GLOSSARY OF CAJUN AND CREOLE TERMS
Written by Caelan Kuban, TLC Clincial Consultant
Posted 9/6/05

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Accordian –The dominant identifying instrument in Cajun music.

Animal Tale – A fantasy story of animals that play stereotypical roles.

Bluegrass – a variant of country music that reflects the influence of blues and jazz.

Boucherie – a community gathering in South Louisiana at which a hog is butchered and the meat is divided among all who share in the labor. Also involves musical traditions such as Cajun and zydeco

Bouki – Hyena – usually appears in Louisiana French animal tales as the dupe or trickster.

Cajun – A shortened form of Acadian.

Cajun Two-Step – Dance involving partners and upbeat music

Corrido – A Mexican ballad tradition that tells the story of current or past events or heroic figures.

Courir – In Southwest Louisiana it is used as a noun to describe a mardi gras run.

Dobro – A wooden acoustic guitar.

Fais do-do – the Louisiana French expression meaning “go to sleep”, used often in lullabyes

Frottoir – a musical instrument used in zydeco music, worn as a vest over the shoulders. Spoons are used to rub against the instrument to resonate sounds.

Loup Garou – supernatural creature in South Louisiana described as either an evil-doer or a vaguely defined, shadowy creature.

Revivalists – musicians, storytellers, and other artists who perform the folk music, tales, crafts and folk arts.

Swamp Pop – a music style created by Creole and Cajun musicians in the late 1950’s
‘Tit-fer – The Louisiana French name for a triangle.

Traiteur or Treater – a traditional healer who may use herbs, signs or prayer, or folk remedies.

Zydeco – the exhuberant dance music of southwest Louisiana’s black Creoles, sung in French.

 

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