New Orleans History -- Lake Pontchartrain
Friday, April 26, 2024
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Ya Mamma's House (or Ya Mommenem)

Why do we always go to our "Mama's House"?

My Mother and Daddy have been married almost 50 years--always residing in the same house. Been in the one they live in now for 43 years. It was my home from the time I was 4 years old until I married. Why is it only my "Mama's House"?

And when we visit my in-laws, why do only go to "Audrey's House"? What about Chuck? He lives there too.

Anybody have an explanation for this old New Orleans quirk?
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Is our situation a Matriarchal Society? Seems like "Mama's House" is the place to go for family gatherings. I am no Sociologist but that is my gut feeling as to your question.
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I agree. That was my gut feeling too--the matriarchal society thing. And so interesting, considering that we are such a melting pot of nationalities and cultures. It sort of says (I think) that all people of the world apparently (in most cases) revere, respect, and value the woman who raised them. Amazing.

Speaking only for myself, I have to say that I love, respect, admire, and value my father just as much. The only difference in how I feel about my parents is the "revere"--the awe that only my mother elicits. I don't know why.

But maybe I'm digging way too deep. Maybe that gumbo of cultures and languages resulted in this definitive "Mama" term for "home"--even if it is the "home" we left 25 or 30 years ago. Or maybe it's just the way we talk (the way we learned to talk from listening to the older people) that results in our talk about our "Mama's House". Who knows? But I would really enjoy hearing what you all think about this.
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