Cajun en Zydeco
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Since EXCEPT-2 also has added a number of Cajun-songs to its repertoire, it seemed like a good idea to tell something about Cajun and Zydeco music; |
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Cajun-music originates from the southern State of Louisiana;
Click the small map for a bigger one. Well known names of places are of course: New Orleans, Lafayette and Eunice. This is where the "Acadiens" live. They were originally inhabitants of Canadian Nova Scotia (New Brunswick). Chased away by the British, they found a refuge in the swamps in the southwest of Louisiana. |
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In both Canada and Louisiana you will come across little towns by the name of
Acadia or Arcadia.
The adventures of the Acadiens have been made worldfamous through the poem "Evangeline", by the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Parts of this poem are to be found at the site Uncle Tom's Cabin & American Culture |
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Life in these isolated swamplands
(with caymen and mosquitoes) was very tough.
But then at night, when everybody went to the dance, work and troubles could be forgotten for a while. On Saturday-nights when the work was done and the table was cleaned after supper, the neighbours got together around the fireplace to enjoy the music of the fiddle and the accordion. |
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The women and the youngsters danced, while the men told their stories to one another.
It was a way to give meaning to life and to give support to each other. This tradition still exists and it is one of the things which makes the Cajuns and Southern Louisiana so special ! Without overlooking the many Spaniards, Germans and Italians who came to Louisiana in the 18th century, it can be said that it where the families from Arcadia, who turned Louisiana into what it is today. |
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They were hard working people, who loved their country.
More than a hundred years their lives remained unaltered ! These Arcadians raised big families, were very religious (Catholics), and kept their French language, traditions and culture. |
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The "Acadians" have always lived near the sea,
but they are now scattered across all of Southern Louisiana.
It was remarkable that their French language
didn't have words for things they encountered within their new environment.
They were completely unknown with the plants growing there as well with the wild animals they had never seen before. |
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For that reason a new vocabulary (and a new culture) developed;
necessary to put a name to things in everyday life.
They started using words they might have heard from the Indians or the Spaniards and adapted them to "more or less similar" words in French. Thus the word "Acadian" was corrupted to "Cajun". |
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The first state school for Cajuns were founded in 1875, but general education was not introduced until 1922 (in the English Language). From 1930 till 1960 it was forbidden to speak "Frans" or "Cajun" at school. | ||
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French and Cajun have only been reinstated at schools in Louisiana since 1968.
In this the "Codofil" foundation (Le Conseil pour le Dévelopment de Français en Louisiana) played an important role. Still the original "Cajun French has been lost for the greater part. Due to years and years of education in English, the "Cajun" language has become a mix of English and French. |
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Cajun and Zydeco music is above all "dance music".
During the many festivals in Louisiana there is often much dancing and live music in the cheerful Cajun and Zydeco "dance halls" and in the many Cajun restaurants. The popular dances in "Tabasco Country" are mainly the Zydeco, the Two-Step, the Cajun Waltz, the Cajun Two-Step and the Cajun Jitterbug. |
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Cajun music is mainly characterized by the use of the French language,
the dominant part of the accordion and the triangle (petit fer), but you can always
recognize the European roots;
In Cajun music there are two prominent trends:
the Two-Step, a kind of polka and the Slow Waltz.
It goes without saying that we are dealing with very accessible and most of all danceable music. |
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| We think it is great to be able to tell even more about the "Cajun-way-of-life"... |
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If would be great if you would send you send an E-mail with extra info to Jaap Spijk using except2@xs4all.nl |
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