Jambalaya, Apple Pie, Chante Quelque Chose Oh Yé Yaille: A History of Cajun Culture through Music from the Early 1920s to the Late 1980s Main Menu Jambalaya, Apple Pie, Chante Quelque Chose Oh Yé Yaille The Online Exhibit Acknowledgments Many people were a part of the process of this exhibit! Introduction What is this exhibit about? The Twentieth Century for Louisiana A century of change and growth Discovery of Commercial Cajun Music: The Beginnings The introducing of Cajun traditional music to record companies in the later 1920s Discovery of Commercial Cajun Music: New Styles The 1930s was a time of changes in music styles as many imitated what was popular Discovery of Commercial Cajun Music: The Comeback World War II halted music production until victory led to a revival of folk music in the later half of the 1940s The Revival in the Second Half of the Century An era of “Renaissance” for Cajun music The Acts of Revival for Cajun Music: The Dance Hall Sounds of Zydeco The rise of Zydeco in South Louisiana and its influence to Cajun Music The Acts of Revival for Cajun Music: The Dance Hall Sounds of Swamp Pop The creation of Swamp Pop as a sub-genre of Cajun Music The Acts of Revival for Cajun Music: The Cajun Culture and Music sThe struggle between American mainstream culture and a growing counterculture The Acts of Revival: CODOFIL and Cajun Music The Acts of Revival for Cajun Music: The Contemporary Era Conclusion The Twenty-First Century Era Endnotes List of Songs The songs featured in the exhibit in order of chapters Further Research Rachel Blomquist

Defining Terms

34419 Discovery of Commercial Cajun Music: New Styles The 1930s was a time of changes in music styles as many imitated what was popular
This exhibit deals with the culture and music of the Cajuns, but what does that mean?

Culture can be considered as something that is done, not had, by people through customs, use of gestures, and food, where they chose to live, and even specific designs in clothes, jewelry, and house structures. These actions of meanings are mediated concepts that are determined socially, historically, and politically. Music, an expression of culture, is an art form that is distinguished by certain sound between different cultures.  Music is something which should be seen as a pastime for leisure or a product that exhibits a culture’s expression of their people.


CAJUN 
Ca·jun  /ˈkājən/

The word is thought to have derived from Cajun/cajen/cadien which was an abbreviation of the English language that was trying to mimic the French word acadien.


“But what is a Cajun?"

Depending on who is answering, they will tell you they are "Acadians," the descendants of those forced into exile from Acadia (today’s Nova Scotia) or will say anyone that lives the "Cajun lifestyle" of simplicity in the area of Acadiana. Historically and currently maintained, Cajuns are not Acadians, they did not live in Acadia—they are Americans or Louisianians. Cajun today, is more of a practiced culture that is continued on by people with ties to the Acadians and sometimes those that are living in a widespread culture of the twenty-two parishes of Acadiana.  

CREOLE
Cre·ole /ˈkrēˌōl/

Originally this word referred to the first generation in the New World. In Louisiana it has changed over time as well and is now a culture instead of a birthright. Historically (and presently) French Creoles are those that have French family background and typically had roots in Louisiana before its statehood, as the Black Creoles, today now called Afro-Creoles, are those that have French, African, or Caribbean heritage—or all three—that also had roots before statehood.
 

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  1. Discovery of Commercial Cajun Music: The Beginnings Rachel Blomquist
  2. Jambalaya, Apple Pie, Chante Quelque Chose Oh Yé Yaille Rachel Blomquist