This historic video shows one of the few times Cyp is seen without a cigar in his mouth. Cyp is playing the Accordion, Adam is playing the Violin and Revon Reed on the Triangle. The topics discussed include the following.
1) Mardi Gras film of 1957; Kenny “Boula” Fuselier standing on his head and reference to the Oklahoma trip made. Newspaper article below.
Mamou Fiddlers. Cop Top Honors In Oklahoma Mamou
Two members of the Mamou Mardi Gras Association attending the Oklahoma Folk Festival copped national fiddling honors. Cyprien Landreneau and Shelby Vidrine took first place blue ribbons and medals as best country style fiddlers at the festival.
About 1.000 participants attended the Folk Festival in Oklahoma City to sing, dance, fiddle, play folk games and spin yarns. The Mamou group demonstrated the running of the folk Mardi Gras. a custom long are-dating the New Orleans version of the celebration.
Those who made the trip were Paul C. Tate, R. J. Reed, Cyprien Landreneau, Alton Landreneau, Kenny Fuselier, Charles Landreneau, Shelby Vidrine, Albert Pierrottie, Acgee Hollier and Murphy DeshoteLs. Other French and Canadian groups filled in the quota and "ran" in great style, despite "angry cops" and the fiery steeds provided. (Eunice New, 11 July 1957)
2) Colinda song, the history and meaning of the song. It was banned from playing because it was considered vulgar;
3) Discussions with both Adam and Cyp about their families.
---More about Cyprien Landreneau Family by Bert Soileau, February 2020---
We lived just a mile north of the Cyprien Landreneau family farm in Duralde and were well acquainted with them...I also was a “shirttail “ cousin as my paternal grandmother was Camille Landreneau of the Landreneau clan of Vidrine...they were a fun, warm and rambunctious family...I was friends with James as we were the same age...his friends called him “Punch” and his family called him “Boy”...I remember spending the night there and waking up to the smell of Miss Delia’s cooking...her biscuits were the lightest most flavorful ones I have ever eaten...accompanied by her homemade blackberry jam and fig preserves.
I also recall Revon Reed from KVPI doing a live remote broadcast from the front porch. Cyprien or Sip [Cyp] as he was called playing the accordion and his brother playing the fiddle...One of the younger brothers Francis was called “Cheri”.
I was of course known as T-Bert. Cajuns sure do like their nicknames. Seems like Cyprien always had that stub of a cigar stuck in his mouth. He used to buy them by the box at our store.
In regards to the article about the small family grocery stores in Ville Platte;. My brother, Theo, had a milk route that included Mamou and Ville Platte. He delivered Borden’s milk...(if it’s Borden’s, it’s got to be good). I occasionally accompanied him on his route and remember well those small stores. Almost all of them were ridiculously small. Their refrigerators were usually the household type, and their milk orders were not more than perhaps 10 cartons of milk, usually in the quart size...ah, the good, ole days...
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See also: Cyprien Landreneau - A Look Back
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