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Over the years, Magnolia and Oakland have retained their rich Creole character. The term Creole means many things to many people the world over. Creole, used in its original sense, is derived from the Portuguese crioulo, native to the place.  Thus, Cane River Creole typically refers to the descendants and heritage of the multicultural, multi-ethnic group who lived in the Red River area prior to 1807. Outside of the Cane River area, the term may be applied further to ethnically blended peoples (usually European combined with either African or Asian) of the West Indies, Southern United States, Vietnam, India, Europe and West and Southern Africa. Today, it is the intense pride in and attachment to one’s French ancestry, rather than race, that is key to understanding what it means to be Creole. This manifests itself in every aspect of living—be it through architecture, religious practices, foodways, social relationships, language, etc.
A cultural chorus of voices accompanies the echo of French colonial style that rings throughout the Cane River plantations. Skillfully crafted ironwork lingers on both Magnolia and Oakland as lasting evidence of the African hand in the area’s development. Oakland survives as one of the last vestiges of the original Spanish land grant from which it was carved, while archaeological excavations continue to produce artifacts, which imply a historic American Indian presence on both sites. The Cane River community has evolved under the influences of the French, African, Haitian, Spanish, and American Indian cultures and Cane River Creole National Historical Park reflects those influences.
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