Cajun Culture Connection: It’s All About the Basques

Except for their respective food dishes and opulent rituals around mealtimes, the Basques and Cajun cultures don’t seem to have much in common. Swampy Louisiana and the picturesque Pyrenees and Bay of Biscay are half a world apart.

Anyone who knows history and geography can simply look at a map and surmise much of the story. Spain once had control of what is now Louisiana at one point before France, who sold it to the United States. It makes sense that cultural impact that the Spanish influenced the original settlers. However, people forget that Spain is very diverse. Different regions even have different languages. I didn’t even know that until 21 years ago and met some people from Spain.

The Spaniards had a big impact on Louisiana culture than I realized. I studied French in high school, been to France numerous times, and I really do like a lot of French things.

French food and Cajun food don’t really seem to be all that similar. Take chicken for example. In France, it’s likely to be roasted whole. In a given Cajun dish, you can deep fry it whole, blacken a breast with tons of spices, or include it in jambalaya. The French are also not exactly known for cooking their red meat well, well done.

Basque food seems to have a lot in common with Cajun food. One of the main things is using foods that are readily available in the immediate vicinity.

What and Where Is Basque Country

The term Basque or Bascayen comes from the nearby Bay of Biscay, which is what the backwards “C” portion of the Spanish and French western coast on the Atlantic Ocean is known as. Looking back, I realize that when I was traveling in the Pyrenees both when I went to Lourdes and to the small town Dali’s house is in, Figures in Catalonia, I felt a bit of peace. Even though I’ve lived in East Tennessee for 30 years and mountains seem novel compared to the flat land of Louisiana, the Pyrenees have a magical air about them. It makes sense now.

Like the rest of Spain, France, and let’s face it, continental Europe, the Basques have a complicated and troubled history. Today, Basque Country as an autonomous community is made up of seven provinces stretching from the Bay of Biscay over the Pyrenees east across northern Spain into southwestern France.

In southwest Louisiana, the name “Iberia” is common. There’s a parish called Iberia and a town New Iberia. It turns out that like just about everything in America (a.k.a. the “New World”), many things with “New” in front of them have a correlating spot across the pond.

The Iberian Peninsula comprises Spain, Portugal, Andorra, and a portion of southwestern France. It defines the southwestern corner of the Eurasian continent.

That doesn’t quite complete the Basque puzzle in regards to the Cajun connection. Because of its location, the Basque region’s history is quite complicated in regards to the history of Spain, Navarre (a last name in southwest Louisiana with a string of car dealerships), and France. Now, with part of the official Basque region being in France and the majority in Spain, defining it is more complicated. The autonomous communities of Spain are a little confusing, because it is a governmental division that I am assuming evolved following the death of Francisco Franco in 1975.

Spain’s history is similar to Italy in that the city-states made up separate kingdoms until the 15th century. Along with the previously mentioned Navarre, which is an integral portion of the Basque region, the other two well-known kingdoms are Aragon and Castille. When Ferdinand and Isabella married, they “united” Spain. There is another well-known region, Catalonia, which is where Barcelona is located and to the east of Basque Country.

Migrating People and Kingdoms

For some reason, it seems like for all of human history, not many have been happy staying home and enjoying the simple things in life. I get it. I have wanderlust too.

But the King of Navarre eventually became the King of France. Only Navarre had been split into two halves by the Pyrenees in 1512 with the southern half being ceded to Spain and the northern half staying in France. Henri IV was king of Navarre through his mother and in line to the throne of France on his father’s side. This is thanks to to a few convenient facts: Spain didn’t recognize primogeniture and allowed a woman to be queen in her own right; France’s salic law didn’t allow women (or their descendants) to inherit the throne; and the last of Henri II and Catherine de Medici’s sons died without heirs.

Henry IV is an interesting king, because he was a protestant in the late 16th century and Catherine de Medici was determined to keep France Catholic as the Huguenots and non-Catholics were seen as threats in both France and Spain at that point. However, none of her three sons could remain alive long enough to have sons of their own. Her best gamble came in marrying one daughter to Spain and the other to the future Henri IV.

At this point, it makes sense that people were moving back and forth around the continent and across the pond with religion being a bone of contention. Philip of Spain kept a tight rein on some things and people were migrating not only to South America but to what is now the southern portion of the United States.

Nearly 200 years after Henri IV took the throne the French officially turned over what was then the Louisiana territory to Spain. Of course, there was that Tennessee senator who wanted to prevent that from happening. The irony is that Louis Philippe (Louis XVIII of France, last king of France) would spend the night in the county that would named for that treasonous senator was expelled from the Senate for his plot. Trust me, it isn’t on the historical marker.

Red Hair and the Basques

According to history, William the Conqueror, who was from Normandy, had red hair. Normandy and Brittany are the two most northwestern provinces of France. Many of those who set out to Nova Scotia from France and then were expelled by the English. They landed in Louisiana to become known as the “Cajuns,” and can trace their origins to Brittany. For many years, the British also held all of France, then the northern provinces, and finally Calais.

There was a lot of cross travel between the two countries that migrated across the entire continent. That can be seen in some of the above mentioned notable redheads. However, red hair is also a Basque trait.

Melting Pot

Many settlers also set sail across the Atlantic from the southwest French and northwest Spanish coasts. Some went directly to New Orleans. These settlers spread out depending on their economic status.

When Louisiana became a state in 1812, it was a melting pot of the descendants of French, Spanish, other Europeans, African Americans, and Native Americans. This is reflective of what the rest of the country claims to be. However, each region seems to have pockets where most people descend from certain ethnic groups.

However, a look at some popular Cajun and Creole cuisine brings up a popular name — Zatarains. Stay tuned for more on that. . .