Pride in our language restored

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Louisiana is a wonderful blend of many different cultures and histories. During the colonial years prior to statehood, Louisiana was settled by French, Spanish, Acadian ( Acadien) French and German settlers.

The French people of Louisiana have a rich language history. The types of French cultures in Louisiana are namely, The French (from France), Acadian French (from Acadia or present day Nova Scotia) and the Creole (or Kreyols who are a mix of many cultures including French and Acadian French) . 

The Acadians: Sent to by France to settle Acadia (l'Acadie and now, Nova Scotia) largely from the French region of Poitou, they took the 17th century French language with them. This language has undergone almost as many migrations and alterations as did this great Acadian Culture (Acadien) which experienced ENORMOUS adversity against the survival of our culture.

One such adversity was the 1916, State Legislative Act 27, banning of speaking French in public schools in Louisiana. And, be informed that this was yet another attempt at the assimilation of this French culture by the English speaking Imperialists. During this horror, children were punished for speaking French. Their parents stopped speaking to them in French and spoke only English so that their children would not be punished or face ridicule.

Not only did this generation experience the horror of English imperialistic ridicule, but it was the generation that experienced having to turn their back on their family French speaking heritage that up to this point was passed on for better than 500 documented years.

This horror resulted in yet another brutal expulsion of the Acadians who had been brutally removed from their American homeland by the British in 1755. This time it was a linguistic and cultural expulsion. It was not until the 1960's that this horror was re-thought by the Louisiana authorities. The legislature instituted CODOFIL (Council for the Development of French in Louisiana) which was established in 1968.

From that time until now the French speaking population began to increase again. We are now experiencing a resurgence in the PRIDE that our families have felt since being sent to settle the American continent.

Louisiana law NOW states: 

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Legislature of Louisiana, the Senate thereof concurring that the Legislature of Louisiana designate the cultural region known as The Heart of Acadiana within the state of Louisiana consisting of, but not exclusively, the following parishes: Acadia, Avoyelles, Ascension, Assumption, Calcasieu, Cameron, Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, Pointe Coupée, St. Charles, St. James, St. John, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, Terrebonne, Vermilion, West Baton Rouge, and other parishes of similar cultural environment.Therefore, since these other parishes outside of the 22 named parishes also have a French-speaking population, and by extension a similar cultural environment of French-speaking culture, they are also considered to be part of (The Heart of) Acadiana.

This region includes native Louisiana French speakers from many walks of life whether they be Cajun, Creole or American Indian. This region also includes an increasing number of heritage French speakers who have realized the importance of French in Louisiana and have dedicated themselves to learning to speak French like their French-speaking families.


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