Les Cadjins de Louisiane: une survivance chantée

The survival of the Cajuns, a French-speaking minority that settled in Louisiana in the end of the 18th century, has always been menaced by the influences coming from the USA. The only way to preserve their peculiarities against the “Americanization” was (and is still) represented by their rich tradition in music. It is possible to describe the habits of this community through their songs, which reveal the Cajuns’ humbleness, their conservative attitude and their troubled past. This study gives a portrait of the Cajuns following three themes which are developed in their songs: the diaspora of the Acadians, the representations of Acadia and Louisiana and the description of the Cajun identity.