Deep within the bayous and swamps of Louisiana resides a population
descended from an exodus. These people, called Cajuns or Acadians, were
expelled from their homelands. Persecuted and homeless, they traveled
hundreds of miles south in search of a new home and ultimately settled
in the Pelican State, where they made new lives for themselves free from
their British conquerors. Though not always warmly welcomed, they were
accepted, allowing them to practice their different culture amidst their
new neighbors.
Though their home has changed flags over the
centuries, the people themselves have remained, retaining a culture that
goes back several centuries. While people continue to assimilate, some
have continued to live same lifestyles their ancestors did for
generations, and they continue to fascinate outsiders, so much so that
they occasionally end up being featured on the History Channel.
Vibrant,
up-tempo vocals and exquisitely soulful harmonies paired with an
accordion-heavy and drum-tastic blend of folksy and bluesy instrumentals
that one cannot help but tap one's foot to. Rich and creamy,
ultra-seasoned bisques. Flavorful, aromatic gumbos packed with tomatoes,
smoked sausages, chicken, and shellfish. A heavenly concoction of stewed rice and an assortment of meats and seafood, enlivened with
tomatoes, celery, onions, and peppers, otherwise known as “red
jambalaya.” Striking paintings featuring bright pops of color and
featureless silhouettes of men, women, and children with varying shades
of brown skin. These are often the first sounds, scents, tastes, and
visuals evoked when the word “Creole” is brought up in a conversation.
Contrary
to popular belief, the term “Creole” is not restricted to the Louisiana
Creole, nor the Creoles of color, which collectively refers to the
overall ethnic group and different local Creole cultures that blossomed
across the Spanish and French colonies in Louisiana, Mississippi, and
northwestern Florida. Today, the term is much more complex and may be
applied to any of the various Creole cultures around the globe. The word
may also be used to describe any language that has spawned from a
mixture of languages, or specifically the associated, but distinct
tongues developed within Creole communities, as well as the speakers of
these languages themselves.
Generally speaking, however, the word
“Creole” refers to the cultures birthed from the colonial-era racial and
cultural mixing between Europeans (mostly of French, Spanish, or
Portuguese descent) and Africans, as well as Native Americans, and other
local or indigenous peoples in French, Spanish, and Portuguese
territories. The merging of the above-mentioned heritages is a process
now known as “creolization.” Indeed, the image of a caramel-skinned
individual with a combination of Afrocentric, Native American, and
Caucasian physical features falls within the extensive realm of “Creole
culture,” but it is important to remember that the Creole peoples come
in all complexions, shapes, and sizes, ranging from darker skin coupled
with predominantly “African” traits and virtually no visible signs of
European ancestry, to sets of blue or green eyes set amongst other
ambiguously “Caucasian” characteristics. Beige-skinned individuals
sculpted with an assortment of Spanish and Southeast Asian features, as
seen in many of the Filipino Creole, also belong to the same category.
The
Cajuns and Creoles: The History and Legacy of the Unique Ethnic Groups
in the American South and Caribbean profiles the people, from their
origins to their history across the world. Along with pictures of
important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Cajuns
and Creoles like never before.
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