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Acadiana, Home of the Cajuns

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Cajun culture is alive and well in the south Louisiana region called Acadiana. Here, over two centuries ago, French-Canadian exiles found refuge and underwent the socio-economic evolution of their special heritage---from despised, isolated, survived, adapted, prevailed, to thrived and admired. Acadiana is a large triangular region comprising about 35% of Louisiana's geographic area. It extends across from the Texas border towards the Mississippi River and upwards from the Gulf Coast to the state's midpoint.

The region's physical features include bayous and rivers, wooded areas, prairielands, saltwater marshes, coastal cheniers (sandy ridges), and the impressive Atchafalaya swamp basin. Maps depicting the parishes of Acadiana ,Les Paroisses de Acadienne, are available for online viewing. In Louisiana, parishes correspond to counties of other states. These political subdivisions were originally based on Catholic church parish boundaries, and several of Acadiana's 22 parish names (St. Charles, St. James, and Ascension are examples) evidence the region's historically strong religious influence.

According to reliable Cajun experts, the actual word 'Acadiana' first appeared in the early 1960's as an invoice typing error noticed by a local TV station manager. That auspicious spelling mistake soon became the epigram used in combined reference to the broadcasting area and its special Acadian heritage. Within ten years, the state legislature officially recognized the regional name.

A visible symbol of cultural patriotism is the unique Acadian flag. Its design was created in 1965 by an agriculture professor at the University of Southwestern Louisiana and adopted in 1974 by the state legislature as the official banner of the Acadiana region. The flag's tricolor fields have special significance: (1) a golden star on the white field symbolizes Catholic heritage; (2) the golden castle on the red field represents the historical Spanish influence; (3) the three silver 'fleurs-de-lis' on the blue field signify French ancestry. Proudly displayed by many businesses and organizations throughout the region, this colorful emblem also illustrates books, posters, and other Cajun-related media.

Most of Acadiana's municipalities, including my hometown, are relatively small communities whose provincial attributes reflect the prevalence of Cajun culture. Although the city of New Orleans is popularly associated with Cajun cuisine, it is not actually located in an Acadiana parish but has an atmosphere which is an interesting blend of Cajun and Creole heritages. What's the difference between Cajun and Creole? That question and others will be explored in future articles.

The unofficial capital of Acadiana is its largest city, Lafayette, which is centrally located in the region. One of its television stations (KATC-3) originated the Acadiana name, continues to advertise itself as Acadiana's News Channel, and begins its weekday broadcast schedule with a 'Good Morning Acadiana' program. Athletic teams known as the 'Ragin Cajuns' compete nationally for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (formerly called USL). The city hosts a variety of events at a large indoor sports/concert facility, aptly called the CajunDome, which is also home to the 'Ice Gators' professional hockey team. Lafayette-based organizations actively promote Cajun heritage at historical attractions such as Acadian Village and Vermilionville. The Daily Advertiser newspaper, published in Lafayette and accessible online, is a major source of Acadiana information.

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