Maybe to be understood(presumably ironically)as "little darlings", more or less? The sentiments remind me of "Parlez-nous de Boire", which has at least one Cajun version, and to the degree I understand Cajun (not so very), "neg'" is a term of endearment, or at least familiarity. I think if I said it to another man, in Louisiana, it would correspond to "buddy" or "old man", or if to a woman, maybe "dear", or "old girl".

I don't know how much of this is Julie Daraiche's composition and how much trad, but I read today her brief on-line bio, and her family hailed from out in Gaspé, where they tend to think of themselves as Acadiens, rather than as Québécois. Wonder if "neg'" picked up its modern Cajun connotation before they left Canada?