Lost Cultures: Living Legacies Travel + Leisure

Cadie. Acadie. Acadian. Cajun. Acadiana. These words are part of the history and culture that developed in south Louisiana over the course of the last three centuries. They're an integral part of telling their story — but they can't do it alone. Combining elements from various peoples who traveled from several continents, this mix of cultures is so unique, even a gumbo metaphor isn't complex enough to describe it. Professor Barry Ancelet, musician Louis Michot, and entrepreneur Marie Dacote-Comeaux guide us through the distinctive fusion of tradition and history of the Cajun and Creole people of south Louisiana — and explain how recent efforts have helped to revitalize and popularize their culture, largely in response to concerted efforts to suppress it for several decades before.

Alisha Prakash - Host / Associate Editorial Director, Travel + Leisure

Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer

Jeremiah McVay - Writer, Producer, & Audio Editor

Dominique Arciero - Audio Engineer

Stacey Leasca - Researcher

Kyle Avallone - Fact-checker

Reviewed by Bryan A'Hearn - Panelist, Dotdash Meredith’s Anti-Bias Review Board.

Thanks to Mackenzie Price - Director of Anti-Bias Initiatives.

Jennifer Del Sole - Director for Audio Growth Strategy & Operations

Nina Ruggiero - Digital Editorial Director, Travel + Leisure

Maya Kachroo-Levine - Luxury and Experiences Editor, Travel + Leisure.



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When researcher Jorge Estevez visited the Smithsonian as a boy, he saw a sign that stated his people had “disappeared” four centuries before. How did this claim become conventional wisdom? To get to know the history of the Taino people is to understand the effects of brutal colonization combined with historical misinformation — and the process of cultural fusion, which created a people with roots tied to indigenous Caribbean, European, and African ancestors. Estevez guides us through the story of the Taino people, while Irka Mateo explains some of their spiritual beliefs. Meanwhile, Valerie Varga, Estevez’s wife, shares some of the destinations that are important to the Taino along with tips on how to visit them as a mindful tourist.

For more info visit travelandleisure.com/lostcultures
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How is it that people belonging to one of the oldest civilizations in the world have lost so much of their ancestral homeland? What steps must they take to preserve their culture in the face of such challenging circumstances? Anthropologist Yasmin Moll and Dr. Menna Agha, along with Mona Sherif-Nelson, founder of the Nubian Foundation, share the history of the Nubian people of Egypt, delve into the ways women played a central role in their culture, and address how modernization has forced them to scatter across the country and the world. They discuss how, as they venture into the future, the Nubian people of today are adapting and finding creative ways to keep their culture alive and connected to its past.

For more info visit travelandleisure.com/lostcultures
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You’ve likely heard of “Easter Island” and the giant stone statues that famously reside there, confounding people who can’t understand how people could have made and moved them so long in the past. But did you know that the island and the people that live here are actually called Rapa Nui? Or that the artistry and engineering of those statues are a key reason that the people there were able to survive on such a remote island with limited resources? Filmmaker and member of the Rapa Nui community Sergio Mata’u Rapu and Professor Carl Lipo share the history and culture of the Rapa Nui and how the people living there today – or in the far flung diaspora – still rely on the lessons of their ancestors today.

For more info visit travelandleisure.com/lostcultures
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York City’s Lower East Side has been home to many communities, from the Lenape to Dutch and English colonizers to an influx of groups from Europe, China, Puerto Rico, and the American South. How has each arrival and exodus affected the neighborhood — not just in terms of size, but also sustained cultural impact? The Tenement Museum's Dolan Cochran guides us through the history of the Lower East Side, shedding light on the indelible marks each group has left, making it a culturally rich destination for travelers from around the world. Actor Luis Guzmán also joins us to share memories of growing up in the neighborhood. Plus, we’ll offer recommendations from both Cochran and Guzman on the neighborhood gems to visit on your next trip.

For more info visit travelandleisure.com/lostcultures
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Of all the cultures covered on this podcast, why did the Picts come closest to actually being lost? How did these "painted people" from what is now known as Scotland largely disappear from the historical record? Fascinating recent discoveries have helped people to better understand this tribe, who the Romans once faced with fear on the fields of the British Isles. Guests Tim Clarkson and Gordon Noble share what history is known about the Picts of Scotland, as well as theories that are guiding current research — including the fact that this once nearly lost culture may have plenty of living legacies after all.

For more info visit travelandleisure.com/lostcultures
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices