Cajun and Acadian: at the Crossroads of Louisiana’s Multiple Identities

Born in Eunice, Louisiana in 1985, Nathan Rabalais received a bachelor’s degree in Music Theory/Composition as well as Guitar Performance from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2007 and pursued graduate studies in musicology at the University of Strasbourg, France. Following this time abroad, his academic interests changed directions and upon returning to Lafayette, he decided to become more involved in the development of French Louisiana culture. He obtained an M.A. in French at UL Lafayette, specializing in Louisiana language and culture and North American Francophone literature. Currently teaching and pursuing a Ph.D. in French Studies at Tulane University in New Orleans, he will receive his degree in May 2015. His recent research topics and projects focus mainly on Louisiana French and Creole, oral tradition, music and community theatre among North American francophone minorities. He is also interested in the history of the French language and dialect pedagogy. Nathan’s doctoral dissertation focuses on the sociocultural significance of Louisiana’s folktales and oral tradition.