Cultures of Acadiana: CAJUNS/ACADIANS

History * Language * Customs * Acadian Descendants Outside of Louisiana * Tales of Evangeline *Acadian Genealogy * Music * General * Parishes of Acadiana * Columns by Jim Bradshaw * Historical Documents * Acadian Family Histories * Miscellaneous

HISTORY

• How Buzzard's Prairie Got Its Name, Lafayette (LA) Gazette, May 22, 1897. (legends about the origin of the name "Carencro")

• Nine Part Series in the Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser on the History of the Cajuns

  1. French Acadians Settle Into The New World, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, June 6, 1994.
  2. Expelled from Nova Scotia, Acadians Head Southward, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, June 13, 1994.
  3. War Makes Heroes of Acadian Brothers, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, June 20, 1994.
  4. Ragged Bands of Acadians Settle In Louisiana, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, June 27, 1994.
  5. Acadians Prosper In La Nouvelle Acadie, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, July 4, 1994.
  6. Mouton Brothers Stake Claim in Vermilionville, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, July 11, 1994.
  7. Religious Faith Fuels Acadians' Expansion Efforts, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, July 18, 1994.
  8. 20th Century Brings Problems And Prosperity, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, July 25, 1994.
  9. Missing.
• Remembering Our Heritage, Special Supplement to the Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, September 29, 1994. (This special magazine supplement provides an extensive history of the Acadian settlement, development, deportation, and re-settlement in Louisiana. 20,000+ words.)
• The Founding of L'Acadie: The First Settlers , Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, September 22, 1991. (An account of the first settlers in Acadie in 1604.)

• Two Part Series in the Star-Democrat (MD) Weekend Magazine on the treatment of the exiled Acadians who were sent to Talbot County and other parts of Maryland in the Acadian deportation of 1655.

  1. Refugees, Especially French Catholics Without Funds Found Chilly Reception Here, Star-Democrat Weekend Magazine, February 15, 1980.
  2. Grudging Charity Cares For Acadian "Pests", Star-Democrat Weekend Magazine, February 22, 1980.
• Statue to Honor Breaux Bridge Founder, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, December 28, 1995. (Scholastique Breaux, the founder of the town of Breaux Bridge, gets her own statue.)

• Our French Heritage:  A special series of supplements to the Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, dedicated to preserving Acadiana's heritage and culture, written by Jim Bradshaw, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser's Projects 2000 Editor

  1. Exploration.  The Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser's History of Acadiana, January 26, 1999. (31 articles about the early exploration of the Gulf coast and the Acadiana area.)
  2. Acadie.  The Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser's History of Acadiana, February 23, 1999. (32 articles about the settlement of Acadie in French Canada.)
  3. Exile.  The Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser's History of Acadiana, March 30, 1999. (30 articles about the dispersal of the Acadians from their homeland in Acadie, Canada to colonies and countries throughout Europe and the Americas.)
  4. Rebirth. The Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser's History of Acadiana, April 27, 1999. (31 articles about the rebuilding the Acadian people in south Louisiana.)
  5. Creole. The Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser's History of Acadiana, May 25, 1999. (27 articles about the Creoles - black and white - in south Louisiana.)

LANGUAGE

• Speaking French In Class Once Taboo: Big Trouble For Students, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, May 19, 1996. (Some Cajuns reminisce about being being punished for French at school.)

• Two scholars research Cajun language growth, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, ?, 1997

• French may keep local flavor, but it likely won’t be Creole, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, September 10, 2003

CUSTOMS

• Gros Bec Meat Was A Delicacy, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, October 18?, 1996. (Although now protected, ibises were once a Cajun delicacy.)

• Books highlight roots of Acadian cooking, Baton Rouge (LA) Advocate, May 27, 1999

• Students Learn Through Music, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, ?. (Elementary students learn of Cajun past through the learning of French songs.)
• Lousay Aube Carries on the Traiteur's Art of Helping People Heal Through Prayer, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, ?. (Story of a modern-day Cajun folk healer.)
• Santa replaced Little Man January in Cajun tradition, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 1997. (Some Cajun Christmas/New Year's Day customs.)
• A Discussion of Cajun Bogeymen (and Bogeywomen!), Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 1998. (A brief discription of the te-taille, couche mal, Madame Grande Doigt, and fille folle.)
• You wanna paque? ... or is it pock? Egg tapping elevated to a high art in Acadiana, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, Sunday, April 4, 1999. (A brief discription of a quaint Easter custom in Acadiana.)
• The history of egg knocking, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, Sunday, April 4, 1999. (A brief discription of the background of egg knocking.)

ACADIAN DESCENDANTS OUTSIDE OF LOUISIANA

• Acadians Survive Embattled Past, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, July 10, 1996. (Acadians descendants in New Brunswick, Canada struggle for cultural identity.)
• The Other Acadians, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, January 9, 1997. (In northern Maine, Acadian descendants struggle to preserve their French culture.)
• French-speaking Quebecois remain loyal to their homeland, Baton Rouge (LA) Advocate, September 19, 1999

TALES OF EVANGELINE

• Evangeline: The Tragedy Of God's Little Angel, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, November 6, 1994. (A discussion of the origins of the Evangeline story.)
• Acadian tale inspired Longfellow, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, July 29, 1997

• Excerpt from Longfellow's "Evangeline", Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, July 29, 1997

• State park interprets history of Acadians, "Evangeline", Baton Rouge (LA) Advocate, August 8, 1999

ACADIAN GENEALOGY

• Solving An Acadian Mystery: Gaspard Working On Genealogy Mystery, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, ?. (A Louisiana-based computer data base of Acadian genealogy is being developed.)

MUSIC

• Two Stepping on the Air, Zydeco and Cajun Radio , Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, January 9, 1997. (Cajun and Zydeco music is getting popular on the radio.)
• World Music: Cajun and Zydeco, Paper Written for a College Course, Spring 1997. (An interesting look at the roots and characteristics of Cajun music and the music of the Black Creoles of south Louisiana--Zydeco.)
• Requiem for a Pioneer, Remembering Cajun music maverick Aldus Roger, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, April 7, 1999. (Remembering Aldus Roger, a legend in the field of Cajun music.)
• Louisiana French Music, from the Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser's special series of supplements to the Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, dedicated to preserving Acadiana's heritage and culture, written by Jim Bradshaw, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser's Projects 2000 Editor, December 29, 1998. (27 articles about the music of Acadiana.).

• BeauSoleil helped bring Cajun music to the world, Baton Rouge (LA) Advocate, April 27, 2001

• Hunter Hayes' musical talent aging rapidly, Baton Rouge (LA) Advocate, February 18, 2000

GENERAL

• Culture, Not Blood, Defines Today's Cajun, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, January 13, 1991. (Being Cajun is more than having Acadian blood.)
• The Cajuns: Still Loving Life, National Geographic, October, 1990.
• Erath Man Wants England To Apologize To Cajuns, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, July 6, 1993. (A Cajun lawyer files suit about the Acadian deportation of 1755 against Great Britain.)
• Perrin: Britain must apologize, Lafayette attorney accusing the crown of genocide, other crimes against humanity. , Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, January 14, 1999. (An update about the suit against Great Britain for the Acadian deportation of 1755.)
• Who ordered Acadians exiled? Maine scholar finds information about the real villain behind diaspora, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, January 24, 1999. (A Maine professor claims that King George III of England approved of the Acadian deportation of 1755.)
• Protest Sparks Creation of Heritage Museum, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, July 6, 1993. (A lawsuit about the Acadian deportation sparks local interest in Cajun heritage.)
• Perrin: Promoting The Acadian Cause, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, March 31, 1994.
• Cajuns on the Web, South Louisiana Culture alive and well on the internet , Baton Rouge (LA) Advocate, December 23, 1996.  (Cajun-related sites on the World-Wide Web abound.)
• Scott Artist Setting History Straight, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, March 13, 1997.
• Ataxia: A Matter of Heredity, The Genetic Disease Prevalent Among Cajuns Robs People of the Ability to Move, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, March 5, 1999.

• Activist says Cajun culture may blossom, Baton Rouge (LA) Advocate, August 12, 1999

• Atchafalaya region praised for cultural, tourism value, Baton Rouge (LA) Advocate, May 1, 2001

• "Cajun Aristotle" believes French culture must be saved, Baton Rouge (LA) Advocate, April 2, 2000

• Cajun heritage detailed, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, July 6, 1993.

• Acadian archives comes home to memorial, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, ?.

THE PARISHES OF ACADIANA

a special series of supplements to the Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, dedicated to preserving Acadiana's heritage and culture, written by Jim Bradshaw, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser's Projects 2000 Editor

1. Vermilion Parish--Where Prairie Meets the Sea, The Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser's History of Acadiana, June 24, 1997. (24 articles about the history, people, communities, etc. that make up Vermilion Parish.)
2. St. Martin Parish--Cradle of the Cajun Culture, The Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser's History of Acadiana, July 29, 1997. (23 articles about the history, people, communities, etc. that make up St. Martin Parish.)
3. Acadia Parish--Rice and Rails Made It Grow, The Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser's History of Acadiana, August 26, 1997. (30 articles about the history, people, communities, etc. that make up Acadia Parish.)
4. St. Landry Parish--It Spanned South Louisiana, The Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser's History of Acadiana, September 30, 1997. (28 articles about the history, people, communities, etc. that make up St. Landry Parish.)
5. Jefferson Davis Parish--Where Americans Found the Prairies, The Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser's History of Acadiana, October 28, 1997. (26 articles about the history, people, communities, etc. that make up Jefferson Davis Parish.)
6. Iberia Parish--Salt, Pepper, and Espagñol, The Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser's History of Acadiana, November 25, 1997. (28 articles about the history, people, communities, etc. that make up Iberia Parish.)
7. St. Mary Parish--Cypress, Seafood, and Sugar, The Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser's History of Acadiana, December 30, 1997. (27 articles about the history, people, communities, etc. that make up St. Mary Parish.)
8. Lafayette Parish--The Heart of Acadiana,  The Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser's History of Acadiana, January 27, 1998. (23 articles about the history, people, communities, etc. that make up Lafayette Parish.)

COLUMNS BY JIM BRADSHAW, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser's Projects 2000 Editor

• Did Vermilion Parish blacksmith share Jim Bowie's first knife?, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser
• South Louisiana industry once danced to a different tune, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, November 25, 1998
• A Discussion of Cajun Bogeymen (and Bogeywomen!): te-taille, couche mal, Madame Grande Doigt, and fille folle, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, February 25, 1998
• Study finds Louisiana Creole is more endangered than Cajun, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, November 25, 1998
• If you're one of 365,000 missing Cajuns, please send up a flare, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, August 12, 2001
• French may keep local flavor, but it likely won’t be Creole, Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, September 10, 2003

HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS

• Family Names Of Those Deported From Acadie : Acadian-Cajun Surnames, Acadian-Cajun Genealogy.
• 1671 Census of Acadia, from Acadie, The Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser's History of Acadiana, February 23, 1999, one in a special series of Daily Advertiser supplements, dedicated to preserving Acadiana's heritage and culture,.
• 1714 Census of Acadia, from "The Acadian Miracle," by Dudley J. LeBlanc.

ACADIAN FAMILY HISTORIES

Special Series of Acadian Family Histories, Saint John Telegraph-Journal, August 11, 1994.

(Allain, Arsenault, Babin, Babineau, Bastarache, Belliveau, Boucher, Boudreau, Bourdage, Bourg, Bourgeois, Caissie, Collette, Cormier, Daigle, De Varennes, Doiron, Gaudet, Gautreau, Girouard, Goguen, Gosselin, Hache-Gallant, Landry, LeBlanc, Léger/Légère, Maillet, Martin, Melanson, Petitpas, Poirier, Richard, Robichaud, Savoie, Surette, Thibodeau, and Vautour families)

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MISCELLANEOUS

• Summary of Acadian History, Carencro High School's Louisiana Studies Class Notes.