Coonazz = Racial Slur?

It always pays to be selective. I've known some Acadian grandmothers who would be highly offended by the term, but they are also offended by the word "Cajun ". Conversely, I know Cajuns who take great pride in all things coonasstic.

You can make an insult of it if you want to. Walk into a bar in Marksville and say "All you coonasses eat chit!", and you will definitely find yourself a dance.

But a coonass joke is a joke, for heaven sakes.


One night, a torrential rain soaked St. Landry Parish; the next morning the resulting floodwaters came up about 6 feet into most of the homes along the bayou.

Mrs. Boudreaux was sitting on her roof with her neighbor, Mrs. Thibodeaux, waiting for help to come. Mrs. Thibodeaux noticed a baseball cap, floating near the house.

Then she saw it float far out into the front yard, then float back to the house; it kept floating away from the house, then back towards house. Her curiosity got the best of her, so she asked Mrs. Boudreaux, "Do you see dat dere baseball cap a floatin' away from the house, den back again?"

Mrs. Boudreaux said, "Oh yeah, dass my husband; I tole dat coonass he gonna cut the grass today, come hell or high water."

 

My late uncle, who was a direct descendent of the 4 Prejean brothers who immigrated from Nova Scotia to South La. (he was a Napoleonville Prejean, as opposed to a Mamou Prejean), was highly sensitive about his heritage, to the point that he even considered the word "cajun" to be a slur. I never understood why.

 

Boudreaux and Thibodaux went to a oil drilling company to apply for jobs. Boudreaux saw the personnel man first.
Boudreaux: "I'm a pilot,"
Personnel: "We always need good pilots. We'll start you right away."

Then Thibodaux went in, saying,"I'm a cane cutter."
Personnel: "We're an oilfield company; we don't need cane cutters." Thibodaux: "Tthen why'd you hire my friend Boudreaux?"
Personnel: "He's a pilot."
Thibodaux: "Well, if I don't cut the cane, how can he pile-it?"

I always liked that one.