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re: Differences between a Cajun and Coonass
Posted on 1/28/14 at 9:04 am to Hopeful Doc
Posted on 1/28/14 at 9:04 am to Hopeful Doc
That is very good.
1
Posted on 1/28/14 at 9:13 am to Geauxtiga
Posted on 1/28/14 at 9:39 am to GotDucks?
quote:
I define it as Cajuns- Exiled from Acadia. Ancestry is European Coonass- Cajun/Native American mix.
Coonass is more a way of life IMO, whereas Cajun is heritage. I have both cajun and Native American heritage and most people don't even believe that I'm from Louisiana, because I have no discernible accent. I'm definitely not a coonass.
Posted on 1/28/14 at 9:40 am to rantfan
Gotta disagree with coonass being a Indian mix. Down here that would be a Sabine. I have always thought of us coonasses as saltwater Cajuns.
Posted on 1/28/14 at 9:41 am to jivy26
Eunice coonass country or Cajun?
Posted on 1/28/14 at 9:46 am to Hoops
I always think of coonasses from bayou parishes and Cajuns from areas more west near Lafayette.
Posted on 1/28/14 at 10:07 am to Hammertime
quote:
Pretty good description there
100% coonass.
And yes, very good description. Posted on 1/28/14 at 10:29 am to jivy26
"Lifelong,"lol. From BR.
In the 70's & before, Coonass was what Cajuns were called by the protestant oilmen who moved in. As in telling your daughter "you're not datin' no coonass!" It was just co-opted into a badge of honor.
People in LA have some trouble with this, but the Klan was anti-Catholic too.
In the 70's & before, Coonass was what Cajuns were called by the protestant oilmen who moved in. As in telling your daughter "you're not datin' no coonass!" It was just co-opted into a badge of honor.
People in LA have some trouble with this, but the Klan was anti-Catholic too.
Posted on 1/28/14 at 11:15 am to Tigah in the ATL
There is a group here in Lafayette who believe that Coonass is a negative, almost racist term. They gave Jamie Bergeron all kinds of hell over his song "Registered Coon arse" a while back. I believe they prefer "Cajun American".
Posted on 1/28/14 at 11:43 am to toddzilla
My grandmother is old school Cajun. Don't ever call her a coonass. She is only 5 feet tall ( if that) but she will clobber you with her umbrella or whatever is close enough for her to put a beating on you. From Acadia parish area. G-Paw was the same way but he was 6 foot
Posted on 1/28/14 at 11:56 am to Bandit30
I believe that term is derogatory, ugly, and I never use it. I especially don't like it when people from out of state use it in an effort to be all chummy with me.
I also acknowledge that I'm likely the minority in that view. I'm just proud to be from Louisiana. I was born and raised in the swamp. I qualify for the term. But it's not how identify myself.
I also acknowledge that I'm likely the minority in that view. I'm just proud to be from Louisiana. I was born and raised in the swamp. I qualify for the term. But it's not how identify myself.
Posted on 1/28/14 at 11:59 am to bayoudude
quote:
Down here that would be a Sabine.
We use this term as well. My mom would call me this when I would run around bare foot as a kid.
Posted on 1/28/14 at 12:01 pm to Bandit30
My dad's aunt was old school from New Roads. 'Tante Marie' didn't even like the term "Cajun".
Posted on 1/28/14 at 12:02 pm to toddzilla
quote:
There is a group here in Lafayette who believe that Coonass is a negative, almost racist term. They gave Jamie Bergeron all kinds of hell over his song "Registered Coon arse" a while back. I believe they prefer "Cajun American".
That's just dumb. Growning up on "da bayou" Bayou Lafourche.
Everyone considered themselves more coon arse than Cajun. But used both and never saw it as a derogatory remark. 
Posted on 1/28/14 at 12:03 pm to SpqrTiger
You'll enjoy life more The less you let yourself get offended, especially with name calling.
Army?
quote:
SpqrTiger
Army?
Posted on 1/28/14 at 12:04 pm to saderade
quote:
I always think of coonasses from bayou parishes and Cajuns from areas more west near Lafayette.
Lafayette area is what I call a Prairie Cajun.
Posted on 1/28/14 at 12:14 pm to SpqrTiger
quote:
I believe that term is derogatory, ugly, and I never use it.
I kind of alluded to this earlier. There are two distinct uses of the term. Oddly enough, it's kind of like most other racist terms, the most notable being the single one that would get you banned from typing (in every instance that I have seen it typed here, of course. I may be off). People on the outside of the group use it in an effort to refer to the people that it applies to in a derogatory manner. A particular subset of people within the group use it to refer to themselves affectionately. Those who are part of the group who don't use it to refer to themselves because they also think it is derogatory look down on those that do use it to refer to themselves to some extent.
Posted on 1/28/14 at 10:28 pm to Hopeful Doc
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"coonass" origin
quote:
Coonass, or Coon-arse is used in reference to a person of Cajun ethnicity.
quote:
The most popular folk etymology, however, stems from late Louisiana congressman and cultural activist James "Jimmy" Domengeaux, who maintained that "coonass" derived from the continental French word "connasse."
"coonass" origin
Posted on 1/28/14 at 11:16 pm to Redbone
My understanding is that it was a corruption of some French form of the Latin "cunnus" that was used in WWI era Paris as a reference to the lowest street prostitutes. English was largely a second language to the Cajuns of the day and that meant the S La draftees got the shite jobs, which in turn led to the contempt of the Continental French. It also led to FDR's efforts at forced assimilation in his buildup to WWII.
From my N La perspective, Cajun is more strictly ethnic and coonass is more a distinct lifestyle and culture. I've known several Italian families from S La who weren't Cajun by definition but were most definitely coonass.
From my N La perspective, Cajun is more strictly ethnic and coonass is more a distinct lifestyle and culture. I've known several Italian families from S La who weren't Cajun by definition but were most definitely coonass.
This post was edited on 1/28/14 at 11:21 pm
Posted on 1/28/14 at 11:18 pm to saderade
quote:
always think of coonasses from bayou parishes and Cajuns from areas more west near Lafayette.
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