I'm more or less certain when one thinks of the word "
Cajun", they begin with a rather unflattering image of a toothless personage in overalls, missing a sensible number of teeth. If they wish to elaborate, perhaps they add an alligator to the picture--or, perchance, a shabby looking cabin in the backdrop of a morose-looking swamp.
Alas,
mes amis, take a good hard look at me, and compare me to your stereotype...
Because I am Cajun-American.
A lot of people can and will judge a book by it's cover, and a lot of the time people don't really know how to react whenever they ask my heritage, and I tell them plainly. I'm sure they're wondering what's the pride in being a member of a rare North American sub-culture. I'm sure they were thinking that I look relatively normal in comparison to their natural idea.
Firstly, you're probably wondering what's a Cajun anyway?
To make a long, long history quite short, "Cajun" is actually a word that describes the descendants of the French Acadians.
The French Acadians were people who had migrated to what is modern-day Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island from France to seek political and religious freedoms. They were sort of like the American patriots of their time. They developed advancements in agriculture and harvesting that were singularly unique for their primitive way of living. They created flourishing communities, and traded and cohabited with Indian natives.
However, they were living on British land. When the British began hearing rumors that the Acadians were having amazing harvests and thriving economically, they decided to remove them.
Thus began the Grand Dérangement.
Basically, the British came to the Acadian settlements, and gave them an ultimatum. If the Acadians swore allegiance to the British crown, they could remain. If they refused to swear allegiance to the British crown, they would be swiftly removed.
Needless to say, my people weren't a bunch of weak, flaky individuals.
The expulsion began in 1755, or thereabouts, and continued on until 1762.
There were many skirmishes that broke out due to resistance, and instead of keeping families together, the British threw random people into boats and sent them down along the Eastern coast of the United States.
Without geeking too much about this history, the Acadians eventually ended up in the heart of South Louisiana.
Here, they thrived.
My last name is "Trahan", which is a variation Trahand, a metonymic occupational name for a silkworker who drew the thread from the cocoons, from a derivative of
traire ‘to draw or stretch’. It has been ‘translated’ into English as "strong".
This is appropriate, haha. Anyone who knows me will say that I am quite a strong-minded individual.
I live in Abbeville, Louisiana--which is a small town approximately an hour's drive north of the Gulf of Mexico. We refer to ourselves as "delta" or "basin" people, because we basically reside on the Louisiana Delta.
My town is in the heart of Cajun Country, with about 81% of the population being of primarily Cajun decent.
We are primarily bilingual people. The region is familiar with the French language, in various forms. There is French Proper, Cajun French, and Creole French. French Proper and Cajun French are spoken largely here, with Creole French being more regional to New Orleans, and Plantation Country.
However, it's as they say, "
francais est francais!"
Meaning, if you can speak or comprehend one, you can more or less speak and comprehend the other.
I suppose I should speak a little about my life and culture here, in comparison to other places that I've been.
Here, we have the law by which one should live:
Le Bon Dieu, la famille, la langue, et la nourriture.
The Good God, the family, the language, and the food.
Traditionally, Cajuns are Roman Catholic.
Family is divided into traditional gender-roles; the father resuming a position as the head of the family, and the mother positioning herself as the neck. Children are often taught broad use of outdoor work; such as building, hunting, fishing, and farming.
English is broadly spoken, though French is often used as a means of bonding between older and younger generations. Immersion schools that promote the sole use of French in the classroom are becoming very popular.
Food is eaten ALL THE TIME. Rice is cooked with ANYTHING. Popular dishes are "rice n' gravy", "jambalaya", and LOTS and LOTS of meat.
Now, you may be wondering...what is it like, growing up as a twenty-year-old Cajun-American Woman?
It's
interesting and often
strange.
I'd have to say the most difficult part of it is balancing tradition and modernization.
For example:
"The Family" says you're damaged goods if you're not married and making babies by the time you're twenty-five.
I, personally, have no interest in being married or making babies until I am thirty, or thereabouts.
Traditional courting rituals apply for young adults, such as myself, who like to date and such. Cussing gets you reciting three rosaries, lying gets you kneeling in the confessional, and premartial sex gets you a one-way ticket to hell.
In my grandparent's house, a young Cajun woman who is openly known to not be a virgin is seen as "une chienette", or "a little dog".
Living with someone before you're married to them is also frowned upon.
As old-aged as these things may seem, it keeps a moral standard that is rather singular. Although I have an openness to religion and sexuality that sometimes scares my
grandmere, I think that I have a very healthy reasoning with both.
And, for the traditions being strict, the young people are very, very affectionate.
For instance, when I went visit friends in Maine, about two years ago, I was rather shocked by the way the two sexes interacted.
Here, for instance, boys and girls that have no desire to date one another still greet each other with hugs, and sometimes even kisses. It's a friendly thing that isn't taken with a serious context. I observed that this would perhaps be considered cheated in another area of the country, but here it's just considered friendly, and even polite.
In Maine, when I arrived, I greeted both of my friend's parents with a hug. They looked at me like I was crazy. It was amusing for the moment, but confused me upon later thought.
I discovered that physical interaction is another thing that I really enjoy about my culture. We're very touchy-feel people. Hugs, kisses, back pats, handshakes, all contribute greatly to our body language, and what we mean to say to one another.
I suppose I should talk about the opposite sex from a female's POV.
Cajun boys are notorious charmers.
I can attest that went "
Les yankes" come down here looking for romance, they aren't apt to leave.
Cajun boys have a two main occupations they can look forward to in the workforce: Farming and Petroleum.
They usually know how to dance quite well--namely to various culturally significant songs accompanying a guitar, accordion, and fiddle.
A Cajun boy will never, ever drive a car. Big, huge, trucks are testaments to manhood...
It's sort of in the same ideology of "the bigger the truck, the bigger the you-know-what".
He has two shirts "every day", and "work".
When approaching a lady, he tips his hat (if he's wearing one).
When accompanying a lady, he opens the door, remains standing until she's seated, and doesn't speak until he's spoken to.
When greeting a lady, he waits until she reaches out her hand, and then proceeds to bend and kiss it.
They're raised to be gentlemen, and avid protectors of the feminine--mind you, they can be assholes until they hit the age of thirty.
All in all, I'd say I've given a pretty good idea of where I come from.
As we speak, I'm hoping that people's ideas of Cajun-Americans can be broadened.
We come from humble and conservative roots, but we are also modern and innovative.
I'd like to think that I'm proof of that.
I look forward to breaking down walls of convention, yet at the same time being able to sit with my children and eat supper every night, and speak to them in French--as my family does every night.
C'est si bon!
