Saturday, April 19, 2008




I am, obviously, a Cajun descended from the Acadians exiled from Acadia (modern Nova Scotia) in the 1750's. On this blog I mostly write about how I view religion and history, but a major part of who I am is my South Louisiana heritage. It is a cultural Gumbo, influenced by many that has grown out of the coming together of many cultures. Acadian, French, Spanish, African, German, etc.... The dominate culture was, until the mid 20th century, mostly Acadian/French with strong African/French undercurrents. Music is important part of our Culture.

Our native language (Cajun/Creole) was systematically attacked for most of the 20th century, until it has been almost destroyed. I know more French than most of my generation and I am very far from fluent. My parents, like most parent of my peers, did not teach us French, because they had been punished for speaking French and were made to be ashamed of the language when they attended school. If you spoke French on the school grounds, even if you knew no English, you were punished.


I pray and work for it's renaissance of our almost lost language.

Here are some links to examples of cajun/Creole Zydeco music on You Tube:







Some more modern Cajun/Creole music:







This is just a very small sample of South Louisiana music. Laissez les Bon Temps Rouler


Coram Deo,
Kenith

4 comments:

Scotty J. Williams said...

Thanks for telling it like it is bro.....because of the treatment given to our people, Creole was not my first language and my family tried their best to simply forget about their heritage. For years my mother saw our Creole heritage as less important, and in the end I had to get really serious with her to make her tell me the truth. The sad part is that many Creoles who convert to the Protestant Evangelical faith try to use Jesus as a replacement for the culture they have lost.

Paix

gallicman said...

Thank God for the Spanish Catholics who gave refuge to the Acadians. English Protestants got rid of Catholic Acadians for their Catholic faith not for their nationality. The war against the Acadiens was as much a reaction against the Acadians refusal to submit themselves to the British Crown as it was for religion. One of the principal reasons that the Acadiens refused to sign the oath of loyalty to the British crown was due to Religion. It is ironic to think that Cajun decedents have abandoned the very reason they came to Louisiana. Viva Cristo Rey.

Cajun Huguenot said...

Hello Gallicman,

You are correct. The New Englanders who wanted to be rid of the Acadiens were hostile to them because they were Roman Catholic.

Most Cajuns today are still Roman Catholic as are most Creoles. There was plenty of Religious persecution to go around back then. I am VERY proud of my ancestors and their courage under persecution.

In fact I attended Mass today, because I was unable to attend church yesterday. I had to work.

I have always loved the liturgy (and still do) and this mornings homily was good. I did go up during Eucharist, but I had may arms crossed and I recieved a blessing from the priest. I did not partake of the sacrament.

For me to be able to partake of the Eucharist, I would have to lie. I can not be a Roman Catholic because it is the faith of my ancestors, to return for that and not for faith would be a sin also.

I am not anti-Catholic. And some of my Protestant friends have told me that I am too Catholic in my thinking to be a proper modern Protestant. They may be correct, but I am also far to Protestant to be accepted by the Church at Rome.

I am where I am. In any given month, since I work shift work, I will attend Presbyterian, Episcopal, Roman Catholic, and more rarely Baptist.

I've read a good deal of the writings of the Church Fathers. I study Church history.

Thanks for your comment.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

James H said...

Let me respond to the Secession Question as a whole as to Foreign Countries

First, I think Americans and the United States Govt look through this through the lens of American Foreign Policy

I for one was never hot on QUEBEC Seccession then (mainly because of the Cold War and Quebec supplying so much of our Power) or now. However as to Quebec , and as to the UK I do not not know enough about their own Const like arrangement to make a judgement

I will say as to the UK . I am pretty cool on these seccesion like tendencies we see over there. At at tiem where Europe and the UK might be fighting for its life I am not sure dilluting the UK Brand is very profitable. They might becoming a glaring example of in 50 years a "House Divided cannot stand.

I am more Pro Kososvo because of their history

There is a flip side to these. While many might think using a analogy that the gas company can absolve you from rights and obligations to the phone company. What happens to those that do not wish for it to be absolved. Can I secede from them and maintain my allegiance to the Soverign?