Mississippi Cajun

Tony Maniscalco is a Cajun currently living in Summit, Mississippi. Tony, born and raised in New Orleans, has recently moved back to the south. Tony resided in New Orleans until he was 38, growing up in a white and green house on 3517 Washington Ave. When he was 38, Tony moved to Colorado and lived in Denver for two years and then moved on to spend 18 yeas in Rapid City, South Dakota where I was first acquainted to him. I grew up in Rapid City and as a teenager, was good friends with his daughters Becky and Amanda. In 2006 Tony decided to leave South Dakota and return home. Tony remarried and moved to Summit, where he has spent the last 18 months. I spoke with Tony about his Cajun history and learned a lot about him. I was curious to learn how much the land had changed in his twenty years of absence.  Tony spoke of the devastation that had befallen New Orleans and of his shock, but he quickly moved past any emotions he must have experienced. 

While speaking with Tony I couldn't help but notice how extremely self sufficient he is. He built a number of structures on the property including a greenhouse and the renovation of a trailer. Tony also tends to gardens that contain the all time cajun favorite; okra, in addition to white squash, yellow squash, zucchini, watermelon, tomatos, corn and peas. A happy suprise was the fruit and tomatos that Colleen, and I got to bring back to New Orleans. Tony seems to be happily married and doing quite well, but he misses his children that still live hundreds of miles away in South Dakota. Throughout it all, his time spent away and hurricane Katrina, Tony Maniscalco is still a Cajun to the core.