Cadie. Acadie. Acadian. Cajun. Acadiana. These words are part of the history and culture that developed in south Louisiana over the course of the last three centuries. They're an integral part of telling their story — but they can't do it alone. Combining elements from various peoples who traveled from several continents, this mix of cultures is so unique, even a gumbo metaphor isn't complex enough to describe it. Professor Barry Ancelet, musician Louis Michot, and entrepreneur Marie...

When researcher Jorge Estevez visited the Smithsonian as a boy, he saw a sign that stated his people had “disappeared” four centuries before. How did this claim become conventional wisdom? To get to know the history of the Taino people is to understand the effects of brutal colonization combined with historical misinformation — and the process of cultural fusion, which created a people with roots tied to indigenous Caribbean, European, and African ancestors. Estevez guides us through the...

How is it that people belonging to one of the oldest civilizations in the world have lost so much of their ancestral homeland? What steps must they take to preserve their culture in the face of such challenging circumstances? Anthropologist Yasmin Moll and Dr. Menna Agha, along with Mona Sherif-Nelson, founder of the Nubian Foundation, share the history of the Nubian people of Egypt, delve into the ways women played a central role in their culture, and address how modernization has forced...

You’ve likely heard of “Easter Island” and the giant stone statues that famously reside there, confounding people who can’t understand how people could have made and moved them so long in the past. But did you know that the island and the people that live here are actually called Rapa Nui? Or that the artistry and engineering of those statues are a key reason that the people there were able to survive on such a remote island with limited resources? Filmmaker and member of the Rapa Nui...

New York City’s Lower East Side has been home to many communities, from the Lenape to Dutch and English colonizers to an influx of groups from Europe, China, Puerto Rico, and the American South. How has each arrival and exodus affected the neighborhood — not just in terms of size, but also sustained cultural impact? The Tenement Museum's Dolan Cochran guides us through the history of the Lower East Side, shedding light on the indelible marks each group has left, making it a culturally rich...

Of all the cultures covered on this podcast, why did the Picts come closest to actually being lost? How did these "painted people" from what is now known as Scotland largely disappear from the historical record? Fascinating recent discoveries have helped people to better understand this tribe, who the Romans once faced with fear on the fields of the British Isles. Guests Tim Clarkson and Gordon Noble share what history is known about the Picts of Scotland, as well as theories that are guiding...

Australia is a far-away destination for travelers based in most other parts of the world. Its remoteness has bred unique wildlife and, among its people, an archetypal ability to persevere. Much of the pop culture of the last 40 years may lead you to believe the continent's Aboriginal peoples descended from colonizers — but did you know this population's roots may actually trace back to the first successful seafarers in history? Or that recent research hints they may have arrived on Australia...

Los Angeles today is an influencer on the global stage, thanks to its most well-known industry, Hollywood. And its very name hints at the earlier influence of colonizers from Spain and Mexico in the area. But who were the original influencers of the L.A. Basin? And how did this Indigenous culture help shape the way Angelenos and tourists experience the area today? Guests Kimberly Morales Johnson and Desireé Martinez, both members of the Gabrielino-Tongva community, guide us through the...

The popular image of Japan is often the modern metropolis of Tokyo or its feudal history, samurai and all. But there’s also a culture you may not know about. It predates even the concept of Japan as a nation, while still existing today. So, what is this culture and why are the people still so little-known relative to other aspects of the nation they're a part of? Professors Kinko Ito and Kirsten Ziomek guide us through the history of the Ainu people in Hokkaido, Japan, revealing how that...

Many people think of the Maya as existing mainly – perhaps even solely – in the historical record, far in the past from our modern day. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. So, how have they influenced the architecture, cuisine, and culture of the Yucatan Peninsula and many of the experiences you may have there today? On this episode, we’re joined by Carlos Rosado, a tour guide and editor at Yucatán Magazine, archaeologist Dante García, who leads expeditions to caves and cenotes, and...

New York City’s Lower East Side has been home to many communities, from the Lenape to Dutch and English colonizers to an influx of groups from Europe, China, Puerto Rico, and the American South. How has each arrival and exodus affected the neighborhood — not just in terms of size, but also sustained cultural impact? The Tenement Museum's Dolan Cochran guides us through the history of the Lower East Side, shedding light on the indelible marks each group has left, making it a culturally rich...

What happens to a place when the cultures within it change over time? Lost Cultures: Living Legacies, a new podcast from Travel + Leisure, spotlights destinations that have experienced significant cultural shifts throughout history. We reveal how they build upon and complement one another, while preserving their traditions. Through conversations with archeologists, academics, artists, and local members of the communities, we recount the evolution of these enduring cultures from their...