Have you ever typed in a few words on Google just to see what funny search terms pop up? I decided to do that to see what folks are Googling about Cajuns, and it's pretty entertaining.

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Around the world, Cajuns and Cajun culture can be a bit mysterious and confusing. Those of us in Acadiana know our history of Le Grand Dérangement, but most people around the country know very little about it if they've even heard about it at all.

People from around the globe will utilize Google to learn about all things Cajun, and because of how Google tracks popular search terms, we can see exactly what they're searching for about us.

Below are some of the top Google searches about Cajun food, language, history, and even searches about what Cajuns look like.

What Do Cajuns Look Like?

Can you tell someone is Cajun simply by looking at them?

Well, maybe those of us from Acadiana might be able to spot a Cajun in a crowd just by looking, but technically, there aren't any ethnic defining characteristics that someone not from the area could really look for.

Dark hair, and maybe slightly darker skin tones are arguably Cajun characteristics, but neither is completely definitive.

The best way to tell if someone is Cajun? Just look for the funniest, most charming, most captivating, best-looking person in the room and chances are, you've found a Cajun.

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What Do Cajuns Call Crappie?

Believe it or not, this is the second most popular search on Google for "What Do Cajuns".

People really want to know what we call crappie fish y'all. Well, admittedly the word sac-a-lait is pretty fun to say. It also makes the fish sound instantly more appetizing don't you think?

I can imagine a fancy restaurant in Salt Lake City serving up and overcharging for "Cajun Sac-a-lait" instead of "Cajun Crappie".

What Do Cajuns Speak?

Well, we speak English of course, but clearly, the Google search is looking for information about Cajun French. It's also called Cajun English and even Cajun Vernacular English.

Wikipedia describes Cajun French by saying "Louisiana French differs, sometimes markedly, from Metropolitan French in terms of pronunciation and vocabulary, partially due to unique features in the original settlers' dialects and partially because of the long isolation of Louisiana Creoles (including Cajuns) from the greater francophone world."

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Why Do Cajuns Say Sha?

We don't spell it that way, of course, we spell it "Cher" but "Sha" is still a somewhat acceptable spelling.

For people outside of Acadiana, "Cher" represents something completely different, but for Cajuns, it's a term of endearment, on par with "dear" or "sweetie". It's interesting to me how the term has seemed to catch on around the U.S. in recent years, so the fact people are looking it up on Google makes sense to me.

Why Do Cajuns Wear White Boots?

Gotta be honest, I was really excited to see this show up as one of the most searched things about Cajuns on Google.

Cajuns wear white rubber boots, affectionately referred to as "Delcambre Reebok's", because they look so good. Well, to us they look good...not really but kind of.

Anyway, for those who don't know we do a lot of shrimping, crabbing, "crawshing", and fishing, I guess wearing white rubber boots might seem odd.

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How Do Cajuns Say Hello?

Typically Cajuns say "Hello" by simply saying "Hello"...duh.

However, it kind of all depends on who we're talking to right?

Often times we use the traditional French word "Bonjour". However, we'll usually add something else to it such as "Bonjour Mon Ami" meaning "Hello my good friend".

There are a few more common ways Cajuns say hello as well like "Comment ça va?" meaning "How's it going?" or "Qui ça dit?" meaning "What's up?".

Where Do Cajuns Come From?

Initially, Cajuns originated from the rural regions of France and began settling in Acadie, now Nova Scotia in Canada.

In the early 1700s, Great Britain acquired Acadie and that's when things began to get difficult for the Acadians. Basically, they weren't about that British Royalty " just be good servants" life. When the Acadians refused to swear allegiance to the British crown and church they were rounded up by British officers, placed on ships, and kicked out of Acadie and Canada.

This of course is known as Le Grand Dérangement. As a result, Cajuns wound up in many different locations such as France, Britain, the Caribbean, and the area of the U.S. that is now the East Coast.

After arriving in these new places many Cajuns were not happy with their surroundings, so they loaded up their pirogue and went and found new places to live.

One of those places was right here in South Louisiana. In the early 1800s, roughly 400 Cajuns settled the area that would eventually become Acadiana.

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How Do Cajuns Pronounce Boudin?

Throughout my life, I have heard some jaw-dropping pronunciations of boudin. I'm not making fun because admittedly boudin can be a tricky name to say correctly. I've heard "Boo-Dain", "Bowden", "BooDAAN" and more that I've gone through therapy to forget. However, out of all of the insane pronunciations of boudin, the one that gets me a lil heated is "Cajun Sausage".

So, how do Cajuns say it? Try saying "Boo-Nah" a few times, and say it sort of quickly..."Nah" like you're telling someone you don't want to do something. Once you have that down, change the N to a D and say "Boo-Dah" and keep the quick pace when you say it.

Still confused? It's OK, just don't call it "Cajun Sausage" and you'll be just fine.

Are Cajuns Inbred?

Although this Google search term is highly offensive, when you think about what people from outside of Acadiana see in movies and on TV, it's understandable why someone would search that question.

The answer is NO.

That being said, some very interesting research has been conducted pertaining to Cajun's DNA and something called the "Acadian Usher Syndrome". Read more at houmatoday.com.

Is Cajun Food Spicy?

If you're someone not from Acadiana and you haven't tried any Cajun food because you're worried it's too spicy for you, I have some good news. Sometimes Cajun food is spicy, and sometimes it's not. It's definitely a misconception that all Cajun food is spicy. This misconception is perpetuated partly by movies and television, and partly due to bad restaurants outside of Acadiana claiming to serve "Authentic Cajun Food".

From spoonuniversity.com -

Cajun food is not always spicy, but it always has spice. When it is spicy, it should never be so hot that it overpowers the flavor. Instead, the Cajun 'holy trinity' of onions, celery, and green bell peppers contribute to the flavor along with spices like pepper, salt, and cayenne.

 

Oh, and no, Cajun food is not burnt like you always see in movies.

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