How did the interest in the Courir get started? 

It was February of 2003. My daughter, Sammie, was as inquisitive as a two-year-old could be! It was Mardi Gras time in Louisiana, and we wanted to experience Mardi Gras in a different way...so off we went to participate in the celebration called le Courir du Mardi Gras at Vermilionville. We were led by a captain (le capitaine) and surrounded by revelers (les mardi gras) who wore clothing with fringes, masks, and very tall, homemade party hats! It was a cold day as we walked with the crowd so we did our part (to keep warm) and did a great deal of dancing on people’s porches! At the last house on the trail, I noticed a chicken sitting in a basket. (In the courir, catching a chicken is considered the greatest prize of all, and those who are lucky enough to catch one have earned bragging rights for the whole year!) Although this chicken was the “stuffed” version, Sammie walked down the steps, picked up the chicken, and proceeded to leave with it! It was such a big hit...tourists and others started following her, taking pictures, and video-taping her attempt to “get away” with the Mardi Gras chicken! Finally, one of the participants was able to coax Sammie into giving back the chicken by saying that the chicken had to go to her nest to lay an egg for the Mardi Gras gumbo! Sammie must have thought that was a good answer because she kissed the chicken goodbye and went off to dance!

My wonderfully curious and good-natured daughter was the inspiration for writing the book, The Chicken That Got Away, and for creating a school/library performance which introduces children to our native language, culture, and traditions. That family trip in 2003 will always be a treasured memory, and it made such a huge impact on me that I needed to share this story with others. It has also instilled a desire to help preserve our cultural heritage by passing along what I know to younger generations. I hope everyone reading this will do the same.

Thank you for visiting my website! And most importantly...thanks, Sammie!