If you’re a real jazz enthusiast you will probably know that New Orleans and Jazz are synonymous as New Orleans is the birth place of Jazz. That being the case, even if you’ve never paid a visit during the Annual Jazz Festival or indeed at any other time of the year, you will probably think of New Orleans from the perspective of it’s music – even if this image is now somewhat marred by the images of Katrina.
The images of Katrina may conjure up thoughts of poverty, social injustice or what have you in your mind.
If you are an American Football fan you may probably think of New Orleans and think – “Who Dat” following New Orleans Saints win of the 2009 League Championship with national support and Saints fans shouting or chanting – “Who Dat say they gonna beat the Saints”
If on the other hand your knowledge is based on travel documentaries there is a possibility that you think of the likes of Mardi Gras and Bourbon Street. Although this is a very narrow window, this may lead you to think of New Orleans from the perspective of the Four Ds – Dance, Dining, Drink and Debauchery
For a place know for its music (not just jazz); festivals and parades it’s no surprise that New Orleans is known for Dance.
New Orleans is a place with a very rich mixed culture with influences from across many different parts of the world. Previously a Spanish territory and then French – enhanced culturally by the fact that New Orleans is a major Port city. A people that take great pride in hospitality – it’s no surprise that New Orleans is known for Dinning and drink is a natural follow on.
I haven’t done any research on debauchery (or the other Ds) it’s all based on my basic logic and observations from my visits. What I will, however, say about the debauchery is that whilst I’m not going to call the people of New Orleans ‘innocent’: the bad behaviour that I see in New Orleans is largely from people that have come from outside that seem to take the lyrics of the popular New Orleans song, “Do Watcha Wanna” literally.
Copyright 2011. This document is the specific intellectual property of Susan Popoola. Content may not be reused or reproduced without the specific permission of the owner or a reference to the source. Opinions may be generated