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History
In my recent survey, I asked the question; “Where do Cajuns come from?” 92.21% of the responses were Louisiana, and 6.5% of the responses did not know. I ask the question; “Do you know what Cajun means?” 84% of the responses were yes, while 16% were no.
In an interview with Ronald Guidry (“Cajun Man”) of southern Louisiana, he explains that, “My people come from Fort Royal Nova Scotia. First of all, they came from France, and then ended up in Nova Scotia. They came from Acadia Nova Scotia in 1875, and left France in 1675. During “Le Grand Dérangement” (The Great Disarrangement), the British ran them out of Nova Scotia because they would not swear to the king.” (Ronald "Black" Guidry, personal communication 2012). Now let us look at their history.
In the early 1600s, settlers left France to escape the religious wars, revolts, and oppression from France. They found themselves in the New World. This is where they settled in Nova Scotia, which then became to be known as Acadia or Acadie (Wetlands).
In 1713 Brittan gained control of Nova Scotia from France, through the Treaty of Utrecht. “By the time the British won the colony from France in 1713, they had established a thriving, self-sufficient community” (Meaux, 2006). For many years the people of Acadia had flourished in building a new life for themselves.
Over the next few decades, les Acadiens (the Acadians) negotiate over their allegiance to the British Crown. They began to be known as the “French Neutrals” (Wetlands). The Acadians did not much care for the always feuding French and British (LaBorde, n.d.). They truly just wanted to be left alone. The Acadians kept their word by not taking sides or engaging in any of the warfare between France and Brittan (LaBorde, n.d.).
Without permission from the British government, Major Charles Lawrence illegally demanded that the Acadians sign a loyalty oath to the English King in 1754, and repudiate their Catholic Religion (LaBorde, n.d.). The Acadians refused to sign, and pledge their allegiance to the King. When they did not comply, some of the men were taken from their families and arrested. Their houses, farms, churches, and everything else that made up their small towns were burned to nothing, forcing the Acadians to leave (LaBorde, n.d.).
In 1755 Great Brittan and France entered into the French and Indian Colonial War (The Cajun Experience, 2012). The British viewed these French speaking Acadians as a risk to the throne. Since the Acadians refused to pledge their allegiance to the British crown, they began to exile them, and force the peaceful people to leave which induced a great cruel and tragic event (Meaux, 2006). This was known as the Le Grand Dérangement, Great Disturbance, The Great Disarrangement, Great Upheaval (Meaux, 2006), .
During this time, Acadians were forced to leave Acadia. Families were split apart, and forced onto small boats. Some of them found their way to England, but were quickly arrested. Others were made to go to the thirteen colonies (LaBorde, n.d.).
In 1765, one of the first Acadians arrived in southern Louisiana. By 1788, there were roughly 3,000 Acadians that landed in southern Louisiana in and around the Atchafalaya Basin, the largest swamp in the United States (The Cajun Experience, 2012). These people settled the swamps, bayous, and mosquito infested areas that no one else wanted, and did the extraneous work that no one would do (Laborde, n.d.). They went through years of slavery, poverty, exile, and imprisonment. Some of the children were taken from families and made to work on plantations. These people were poor, illiterate, had a strange dialect and customs which set them very much apart from others around them. “The Acadians were a people without a country, a people who must rely only on each other for survival” (Laborde, n.d.).
While settlers from France arrived, in what was a Spanish Colony, so were the Acadians, as well as other cultures such as the Native Americans, decedents of African slaves (Rudolphy, 2009). They were not accepted by the other French speaking settlers because of their strange dialects. With this rejection, the Acadians married their own, otherwise, they may not have survived (LaBorde, n.d.).
Louisiana was under the control of Spain; however, in 1800 Napoleon negotiate with Spain, in a secret treaty, to gain control of Louisiana (The Cajun Experience. 2012). In 1803, Napoleon sold Louisiana and les Acadiens (the Acadians) to the United States through the Louisiana Purchase (The Cajun Experience. 2012). Now, they are citizens of the United States.
It was not until after the Civil War that Acadians began to marry outside of the Acadians. Their culture and language began to spread throughout Louisiana, and the Cajun culture began (Laborde, n.d.). Today, Cajuns occupied around 22 Parishes which included cities such as; Lafayette (main concentration of Cajuns), Houma, Thibodaux, Breaux Bridge, Eunice, Lake Charles, and many more (Laborde, n.d.).
In an interview with Ronald Guidry (“Cajun Man”) of southern Louisiana, he explains that, “My people come from Fort Royal Nova Scotia. First of all, they came from France, and then ended up in Nova Scotia. They came from Acadia Nova Scotia in 1875, and left France in 1675. During “Le Grand Dérangement” (The Great Disarrangement), the British ran them out of Nova Scotia because they would not swear to the king.” (Ronald "Black" Guidry, personal communication 2012). Now let us look at their history.
In the early 1600s, settlers left France to escape the religious wars, revolts, and oppression from France. They found themselves in the New World. This is where they settled in Nova Scotia, which then became to be known as Acadia or Acadie (Wetlands).
In 1713 Brittan gained control of Nova Scotia from France, through the Treaty of Utrecht. “By the time the British won the colony from France in 1713, they had established a thriving, self-sufficient community” (Meaux, 2006). For many years the people of Acadia had flourished in building a new life for themselves.
Over the next few decades, les Acadiens (the Acadians) negotiate over their allegiance to the British Crown. They began to be known as the “French Neutrals” (Wetlands). The Acadians did not much care for the always feuding French and British (LaBorde, n.d.). They truly just wanted to be left alone. The Acadians kept their word by not taking sides or engaging in any of the warfare between France and Brittan (LaBorde, n.d.).
Without permission from the British government, Major Charles Lawrence illegally demanded that the Acadians sign a loyalty oath to the English King in 1754, and repudiate their Catholic Religion (LaBorde, n.d.). The Acadians refused to sign, and pledge their allegiance to the King. When they did not comply, some of the men were taken from their families and arrested. Their houses, farms, churches, and everything else that made up their small towns were burned to nothing, forcing the Acadians to leave (LaBorde, n.d.).
In 1755 Great Brittan and France entered into the French and Indian Colonial War (The Cajun Experience, 2012). The British viewed these French speaking Acadians as a risk to the throne. Since the Acadians refused to pledge their allegiance to the British crown, they began to exile them, and force the peaceful people to leave which induced a great cruel and tragic event (Meaux, 2006). This was known as the Le Grand Dérangement, Great Disturbance, The Great Disarrangement, Great Upheaval (Meaux, 2006), .
During this time, Acadians were forced to leave Acadia. Families were split apart, and forced onto small boats. Some of them found their way to England, but were quickly arrested. Others were made to go to the thirteen colonies (LaBorde, n.d.).
In 1765, one of the first Acadians arrived in southern Louisiana. By 1788, there were roughly 3,000 Acadians that landed in southern Louisiana in and around the Atchafalaya Basin, the largest swamp in the United States (The Cajun Experience, 2012). These people settled the swamps, bayous, and mosquito infested areas that no one else wanted, and did the extraneous work that no one would do (Laborde, n.d.). They went through years of slavery, poverty, exile, and imprisonment. Some of the children were taken from families and made to work on plantations. These people were poor, illiterate, had a strange dialect and customs which set them very much apart from others around them. “The Acadians were a people without a country, a people who must rely only on each other for survival” (Laborde, n.d.).
While settlers from France arrived, in what was a Spanish Colony, so were the Acadians, as well as other cultures such as the Native Americans, decedents of African slaves (Rudolphy, 2009). They were not accepted by the other French speaking settlers because of their strange dialects. With this rejection, the Acadians married their own, otherwise, they may not have survived (LaBorde, n.d.).
Louisiana was under the control of Spain; however, in 1800 Napoleon negotiate with Spain, in a secret treaty, to gain control of Louisiana (The Cajun Experience. 2012). In 1803, Napoleon sold Louisiana and les Acadiens (the Acadians) to the United States through the Louisiana Purchase (The Cajun Experience. 2012). Now, they are citizens of the United States.
It was not until after the Civil War that Acadians began to marry outside of the Acadians. Their culture and language began to spread throughout Louisiana, and the Cajun culture began (Laborde, n.d.). Today, Cajuns occupied around 22 Parishes which included cities such as; Lafayette (main concentration of Cajuns), Houma, Thibodaux, Breaux Bridge, Eunice, Lake Charles, and many more (Laborde, n.d.).
A collection of art and photos coupled with music sampled from the song Acadian Driftwood performed by the The Band.
(NovaHistoricus, 2006)
The above link is to a video produced by the History Channel. It shows how the Cajuns became, and where they originated from. (The Cajun Experience. 2012)
The above link is to
the History Interpretation
the History Interpretation