What exactly is a Cajun?

Many residents of south Louisiana are proud to call themselves Cajun, not fully understanding themselves what that really means. The Cajun ethnic and ideals have been popularized outside the confines of the Gulf Coast by Justin Wilson, first as a published humorist, telling Cajun oriented stories and jokes and later as a well known TV chef specializing in Cajun and Louisiana style cooking (although this style of cooking could be found in Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida also, before it was made popular in the '80s and '90 by Mr. Wilson).
Justin Wilson himself only claimed to be “part” Cajun. But because of the sudden national popularity of the Cajun people along the gulf coast of the US, many people living in this area quickly claim this heritage, based solely on their location, with no actual understanding of the heritage they claim.

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After the French & Indian War; 1755 - 1763, most of the original French a-Cad(j)ians were expelled and scattered along the US East Coast and absorbed into the mainly British and German populations of the area at that time. Other Acadians were put on supply ships that found their way into the Gulf of Mexico landing in Cuba, Florida, Alabama, but primarily Louisiana.

Many of the banished French in the northern parts of America became trappers and traders, carrying their pelts and furs down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, a growing shipping port of North American riches to the rest of the world. As they began settling into the expanding population of French already residing in the well known “French Quarter” of New Orleans this Cajun people once again became a population rather than a scattered people.

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So strictly speaking, a Cajun is one who is part of this blood-line. By blood there are Cajun-French, Créole French, Créole Spanish, and there are those who are a mixture of the three along with African and Native American thrown into the pot.

But to be Louisiana Cajun is also a way of life, an outlook on life, and an attitude towards family and friends, food and fun, God and nature and country. A somewhat conservative view of religion and politics prevails among the Louisiana Cajuns. The people of south Louisiana are family oriented people and a close knit bunch and being accepted as a friend by these people means becoming a member of the family; even if only in spirit. A “friend in need” simply does not exist for long among these folk.

A person who does not necessarily share the Acadian blood line, may not speak French or can't boil water, can still become Cajun in heart by adapting the Cajun outlook on life.


My mother's mother was born in the French Quarter, 1908.
She was French, but was she Cajun? Was she Créole?
She didn't know and didn't care.



[Edited 4/4/2008 12:34:13 PM]