Wow, apparently my thought was pretty accurate. I guess it's only because I'm half coonass. Here's a link to the history of the word.Originally Posted by Dirtydawg
http://www.cajunbonsai.com/coonasspage.htm
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Wow, apparently my thought was pretty accurate. I guess it's only because I'm half coonass. Here's a link to the history of the word.
http://www.cajunbonsai.com/coonasspage.htm
splitting hairs, but there is photographic evidance showing the word being used before WWII...
Yeah, I saw that on another site, but they didn't provide the photographic evidence. Do you have it?
No, but I can tell you the reference source I found for it:
Shane K. Bernard, The Cajuns: Americanization of a People (Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2003), pp. 96-97.
Yeah, I saw that too. I might have to check it out one day.
I'll tell you what my theory is on it. I believe the French origin simply because in my French classes, there is always reference to the people of France considering other french speaking peoples as lesser and having names for them. I suspect that the french origin of the word was used before WWII, but was really popularized at that time. Remember, the people of France didn't suddenly become aware of French Acadians during WWII. They already knew of them, not to mention the reason these people left France to begin with. This was a term I believe to have been used since the Acadians were in Nova Scotia or possibly shortly after they migrated to the Gulf Coast.
ok, have to call BS on all these sensitive feelings. Lived in Lafayette for 4 years and spent a ton of time in the marshes down around Pecan Island. Unless feelings have really changed over the years, and the cajuns gone soft on us, they were proud of the "coonass" label. I cant tell you the number of cars "back in de dey" dat had dim bumper stick'as on dat der cur. dat der stick'a say "coonass and proud of it". Call me Uncle Kracker but i dont think its a big deal.
I would have to agree with your theory. I am descended from the French exploration group that first explored the Red River in the 1790s, and I am technically a coon-ass even though I am from North Central Louisiana. I have other family from the Acadian Parishes who proudly call themselves Coon-ass and have no problem with the word. Before Huey Long, the rest of the country did not know really that much of South Louisiana and because of him, people started seeing the coon-ass in their natural habitat. WWII comes around and most Louisianans drafted go to Europe if they speak French. A few Allied men might have known of the word, but if they didn’t, they heard it from the French men who would be the ones cursing the Louisiana soldiers--the women were sleeping with them. It’s always been the case that France saw Louisiana as a bastard colony and anyone from there are not worthy to claim French heritage. This is why you see people in South Louisiana say French-Acadian, and the number of us that are not Acadian are still considered not good enough to be French…not that I lose sleep over that. :icon_wink:
I'm sorry. I didn't realize that your living in Lafayette for 4 years makes you more informed than those who have grown up down here seeing relatives and others of the older generation who do have those sensitive feelings. Like Ed says, though, he doesn't get offended by it, and I agree that most of the younger generation doesn't get offended by it. However, there still are a large majority who are deeply entrenched in their Cajun heritage that do. The ones that don't are the ones who don't know why the term originated. But hey, "Christian" started out as a derogatory label too.
The french explorers? You're Louisiana royalty. I had a great aunt (I think she's passed away), one of those crazy coonass women, who insisted and said she had proof that we were descended from Jean Lafitte. I never saw the proof. I was too scared to go to her house.I would have to agree with your theory. I am descended from the French exploration group that first explored the Red River in the 1790s, and I am technically a coon-ass even though I am from North Central Louisiana. I have other family from the Acadian Parishes who proudly call themselves Coon-ass and have no problem with the word. Before Huey Long, the rest of the country did not know really that much of South Louisiana and because of him, people started seeing the coon-ass in their natural habitat. WWII comes around and most Louisianans drafted go to Europe if they speak French. A few Allied men might have known of the word, but if they didn’t, they heard it from the French men who would be the ones cursing the Louisiana soldiers--the women were sleeping with them
I was wrong on the date, it was actually the early 1700s. My ancester was in the group that traveled with St Denis and set up shop close to where Natchitoches is today. The city that grew out from Fort St Jean Baptist was actually named Natchitoches by my ancester (apparently this is on record somewhere). I would call my family royality, but we are one of the oldest names in the state...even though there are not that many of us there. I believe there are less than 30 people in Louisiana with the last name Poisso now...
To get this back on topic, nothing would be said about Saban's story had he not went to an SEC rival of LSU.
You're exactly right.
well, when you hang with the folks that i did, you do get a pretty good feel for their perception on things. Pecan Island is harddddd coreeeeeeee. The cajuns and cajun families that I hung around with didnt mind it, as a matter of fact, they kinda had pride in it. Im sure each individual is different in their feelings but guess i develop my opinion from the majority of folks i dealt with from that group while there. But, thats just a Redneck Kracker's opinion. Stars and Bars forever !!!
Maybe we can get Luther Davis now!
yeah, saban must be a racist. you dont want to play for him!
This is an example of how things have changed in the PC era. When I was a kid you could find Registered Coon-Ass T-Shirts all over the state. Now it's become an offense to call someone a coonass. Good thing Rednecks don't have the same problem.
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