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Archival Collections

The holdings of the Center for Louisiana Studies Archives illustrate the scope of field recording in Louisiana, from historic recordings to recent field work. It is the world's largest collection of Cajun and Creole field recordings, oral histories, and other folklife materials, as well as a vast image archive focused on Louisiana history and culture. The core of the collection consists of more than 300 field collections–unique and irreplaceable recordings collected by anthropologists, linguists, ethnomusicologists, folklorists, photographers, students, and the public interested in preserving the voices and culture of Louisiana. Extensive holdings of field recordings of music, oral histories, and images. 

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Collection Highlights
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Collection Highlights

  • Festivals Acadiens et Créoles Virtual 2020 Video Collection

    Created by the Center for Louisiana Studies for the virtual 2020 edition of Festivals Acadiens et Créoles. These videos document musicians at home performing acapella ballads, Creole accordion, fiddle tunes, family music, and the presentation of the Louisiana Folklife Tradition Bearer Award. 

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  • Guilbeau Center for Public History Collection

    The Guilbeau Center for Public History is located in the Department of History at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. This collection holds the student fieldwork on local recent history.

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  • The Houma Project Collection

    American researcher and radio show host Earl Robicheaux’s tapes recorded for the “Houma Project.” The collection features interviews with Dominique Dardar Sr., Junius Billiot, Pierre and Maryline Naquin, Marie Dean, Kirby Verret, and others.

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  • KRVS Collection

    KRVS 88.7 FM is a non-profit, listener supported, regional public radio station licensed to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The collection features recordings of radio broadcasts including programs such as “Chez Nous Autres” and “Voix De La Louisiane.”

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  • Liberty Theatre Collection

    Recordings from the Rendez-vous des Cajuns television show, recorded live in front of an audience at the Liberty Theatre in Eunice, Louisiana. The collection includes musical performances, jokes, storytelling, dance, and recipes. 

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  • John and Alan Lomax Collection

    Copies of discs recorded by American folklorists and authors John and Alan Lomax around Acadiana during a 1934 trip. Provided by the Library of Congress in the American Folklife Center. 

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  • Alan Lomax Collection

    Copies of videotapes recorded by American folklorist, filmmaker, and author Alan Lomax shot around Acadiana around 1982 and 1983. The tapes are the raw materials for Lomax’s 1990 film: “American Patchwork: Cajun Country.” 

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  • Roger Mason Collection

    This collection is made up of copies of Louisiana fieldwork conducted by American author, musician, and ethnomusicologist Roger Mason in 1970. Tapes include performances and interviews of Nathan Abshire, Alma Barthélémy, the Balfa Brothers, Walter Mouton, and others.
     

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  • Donna McGee Onebane Collection

    Oral history and fieldwork conducted by American author and folklorist Donna McGee Onebane. The collection materials consist of audio recordings of family interviews, and the first interviews and research conducted for her book, "The House that Sugarcane Built: The Louisiana Burguières."

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