CROATIAN OYSTER FISHERMEN
IN LOUISIANA
Adam S. Eterovich
In
1945 Father Edward J. Kammer, Ph.D., De Paul University, wrote an excellent
study of Slavonian (Croatian) Oyster Fishermen in Southeastern Louisiana in the
Bulletin of the Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences in America Vol. II1.
April-July 1945, Nos - 3-4. The study gives one of the best descriptions of how
Croatian oystermen and their families lived in Plaquemines Parish. All of the
Slavonians were Croatians.
The
general cultural pattern in southern Louisiana is French, notably in the rural
areas..Land is measured in arpents. Everywhere the soft patois of the Acadians
(corrupted to Cajun) is heard. Even at baseball games the umpire is jeered at
in French. Men of many nationalities have come into this section and have been
absorbed into its culture, even their names changed into a French spelling or
pronunciation. But there is one group which has resisted absorption, maintained
their ethnic identity, and have continued a way of life which is foreign to
those living around them. This group is the Slavonian (Croatian) oyster
fishermen of Plaquemines Parish. This paper should properly be called a
syllabus for research because it leaves many gaps in knowledge about them and
asks questions for which so far no answers have been found.
The
word "Slavonian" is applied to these fishermen because it is used by
them. They call themselves Slavonians, and always with pride. Inquiry shows
that more than ninety per cent of them come from the islands of the Dalmatian
Archipelago (Croatia). Every one of
these islands, even the smallest, has at least one representative. The
Louisiana Slavonian will tell you that he himself, or his father, or
grandfather, or even great-grandfather was a fisherman in the old country. It
was quite natural, then, for the immigrant to seek his livelihood in a way he
knew. And this way was much better and made adjustment to his new country much
easier than the way of the immigrant with a rural background who found himself
plunged into the slums of a city or company town to earn his living in factory
or mill.
The
number of oyster fisherman is not large, even when compared with the total
population of Plaqemines Parish which was 12,318 in 1940. Their number is
estimated at about 1,200. The vast majority of them are citizens of the United
States. Though this number is relatively small, their place of abode and way of
life are unique enough to deserve attention.
Practicaly,
the whole coast of Louisiana is deltaic plain of the Mississippi River.
Plaquemines Parish itself is a peninsula extending into the Gulf of Mexico. Its
cultivable lands lie entirely along the banks of the Mississippi. The land is
highest along the river and gradually slopes into marshland. This marshland is
traversed by tortuous bayous bordered by natural levee ridges and is dotted
with innumerable shallow lakes and bays. The upper portion of the marshland is
composed of soft, saturated and partially saturated peat, mud, and silt.
Exceptions are the most striking features of the coastal prairie. They
comprise: (1) the long, narrow strip of high, solid ground immediately adjacent
to and on both sides of the river and the bayous; (2) the lines of growing
barrier beaches that fringe the coast; and (3) the land islands a mile or more
in diameter that rise above the general level of the surrounding marshes. The
marsh itself presents a view of waving grasses taller than a man. Occasionally,
where the ground is high and seldom covered with water, there are thickets of
oaks and other trees.
It
was into this floating prairie that the first Slavonians came. The exact date
of their coming is not known. The first Baptisms in the parish church of Our
Lady of Good Harbor at Buras were conferred December 4, 1864, on Louise Buras
and Josephine Zibilich. Zibilich is obviously a Slavonian name and descendants
with that name still live in the area. Other Slavonian names appear in
subsequent entries in 1864 and 1865 not only in the register for Baptisms but
also in the registers for marriages and funerals. Consequently there was at
least a small group in Plaquemines Parish at that time. One grandfather
interviewed maintains that there have been Slavonians in the Delta for at least
150 years.
Even
then the more desirable land was along the river. The place to go for fish and
game was away from the river into the marshes and along the coast. The only
land solid enough for a dwelling was along the banks of the many bayous and it
was here that dwellings were erected. And they were erected in a peculiar
way--on stilts or pillings so that they would be safe from water in time of
flood or storm. These houses, jutting above the flat prairie, can be seen for
miles.
All
along the Louisiana coast natural oyster reefs are to be found, usually in the
saline waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Some unknown genius discovered, however,
that if oysters are placed in a spot where they will get both salt and fresh
water their flavor is vastly improved and so the cultivated oyster business was
founded.
Before
the oyster reaches the ultimate consumer a tremendous, amount of backbreaking
work has been performed. The natural reefs are dredged, or the oysters are
taken 'from them by long-handled tongs that resemble two rakes bolted together.
Then they are transported to a spot where the ideal water conditions prevail.
Here they are carefully spread out with shovels in water from three to six feet
deep and are left for a period of two years. Once again they are tonged up and
dumped into flat-bottomed boats thirty feet long.
These
are towed to the camp for culling. In culling, the worker sits on a little
stool and with a hatchet separates the oysters from one another. Empty shells
and small oysters are kept in the boat to be rebedded. Market-size oysters are
thrown into the bayou to keep them
fresh. After a boatload has been culled, those in the bayou are tonged up again
and placed in sacks. Three times a week the sacked oysters are loaded on a
lugger and taken to Buras or Empire, where they are loaded on trucks for transportation
to New Orleans.
This
brief description can give no adequate idea of the amount of work involved. The
owners of bedding ground must work every day throughout the year spreading
shells, culling, and even repairing fences. Underwater fences are a novelty, to
say the least, but they must be used to keep out drumfish. These fish are large
and are equipped with massive jaws that can crunch through an oyster shell as
easy as a human cracks a peanut The have a special prediliction for oysters and
a school of them can destroy an unprotected oyster, bed in a very short time.
The
fisherman seldom works alone. He hires workers, also Slavonians, although there
is a sprinkling of other nationalities, who receive from $70.00 to $90.00 per
month plus board, lodging tobacco, and wine. (These wages are for normal times.
At present, workers are receiving $200.00 per month.) The wine is a potent
concoction made of raisins, water, sugar, and yeast. Around the porch of every
camp are to be seen huge demijohns of this wine in various stages of
preparation. It is served at every meal in pitchers and drunk like water.
The
local word ""camp" has been used to describe the dwellings of
the fishermen. These camps are really substantial dwellings, sturdily built to
withstand the gales and hurricanes of the Gulf. They are all isolated from the
nearest settlement. The only way to reach them is by boat, and the trip takes
two hours. The camps are not heated in winter because it is alleged that the
change from a heated camp to the wet work would cause colds. Cooking is done on
oil stoves and only the best ingredients are used. For water they depend on
cisterns which are filled with rain water.
The
only women in the camps are the wives and grown daughters of the owners. Up
until a few years ago it was the custom for the men to save their money and
then return to Europe for a bride. Two factors have put a stop to this custom.
The first, and perhaps the less important, is the situation in Europe. The
second is that now there is a sufficient number of Slavonian girls to make
acceptable brides. By an acceptable
bride" is meant one who will work hard and raise a large family. As soon
as the children attain school age, the mother moves to New Orleans so that they
may go to school. Of course, this does not make for normal family life. When
the children have been educated, the mother returns to the camp where they
spend the rest of their days.
Both
girls and boys marry quite young. A boy of eighteen is fully capable of earning
as much as any man in the marsh. There is very little formality with the
engagement. In many cases, consent of the parents is not asked but merely taken
for granted. In such cases the parents do not feel slighted, but they have
known all along of the state of affairs and only wait to be told that marriage
is intended. The giving of an engagement ring to the betrothed is exceptional.
However, it is a rigid rule that once a girl becomes engaged she must not be
accompanied to any social function except by her fiance. Even at dances she may
not dance with anyone but him. If any man dare violate this code, he must be
prepared to step outside and defend himself.
It
is the expected thing that after the wedding ceremony there be a celebration at
the home of the bride, with food and drink in abundance, followed by a dance at
the nearest hall at night where at least beer is served to the guests. No
invitation is necessary to attend the ceremony, the reception-though it does
not bear that formal name --or the dance. Everybody is welcome, and only the
unfriendly stay away. There is always a wedding cake, more or less elaborate,
which the bride cuts. It is considered good luck to get a piece of this cake.
At the wedding dance that man is honored who dances with the bride.
Large
families are the expected thing. The average number of children per family is
about five, and larger families are not exceptional. A childless marriage is
considered a tragedy.
Divorce
is not accepted among the fishermen. A divorced person is made to feel social
disapproval. This ostracism is aimed especially at the women, because they are
blamed for the divorce. It might be expected that where there are so many early
marriages a divorce would be condoned on the basis of a mistake made by
youthful impetuosity that should be corrected. But such it not the case. Even
among the young people marriage is considered as a most serious affair, so that
their attitude towards divorce is the same as that of their elders.
Children
soon learn that they live in a man's world. It is considered a man's privilege
to become drunk, and it is no disgrace for a man to be seen drunk in public.
But the girl or woman who demeans herself in this way is held in contempt by
both men and women. Prestige is earned by purely physical accomplishments. The
man who can shoot better than his neighbors, paddle a pirogue faster, tong more
oysters, or hold more liquor, is admired for these accomplishments. At Buras
the influence of the assistant pastor was enhanced because he was a crack shot.
Cuts, bruises, aches, and pains are endured with a stoicism that is amazing. It
comes as a surprise that this cult of courage and
physical
prowess has not produced a legendary figure like Paul Bunyan or John Henry.
Foolhardiness, however, is regarded as contemptible. This is especially the
case regarding stormy weather. What wind and heavy sea can do to a boat has
been impressed upon them by bitter experience and by stories of the great
hurricanes of 1893 and 1915. Any man who ventures out In a boat when all the
weather signs point to a storm is a fool and richly deserves the worst that may
befall him. They may grab a bull alligator by the snout when he sticks his head
out of a hole in the bayou mud, or crush the head of a deadly cotton-mouth
moccasin with their heel; but they stay inside when the weather gets rough.
It
is the man who makes the contracts with the outside world. Many cases are found
where the woman can speak only Slavonian, while the man is bilingual. The man
does the bargaining for the sale of his oysters. If the wife is present, she
keeps a discreet silence. She may berate her husband for making a bad bargain,
but only in the privacy of the home. It would be unseemly for her to enter the
negotiations and, what is worse, a reflection on the man’s ability to conduct
his own business.
The
religion of the oyster fishermen is Roman Catholic, at least nominally. So many
live at such a distance from the nearest church at least two hours by boat-that
regular attendance at religious services is out of the question. They display,
however, an admirable anxiety to have their children baptized as soon as
possible. A prominent place is given to statues and pictures of saints in their
camps and in the cabins of boats.
Two
religious feast days loom large in their lives. The first of these is the Feast
of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, June 24th. The day is celebrated with
eating, drinking, singing, and. bathing. There is something ceremonial about
this bathing, but the explanation is lost. One young man, who has been in this
country only six years, informed the writer that on his island there was
ceremonial bathing on this day because it was considered unhealthy to go
bathing sooner. There is an obvious connection, of course, between St. John the
Baptist and bathing. The second religious celebration is that of Christmas Day.
All come in from their camps for Mass and sing Slavonian Christmas carols in
front of the church. All of Christmas week is then celebrated with eating and
drinking and visiting among relatives and friends.
A
quite common attitude is that religion is something for women and children. The
men feel that they do not have the time to attend services regularly.
Sometimes, this indifferentism shades off into out right hostility toward the
church and its priests. But the blame cannot be laid entirely on the laity. In
the past the Church has suffered from scandals of various kinds given either by
pastors or visiting priests. These scandals have had a harmful effect in the
localities where they occurred, the
usual result being a drop in church attendance or even abandonment of religious
practices altogether. The present pastors have to heal the deep wounds
inflicted by those scandals. Their task is not an easy one.
The
oystermen have kept their language and their interest in the homeland.
Slavonian newspapers published in Chicago, New York, and Pittsburgh have many
subscribers in the marsh area. This is in striking contrast to their
French-speaking neighbors who have no newspapers published inFrench and
manifest little or no interest in foreign affairs. The language barrier has
tended to make the Slavonians clannish, but they are not hostile in their
relations with other groups. Like other groups, they also have a nickname-Tako.
It is derived from the word -tako," meaning "in this way," which
is used as loosely and freely as the American O.K. Like all nicknames it is best used with
caution or not at all by strangers.
This
sketch will be completed with a description of the recreation taken by the
fishermen. A dance of any kind is their favorite form of amusement. The dances
are attended by persons of all ages. Very seldom now does one hear old folk
music; the tunes come rather from Tin Pan Ally by means of a juke box or an
orchestra brought down from New Orleans for special occasions. The radio has
brought the outside world into their seclusion; every camp and every boat has
its radio operated by batteries. A stranger is always welcome at their camps if
he is not too inquisitive and will be shown courtly hospitality. Occasionally
they will take a day off to hunt ducks or geese or alligators. Fishing is not
considered a sport; it is done to provide food.
At
some not too distant future date this sketch may be used as an obituary. Oil
has been discovered in Plaquemines, Parish. Each year since 1938, when the
first well was brought in at Golden Meadow, Lafourche Parish, the number of oil
rigs has steadily increased. Brine and other waste from the drilling pollute
the waters. At least one lawsuit has resulted from damages done to oyster beds
by an oil company. Should the oil fields spread much farther gourmets will have
lost a fruitful source of a succulent food and Louisiana will have lost some of
its most picturesque characters.
From
1800-1870 we have identified over 150 Croatian oystermen-fishermen in
Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. This number can safely be tripled to 450 due to
inadequate record keeping and errors of nativity made by the Census takers.
Most in Plaquemines lived in stilt houses over the water and were in isolated
areas of the Bayous. Many moved in and out of Plaquemines to New Orleans,
Louisiana and were not counted. (Eterovich 2005)
NAME YEARS OCCUPATION ORIGIN
BAPTISTE, JOHN 1850 Fisherman Dalmatia
BARBAZA, FRANK 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
BARBIN, LUCAS 1850 Fisherman Dalmatia
BARICH, PETER 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
BENDICH, MARCO 1859 Oysterman Dalmatia
BENDICH, NIKOLA 1870 Mariner Dalmatia
BENDICH, PETER 1870 Oysterman Dalmatia
BONTARDIC, MARIANO 1850 Fisherman Dalmatia
BOZANICH, NATALI 1863 Oysterman Vis
BUBANJ, CHARLES 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
BUBANJ, LUCAS 1850 Fisherman Dalmatia
BUBANJ. LOUIS 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
CAMOVICH, JOSEPH 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
CARTOVICH, NICOLI 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
CASCARICH, JOSEPH 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
CATACH, GEORGE 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
CATACH, SIMON 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
CATANOVICH, GEORGE 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
CATOVICH, ELI 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
CEHEOVICH, A 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
CHURELICH, JOSEPH 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
CIBILICH, JOSEPH 1850 Fisherman Duba
CIBILICH, NICOLA 1860 Fisherman Duba
COGNEVICH, IGNACIO 1870 Fisherman Konavle
COGNEVICH, STEPHEN 1844 Fisherman Konavle
CONIVICICH, P 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
CORNAVICH, JOHANN 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
COSA, LUCA 1850 Fisherman Dalmatia
CUSEVICH, ELIAS 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
DABELICH, NICOL 1850 Fisherman Mljet
DACOVICH, MARCO 1850 Fisherman Dalmatia
DASOVICH, LOUIS 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
DULCICH, VINCENT 1870 Fisherman Hvar
FRANKOVICH, M 1870 Mariner Trpanj
FRANOVICH, NIKOLA 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
GOBELICH, SPIRO 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
GRANDOLICH, GEORGE 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
GRANICH, ANTHONY 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
GRANICH, IVAN 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
GUSMANOVICH, N 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
HOICH, ANDRE 1863 Oysterman Dalmatia
ILISICH, HYACINTHE 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
ITIRINICH, LUKA 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
JANCOVICH, MICHAEL 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
JANCOVICH, PIETRO 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
JASPRICA, ANTHONY 1870 Fisherman Janjina
JOVANOVICH, MARK 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
JUCUROVICH, IVAN 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
JURETICH, ANDRE 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
JURETICH, FRANCOIS 1863 Oysterman Dalmatia
JURETICH, FRANK 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
JURICH, ANDRE 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
JURICH, STEFAN 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
JURISICH, LUKE 1855 Oysterman Duba
JURJEVICH, PAUL 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
LAPOVICH, ADAM 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
LIDOTICH, LUKA 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
LITOVICH, PETER 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
LUSICH, GEORGE 1850 Fisherman Dalmatia
LUSICH, LEO 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
MACHELA, MATEO 1870 Oysterman Vrucica
MALOSCICH, BOSKO 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
MARGODICH, IVAN 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
MARICICH, ANTON 1850 Fisherman Dalmatia
MARKOVICH, P 1850 Blind Dalmatia
MARTOVICH, JOHANES 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
MASCOVICH, JOSEPH 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
MASICH, JOSEPH 1870 Fisherman Sreser
MATANICH, H 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
MATONICH, R 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
MATOVICH, FRANK 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
MATULICH, GAJTAN 1860 Fisherman Brac
MATULICH, NIKOLA 1855 Fisherman Brac
MERLICH, PIETRO 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
MESTROVICH, GEORGE 1870 Mariner Kuna
MILADIN, THOMAS 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
MILANOVICH, ADAM 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
MILANOVICH, BOGDAN 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
MILANOVICH, C 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
MILASOVICH, JACOV 1850 Fisherman Dalmatia
MILOSEVICH, J 1850 Fisherman Dalmatia
MILOSOVICH, MARCO 1850 Fisherman Dalmatia
MILOVICH, JOSEPH 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
MILOVICH, THOMAS 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
MISABORICH, GEORGE 1870 Mariner Dalmatia
MLADINEO, NICHOLAS 1870 Fisherman Hvar
MOJAVICH, CARBINI 1850 Fisherman Dalmatia
MUMANOVICH, P 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
MUNICH, ANTHONY 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
MURINA, MATEO 1860 Fisherman Duba
MUSELIVICH, BLAS 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
OZMANOVICH, ANTHONY 1860 Fisherman Hercegovina
PARGOLICH, FRANCISCO 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
PASTROVICH, LUKE 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
PATOVICH, MARKO 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
PAYITICH, ANTHONY 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
PEDERICH, VINCENT 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
PENDO, ILIA 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
PERAG, TONY 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
PEROVICH, PETER 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
PETANOVICH, ANTHONY 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
PETROVICH, JOHN 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
PETROVICH, MARCO 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
PETROVICH, PERANI 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
PETROVICH, PETER 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
PICOLICH, PETER 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
PIGNOLO, JOHN B 1835 Fisherman Perast
PILOTICH, PETER 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
PIROGADA, PEDRO 1850 Fisherman Dalmatia
PIVEY, ANTONIO 1850 Fisherman Dalmatia
POLICH, BARB 1850 Fisherman Dalmatia
PORTOVICH, LUKA 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
RADOVICH, LAZARO 1868 Resident Dalmatia
RAFFALICH, NIKOLA 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
RAJNOVICH, MICHEL 1850 Ship
Peddler Dalmatia
RANA, VLAHO 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
RASTIANOVICH, BOSKO 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
RASTOVICH, R 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
SANSOVICH, VINCENT 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
SCOBEL, LUKA 1870 Mariner Dalmatia
SCOKENCOVICH, P 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
SOSICH, ELI 1863 Oysterman Dalmatia
STANOVICH, JOHN 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
SUICH, CHRISTOPHER 1850 Fisherman Brac
SUICH, NICOLE 1860 Fisherman Brac
TALIANCICH, PETER 1870 Fisherman Igrane
TANOVICH, NICOLAS 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
TERTORICH, GASPAR 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
TOMASICH, V 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
TOSICH, ILIA 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
TROYANI, SAM 1867 Fisherman Dalmatia
UBIRICHICH, JOHN 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
UBIRICHICH, KRISTO 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia
VIDACOVICH, ANTONINE 1850 Resident Dalmatia
VIDACOVICH, GEORGE 1870 Ship
Pilot Dalmatia
VIDACOVICH, JUAN 1863 Oysterman Dalmatia
VUCINOVICH, JOHN 1870 Mariner Dalmatia
VUKOVICH, ANT 1850 Fisherman Dalmatia
VUKOVICH, JOHN 1860 Fisherman Dalmatia
VULICH, ANTHONY 1870 Fisherman Dalmatia