by Jamey Landry

Can a butterfly flapping its wings in Tokyo cause a tornado in Oklahoma? This overly simplified example illustrates the butterfly effect: the theory that small changes in the initial event of a series of events in a dynamic system produce exponential variations in the long-term behavior of the system. Apply the theory to the weather, and it explains how the wind from a butterfly’s wings initiates stronger winds that eventually become the tornado in Oklahoma. Apply the mechanisms of the theory to the hurricane and the economic recovery efforts of our state, and a new theory is born. I propose the crawfish effect.

My theory begins, obviously, with the crawfish itself. But regard, if you will, the larger-than-life image of the crawfish on this issue’s cover, as painted by the artist Marquette. The detailed, super-realistic presentation of this seemingly insignificant crustacean challenges us to view the crawfish with a new perspective. The painting unwittingly invokes an opportunity to reflect on how Katrina has elevated simple pleasures once taken for granted to a level almost as precious as life itself. The image doesn’t necessarily evoke memories of the crawfish itself, but rather of the people and events we associate with crawfish boils.

The crawfish just may be the initial event in the dynamic system of hurricane recovery. The crawfish are caught by fishermen and farmers, and then sold to willing buyers. Some buyers, such as the French Market in Mandeville, boil their crawfish for take-out for those who want to enjoy their crawfish without the added burden of boiling them themselves. Other retailers, like Coffee’s Boiling Pot in Madisonville, invite consumers to dine in to enjoy their boiled crawfish. Individuals, such as Mandeville’s Mary Thomas, use secret family recipes to boil small portions of crawfish to be enjoyed at home. There are crawfish lovers, however, such as Hammond’s Joe Meir and Covington’s Brett Mathis, who take the crawfish boil to the next level: the party boil.

The party boil is, in my opinion, the seminal illustration of the crawfish effect. A rite of passage in our state, the party boil represents a certain joie de vivre, the joy of living. The boiling pot of crawfish is merely the catalyst for what goes on around it. It is impossible to attend a crawfish boil and not be affected by it. There’s the catching up with friends and the introductions to new ones. There is polite small talk about the weather and kids, and spicy gossip about the neighbors. Sports and fashion and home improvements and schools and shopping all get their due, as well. Business and building projects are proposed and discussed. Promises of future get-togethers are made, and power lunches with business associates are scheduled. Perhaps those power lunches lead to introductions of more business associates. More projects are discussed and found to support other projects. Deals are made, and work for perhaps hundreds begins, leading to more deals and bigger projects that provide more jobs to aid our state’s recovery. Cash begins to flow, and revenues increase. In short, a crawfish boil could be the initial event that leads to the rebirth of our state—the crawfish effect.

Go, little crawdaddy! Go!

Marquette is represented in Louisiana exclusively by Barlow Art Gallery, 3520 Hwy. 190, Mandeville. 626-4053.