The Ethnics of New Orleans; and an Old Creole Ethnic Taunt

After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, this little insulting verse was commonly used by the Creole children.

'Mericain coquin,

'Bille en nanquin;

Voleur du pain,

Chez miché D'Aquin.

Translated, roughly, it becomes:

American crook,

Dressed in nankeen;

Stealer of bread,

From the place of Monsieur D'Aquin.

There were frictions between the French-speaking locals and the newly-immigrating Americans after the Louisiana Purchase.  Some of the problems came because most often the Americans who arrived in New Orleans were the flatboat- or keelboatmen; who felt a desire to cut loose after poling down the Mississippi for several weeks.  Therefore, there was the sense of "there goes the neighborhood."

Like little bits of folklore, it persisted well into later times in certain areas. Even when most Orleanian kids spoke only English.

New Orleans was always a melting pot: the original settlers were French; some brought slaves.  Some intermarried with Native Americans.  The original Creole (white or mixed race) population was joined by the Cajuns, the Spanish, the Canary Islanders, the refugees from Santo Domingo, the Napoleonic refugees from the restoration, and lately, the Americans.  Still later, the Irish and the Germans.

Because of slavery, the African-American population was extensive from the start.  It expanded with the Haitian Revolution, in which sizeable numbers  of African-American and mixed ancestry people moved into New Orleans,  These latter immigrants became an extensive talented artisan class; for example, accounting for the elaborate ornate grill work in the French Quarter.  They were referred to as Free Persons of Color. They also had a few that practiced voodoo. But, most importantly, they developed jazz into an art form.

By the 1880's, the Italians had arrived; and the Dalmatians had moved into the shrimp and oyster business in Plaquemines Parish.  Still later came the Cubans and the Filipinos.

New Orleans is a tapestry of racial and ethnic groups. And interesting restaurant choices when you move away from the old, traditional, (expensive) ones.

There's several really good neighborhood restaurants. You don't have to go to the costly ones! And, there's always the Cafe du Monde for beignets and coffee. And a stroll in Jackson Square or on the Moonwalk afterward.