Back to Start Cajun Music Cajun Life Cajun History
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The migration of the French Acadians to Louisiana was neither smooth nor
immediate. Many were shipped to
the New England colonies, others to the West Indies or back to France, and
many wandered for 20 years
before learning that they were welcome in the predominantly French territory
of Louisiana. Here they
established small farms along the Mississippi River, Bayou Teche, Bayou
Lafourche and other streams in the
southern part of the region. Fishing and trapping villages were established
in the swamplands. Cajun Country
today lies within a triangle whose base is the Louisiana coast and whose
apex is near Alexandria in the central
part of the state. The triangle contains 22 parishes and the regions
principal city, Lafayette, is the unofficial
capital of "Acadiana".
Originally farmers, trappers and fishermen, todays Cajuns occupy virtually
every occupation and are the
backbone of the states oil and gas exploration and production industry,
particularly offshore. When oil was first
discovered in the North Sea more than 5,000 Cajuns with experience working
on oil rigs in the open sea were
employed to drill the first wells and to provide training.
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