Cajuns, << KAY juhnz, >> are a group of people in southern Louisiana and eastern Texas that trace their ancestry to French settlers called Acadians. The word Cajuns comes from Acadians.
In 1604, settlers from western France established the colony of Acadia in present-day New Brunswick and Nova Scotia (see Acadia ). In the 1750’s, British troops drove the Acadians from Canada. At that time, the British and French were fighting the French and Indian War, a struggle for control of eastern North America. Many Acadians eventually made their way to Louisiana, then a French territory. They settled along the prairies and slow-moving streams called bayous that cover much of the land, making their living by farming, fishing, and trapping. Some Cajuns lived in relative isolation in the bayou area. Others mixed with Louisiana’s various ethnic groups. But they continued to speak their unique variety of French, practice their Roman Catholic faith, and maintain many other distinct cultural traditions.
In the early 1900’s, many Cajuns moved to east Texas to work in the oil fields there. Since then, businesses and industries in the growing cities of eastern Texas have also attracted many Cajuns to the region.
Today, many Cajuns still farm and fish. Other Cajuns work in the petroleum industry or as business professionals. Tourism in Cajun regions has become increasingly important, mainly due to the popularity of Cajun cooking and music. Cajun cooking is spicy and includes much seafood. Favorite foods include a thick soup called gumbo, a rice dish called jambalaya, crawfish, and boudin, a spicy sausage stuffed with rice and meat. Traditional Cajun bands usually include an accordion, a fiddle, and a tin washboard called a frattoir, in addition to other instruments. Cajun music blends blues, country, and French folk musical styles.
Loading the player...
Cajun fiddle music
Loading the player...
Cajun accordion music
