Misplaced Pages

#962037

79-765: The Cajun stage of this rocket was named for the Cajun people of South Louisiana because one of the rocket's designers, J. G. Thibodaux, was a Cajun. The Nike-Cajun configuration was also used by one variation of the MQR-13 BMTS target rocket. Engine: This rocketry article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Cajun Asia Middle East Europe North America South America Oceania The Cajuns ( / ˈ k eɪ dʒ ən z / ; French : les Cadjins [le kadʒɛ̃] or les Cadiens [le kadjɛ̃] ), also known as Louisiana Acadians (French: les Acadiens ), are

158-508: A Louisiana French ethnicity mainly found in the US state of Louisiana and surrounding Gulf Coast states. While Cajuns are usually described as the descendants of the Acadian exiles who went to Louisiana over the course of Le Grand Dérangement , Louisianians frequently use Cajun as a broad cultural term (particularly when referencing Acadiana ) without necessitating race or descent from

237-447: A "last stop" of temporary domicile before returning to Greater New Orleans. The Greater Baton Rouge area had already been handling numerous evacuees. Governor Kathleen Blanco made a public request that those returning not try to seek lodging in the capital due to this crisis of overpopulation. Lafayette and several other municipalities set up both public and church-run shelters to handle the influx. The largest of these shelters, run by

316-459: A Catholic francophone identity, the Acadian descendants were indeed and often considered to be Creoles. Documents from the late eighteenth century, such as militia rolls, make a distinction between "Acadians" (those born before or during Le Grand Dérangement ) and "Creoles" (those born after Le Grand Dérangement ), often the children of the former group, with identical surnames and belonging to

395-419: A People , that: Cajun was used by Anglos to refer to all persons of French descent and low economic standing, regardless of their ethnic affiliation. Hence poor Creoles of the bayou and prairie regions came to be permanently identified as Cajun . The term Cajun thus became a socioeconomic classification for the multicultural amalgam of several culturally and linguistically distinct groups. Cajans inhabited

474-651: A humane and charitable race—simple-minded and full of queer, superstitious notions, but an orphan thrown upon their care never suffers." The Mouton family, an influential Acadian family of the period, provides an excellent case study in this regard, with secessionist Alexandre Mouton retaining the famous nickname of "the Creole Hotspur." His son, the Confederate General Alfred Mouton , is also noted in contemporary sources as "a brave and intrepid Creole". Today, by contrast, members of

553-457: A major reason for the near isolation of the early Cajun people. After oil was found in the area in the early 20th century, oil industry development was geared to improving access by roads and waterways. Damage has been done to the region by dredging and straightening of waterways, which has damaged the wetlands that used to absorb water and storms, leaving the area more vulnerable. Coastline continues to erode. High-capacity, modern highways are

632-535: A morning television show, "Good Morning Acadiana". Historically part of French Louisiana , present-day Acadiana was inhabited by Attakapa Native Americans at the time of European encounter. After the expulsion of French-speaking Acadian refugees from Canada by the victorious British at the end of the Seven Years' War , many Acadians settled in this region. The Acadians intermarried with other settlers, forming what became known as Cajun culture . In 1971,

711-857: A region of Alabama called the Cajan Country , which was all of the bayou country surrounding Mobile. To the north, the Cajan Country reached the hills of Mount Vernon and Citronelle , and to the east, it reached through the bayous and forests around Daphne to the Perdido River . Cajans were of varying racial mixtures; during the segregation era , some Cajans under Alabama's new racial laws were considered black, others were considered white, and others yet designated as Indians. Cajans were discriminated against due to their racial ambiguity, and many did not have access to public schools. Cajans tended to stay among their own communities. After

790-413: A relatively isolated region until the early 20th century, Cajuns today are largely assimilated into the mainstream society and culture. Some Cajuns live in communities outside Louisiana. Also, some people identify themselves as Cajun culturally despite lacking Acadian ancestry. In the modern era it is common to see Cajuns and Creoles discussed as separate and distinct groups; historically speaking, this

869-689: A rule the French language, Creoles, and all using the English tongue, Americans." In his Refutation des érreurs de M. George W. Cable sur le sujet des Créoles , published in L' Athénée Louisianais , the francophone Creole John L. Peytavin accused the writer George Washington Cable of fundamentally misrepresenting Creoles to the American public. (Cable, who was not a Creole and did not speak French, had written that Cajuns of Acadian descent were not themselves Creoles.) Peytavin declared: "The Acadian Creoles have

SECTION 10

#1732791320963

948-672: Is 14,574.105 square miles (37,746.76 square kilometers). If Acadiana was a U.S. state, it would be larger than Maryland ; if it were a sovereign state , it would be larger than the Bahamas . Three of the parishes (St. Charles, St. James, and St. John the Baptist) are considered the River Parishes and made up the area formerly known as the German Coast or les côtes des Allemands , because of settlement by German immigrants in

1027-449: Is alive and well. He is "up front" and "main stream." He is not asking for any special treatment. By affording coverage under the "national origin" clause of Title VII he is afforded no special privilege. He is given only the same protection as those with English , Spanish , French , Iranian , Czechoslovakian , Portuguese , Polish , Mexican , Italian , Irish , et al., ancestors. The British conquest of Acadia happened in 1710. Over

1106-426: Is better viewed as geographic rather than ethnic. Residents of Acadiana —a historically isolated and rural region—do not typically make gumbo with tomatoes, regardless of ancestry or self-proclaimed identity, whereas urban New Orleanians do. Technically, "Cajun" cuisine should properly fit under the umbrella of "Creole" cuisine, much like "Cajuns" themselves traditionally fit under the "Creole" umbrella. In contrast to

1185-826: Is cultivated with fields of rice and sugarcane . Acadiana, as defined by the Louisiana legislature , refers to the area that stretches from just west of New Orleans to the Texas border along the Gulf of Mexico coast, and about 100 miles (160 km) inland to Marksville . This includes the 22 parishes of Acadia , Ascension , Assumption , Avoyelles , Calcasieu , Cameron , Evangeline , Iberia , Iberville , Jefferson Davis , Lafayette , Lafourche , Pointe Coupee , St. Charles , St. James , St. John The Baptist , St. Landry , St. Martin , St. Mary , Terrebonne , Vermilion , and West Baton Rouge . The total land area of Acadiana

1264-407: Is subject to damaging hurricanes. On October 3, 2002, the central Acadiana region suffered a direct hit from category one Hurricane Lili . The hurricane caused most of Acadiana to lose power, and some areas lost phone service. In addition, some high-rise buildings in downtown Lafayette had windows broken, and the roofs were damaged of many homes throughout the region. The high winds of Lili toppled

1343-486: The gens de couleur libres (free people of color), others cling to the word's original definition, so Creoles of every ethnic background are still present in the region. Many Creoles also identify as Cajuns (and vice versa), whereas others reject association with one identity while still claiming the other. The two identities have never been mutually exclusive of one another, and documents written in Acadiana throughout

1422-477: The gens de couleur libres , or free people of color, of the Louisiana area celebrate their culture and heritage through a New Orleans–based Louisiana Creole Research Association (LA Créole ). The term Créole is not synonymous with "free people of color" or gens de couleur libres , but many members of LA Créole have traced their genealogies through those lines. Today, the multiracial descendants of

1501-486: The 2000 U.S. census the total population of Acadiana was 1,352,646 residents. At the 2019 American Community Survey , the tabulated population of Acadiana was an estimated 1,490,449. In 2020, the tabulated population of Acadiana's parishes was 1,486,345. Cajuns are the descendants of 18th-century Acadian exiles from what are now Canada's Maritime Provinces , expelled by the British and New Englanders during and after

1580-769: The American South because a majority of its people are Christians of the Roman Catholic tradition in contrast to the surrounding regions (e.g., Central and Northern Louisiana ), which are part of the largely Protestant Bible Belt . This is largely attributed to the region's French, Spanish, and Caribbean influences. Among the Catholic population of Acadiana, the majority are served by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana , though some areas in western and eastern Acadiana belong to

1659-779: The Crowley Daily Signal , coined the term in reference to the area of Louisiana in which French descendants of the Acadians settled. However, KATC television in Lafayette independently coined "Acadiana" in the early 1960s, giving it a new, broader meaning, and popularized it throughout southern Louisiana. Founded in 1962, KATC was owned by the Acadian Television Corporation. In early 1963, the ABC affiliate received an invoice erroneously addressed to

SECTION 20

#1732791320963

1738-657: The Daughters of the American Revolution was formed in memory of those soldiers. The Spanish colonial government settled the earliest group of Acadian exiles west of New Orleans, in what is now south-central Louisiana—an area known at the time as Attakapas, and later the center of the Acadiana region. As Brasseaux wrote, "The oldest of the pioneer communities ... Fausse Point, was established near present-day Loreauville by late June 1765." The Acadians shared

1817-601: The Diocese of Lake Charles , and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge in the Florida Parishes . The traditional industries of the area, agriculture , petroleum , and tourism , initially drove the need for transportation development. In recent years, hurricane evacuation plans for the area's growing towns and cities have hastened the planning and construction of better roadways. The abundance of swamps and marshes previously made Acadiana difficult to access,

1896-462: The French and Indian War (see Expulsion of the Acadians ). They prevail among the region's visible cultures, but not everyone who lives in Acadiana is ethnically Acadian or speaks Louisiana French . Similarly, not everyone who is culturally "Cajun" is descended from the Acadian refugees. German and Polish settlers found their way to this area as early as 1721, settling an area that became known as

1975-663: The German Coast . They preceded the Acadians. Acadiana is home to several Native American tribes, including the Chitimacha , Houma, Tunica-Biloxi , Attakapas , and Coushatta . Acadiana also is home to other ethnic groups, including Anglo-Americans , who came into the region in increasing numbers beginning notably with the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. Since the late 20th century, political refugees from Southeast Asia ( Laos , Vietnam , and Cambodia , among others) have brought their families, cultures, and languages to

2054-590: The Great Upheaval or Le Grand Dérangement . The Acadians' migration from Canada was spurred by the 1763 Treaty of Paris which ended the war. The treaty terms provided 18 months for unrestrained emigration. Many Acadians moved to the region of the Atakapa in present-day Louisiana, often travelling via the French colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti ). Joseph Broussard led the first group of 200 Acadians to arrive in Louisiana on February 27, 1765, aboard

2133-744: The Haitian Revolution on Saint-Domingue , contributing to the Voodoo tradition of the state. During the American period (1804–1820), almost half of the slaves came from the Congo . Before the American Civil War (1861–1865), African Americans comprised a significant portion of the state's population, with most being employed on sugar cane and cotton plantations (see history of slavery in Louisiana and Louisiana African American Heritage Trail ). Religiously, Acadiana differs from much of

2212-499: The Louisiana State Legislature officially recognized 22 Louisiana parishes and "other parishes of similar cultural environment" for their "strong French Acadian cultural aspects". It made "The Heart of Acadiana" the official name of the region, although the term Acadiana is the more common name for the region. The official term appears on regional maps and highway markers. Like much of Louisiana, this area

2291-458: The Nago people , a Yoruba subgroup. The slaves brought with them their cultural practices, languages, and religious beliefs rooted in spirit and ancestor worship , as well as Roman Catholic Christianity—all of which were key elements of Louisiana Voodoo . In addition, in the early nineteenth century, many Saint Dominicans also settled in Louisiana, both free people of color and slaves, following

2370-613: The Red Cross , was the Lafayette sports arena (the Cajundome ), holding a reported 9,800 persons. The western Acadiana region and east Texas were most affected by Hurricane Rita which hit on September 24, 2005. The Greater Lake Charles metropolitan area suffered the majority of the damage. On Labor Day 2008, Hurricane Gustav caused severe damage to the region. Although Lafayette, Saint Martinville and Crowley had little damage (comparatively) and some residents still had power,

2449-456: The Sale of Louisiana , the term "Creole" distinguished people of Catholic, Latin backgrounds from newly arrived Americans and other Protestant anglophones. In general, Créolité in Louisiana was largely defined by whether that person was born in Louisiana, spoke a Latin-based language (often French, Spanish or Creole ) and practiced Catholicism. Having been born on Louisianian soil and maintaining

Nike-Cajun - Misplaced Pages Continue

2528-689: The Santo Domingo . On April 8, 1765, he was appointed militia captain and commander of the "Acadians of the Atakapas" region in St. Martinville . Some of the settlers wrote to their family scattered around the Atlantic to encourage them to join them at New Orleans. For example, Jean-Baptiste Semer wrote to his father in France: My dear father ... you can come here boldly with my dear mother and all

2607-476: The "Acadiana" Television Corp. Someone had typed an extra "a" at the end of the word "Acadian". The station started using it to describe the region covered by its broadcast signal. Today, numerous business, governmental, and nonprofit organizations incorporate Acadiana in their names, e.g., Mall of Acadiana and Acadiana High School . Notably, KLFY-TV , the regional CBS affiliate, used the term in its "Hello News" branding campaign as "Hello Acadiana". KATC hosts

2686-594: The 18th century. Ascension Parish is sometimes included within the River Parishes; the River Parishes border the first and third largest regions in Louisiana by population (the Greater New Orleans area and Florida Parishes ). St. James and Ascension parishes were originally known as the Comté d'Acadie (Acadia County) because of the initial settlement of 18th-century exiled Acadians . St. James Parish

2765-455: The 19th century often make references to Acadiana's "Creole populations" that are understood to include people of Acadian descent. Prior to the U.S. Civil War , Louisiana Creoles of color were a class of free people who either gained their freedom or were born into free families. The gens de couleur libres played an important role in the history of New Orleans and French Louisiana, both under French and Spanish occupation, and after

2844-483: The 64 parishes that make up the U.S. state of Louisiana , 22 named parishes and other parishes of similar cultural environment make up this intrastate region . Lafayette Parish and the seven surrounding parishes are identified as the "Cajun Heartland, USA" district. The word "Acadiana" reputedly has two origins. Its first recorded appearance dates to the October 15, 1946, when a Crowley, Louisiana , newspaper,

2923-584: The Americanization of Acadiana between the 1950s and 1970s, the term "Cajun" became synonymous with "white French Louisianian", due in part to CODOFIL's decision to promote Louisiana's link to Acadia in the "Cajun Renaissance". It is common to see various demographic differences assigned to the Cajun/Creole binary. A typical example is cuisine: Many claim that "Cajun" gumbo does not include tomatoes whereas "Creole" gumbo does, but this distinction

3002-528: The Black Cajun Frenchman." People of Acadiana have historically described what the Cajun nationality means to them; Brandon Moreau, a Cajun of Basile, Louisiana , described Cajun as an "inclusive term designating region, descent, or heritage – not race." Moreau also described an incident of where he used the term coonass with a good friend of his: "We were all talking in the hall, and I said I

3081-527: The British sought to neutralize the Acadian military threat and to interrupt their vital supply lines to Louisbourg by deporting Acadians from Acadia. The territory of Acadia was afterward divided and apportioned to various British colonies, now Canadian provinces: Nova Scotia , New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island , the Gaspe Peninsula in the province of Quebec . The deportation of the Acadians from these areas beginning in 1755 has become known as

3160-621: The Cajuns have become famous for their French dialect, Louisiana French , and have developed a rich culture including folkways , music , and cuisine . Acadiana is heavily associated with them. The term "Cajun" comes from a rural pronunciation of Acadien (Acadian). The first usage of the term "Cajun" came about during the American Civil War , during the Union 's invasion of French Louisiana . After conquering Vermilionville ,

3239-559: The Cajuns in the first place. Non-Acadian French Creoles in rural areas were absorbed into Cajun communities. Some Cajun parishes, such as Evangeline and Avoyelles , possess relatively few inhabitants of actual Acadian origin. Their populations descend in many cases from settlers who migrated to the region from Quebec , Mobile , or directly from France ( French emigration ). Regardless, Acadian influences are generally acknowledged to have prevailed in most sections of south Louisiana. Many Cajuns have ancestors who were not French. Some of

Nike-Cajun - Misplaced Pages Continue

3318-491: The Cajuns. A correspondent for the New York Herald reported: "Our forces captured some prisoners. Many deserters and refugees came within our lines. The rebel deserters are principally French Creoles , or Arcadians ..." War correspondent Theophilus Noel reported for his newspaper: "You must not use the word Cagin , implying thereby that there is any nigger blood in the party to whom you are talking." After

3397-577: The Civil War, urban Creoles began referring to the peasant class ( petits habitants ) as "Cajuns". Cajuns inhabited the "Cajun Countries" of Alabama , Mississippi , and Louisiana . At the same time, "Creole" increasingly referred to Creoles of the middle class ( bourgeoisie ) or aristocratic class ( grands habitants ), and served as a designation for inhabitants of the "Creole Cities": Mobile, Alabama and New Orleans, Louisiana . Carl Brasseaux notes in Acadian to Cajun, Transformation of

3476-455: The French and Spanish colonists, Africans, and other ethnicities are widely known as Louisiana Creoles. Louisiana's Governor Bobby Jindal signed Act 276 on 14 June 2013, creating the license plate "I'm Creole", honoring Louisiana Creoles' contributions and heritage. Similarly, the Acadiana region is home to many African Americans, who have contributed greatly to the region over the centuries. Many primarily descend from those persons brought to

3555-603: The Louisiana Purchase by the United States. Some Creoles of color were wealthy businessmen, entrepreneurs, clothiers, real estate developers, doctors, and other respected professions; they owned estates and properties in French Louisiana. Being a French, and later Spanish colony, Louisiana maintained a three-tiered society that was very similar to other Latin American and Caribbean countries. In

3634-460: The Louisiana militia made up of 600 Acadian volunteers and captured the British strongholds of Fort Bute at Bayou Manchac , across from the Acadian settlement at St. Gabriel. On September 7, 1779, Galvez attacked Fort Bute and then on September 21, 1779, attacked and captured Baton Rouge . A review of participating soldiers shows many common Acadian names among those who fought in the battles of Baton Rouge and West Florida. The Galvez Chapter of

3713-528: The Mouton family are referred to as "Acadians" or "Cajuns" more often than as "Creoles". In 1885, the New Iberia Enterprise (taken from a section of advice for American editors) wrote: "Although all men born here, of whatever color and using whatever language, are Americans, it is the custom to designate the descendants of the old French, Spanish, and Acadian settlers of the country and using as

3792-662: The Senegambia region were members of the Wolof and Bambara ethnic groups. Saint-Louis and Goree Island were sites where a great number of slaves destined for Louisiana departed from Africa. During the Spanish control of Louisiana , between 1770 and 1803, most of the slaves still came from the Congo and the Senegambia region, but others were imported from modern-day Benin . Many slaves imported during this period were members of

3871-472: The State of Louisiana in various waves during the colonial period to work the area's sugarcane and rice plantations in the southern part of the state and the cotton plantations in the northern part of the state. Between 1723 and 1769, most slaves imported to Louisiana were from modern day Senegal , Mali and Congo , many thousands being imported to Louisiana from there. A large number of the imported slaves from

3950-530: The US government as a national ethnic group in 1980 per a discrimination lawsuit filed in federal district court. Presided over by Judge Edwin Hunter, the case, known as Roach v. Dresser Industries Valve and Instrument Division (494 F.Supp. 215, D.C. La., 1980), hinged on the issue of the Cajuns' ethnicity: We conclude that plaintiff is protected by Title VII's ban on national origin discrimination. The Louisiana Acadian

4029-820: The annual cross- Pacific Galleon or Manila Galleon trade with neighboring Acapulco, Mexico ; descendants of African slaves; and some Cuban Americans have also settled along the Gulf Coast , and in some cases, intermarried into Cajun families. One obvious result of this cultural mixture is the variety of surnames common among the Cajun population. Surnames of the original Acadian settlers (which are documented) have been augmented by French and non-French family names that have become part of Cajun communities. The spelling of many family names has changed over time. (See, for example, Eaux ) . Cajuns as an ethnic group historically included Indians and Blacks. Black Louisiana Frenchmen have historically self-identified as Cajun, using

SECTION 50

#1732791320963

4108-647: The area, and have contributed significantly to its fishing industry . The region also boasts a large population of Creoles , descendants of the region's original settlers who arrived in Louisiana before and after the arrival of the Acadians. In the broadest sense, the term "Creole" has been used to denote anyone who is "native to Louisiana", regardless of race or ethnic origin. In this sense, Creoles can identify as black, white, and persons of mixed-race origin. The term has also come to denote cultural origins in addition to racial classification. While many in Acadiana associate Creoles specifically with those people descended from

4187-467: The capital of Nouvelle Acadie (New Acadia) in 1863, Lieutenant George C. Harding of the 21st Indiana Infantry used the term "Cajun" to describe the region's inhabitants: I will try and tell what a Cajun is. He is a half-savage creature, of mixed French and Indian blood, lives in swamps and subsists by cultivating small patches of corn and sweet potatoes. The wants of the Cajun are few, and his habits are simple... I can not say that we were abused by

4266-689: The colonial period of French and Spanish rule, men tended to marry later after becoming financially established. Men frequently took Native American women as their wives (see Marriage à la façon du pays ), and as slaves were imported into the colony, settlers also took African wives. Intermarriage between the different groups of Louisiana created a large multiracial Creole population . As more families settled Louisiana, young Frenchmen or French Creoles coming from wealthy backgrounds courted mixed-race women as their mistresses, known as placées , before they officially married. The gens de couleur libres developed formal arrangements for placées , which

4345-408: The colony to Spain in 1762 , prior to their defeat by Britain and two years before the first Acadians began settling in Louisiana. The interim French officials provided land and supplies to the new settlers. The Spanish governor , Bernardo de Gálvez , later proved to be hospitable, permitting the Acadians to continue to speak their language, practice their native religion ( Roman Catholicism – which

4424-482: The deported Acadians. Although the terms Cajun and Creole today are often portrayed as separate identities, Louisianians of Acadian descent have historically been known as, and are, a subset of Creoles (synonymous for "Louisianais", which is a demonym for French Louisianians ). Cajuns make up a significant portion of south Louisiana's population and have had an enormous impact on the state's culture. While Lower Louisiana had been settled by French colonists since

4503-541: The late 17th century, many Cajuns trace their roots to the influx of Acadian settlers after the Great Expulsion from their homeland during the French and British hostilities prior to the French and Indian War (1756 to 1763). The Acadia region to which many modern Cajuns trace their origin consisted largely of what are now Nova Scotia , New Brunswick , Prince Edward Island plus parts of eastern Quebec and northern Maine . Since their establishment in Louisiana,

4582-442: The lifelines of the region. U.S. highways 90 , 190 , and 167 were the main connectors through south Louisiana until the 1950s. Interstates 10 , 210 , 55 , and 49 now play the major role in transportation. US and state highways also cross the region. Rail transport through the area is limited by the difficult terrain and the sheer number of bridges required to build over numerous streams and bayous. A robust railroad system

4661-715: The most successful evacuations in the nation's history. In 2020, Hurricane Laura caused significant damage to the western-most portion of Acadiana, including Calcasieu, Cameron, Jeff Davis, and portions of Vermilion and Acadia. A confirmed 18 people died in the storm and its aftermath. In addition, Intracoastal City saw a storm surge of 6 feet (1.8 m). Storm surge also flooded over SH 317 at Burns Point in St. Mary Parish, and flash flooding surrounded homes in Abbeville . Six weeks later, Hurricane Delta made landfall near Creole, Louisiana , with winds of 100 mph. Virtually

4740-565: The next 45 years, the Acadians refused to sign an unconditional oath of allegiance to the Crown . During this period, Acadians participated in various military operations against the British and maintained vital supply lines to the French fortress of Louisbourg and Fort Beausejour . During the French and Indian War (part of the Seven Years' War and known by that name in Canada and Europe),

4819-511: The nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, today's Cajuns and Creoles are often presented as distinct groups, and some Cajuns disavow a Creole identity whereas others embrace it. Surnames and geographic location are not necessarily markers of either identity. The Cajuns retain a unique dialect of the French language called Louisiana French (or more commonly known as Cajun French), and hold numerous other cultural traits that distinguish them as an ethnic group. Cajuns were officially recognized by

SECTION 60

#1732791320963

4898-582: The original settlers in Louisiana were Spanish Basques and Spanish Canary Islanders . A later migration included Irish and German immigrants who began to settle in Louisiana before and after the Louisiana Purchase , particularly on the German Coast along the Mississippi River north of New Orleans . People of Latin American origin; a number of early Filipino settlers (notably in Saint Malo, Louisiana ) who were known as " Manilamen " from

4977-538: The other Acadian families. They will always be better off than in France. There are neither duties nor taxes to pay and the more one works, the more one earns without doing harm to anyone. The Acadians were scattered throughout the eastern seaboard. Families were split and boarded ships with different destinations. Many ended up west of the Mississippi River in what was then French-colonized Louisiana, including territory as far north as Dakota territory . France had ceded

5056-534: The region. Seaports , rivers , lakes , bayous , canals , and spillways dot the landscape, and served as the primary source of shipping and travel through the early 1930s. The Mississippi River is important to the eastern section, the Atchafalaya River to the middle. Calcasieu River flowing through Lake Charles enables shipping traffic in the western portion, while the Sabine River forms

5135-412: The rest of the region was severely affected. From Alexandria to the coast and Baton Rouge to Lake Charles, massive power failures and flooding were reported. Most notable was the flooding south of Louisiana Highway 14 and the communities there. U.S. 90 was shut down for several days due to the flooding caused by Hurricane Gustav. The total death toll from Hurricane Gustav in Acadiana was limited. This

5214-454: The same families. Today, members of these families—including, among many others, those with surnames such as Broussard, Hébert, and Thibodeaux—usually consider these names Cajun rather than Creole. Sources from the 19th century sometimes make specific references to "Acadian Creoles" in particular—a term entirely absent from contemporary Louisiana. One article in vol. 56 of The Youth's Companion notes that, "The Acadian Creoles of Louisiana are

5293-565: The same parishes were affected by Hurricanes Laura and Delta. Over 740,000 residents had no power following both storms. Acadiana consists mainly of low gentle hills in the north section and dry land prairies , with marshes and bayous in the south closer to the Gulf Coast area. The wetlands increase in frequency in and around the Calcasieu River , Atchafalaya Basin , and the Mississippi River Delta . The area

5372-478: The same right to be called Creoles as others of foreign descent." 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 also have Native American , African and Afro-Latin Creole admixture. Historian Carl A. Brasseaux asserted that this process of mixing created

5451-693: The swamps, bayous, and prairies with the Attakapa and Chitimacha Native American tribes. After the end of the American Revolutionary War , about 1,500 more Acadians arrived in New Orleans. About 3,000 Acadians had been deported to France during the Great Upheaval. In 1785, about 1,500 were authorized to emigrate to Louisiana, often to be reunited with their families, or because they could not settle in France. Living in

5530-416: The term in regards to the ethnicity of Acadiana and the language they speak: Amédé Ardoin for example spoke only Cajun French and at his height was known as the first Black Cajun recording artist; Clifton Chenier the King of Zydeco , routinely self-identified as a Black Cajun: "Bonjour, comment ça va monsieur?" Clifton Chenier greeted his cheering crowd at the 1975 Montreux Jazz Festival. "They call me

5609-404: The tower of KLFY TV-10 onto the station's studio facilities. Only one injury inside the station was reported from the tower's collapse. The eastern Acadiana region was somewhat affected by Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005, although the damage was limited compared to the severe flooding farther east in Greater New Orleans. This area was used by many evacuees when they returned to the region as

5688-593: The western border of both Acadiana and Louisiana. Fresh and saltwater lakes, along with almost the entire Louisiana portion of the Intracoastal Waterway , enable the flow of people and materials. Airports in Lafayette and Lake Charles provide scheduled airline service. Helicopter pilots serve the oilfields in the Gulf of Mexico . Small planes are used for short trips and agricultural needs. Small general aviation airports serve communities throughout

5767-542: The young women's mothers negotiated. Under the system of plaçage , the suitor had to be wealthy and prove that he could support the daughter, and take care of their children. Often the mothers arranged a kind of dowry or property transfer to their daughters; if the daughter was a slave, she and their children would gain freedom. The fathers often paid for the education of their mixed-race children from plaçage relationships, especially if they were sons, generally sending them to France to be educated. Many descendants of

5846-578: Was a coonass. She said she was Cajun, but that she would never be a coonass. She's black and it offended her." Cajun-Creole Acadiana ( French and Louisiana French : L'Acadiane ), also known as Cajun Country ( Louisiana French : Le Pays Cadien ), is the official name given to the French Louisiana region that has historically contained much of the state's Francophone population. Many inhabitants of Cajun Country have Acadian ancestry and identify as Cajuns or Creoles . Of

5925-527: Was also the official religion of Spain), and otherwise pursue their livelihoods with minimal interference. Some families and individuals did travel north through the Louisiana territory to set up homes as far north as Wisconsin . Acadians fought in the American Revolution . Although they fought for Spanish General Galvez, their contribution to the winning of the war has been recognized. Galvez left New Orleans with an army of Spanish regulars and

6004-573: Was attributed to the evacuation and mitigation plans that had been drilled by state and local official, and to a strong presence of representatives from both the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency . In total, almost two million people along the Louisiana coast were evacuated in over two days. Gustav preparations comprised the largest evacuation in Louisiana history, and one of

6083-585: Was being built at the time of the American Civil War , but much of it was destroyed during the conflict. By the end of the war, river transport via paddlewheeler had taken over as the preferred mode of travel. The major railways in operation through the region are the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad . Waterways are vital to the commercial and recreational activities of

6162-1032: Was known as the First Acadian Coast and Ascension Parish was known as the Second Acadian Coast. Collectively they were known as les côtes des Acadiens , the Acadian Coasts . The largest metropolitan areas in Acadiana are Lafayette , Lake Charles , and Houma-Thibodaux . Other cities and towns within Acadiana are Abbeville , Berwick , Breaux Bridge , Broussard , Bunkie , Carencro , Church Point , Crowley , Delcambre , Donaldsonville , Erath , Eunice , Franklin , Gonzales , Gueydan , Jeanerette , Jennings , Kaplan , Lutcher , Mamou , Marksville , Maurice , Morgan City , New Iberia , New Roads , Opelousas , Patterson , Plaquemine , Port Allen , Rayne , Scott , Simmesport , St. Amant , St. Gabriel , St. Martinville , Sulphur , Sunset , Ville Platte , and Youngsville . At

6241-547: Was not necessarily the case. Many historical accounts exist wherein persons with Acadian surnames (and of various races) either self-identify or are described by others as Creoles. In Louisiana, the French word Créole (itself borrowed from Spanish and Portuguese) meant "born in the New World" (compare with Spanish Criollo ). This label was meant to distinguish the native-born population from newly arrived European immigrants and from slaves imported from Africa. Likewise, after

#962037