Things You May Not Know About Cajun Culture

 Things You May Not Know About

Cajun Culture

            1. The Origins

The Cajuns are a group of people who mainly reside in Luisiana, The United States of America. They are the descendants of the Acadians, French-speaking settlers from Canada.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, French immigrants settled in Acadia(modern-day Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island). They thrived for over a century.

However, everything changed in 1754. France and Great Britain went to war in North America, a conflict that would be known as The Seven Years' War. The conflict ended with France's defeat and the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1763. France was forced to give up their North American colonies as mentioned in the treaty. During the war the Acadians were exiled from Acadia in a process known as the Great Disturbance. They resettled in many locations including the British North American colonies, France, England, the Caribbean and Luisiana, a Spanish colony.

Despite the fact the Cajuns lived in a predominantly English-speaking country, they held onto their language, Cajun French, throughout the 19th century. For much of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the state government allowed the teaching of Cajun French in Cajun schools. However, in 1921, the Louisiana state Constitution required that school curricula be taught in English statewide, which greatly reduced exposure to Cajun French for young people. As a result of the amendment, Cajun French nearly died out in the mid-20th century. Organizations such as the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana made efforts to provide means for Louisianans of all cultures to learn French. 

2.The Food

The Cajuns held onto their cultural traditions, including their unique cuisine. Cajun cuisine is a rustic cuisine, where locally available ingredients dominate and preparation is simple. An authentic Cajun meal is usually a three-pot affair, with one pot dedicated to the main dish, another dedicated to steamed rice, specially made sausages, or a seafood dish, and the third containing whichever vegetable which is plentiful or available. Ground Cayenne and Fresh Black Pepper are used often in Cajun cooking. Cooking methods include barbecuing,baking, grilling, braising, boiling, deep frying, smothering, pan-frying, injecting and stewing. Jambalaya, a rice dish made with meats, vegetables and stock; Crawfish Eetouffee, crawfish and rice made with the technique known as smothering; Boudin, a pork sausage made with green onions and rice; and Gumbo, a soup with okra as its primary ingredient, are a few examples of Cajun dishes.

Boudin

Gumbo

 

Crawfish Eetouffee

Jambalaya

3.The Music

Cajun music was a way for Acadian singers and balladeers to reflect upon and share their own history. Beginning in Canada, the earliest music was often sung as a cappela, with only occasional hand claps and foot stomps. Soon the fiddle became popular with the purpose of accompanying dancers. The Cajuns in Louisiana included rhythms and singing styles from Africa and Native Americans in their music. In the late 1800s, the accordion was introduced, expanding the rhythms and sounds of Cajun music. The subgenres of Cajun music include Traditional Cajun, Texas Swing Cajun, Dancehall Cajun, Cajun "Renaissance" and Contemporary Cajun Music. Doug Kershaw recorded "Louisiana Man", an autobiographical song that he had written while serving in the Army. The song sold millions of copies and over the years it has come to be considered a standard of modern Cajun music. The song was covered by 800 artists.

Doug Kershaw

Fiddle

3. The Language

The predominant language spoken by the Cajun people is Cajun French.  Cajun French descended from Anjou and Poitou, two regions in France. It was spoken in Acadia by the French settlers. When the Acadians relocated to Luisiana, they brought Cajun French with them. A significant amount of Cajun French vocabulary is derived from Spanish, German, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole.

4. Religious Beliefs

Roman Catholicism is the main religion of the Cajun  people. They observe Mardi Gras, the day before Ash Wednesday, a day to use up all foods that will not be used during Lent; Lent, the a 40-day period of fasting and reflection in preparation for Easter Sunday; and Holy Week, the week before Easter Sunday.

Mardi Gras

Written by,

Jonathan Matthew Pasqual,

Group Six,

Foundation In Arts,

July Intake.