When expelled from Nova Scotia by the British in the 1700s, the French Acadian farmers settled around Lafayette, a region of 22 parishes that would come to be known as Acadiana. Their descendants, commonly called Cajuns, still speak a French dialect and observe the traditions of their ancestors. Like gumbo, the staple of Cajun cuisine, Acadiana has become a melting pot of cultures. French is still the dominant influence, with traces of Spanish, African, Native American, German and English. Learn More...