Welder keeps Cajun instrument alive

By Samantha Loren

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    BREAUX BRIDGE, Louisiana (KATC) — Brandy Guidry Aubé passion for crafting the Cajun Triangle wasn’t intentional.

“Otherwise known as the t’fer or little iron in French,” said Aubé.

“It began in probably 2015 a friend of mine, a Cajun musician approached me knowing that I did metal work, and asked if I could make Cajun triangles and I was like “No but I could figure it out.”

And that she did with trial and error until she found the perfect “ring.”

“So the traditional way, way back then is they would make them out of hay-racked tines which was an accessible material to them. Now that resources kind of dried up here I use cold rolled steel.”

Aubé said she has been welding for nearly 25 years and has dabbled in blacksmithing.

Her process for creating a t’fer takes about 30 minutes.

“Once I’m done forging I will soak it in acid to remove any mill scale that might form on the steel from forging,” Aubé said.

“If it’s still a little dirty I will sandblast it and, I’ll blacken it using a chemical blackener and then I will wax it.”

The percussion instrument once carried Cajun songs.

“Before the introduction of electrical amplification they would use that,” Aubé said.

“It rung above the accordion and the rest of the instruments and the stomping of the feet, the dancing and the crowd.”

In 2020 Aubé began selling her Cajun Triangles when she realized there wasn’t a large market for them.

“Really nobody’s doing it right now,” Aubé said.

“There’s not a whole lot of places you could go find a Cajun triangle to purchase. So I’ve been shipping them all over the world lately.”

And they’ve reached many corners of the world.

“France, Africa, Sweden, England all over,” Aubé said. “Canada.”

When she isn’t working at St. Martin Parish Tourism, she’s welding other items in the workshop on her property such as furniture and architectural elements. Or performing in her classic rock band The Magnalites.

Through creating these triangles, her two worlds of music and welding intertwine.

“It’s serendipity,” Aubé said. “You know? I get the best of both worlds.”

If you are interested in purchasing a Cajun triangle you can head to her website.

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