Culture of New Orleans

Theculture of New Orleansis unique among, and distinct from, that of other cities in theUnited States, including otherSoutherncities.New Orleanshas been called the "northernmost Caribbean city"and "perhaps the most hedonistic city in the United States".Over the years, New Orleans has had a dominant influence on American and global culture.
In a locale once inhabited byChoctaw,Houma, andother native tribes,prominent cultural influences date to theFrenchandSpanishcolonial periodsand the introduction ofenslaved Africansin the 18th century.
American English, with significant variations, is the dominant language in New Orleans.Frenchis less used today in daily life than in the past. However, Francophones are still present in New Orleans and continue to keep the language alive in the city although they are less present than in somes other part of southern Louisiana. However, its expressions and pronunciation have influenced various dialects in New Orleans, and it was still in significant use at the start of the 20th century. There are nine French immersion schools in the Greater New Orleans area and French is still spoken among elites in the city.  The city has a long tradition of Hispanic immigrants dating back to the 18th century.Louisiana French,SpanishandVietnameseare also heard in the city; Louisiana French speakers from southeast Louisiana entered the city during the 1970s–1980s oil boom, and a sizeableVietnamesecommunity established itself in the city in the last third of the 20th century.
The distinctive local accent is a Creole accent and not the stereotypicalSouthernaccent so often misportrayed by film and television actors. It does, like earlier Southern Englishes, feature frequentdeletion of post-vocalic "r".  There are many theories of the origin of the accent, but it likely results from New Orleans' geographic isolation by water, and the fact that New Orleans was a major port of entry into the United States throughout the 19th century[1].  Many of the immigrant groups who reside in Brooklyn also reside in New Orleans, with the largest groups beingIrish,Germans, andItalians(withSicilianspredominating in the last group).
The prestige associated with being from New Orleans by many residents is likely a factor in the linguistic assimilation of the ethnically divergent population. This distinctive accent is dying out generation by generation in the city (but remains very strong in the surrounding parishes). As with manysociolinguisticartifacts, it is usually attested much more strongly by older members of the population. One subtype of the New Orleans accent is sometimes identified asYat(from "Where y'at"). This word is not used as a generalized term for the New Orleans accent, and is generally reserved for the strongest varieties.
New Orleans is usually pronounced by locals as "noo-AW-lyenz", "noo-AW-linz", "noo-OR-linz", or "noo-OR-lyenz".  The tendency among people around the world to say "noo-or-LEENZ" stems from the use of that pronunciation by singers and songwriters, who find it easy to rhyme.The pronunciation "NAW-linz" is likewise not generally used nor liked by locals but has been popularized by the tourist trade.
Also notable arelexical items specific to the city, such aslagniappe/ˈlɒnjɒp/meaning "a little something extra",makin' groceriesfor grocery shopping, orneutral groundfor a streetmedian.
New Orleans has always been a significant center formusicwith its intertwined European, Latin American, and African-American cultures. It was the site of the first opera house in the United States.The city engenderedjazzwith its brass bands.Decades later it was home to a distinctive brand ofrhythm and bluesthat contributed greatly to the growth ofrock and roll. In addition, the nearby countryside is the home ofCreole music,Zydeco music, Jazz, andDelta blues.
New Orleans has consistently experienced a high homicide rate during the previous two to three decades. Its average annual per-capitahomiciderate (59 per 100,000) ranks highest of large cities in the country from 1990 to 2010 based on Bureau Of Justice Statistics fromFBIUniform Crime Reports. In 1994, 421 people were killed (85.8 per 100,000 people), a homicide rate which has not been matched by any major city to date.The homicide rate rose and fell year to year throughout the late 1990s, but the overall trend from 1994 to 1999 was a steady reduction in homicides.
Beginning in 2000, the homicide rate again increased. New Orleans had the highest homicide rate of any major American city in 2000 (42.1 per 100,000 people), 2001 (44.0 per 100,000), 2002 (53.1 per 100,000), 2003 (57.7 per 100,000) and 2004 (56.0 per 100,000). In 2005, there were 202 murders after 8 months a rate of 47 per 100,000, which was still a higher rate than any other major city's 12 month rate, but was not official because there was still 1 month left until the end of 3rd quarter crime data was to be released. In 2006, (70 per 100,000), 2007 (81 per 100,000), 2008 (64 per 100,000), 2009 (52 per 100,000), 2010 (51 per 100,000) and 2011 (58 per 100,000) it was more of the same as the previous years with New Orleans posting the highest per capta homicide rate of any major American city, or 12 years in a row annually until 2012, when the rate (53 per 100,000) was the 2nd highest among major U.S. cities. In 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011 New Orleans'per capitahomicide rate led cities with populations of 100,000 or more residents, which made it the nation's murder capital of the above-mentioned years with annual per capita homicide rates that were at least ten times the U.S. average in each of those years, according to Bureau of Justice Statistics from FBI Uniform Crime Reports,NOLA.com, and criminologist Dr. Peter Scharf.
AfterHurricane Katrina(2005), news media attention focused on the reduced violent-crime rate following the exodus of many New Orleanians. That trend began to reverse itself as people returned to the city, although calculating the homicide rate remained difficult when no authoritative source could cite a total population figure.
In 2003, most victims in New Orleans were killed within three months of their last arrest.The homicide rate for the New Orleans metropolitan statistical area, which includes the suburbs, was 24.4 per 100,000 in 2002.
The major newspaper isThe Times-Picayune, publishing since 1837. It publishes six days a week and delivers to homes three days a week.The New Orleans Advocate, an edition ofThe Advocateof Baton Rouge, publishes and delivers to homes in the New Orleans area daily. Alternative weekly publications includeThe Louisiana WeeklyandGambit Weekly.
Greater New Orleans is well served by television and radio. The market is the 51st largestDesignated Market Area(DMA) in the U.S., serving 633,140 homes and 0.559% of the U.S. Major television network affiliates serving the area includeWWL4 (CBS),WGNO26 (ABC),WDSU6 (NBC),WVUE8 (FOX),WNOL38 (WB),WUPL54 (UPN), andWPXL49 (ION).PBSstations includeWYES12 andWLAE32.WHNO20 also operates as an independent station in the area, providing mainly religious programming.
Radio stations serving Greater New Orleans include:
Greater New Orleans has many visitor attractions, includingUptown'sSt. Charles Avenue, home ofTulane University,Loyola University, many stately 19th-centurymansions, and theSt. Charles Streetcar Line.
TheFrench Quarter(known locally as "the Quarters"), which dates from the French and Spanish eras, is probably the maintourist destination. The neighborhood contains many hotels, restaurants, and bars, most notably aroundBourbon Street. Other attractions in the quarter includeJackson Square,St. Louis Cathedral, theFrench Market(including theCafé du Monde, famous forcafé au laitand beignets), andPreservation Hall.
Also located near the French Quarter is the oldNew Orleans Mint, formerly a branch of theUnited States Mint(and the onlymintof theConfederacy), which now operates as a museum.The National WWII Museumis relatively new, having opened in 2000 as the National D-Day Museum. TheNatchezis an authenticsteamboatwith acalliope, which cruises the Mississippi River twice daily.
There are several locations of theLouisiana State Museumin the city, as well as theNational Park Service'sJean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, a multi-site development. The city has a number of additional historical museums and house museums, such asthe Historic New Orleans Collection, theHermann-Grima House,Gallier House, a pharmacy museum, and the nation's second-largest (after Richmond, Virginia) Confederate museum,Confederate Memorial Hall Museum.
Art museums in the city include theNew Orleans Museum of Art(NOMA) inCity Parkand theOgden Museum of Southern Art.Audubon Parkand theAudubon Zooare also located in the city of New Orleans, as is theAquarium of the Americas. New Orleans is noted for itshistoric cemeteries. Two of the oldest and largest cemeteries areSaint Louis CemeteryandMetairie Cemetery.
Significant gardens includeLongue Vue House and Gardensand theNew Orleans Botanical Garden.
Greater New Orleans is home to numerous annual celebrations, includingMardi Gras, New Year's Eve celebrations, and theNew Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. New Orleans' most famous celebration is itsCarnivalSeason. The Carnival season is often known (especially by out-of-towners) by the name of the last and biggest day,Mardi Gras(literally, "Fat Tuesday"), held just before the beginning of theCatholicliturgical season ofLent. Mardi Gras celebrations include parades and floats; participants toss strings of cheap colorful beads and doubloons to the crowds. The Mardi Gras season is kicked off with the only parade allowed through the French Quarter (Vieux Carré, translated Old Square), a walking parade aptly namedKrewe du Vieux.
The largest of the city's many musical festivals is theNew Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Commonly referred to simply as, "Jazz Fest", it is one of the largest music festivals in the nation, and features crowds coming from all over the world to experience music, food, arts, and crafts. Despite the name, it features not only jazz but a large variety of music, including both native Louisiana music and nationally-known popular music artists.  TheEssence Music Festivalis another notable annual musical festival in the city.
Southern Decadenceis a New Orleans-style celebration of the gay community. It is a six-day event that attracts over 160,000 locals and visitors.  The annual event began in 1972 to empower the gay community of South Louisiana and has grown to be one of the largest gay events in the nation.
Hexfest is an annual gathering of spiritual workers from all over the world and is held in the first or second week of August each year in theFrench Quarter.  This three-day event features authors, and various community elders sharing knowledge and workshops.
Voodoo Fest, not to be confused with the musical Voodoo Festival, is an annual event held every October 31 in theFrench Quarterby Voodoo Authentica. It features rituals, drumming and workshops to help educate people onvoodoo.
Fèt Gede is an annual Festival of the Dead. It occurs on November 1 and is celebrated throughout the city. The Island of Salvation Botanica hosts an annual ritual honoring this Haitian Day of the Dead.
The Dia de Los Muertos procession is hosted by Krewe de Mayahuel every November 2. It honors theMexican Day of the Dead. The procession begins in theBywater, New Orleansneighborhood and ends at St. Roch Cemetery.
The city also hosts twocollege footballbowl gamesannually: theNew Orleans Bowland theSugar Bowl. The city also holds theBayou Classic, which is an annual college football game betweenGrambling State UniversityandSouthern University. Nine Super Bowls have been contested in New Orleans.
Historically, many teams have been formerly located in the city, including theNew Orleans Pelicansbaseball team (1887–1959), the New Orleans Breakers of the United States Football League, theNew Orleans Nightof theArena Football League(1991–1992), and theNew Orleans Brassice hockeyteam (1997–2003). Formerbasketballteams were theNew Orleans Buccaneers(c. 1967–1970), and the New Orleans Jazz (1974–1980) which became theUtah Jazz.
New Orleans is also home toSouthern Yacht Club, located at West End on the shore ofLake Pontchartrain. Established in 1849, it is the second oldestyachtclub in the United States. The building was severely damaged, first by storm surge and then by fire, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
New Orleans Square, a replica of theFrench Quarter, was built inDisneylandin 1966, with buildings and landscaping meant to evoke 19th-century New Orleans. When it opened,Walt Disneyhad then-New OrleansmayorVictor H. Schiromade honorary mayor of New Orleans Square.  Schiro, in turn, made Disney an honorary citizen of the real New Orleans.
New Orleans is world-famous for its food. The indigenous cuisine is distinctive and influential. From centuries of amalgamation of localCreole,hauteCreole,Cajun, and New Orleans French cuisines, New Orleans food has developed. Local ingredients combined with French, Spanish, Italian, African, Native American, and a hint of Cuban food traditions combine to produce a truly unique and easily recognizable Louisiana flavor.
Unique specialties includebeignets, square-shaped fried pastries that could be called "French doughnuts" (served with coffee andchicory, known as café au lait);po' boyand Italianmuffulettasandwiches; Gulf oysters on the half-shell, boiledcrawfish, and other seafood;étouffée,jambalaya,gumbo, and other Creole dishes; and the Monday favorite ofred beans and rice(Louis Armstrongoften signed his letters, "Red beans and ricely yours"). New Orleans residents enjoy some of the best restaurants in the United States that cater specifically to locals, and visitors are encouraged to try the local establishments) recommended by their hosts.