Finally, the first "Cajuns" left Eastern Canada and came down to Louisiana in 1764. By that time the Creole people, culture, food and customs were well established. The "Cajuns," who were farmers, settled in the area west of New Orleans that would become Lafayette. And the rural Creoles of Southwest Louisiana taught the "Cajuns" how to hunt and fish in the bayous, and how to make Gumbo, Jambalaya, Bread Pudding, and everything else in between. Additional note: Following the Haitian Revolution of 1791, people from Haiti, the West Indies, Jamaica and the Caribbean also came to New Orleans, bringing even more diverse influences to Creole food and customs. Additional note: Part of the problem is that way too many people - including cooks and restaurant owners - identify themselves as "Cajun" when many times their families are actually descended from Creoles. And that's a whole 'nuther rant.
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