What’s a Cajun?

		Acadians VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

The Acadians have a lasting influence on the culture of the Maritime Provinces. They were Catholics from France and settled in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and the Gaspe Peninsula of Quebec. They looked and dressed more Dutch than French, including wooden shoes. Wooden shoes were worn in boggy areas to avoid sinking into the soft soil. Wooden shoes were not exclusively worn in Holland, but in other areas as France and England.

In 1755-1759, England took over these provinces and wanted everyone to swear allegiance to the King, to speak English, to change their religion, to change customs as dress styles, and to look English. Many fled to the interior, many returned to France, and some tried to go to the American Colonies. The event is immortalized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s narrative poem “Evangeline.” Not wanting to strain an already increasing hostile relationship with England, the U.S. colonies declined to accept these new immigrants. They continued down the colonies, into the Gulf, and finally found acceptance in the French area of Louisiana. They stayed and developed a major culture presence there and Acadians became known as Cajuns.

In the mid 1800’s, the Maritime Provinces were less committed to the English way as the only way and many Acadians came out of hiding or returned from where they had fled. The Acadian culture is still seen extensively in the provinces of Canada, as it is the Cajun heritage in Louisiana.