GiGi Herberg

The Fiddler on the Lake

Louisiana is home to some of the best art and music in the country. You don't even have to be in the city to hear the raw talent of our infinite street musicians. They pop up all around the the state at any given time and play to their hearts' content. I always envied how free they seemed as I passed by them on the streets or in the parks. Never before had I witnessed such moments of pure, unadulterated joy as I had when seeing them play. This photo I took may not be an example of such emotions, but it speaks to what one can expect of living in Louisiana, as well as why I myself feel so lucky to be a part of our colorful culture. I was killing time by walking alongside Lake Pontrartrain on the northshore when I stumbled upon a man playing a fiddle, shoes kicked off, and not a care in the world. The slight breeze carried the melodic sounds of his instrument from one end of Lakeshore Drive to the other. He drew no crowd, and it was clear that was never his intention. He was there, simply to exist in a moment in time that belonged to him and him alone. A part of me wishes I had stopped to tell him how well he played, but a larger part of me did not wish to interrupt the calm he was creating with his bow and strings. I continued to walk past him and my breath caught as my eyes took in the vibrant hues of the setting sun. There were numerous shades of pinks, reds, and orages cascading along the ripples of the lake. I had never observed such a work of art that was so close, yet still so out of touch. I have been to countless art musuems across Louisiana and yet, none had been able to make me pause and ponder life's greater meaning more than the scene in front of me. This moment was the perfect collaboration of the greatest aspects of Louisiana's culture, a mastery of art and music, but also complete freedom. The freedom to be who you are without a care as to whom is watching. The freedom to create art and share it with your community. We are all artists in and of our own right, and no one will dare to interrupt our moment of passion.That's just one of the elements that makes my hometown so great. I have lived in over ten other states in this country and none have ever provided me with a sense of pride to call them my home. They were all great in their own ways and I thoroughly enjoyed my adventures in each state, but none of them were full of a culture as vivacious and warm as Louisiana's. We may be a small state, and we may always be at risk of getting wiped off the map by a hurricane, but one thing is for sure. We will always either rise to the challenge, or host a party like none other before it because we are proud to be alive each and every single day and we are going to let the rest of the world know it. You know you have met a Louisianian when there is a lack of fear of oblivion and the kindest attitude towards even the rudest of folks who mock us for our laissez-faire attitudes. We just simply don't care what the rest of the world thinks. We are going to go out with a bang and give people a moment to remember, much like the fiddler on the lake.