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LITR
5831 World / Multicultural Literature: |
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Liz
Davis
15
June 2016
Are Cajuns a Minority?
Cajuns lead simple lives yet society mocks them.
People insult them by calling them coonass
or white trash. They have even been called
slanderous names such as “backward, ignorant, and un-American” (Bernard
xvii). Why are Cajuns portrayed in such a negative light by the nation? Cajuns
did not move to Louisiana by choice; they
were forced to relocate. In the late 1700s, when thousands of exiled Acadians
moved from Canada to French Louisiana because
they refused to pledge their allegiance to Britain. They established small
communities and did not intermingle with others, which eventually led to the
creation of a new culture instead of assimilating to the Anglo-Saxon way
(Objective 1). The displaced Acadians took on the new name of “Cajun”
to represent their new circumstances (Minahan 75). As a result, is it possible
that the Cajuns are a white minority and are resistant to assimilate to the
dominant culture because they are exiles as opposed to immigrants? (Objective 2)
One
of the primary ways Cajuns stand out as a
minority is through language. Cajuns speak a language called “Cajun French,”
which is based on traditional French,
borrows from many other languages, and is
influenced by the surrounding areas
("Cajun
French at LSU").
The language is always changing but has
almost entirely died out today. The
Education Act of 1922 banned speaking any language other than English at school,
which required all students to conform to the Anglo-Saxon ways and stop speaking
French in schools. Teachers labeled Cajun French
as a “low-class and ignorant mode
of speech” (Heimlich).
Since the Cajuns were forced the give up their traditional language in
school, this shows a loss of identity.
However, the Cajuns did not do this willingly; the government forced them
to give up the language and tradition. They took
the words out of their mouths and silenced their voices (Objective 6). The older
Cajuns were resistant to assimilate to the change and continued to uphold the
tradition at home, but the younger generations adapted to the language change at
school and adopted a new language called Cajun English
Another way that Cajuns have stayed true to their roots is through
cuisine. Cajuns are known for a lifestyle involving hunting and
fishing,
and their cooking shows that they are very creative when it comes to working in
the kitchen. Since Cajuns live on limited income, they do not waste any
food and make sure to incorporate wild game, home-grown vegetables,
and grains into their diet. Popular Cajun
dishes include gumbo, etouffee, crawfish,
alligator, boudin, andouille, tasso, and cracklings.
Food is crucial in the Cajun lifestyle because not only is it a family
event but “cooking is considered a
performance” (Heimlich). Thus, gumbo is necessary every Mardi
Gras and all family members have a job
when boiling crawfish. While food plays an important factor in every culture,
Cajuns were not asked to give up their niche cuisine. Rather, the dominant
culture adapted to the Cajun cuisine and
incorporated it into their lifestyle and menus. Crawfish restaurants started
popping up everywhere and helped out
economically, thus providing more jobs for the Cajun culture in Louisiana
(Objective 4).
Everyculture.com states, “Cajuns have always been considered a marginal group, a
minority culture” (Heimlich). Indeed, they resisted assimilating to the dominant
culture as long as humanly possible, but some aspects of culture are unavoidable
to adapt to in life such as language (Objective 4). The Cajuns began as small
clans that rejected outsiders and today they have started
assimilating but have not completely let
go of their traditions and culture. In light of this, Cajuns can be seen as a
minority group as opposed to an immigrant
group because they were forced to move to Louisiana. They are reluctant to
assimilate to the ways of the dominant culture because they are striving to hold
on the traditional ways of their heritage.
Works
Cited
Bernard, Shane K. Cajuns :
Americanization of a People. Jackson, US: University Press of Mississippi, 2003.
ProQuest ebrary. Web. 15 June 2016.
"Cajun French at LSU." Cajun French at LSU. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 June
2016.
Heimlich, Evan. "Acadians." - History, Settlement Patterns, Internal
Migration, Camps, Acculturation and Assimilation. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 June
2016.
Minahan, James B.. Ethnic Groups of the World :
Ethnic Groups of the Americas : An
Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, CA, USA: ABC-CLIO, 2013. ProQuest
ebrary. Web. 15 June 2016.
