CAJUN OR COONASS? EXPLORING ETHNIC LABELS IN FRENCH LOUISIANA REGIONAL DISCOURSE

Abstract

This article explores the evolution of the label “coonass,” debates over its meaning, and recent patterns of use of the term in French Louisiana regional discourse. Coonass has been associated with the Cajun French for at least 70 years. The term became more widely used in the 1970s and 1980s as it was socially, politically, and economically commodified in conjunction with French Louisiana regional promotions and Cajun ethnic revival. Use of coonass has been opposed by some Cajun individuals and Cajun ethnic organizations. Some scholars have posited divergent meanings of coonass versus Cajun/Acadian. However, coonass is commonly accepted and used by Cajuns, with patterns of use linked to degree of involvement in ethnic organizations, social class, gender, and context.