A Living Legend of Cajun Culture Visits the Lycée

From Louisiana to the World: Exploring Cajun Culture with Dr. Barry Jean Ancelet

Every year in MARCH, the Week of the French Language and Francophonie invites French speakers around the world to celebrate the richness and diversity of the French language — across continents, cultures, and communities. This year, the Lycée is marking the occasion with a very special guest: Dr. Barry Jean ANCELET, one of the foremost voices on Cajun French language and culture in Louisiana.

From Church Point to the Palmes Académiques: A Career Rooted in Heritage

Barry Jean ANCELET was raised in Lafayette, deep in the heart of the culture he would spend his life celebrating. He went on to teach Francophone Studies and Folklore at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette for nearly four decades — all while pouring his energy into preserving the languages, music, and stories of his home.

For 24 years, he hosted Rendez-vous des Cadiens, a live weekly French-language radio show broadcast from the Liberty Theater in Eunice, bringing Cajun music into living rooms across the region one Friday night at a time. A scholar, a storyteller, and a quiet force of cultural preservation, he has been recognized by France with two of its most distinguished honors. The work was never separate from the life — it was the same thing.

Inspiring the Next Generation: Student Workshops with Dr. Ancelet

On March 26, Dr. Ancelet will meet with Middle and High schoolers in the Library for a series of sessions on Cajun French and what it means to carry a language and a culture forward across generations.

For our 7th graders preparing for their upcoming trip to New Orleans in particular, this will be an especially meaningful encounter — a chance to hear firsthand from someone who has spent a lifetime listening to, recording, and honoring the voices of Louisiana.

We are looking forward to the conversations his visit will spark.