Editing Cajuns (section)

===Religious traditions===
"[[Assumption of Mary|Our Lady of the Assumption]]" is Patroness of the Acadians (Cajuns).  In 1638, the colonies of France, to include Acadie, and France were consecrated by the Pope and the King to Mary under the aforementioned title; the date of consecration was August 15 which is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and is a Holy Day of Obligation for Roman Catholics (Source 4).

Traditional Catholic religious observances such as [[Mardi Gras]], [[Lent]], and [[Holy Week]] are integral to many Cajun communities. Likewise, these traditional Catholic religious observances may further be understood from ''Cultural Catholicism in Cajun-Creole Louisiana'' by Marcia Gaudet<ref>article from Louisiana Division of the Arts | Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism – Louisiana Folklife Festival program books, the Louisiana Folklore Miscellany, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival program book</ref> which tells that such traditional religious observances, although they may not be "strictly theological and liturgical forms", are still integral and necessary to many and remain religiously valid as "unofficial religious customs and traditions are certainly a part of Roman Catholicism as it is practiced".<ref>{{cite web|url =http://www.louisianafolklife.org/LT/Articles_Essays/CulturalCatholicism.html| title=Cultural Catholicism in Cajun-Creole Louisiana| first=  Marcia |last=Gaudet| publisher=Louisiana Folk Life}}</ref>

====Mardi Gras====
{{Main|Courir de Mardi Gras}}
[[File:Courir de Mardi Gras Savoy La Musicians HROE.jpg|thumb|Musicians playing at a traditional ''Courir de Mardi Gras'']]

''[[Mardi Gras]]'' (French for "Fat Tuesday", also known as [[Shrove Tuesday]]) is the day before [[Ash Wednesday]], which marks the beginning of [[Lent]], a 40-day period of fasting and reflection in preparation for [[Easter Sunday]]. Mardi Gras was historically a time to use up the foods that were not to be used during Lent, including fat, eggs, and meat.

Mardi Gras celebrations in rural Acadiana are distinct from the more widely known celebrations in [[New Orleans Mardi Gras|New Orleans]] and other metropolitan areas. A distinct feature of the Cajun celebration centers on the ''[[Courir de Mardi Gras]]'' (translated: fat Tuesday run).<ref name=COURIR>{{cite book|title=Mardi Gras: a Cajun country celebration|url=https://archive.org/details/mardigrascajunco00hoyt|url-access=registration|quote=fête de la quémande.|first1=Diane|last1=Hoyt-Goldsmith|first2=Lawrence|last2=Migdale|publisher=Holiday House|date=September 1995|page=[https://archive.org/details/mardigrascajunco00hoyt/page/11 11]|isbn=978-0-8234-1184-9}}</ref> A group of men, usually on horseback and wearing [[capuchon]]s (a cone-shaped ceremonial hat) and traditional costumes, approach a farmhouse and ask for something for the community gumbo pot. Often, the farmer or his wife allows the riders to have a chicken, if they can catch it. The group then puts on a show, comically attempting to catch the chicken set out in a large open area. Songs are sung, jokes are told, and skits are acted out. When the chicken is caught, it is added to the pot at the end of the day.<ref name=COURIR/> The ''courir'' held in the small town of [[Mamou, Louisiana|Mamou]] and [[Church Point, Louisiana|Church Point]] has become well known. This tradition has much in common with the observance of ''La Chandeleur'', or [[Candlemas]] (February 2), by Acadians in [[Nova Scotia]].

====Easter====
On ''Pâques'' (French for Easter), a game called ''pâquer'', or ''pâque-pâque'' was played. Contestants selected hard-boiled eggs, paired off, and tapped the eggs together – the player whose egg did not crack was declared the winner. This is an old European tradition that has survived in Acadia until today. Today, Easter is still celebrated by Cajuns with the traditional game of ''paque'', but is now also celebrated in the same fashion as Christians throughout the United States with candy-filled baskets, "[[Easter bunny]]" stories, [[Easter egg|dyed eggs]], and Easter egg hunts.