Isleños in Louisiana
The Isleños in Louisiana are the descendants of immigrants from the Canary Islands . The term "Isleño" is used throughout America for people of Canarian origin.
history
In 1762, the Louisiana colony was transferred from France to Spain as a result of the Seven Years' War . In order to secure this region permanently for Spanish interests, the government decided to relocate natives of the Canary Islands ( called Isleños in Louisiana ) to Louisiana. Between 1778 and 1783 a total of 2,373 Spanish settlers immigrated to the colony.
The immigrants devoted themselves to agriculture, livestock, fishing and hunting in the new environment. Apart from the weekly market in New Orleans , the Isleños had no contact with the English or French-speaking population.
Only at the beginning of the 20th century and with the construction of paved roads did the language enclave open up . Of the one to two thousand Isleños, only about 500 people speak fluent Spanish today.
The Isleño Spanish contains elements from the American Spanish, the Cajun French , English and the Portuguese (the canary Spanish includes a number of Portuguese loan words).