CCJC Audio Podcast Episode: 00011, Season 1
Meet Nanette Melicare Pauline Malbreaux - Writer/Editor
As we try to introduce Cajun Chronicles Podcast Corporation’s key staff members to our listening and reading audience we feel strongly that by being transparent and letting everyone in on our behind-the-scenes our connections will be deeper. It’s just too easy to hide behind traditional resumes and bios. All of us are searching relentlessly for those deeper connections.
While you’ve already heard about our other staff Write/Editor, Emile Evariste Navarre, we’re thinking the best way to introduce Nanette Malbreaux is to sit you all down with the same little spilling the tea anecdote from her home life as a single mom of three young children. Let’s eavesdrop:
Golden Silk Orb Weaver Spider Webs
Nanette Malbreaux sighed, her forehead creasing as she stared at the homework assignment of her oldest, and looked at the curious faces of her three young children. "So, kids," she began, "I guess it’s time to talk about your family history. It's a bit like that big Golden Silk Orb Weaver we’ve been watching out in the garden. Family trees, especially in Cajun families are complicated. We have lots of cousins as you know.”
"We're Cajun, right, Mama?" asked little Guilliame, his eyes wide with expectation.
"Well, sort of," Nanette replied, her voice hesitant. "We're Cajun, but not quite 100% Acadian Cajun. It's a tangled web."
"How complicated?" asked the ever-curious Julienne.
Nanette took a deep breath. "Well, you see, way back when, before any of us were even born or even our great-grandparents were born, there were these German folks who came to Louisiana. We owe them so much, but that’s a story for another day. They were settled in a place called Des Allemands. Some people call it the German Coast.
Now, some of us fell in love with them and some of them fell in love with us. The Germans, their real last names, got mixed up with the Acadians, who were French Canadians. A lot of marrying and mingling, you know?"
"Like a big, all of our crazy family reunions?" Auguste asked, his eight year old eyes lighting up.
"Exactly!" Nanette laughed. "But here's the kicker. Back then, there wasn’t such a thing as DNA tests, computers, or ancestry websites. Most people couldn't even write. The Census takers or the Priests just wrote down family names in French or Spanish, depending on who was in charge.
Even though we've got Des Allemand German blood running through our veins, our name, Malbreaux, sounds pretty French, doesn't it?"
"Does that mean we're kind of like a Cajun-German hybrid?" Julienne asked, her eyebrows raised.
"Yes!" Nanette exclaimed. "A Cajun-German hybrid! We're a unique blend of cultures, a little bit of this, a little bit of that. It's what makes us special. Most Cajuns, native peoples, and Creoles in Louisiana have golden webs of family history. We’re one beautiful tangled spider web of all kinds of people.”
The trio sitting at the kitchen table doing their homework looked at each other, their faces a mix of confusion and amusement. "Soooo . . . We're kind of like that Boudin Rouge sausage you make. But that Boudin Blanc sausage that Grandmere makes, the one that she calls Weißwurst? Is that why you say Boudin Rouge and she corrects you and says, Blutwurst too?” Guilliaume asked.
"Yes, but we are just teaching each other, both are delicious sausages. That’s something else we Cajuns mixed with Des Allemands share, our cooking is something have in common," Nanette agreed. "A different kind of sausage blend of cultures, flavors, and family history. And just like a good Gator Boudin it takes time and courage to appreciate all the different ingredients."
Backstories Are Essential To Storytelling When It Comes To History
To reveal the backstories, the real true, but little known majestic golden webs of history that makes the people of Louisiana unique is built into the foundation of our podcasts. We believe by sharing we can help heal a world in desperate need of positive inspiration. Before we delve deeper into this writer/editor’s personal career path, let’s flashback in early New World history.
There was this one British ship, the HMS Carolina that became a vessel of both displacement and tragedy. In the tumultuous aftermath of the Great Expulsion, also known as the Grand Dérangement, the British sought to dismantle Acadian society. It was for thousands of Acadians nothing short of genocide. That’s where we could say Nanette Malbreaux’s family story line stretched its golden web and got broken into many pieces.
Families were torn apart, men and boys separated from women and children. Many were forcibly deported to various British colonies, back to Europe to be imprisoned, or simply shipped off what would become the original thirteen American colonies.
Over 400 Acadian women and children found themselves aboard the HMS Carolina, bound for the unfamiliar territory of Georgia. This harrowing journey was compounded by the fact that many of these women and children were sold into slavery upon their arrival. Subjected to the dehumanizing experience of being auctioned off alongside African slaves, enduring the harsh realities of the slave trade.
Some were bought for the sole purpose of the owners hoping to pair the women and girls up with African slaves who would work inside the plantation homes. Making the slaves who weren’t in the fields lighter in skin tone.
The resilience of the Acadian spirit, however, proved indomitable. Despite the immense suffering and hardship they faced, a small number managed to survive. Historical records indicate that only 12 of the over 400 Acadians deported on the HMS Carolina are documented to have endured the ordeal.
Their story serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of conflict and the enduring strength of the human spirit. Two of those twelve women were runaway slaves who escaped into the wilderness. They were found starving and near death by a group of Des Allemand German wagons traveling to Louisiana. The German families hid them, nursed them back to health, and saved their lives.
Nanette Malbreaux is one of a large number of descendants today whose family tree includes those two women who both married German settlers. It’s anyone’s guess as to whether or not the surname of Malbreaux is Acadian or German. If you were to go back to many of both French and the German families (and some from Belgium), who became settlers, they most always have one thing in common, their families primarily came from Alsace-Lorraine generations before.
"Des Allemands" is a French term that means "of the Germans." It matters not to anyone, since pretty much everyone agrees, they are Cajun and family. For Nanette, her heritage and the oral family stories she grew up with are an important part of why she became both a writer and editor here at Cajun Chronicles.
While it’s true her personal life has not been easy, and it did take her a few years to get sober, she is a survivor who thrives passionately to help other women. It took her a good bit more time in therapy and counseling to learn to live peacefully with her own ADHD and OCD. Self-acceptance, rebuilding her life after escaping a toxic relationship with a man who turned out to be a narcissistic predator gave her the empathy needed to root out the Louisiana stories that need to be preserved.
Today, she’s healthy, content raising her three young kids in the welcoming home of her Malbreaux grandparents, along with her widowed mother. Her past career, life experiences, and even her traumas have lit a flame. She works tirelessly with her fellow writer/editor Emile Navarre.
Nanette’s Typical Day At Cajun Chronicles Podcast
Nanette’s day begins with the daunting task of script development. This involves diving deep into research, interviewing experts who might as well be walking encyclopedias (this includes Emile Navarre as her primary source), and crafting narratives that are both informative and entertaining enough to keep our listeners hooked. Balance is everything when it comes to being both educating and captivating in our stories.
Nanette and Emile (especially because he is blind) share the workload and are committed as writers and editors to ensure that when they hand off the notes and scripts to our two fabulous co-hosts, Laurent and Dominique, that everything remains authentic to Louisiana and NOLA’s many diverse cultures.
Most of the nuances in the world of audio editing land on Emile’s side as that is his forte when it comes to listening to the recorded audio. Nanette gladly bows out of this task which can sometimes feel like a detective trying to solve a complex puzzle. She instead focuses on the written aspects as the editor must identify and rectify any errors or inconsistencies, ensuring a seamless listening and reading experience.
Sound design is a duo effort and the next challenge. Also key to maintaining credibility, fact-checking becomes a crucial part of the process. Verifying information, cross-referencing sources, and ensuring accuracy in every detail is like being a detective, uncovering the truth behind every claim.
Finally, collaboration becomes a key ingredient. Working with producers, hosts, and marketing personnel is like a team effort, ensuring that the podcast aligns with the company's overall vision.
When We Asked Nanette Malbreaux About The Challenges in Today's Podcast Market
She was quick to tell us that the podcast industry is highly competitive, and that writers/editors at Cajun Chronicles face several challenges. Then she laughed and shared:
“Navigating the bustling podcast marketplace is like trying to catch a slippery crawfish in a bucket. With countless shows vying for listeners' ears, it's crucial to stand out from the crowd. By crafting innovative stories, offering unique perspectives, and cultivating a strong brand identity, you can lure listeners in and keep them hooked.
I think as the podcasting landscape evolves faster than an old fashioned dance off to the tune of "Valse à Mille Temps" is played at a dizzying speed. Gotta stay ahead of your competition. And trends. Adapting to the latest tools and technologies is key to producing high-quality content efficiently. Remember, a well-equipped podcaster is a happy podcaster.
While creative freedom is the Wilda Marie’s Slap Your Mama spice that flavors a podcast, it's important to balance it with a pinch of commercial TW Walker Kiss Your Mama reality. Engaging in oral storytelling to a loyal audience can lead to potential revenue streams, but it's about constantly toe and heel step adapting to a more skilled faster pace.
My plan as our podcast grows, is to keep in mind that it's crucial to stay true to Louisiana roots. Respecting all the many traditions, avoiding stereotypes, and accurately representing the diverse communities. It’s as sacred as honoring a family recipe. After all, authenticity is the secret ingredient that makes a podcast truly special.”
Passions: Painting landscapes scenes of New Orleans, working with abused women, assisting in affordable housing, helping others and herself stay sober.
Favorite Things: Making boudin sausages and helping her mama cook, raising responsible kids into well-rounded adults, reading historical novels, and writing poetry.
This tale is inspired by real New Orleans history, but some details have been spiced up for a good story. While we've respected the truth, a bit of creative license was used. Please note that all characters may be based on real people, but their identities in some cases have been Avatar masked for privacy.
A Word of Wisdom:
As you read, remember history and real life is a complex mix of joy, sorrow, triumph, and tragedy. While we've added a bit of fiction, the core message remains: the human spirit's power to endure, adapt, and overcome.
© Jerilee Wei 2024 All Rights Reserved.
If you’d like to know more about Louisiana sausage making start here:
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