Interviewer(s): J. Sell. Houma, LA

Affiliation: University of Arizona

Werlien Prosperie is a Cajun musician and oil field worker who now owns the Jolly Inn on Barrow Street in Houma, which is a deliberate revival of a Cajun bar and dancehall of the 1950s/60s. I knew he had been collecting oil field photos to put on the wall of his establishment (he borrowed one from Ed Henry, who asked me to remind him about it if I saw him). I was also aware of his music interests so I asked him about the photos and any music that celebrated oil work. We had several long, intense conversations about oil work and Cajun culture. I had been under the impression he was interviewed previously, so I hadn't brought in the tape recorder. When I found we had no interview from him on record, I did a formal taping on one of my last days in Houma. I wish I had taped the previous talks.

Werlien Prosperie is Cajun and proud of it. His family is from the Montegut area, but he grew up essentially on his own in Houma. He went to work for Delta Exploration and the Laughlin Brothers in summers while he attended high school, then on graduation in 1955, he started with the Texas Company. He started out as kitchen help, then roughneck and worked on the drilling rigs until 1969, when he shifted over to production to be able to be closer to his family. He worked the 6 and 6, later 7 and 7 schedules, which also allowed him to work for OK Fishing Tools on his time onshore. In 1978 he began working full time for OK as store manager. In 1998 OK Fishing Tools sold out to Quality Tubular services, which in turn was sold to Knight Oil Tools in 2003. He continues as a salesman and consultant for Knight today. At the same time, he has opened the Jolly Inn at the warehouse once used by Bethlehem Steel on Barrow Street. He is attempting to use the Jolly Inn as a venue to carry on the community music and cultural tradition of the Cajuns.