Cajun

For the rocket, see Cajun (rocket). Cajon girls from Raceland (Louisiana). 1938.

The Acadians or Cajuns (pronounced / keɪdʒən / in English, les Cadiens or les Acadiens, /le.(z‿a)kaʒɛ/ in French) are an ethnic group located in the state of Louisiana (United States). They descend from exiles from Acadia during the second half of the eighteenth century, after the incorporation of a part of the French territories of New France to the British Crown. It also includes other people with whom they later joined, such as Spaniards, Germans, and French Creoles. The Cajun language is a dialect from French. Today, cajuns form an important community south of the state of Louisiana, where they have greatly influenced their culture. Important cultural centers of Cajun are the towns of Lafayette and Lake Charles. In 1980, they were officially recognized by the US government as an ethnic group.

Cajun music has exerted a notable influence and has given rise to genres such as zydeco.

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