Home sweet home.
I heard several people refer to themselves as a "Coonass", considering someone on this forum said that people don't like being called a coonass, and prefer being called a cajun, I find that rather funny. Never heard one person call themselves a cajun, but I heard the word coonass about 7 times.
Dan "Quarterass" McCabe
BTW, they taste much better then they look and they look great.
Yum! Makes me want to make a “coon ass” microwave this summer.
You have to understand that the word Coonass was derived from the french slang word coonasse (sp?). This word basically means son of a prostitute. It was coined during the early 20th century during oil boom. It was a name given to the local rig workers. During the '70s-'80's it was considered acceptable to call someone from the Acadiana area a coonass. But times are changing. We are trying to get away form this derogatory word. You would be wise not to call us folks coonass, because that is considered fighting words in certain circles.
Now I am not Cajun (not in my bloodline), but I was born and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana. I consider myself a South Louisianan first and an American second.
I may talk funny, but I am a product of my culture.
But man I am hungry!! Thank goodness it is time for Festival International de Louisiane
We are?
Those Acadians talking in that video, that was filmed in 2010, did not mind using the word coonass, matter of fact, they seemed proud of it.
Only the "uppity" Acadians find it offensive and who are you to tell me what I should or should not say?
I can and will say whatever I want, to whomever I want.
Thanks for the history lesson. (NOT!)
"You have to understand", ROTFLMAO!
STILL ROTFLMAO!
Sorry, but I had to Wiki the term: Coonass, or Coon-ass, is used in reference to a person of Cajun ethnicity. Many consider it an insult but others consider it a compliment or badge of honor. Although many Cajuns use the word in regard to themselves, other Cajuns view the term as an ethnic slur against the Cajun people, especially when used by non-Cajuns. Socioeconomic factors appear to influence how Cajuns are likely to view the term: working-class Cajuns tend to regard the word "coonass" as a badge of ethnic pride, whereas middle- and upper-class Cajuns are more likely to regard the term as insulting or degrading, even when used by fellow Cajuns in reference to themselves.[1] (In Sociolinguistics, this type of behavior is termed covert prestige.) Despite an effort by Cajun activists to stamp out the term, it can be found on T-shirts, hats, and bumper stickers throughout Acadiana, the 22-parish Cajun homeland in south Louisiana.[1] The term is also used by some of Cajun descent in nearby East Texas and Mississippi.
he origins of "coonass" are obscure, and Cajuns have put forth several folk etymologies in an effort to explain the word's origin. Some amateur linguists believe that the word refers to the Cajuns' occasional habit of eating raccoons, or from the use of coonskin caps by the Cajuns' ancestors while fighting in the Battle of New Orleans or in the Revolutionary War under Spanish colonial Governor Bernardo de Gálvez. Other amateur linguists attribute the term to the racial slur "coon," used in reference to African-Americans — thus implying that Cajuns are lower than African-Americans in social standing. Another holds that the term derives from the shape of Cajun women after having children (like a raccoon viewed from above).[2] And yet another folk etymology maintains that "coonass" is a corruption of the French and Latin word “cunnus," a vulgar term for vulva.
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." According to the French Wiktionary, the French Larousse dictionnary, and the French Wikipedia, "connasse" entered the French language at the beginning of the 19th century and the term translates loosely to dirty prostitute. Domengeaux asserted that Frenchmen used the term in reference to Cajun soldiers serving in France during World War II, and that Anglo-American soldiers overheard the term, transformed it into "coonass" and brought it back to the U.S. as a disparaging term for Cajuns. Citing Domengeaux's etymology, Louisiana legislators passed a concurrent resolution in the 1980s condemning the word. Contrary to popular belief, the lawmakers did not ban the term.[2] Research has since disproved Domengeaux's "connasse" etymology. Indeed, photographic evidence shows that Cajuns themselves used the term prior to the time in which "connasse" allegedly morphed into "coonass."[3]
Gov. Edwin Edwards used to refer to himself as a coonass and so did many others. Until that dumb ass came up with the "Dirty whore" theory, the Air National Guard in Belle Chasse was known by the nickname of "Coonass Militia" and after that idiot and his theory they had to change their nickname to the "Bayou Militia".
Not once, it the video that started this, did anyone refer to themselves as a "cajun", they all called themselves "coonasses" and they are the kind of people that I would want to be around, not some uppity wannabe.
COONASS
In Quebec,
une connasse (or conne) is an imbecile female
un connard (or con) is an imbecile male
Sometimes the word "pauvre" (poor) is used to take it down a notch; pauvre con, pauvre connasse. Or sometimes "mechant" (masculin), mechante (feminin) to take up a notch; this one could be translated to "major": mechant con, mechante connasse.
The word "con" is originally from France, and is slang for a body part.
Rarely used as compliment, this word & its variations.
> In Quebec,
>
> une connasse (or conne) is an imbecile female
> un connard (or con) is an imbecile male
>
> Sometimes the word "pauvre" (poor) is used to take it down a notch; pauvre con, pauvre connasse. Or sometimes "mechant" (masculin), mechante (feminin) to take up a notch; this one could be translated to "major": mechant con, mechante connasse.
>
> The word "con" is originally from France, and is slang for a body part.
>
> Rarely used as compliment, this word & its variations.
In Louisiana the word con can be used in the term ex-con like our former 'coonass' governor Edwin Edwards that Dan cites here, He was a governor for 12 years and a federal convict for 10 years.:-)
To me a real cajun or coonass if one prefers that appellation is a person who speaks cajun french. In the 70's there was a strong movement to revive the lanquage/culture because it was being lost. Groups like CODOFIL and Alliance for Francaise Louisianne started to advance the culture.
But there were many who rode around with bumpers stickers saying "Coonass on Board" or little car stickers of a cute racoon with the letters RCA (registered coonass) but they could not speak french.
so if you speak cajun french then you can call yourself a coonass like the gentlemen in the short film and if you don't than you just have coonass ancestry. a true cajun is a francophile who loves his culture snd lanquage.
My favorite cajun artist..Horace Trahan, I have been listening to him for many years.
His early stuff with the Ossun express is all in French and he is a great accodianist and fiddle player.
[flash width=560 height=315] http://www.youtube.com/v/4oPDfEKf2pQ?version=3&hl=en_US [/flash]
"so if you speak cajun french then you can call yourself a coonass like the gentlemen in the short film and if you don't than you just have coonass ancestry. a true cajun is a francophile who loves his culture snd lanquage."
That is your opinion and you are entitled to it, but I don't believe that being able to speak "Cajun French" is a requirement. If you have the ancestry then that is enough.
I do, however, share your dislike of "posers", it is sort of like a guy that gives his company a French name, when he was born and raised in the Northeast. 😉
Yet another theory ...
One of the native American tribes existing in Southwest Louisiana at the time of the Acadian settlement was the "Cun-Ahsse." Their tribe was completely absorbed by the Acadians over a long period of time.
Yet another theory ...
> One of the native American tribes existing in Southwest Louisiana at the time of the Acadian settlement was the "Cun-Ahsse." Their tribe was completely absorbed by the Acadians over a long period of time.
You sure it wasn't the Fugawee tribe.;-)
The only tribes that I know in that area are the Coushatta and the Chitamacha. The Chitamacha were absorbed by the Acadiens and began to speak Cajun French but they do have a casino outside of Franklin. I have some beautiful and intricate pine straw baskets made by the Coushatta.
My son learned all th tribes of Louisiana in 3rd grade this year. They spend a lot of time on Louisiana culture and history in school this year. Last Friday, they even had a little crawfish boil at school. They also took a field trip to the Honey Island swamp and he saw a 16' alligator. They fed it hot dogs and marshmellows. 😛
Anyway, I will check my Louisiana reference history and native books tonight and get back to you.
Down South of New Orleans to pick up some frozen fish to haul to Winnipeg a couple of times. Stopping to get directions sometimes took several stops to get an English speaker you could understand. They might have been messing with me, but I kept at it until I got to the right warehouse. Hauled two loads of frozen ground fish out of the Delta for Mink food in Canada. Winter of 68-69. Did have a guy who claimed to be Cajan that married an Athena girl in 56, he did talk kind of funny, heck most of us had never even seen a Negro, let alone a Cajan. Anyone not from there talked funny, not much TV to acclimate us to the rest of the country. We had one channel where it mostly snowed. The Cajan, Eddy Marquez, only went back to visit and passed on about 10 years ago.
jud
