Comeaux argues that barns provide information and insight about the culture and any changes that occur over time. Barns as a piece of material culture also provide information on origin and disbursement of cultural groups and their characteristics. In his article, The Cajun Barn, he argues that the southern central Louisiana Cajun barns went through four evolutionary events that altered and adapted to the changes in time and the economy of the area. Comeaux traces the developments over time in a region called Bayou Teche. He provides maps and floor plans to illustrate and help explain the design features and intended purposes.
Comeaux traces the origins of the Cajun barn to support his argument of the Cajun folk group and their barn design were created as a means to adapt to the Louisiana environment. This statement goes against the preconceived notion of folks groups keeping to familiar styles and resistant to change more so than other groups. The Cajun barn was developed and adopted from the German settlers in Louisiana in 1721. (53) He also traces the differences between later designs of the Cajun barn versus the typical Cajun barn complete with the variant names, disbursement maps, and floor plans to showcase the changes. He focused most of the article on the corn crib of the barn and significance of it, along with the changes that occurred. These changes were impacted due in part to economic changes and changes in farming methods. After tracing the development of the Cajun barn and it importance to Louisiana culture he closes with the notion of either barns fading in the background of overgrowth or the repurposing of the lumber into interior design elements. The author's main thesis of the article is that due to the Cajun folk groups' willingness to adopt, accept, and alter the designs of the barns in southern central Louisiana, the ending result became recognized and known as the "Cajun Barn". …show more content…
There were four specific variations that occurred overtime in response to changes in the economy which impacted the farming methods of the Bayou Teche region. Comeaux provides several images of the disbursement maps and floor plans to illustrate and support his argument. He discusses the most distinguishing features of each variation of the Cajun barn. The first variation discussed is the French Settlement type where the key feature is the front gabled end. He mentions the barn's opening being recessed into the corn crib area …show more content…
Every new technological change in production impacted the design of the barn. More grain production resulted in bigger corn cribs and more loft space for hay. Changing to sugarcane production resulted in larger barns to be built to accommodate larger equipment and more animal being housed. By adopting and adapting to the environmental changes, the Cajun barn survived the bayous of Louisiana. Despite surviving these changes, the Cajun barn is slowly deteriorating and disappearing from existence as a result of the environment or man salvaging and repurposing the lumber that was once a Cajun barn. I enjoyed the article and greatly appreciated the illustrations to go along with the text. I would have like a broader overview of the distribution of the Cajun culture and perhaps more information on the Cajun barn and aspects of them along the Mississippi River. Overall, this was an enjoyable and interesting
Comeaux traces the origins of the Cajun barn to support his argument of the Cajun folk group and their barn design were created as a means to adapt to the Louisiana environment. This statement goes against the preconceived notion of folks groups keeping to familiar styles and resistant to change more so than other groups. The Cajun barn was developed and adopted from the German settlers in Louisiana in 1721. (53) He also traces the differences between later designs of the Cajun barn versus the typical Cajun barn complete with the variant names, disbursement maps, and floor plans to showcase the changes. He focused most of the article on the corn crib of the barn and significance of it, along with the changes that occurred. These changes were impacted due in part to economic changes and changes in farming methods. After tracing the development of the Cajun barn and it importance to Louisiana culture he closes with the notion of either barns fading in the background of overgrowth or the repurposing of the lumber into interior design elements. The author's main thesis of the article is that due to the Cajun folk groups' willingness to adopt, accept, and alter the designs of the barns in southern central Louisiana, the ending result became recognized and known as the "Cajun Barn". …show more content…
There were four specific variations that occurred overtime in response to changes in the economy which impacted the farming methods of the Bayou Teche region. Comeaux provides several images of the disbursement maps and floor plans to illustrate and support his argument. He discusses the most distinguishing features of each variation of the Cajun barn. The first variation discussed is the French Settlement type where the key feature is the front gabled end. He mentions the barn's opening being recessed into the corn crib area …show more content…
Every new technological change in production impacted the design of the barn. More grain production resulted in bigger corn cribs and more loft space for hay. Changing to sugarcane production resulted in larger barns to be built to accommodate larger equipment and more animal being housed. By adopting and adapting to the environmental changes, the Cajun barn survived the bayous of Louisiana. Despite surviving these changes, the Cajun barn is slowly deteriorating and disappearing from existence as a result of the environment or man salvaging and repurposing the lumber that was once a Cajun barn. I enjoyed the article and greatly appreciated the illustrations to go along with the text. I would have like a broader overview of the distribution of the Cajun culture and perhaps more information on the Cajun barn and aspects of them along the Mississippi River. Overall, this was an enjoyable and interesting