ST. MARTIN PARISH / ORIGINAL LOGO DESIGN COLLABORATION WITH VISIT ST. MARTIN PARISH, LOUISIANA

I have a vivid memory of being a little kid of no more than eight years old. I was standing on a wooden chair stirring my grandmother’s roux (which is actually quite dangerous), and listening to them speak French at the kitchen table (which could be equally as dangerous). I knew very little about what it meant to be Cajun, or the rich and fascinating heritage that came with it. For me, it was simply the food, language, music, and culture of my family. Looking back, I now see it as a deep and rich connection to my parents, grandparents, extended family, and to my ancestors.

I’m no historian, but I’ve read about the Seven Years' War and The Great Expulsion (1755 – 1764), as well as a bit of an apology from the Queen. More on this incredible slice of history here, here, and here. From ‘Cajuns’ by Shane K. Bernard:

Cajuns are the descendants of Acadian exiles from what are now the maritime provinces of Canada—Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island—who migrated to southern Louisiana. Today they reside primarily in a twenty-two-parish region of southern Louisiana known as Acadiana.

The Acadiana journey was brutal. Families were forever broken, lives were lost, and an entire group of people had to start over with next to nothing. But from that darkness came a new light. A people and a culture, reborn like a phoenix.

That incredible journey was the lone source of inspiration for this particular design, and in particular, the map sketch where I discovered the implied “M” shape that became the core of this design.

Enjoy!

— Kody Chamberlain, September 12, 2022