor Events

►Minor EventsMinor Events

Science? Technology? Metaphysical Science? Technology? Metaphysical beliefs?beliefs?

A Few Historical EventsA Few Historical Events

► Interactions with native groupsInteractions with native groups

►Classes of settlers:Classes of settlers: LandownersLandowners Labor pools – African/European Labor pools – African/European

immigrantsimmigrants CajunsCajuns

EvangelineEvangelineSt. MartinsvilleSt. Martinsville

2020thth Century Population Century Population ChangesChanges

Discovery of oil Discovery of oil

Transition from ag economy to timber/lumber Transition from ag economy to timber/lumber production (ties to PNW)production (ties to PNW)

Creation of petroleum industryCreation of petroleum industry

World War II impact on Cajun cultureWorld War II impact on Cajun culture

Katrina: out-migration from New Orleans and Katrina: out-migration from New Orleans and southern parishessouthern parishes

nationalization with military of petroleum nationalization with military of petroleum production regionproduction region