What Is Cajun | Explore Lafayette Louisiana History (2024)

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What is the history of Louisiana Cajun? ›

Cajun, descendant of Roman Catholic French Canadians whom the British, in the 18th century, drove from the captured French colony of Acadia (now Nova Scotia and adjacent areas) and who settled in the fertile bayou lands of southern Louisiana. The Cajuns today form small, compact, generally self-contained communities.

Lafayette has a distinct culinary identity as the epicenter of Cajun cuisine that's earned them the title Best Food City in the USA. Lafayette's culinary scene is steeped in tradition and continues to evolve with a new generation of chefs making it an incredible place to eat.

Later, in 1823, Lafayette Parish was carved from St. Martin Parish, named after Marquis de Lafayette, a revolutionary hero. The town evolved into Lafayette and became the central hub of Acadiana, blossoming with a railroad stop, a dynamic population, and a bustling business district.

Lafayette, LA is known as "The Hub City" because of its proximity to major roadways heading north, south, east and west that lead locals and visitors to explore smaller towns.

Cajun people are ethnically and ancestrally French; nationally, they are American citizens. Initially, Cajuns were less eager to integrate into American society, but this changed after World War II.

While Lower Louisiana had been settled by French colonists since 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).

UL Lafayette was originally named the Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute (SLII), according to the 1898 legislative act that created the school on July 14.

We started using it at the station." The typo was, in fact, a logical combination of the names of the two geographic areas important to Cajun culture; Acadie, the area of Canada from which the French settlers were expelled in the late 1700's and, Louisiana, where they later settled and flourished.

The word Cajun began in 19th century Acadie. The French of noble ancestry would say, "les Acadiens", while some referred to the Acadians as, "le 'Cadiens", dropping the "A". Later came the Americans who could not pronounce "Acadien" or "'Cadien", so the word, "Cajun" was born.

Lafayette Parish was named after the Marquis de Lafayette who was getting ready to take a tour of the United States. Lafayette was a a French aristocrat and military officer who fought with colonists against the British in the Revolutionary War. He was considrered a hero of the Amerian and French revolutions.

How old is Lafayette Louisiana? ›

Originally established as Vermilionville in the 1820s and incorporated in 1836, Lafayette developed as an agricultural community until the introduction of retail and entertainment centers, and the discovery of oil in the area in the 1940s.

Lafayette was buried in France underneath dirt taken from Bunker Hill. After the 76-year-old Lafayette died in Paris on May 20, 1834, he was laid to rest next to his wife at the city's Picpus Cemetery.

It's why Lafayette has been named the "Happiest City in America" and the "Best Food City in the USA."

Lafayette is at the heart of Louisiana's Cajun & Creole Country, an area known as the Happiest City in America and it's no mystery why. The region's history dates back to the 18th century when Canada's Acadians were expelled in the late 1700s and settled in Louisiana.

Lafayette is a city in Louisiana with a population of 121,706. Lafayette is in Lafayette Parish and is one of the best places to live in Louisiana. Living in Lafayette offers residents a dense suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Lafayette there are a lot of restaurants and parks.

The descendants of one of North America's first settlers spread out throughout the British-American colonies, Caribbean, and Louisiana. Their expulsion continued through 1785. Between 1765 and 1785, about 3,000 exiles settled in South Louisiana, motivated by the Spanish government to populate the territory.

Many Cajuns claim their Acadian ancestry, despite the fact that their culture is mixed, originating from the different immigrant groups which have settled in Louisiana (French, Acadian, Spanish, Irish, Black and White Creoles…).

The exiles ended up in many locations and in 1784, the King of Spain consented to allow them to settle in South Louisiana. The Acadians then joined a scattering of their people who had arrived as early as 1765 from the Caribbean and the East Coast.

So, what's the difference between these two cuisines? While they are very similar, they do utilize different ingredients. Cajun food is typically spicier than Creole food, and it also contains more pork and crawfish. Creole food utilizes more ingredients like tomatoes, shrimp, oysters, and crab.