Search: cajun etymology
Why: In "Old School," Jeremy Piven calls James Carville the "Ragin' Cajun." I put Cajun seasoning in my gumbo.
Answer: It comes from the French pronunciation of Acadian, which is "Acajin." Acadia was a region in northeastern North America (parts of eastern Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New England) that were once part of the French colonial empire.
In the summer of 1755, the British attacked and burned Acadian homes at the outbreak of the French and Indian War between Britain and France, accusing Acadians of disloyalty. Those who still refused to swear loyalty to the British crown then suffered what is referred to as the Great Upheaval, when 6,000–7,000 Acadians were expelled. Many fled to the 13 colonies.
After 1764, many exiles finally settled in Louisiana, which had been transferred by France to Spain before the end of the French and Indian War. The corrupted name Cajun was first used as a pejorative term, but is now mainstream.
Source: WikipediaThe More You Know: Other people of Cajun descent include
