12 Facts About Cajuns

Cajuns, known as Louisiana Acadians (French: les Acadiens), are an ethnic group mainly living in the U S state of Louisiana.

Cajuns make up a significant portion of south Louisiana's population and have had an enormous impact on the state's culture.

Since their establishment in Louisiana, the Cajuns have become famous for their French dialect, Louisiana French, and have developed a vibrant culture including folkways, music, and cuisine.

Cajuns were officially recognized by the U S government as a national ethnic group in 1980 per a discrimination lawsuit filed in federal district court.

Cajuns is given only the same protection as those with English, Spanish, French, Iranian, Czechoslovakian, Portuguese, Polish, Mexican, Italian, Irish, et al.

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Not all Cajuns descend solely from Acadian exiles who settled in south Louisiana in the 18th century.

Cajuns include people with Irish and Spanish ancestry, and to a lesser extent of Germans and Italians; Many have Native American, African and Afro-Latin Creole admixture.

Cajuns's said she was Cajun, but that she would never be a coonass.

Cajuns looked to the Civil Rights Movement and other Black liberation and empowerment movements as a guide to fostering Louisiana's French cultural renaissance.

Besides advocating for their legal rights, Cajuns recovered ethnic pride and appreciation for their ancestry.

The Congres Mondial Acadien, a large gathering of Acadians and Cajuns held every five years since 1994, is another example of continued unity.

Since many Cajuns were farmers and not especially wealthy, they were known for not wasting any part of a butchered animal.