Cajuns
The Cajuns, also known as Acadians (Louisiana French: les Acadiens), are a group mainly living in the U.S. state of Louisiana, and in the Canadian maritimes provinces as well as Québec, consisting in part of the descendants of the original Acadians, who inhabited the French colony Acadia.
While Lower Louisiana had been settled by French colonists since the late 17th century, the Cajuns trace their roots to the influx of Acadian settlers after the expulsion from Acadia during the French and British hostilities prior to the Seven Years' War (1756 to 1763). Since their establishment in Louisiana, the Cajuns have developed their own dialect, Cajun French, and developed a vibrant culture including folkways, music, and cuisine.
In Louisiana, Acadian and Cajun are often used as broad cultural terms without reference to actual descent from the deported Acadians. Today, the Cajuns make up a significant portion of south Louisiana's population and have exerted an enormous impact on the state's culture.
