December 30, 2010

CAJUN NEW YEAR'S EVE CUSTOMS

In the countryside throughout the south, the New
Year has traditionally been rung in by the sound of shotguns and firecrackers at
midnight on New Year's Eve. Some Cajuns remember that Tit Homme Janvier
(some call him Bonhomme Janvier), a snowy-bearded bearer of good tiding,
would pass and leave fruit and nuts in the children's shoes and stockings. For
many families New Year's was the time for trinket exchange, not
Christmas.
An interesting French tradition is the running
of La Guignolee (Gaie Annee). This is a long standing New Year's Eve
custom in French communities of the mid-Mississippi Valley such as Old Mines
(Les Vielles Mones), Missouri, and Prairie du Rocher, Illinois. Of note
because it is closely related to the Cajun courir de Mardi Gras the
intent of La Guignolee is to gather pledges of food and money for a
king's ball held between Twelfth Night and Mardi Gras. On New Year's Eve, the
men dress in disguise as Indians or in old clothes turned inside out. The gang
of revelers travels afoot from house to house in the countryside with lanterns
as their only light. Today, trucks provide the transportation. In the quiet of
the night, they sneak up on the porch of each house and sing La Guignolee
accompanied by a fiddle.
"Bon soir le maitre et maitresse et tous le
monde du logis. Pour le dernier jour de l'annee, c'est la Guignolee vous nous
devais. Si vous voulais rien a nos donnais, ditez nous le. On vous demandez
seulement, la fille ainee..."
The song begs entry to the house, a 96-foot long
sausage, and a dance with the eldest daughter, then apologizes to the
inhabitants for any mischief caused and asks for an invitation next
year.
For South Louisiana Cajuns, New Year's day used
to be a time for visiting from house to house to wish bonne annee. A
traditional French Creole song sung by Canray Fontenot wishes:
Bonjour bonne annee, belle heureuse
annee.
Heureuse annee que je souaite a tous.
Bonjour bonne annee,
madam.
In a recollection from the Anonymous Breaux
Manuscript
(1901), the author observes "people who have long been enemies
seizing the opportunity which the day presents to be reconciled and to wish
other good fortune and prosperity. A young man who wishes to marry often asks
his sweetheart's parents for permission to marry."
A traditional New Year's dish, black-eyed peas
and cabbage, symbolizes the promise of good luck and money in the coming year.
It is still prepared and eaten diligently by many every year.
Today, recently created community festivals have
become the calendrical markers of cultural identity. They have taken the place
of many deeply rooted rituals which once served to reinforce the concepts of
community and family.

"A people without a past are a people without a future."

December 24, 2010

BONFIRES LIGHT THE WAY FOR PAPA NOEL

(ACADIAN) Lighting of the way for Papa Noel this evening.
 On the First Acadian Coast, St-James (civil) Parish, tonight there will be the lighting of very fancy bonfires on the levees to show Santa the way down the river.

The other story is to provide a guide for the families to find their way to midnight mass.The other name you may know is St-Jacques de Cabannoce. The church was named for my 6th great grandfather Jacques Cantrelle patron saint. His two son-in-laws were the first Commandants (like in Zorro) during the transfer period from France to Spain.There should be several news shorts on the building & lighting of the bonfires on the New Orleans & Baton Rouge TV stations.Some are Baton Rouge
                                                                            www.wafb.com/-CBS
                                                                            www.wbrz.com/ -ABC
                                                                            www.nbc33tv.com/- NBC
NewOrleans                                                                         www.abc26.com/
                                                                    www.wdsu.com - NBC
www.wwltv.com/- CBS
                                                                            www.fox8live.com - Fox?
The national stations news may also pick up the stories
Paul L LeBlanc<pleblan@aim.com>

December 14, 2010

BECOME A NEW ORLEANS TOUR GUIDE

"If you or someone you know has a passion for culture, history and architecture and would like to become a licensed tour guide for the City of New Orleans, please consider taking the Friends of the Cabildo's Walking Tour Guide Training Program. The classes are under the expert direction of Friends of the Cabildo Board Member, Mrs. Jane Molony, and a staff of volunteer FOC tour guides. The program provides intensive and comprehensive training for tour guides.

The program provides an thorough overview of the history of Louisiana.

Subjects covered in the course lectures:

First Families of Louisiana

(Native Americans)

French Colonial Period

Spanish Colonial Period

Becoming American

The American Period

Free People of Color

Jazz

Port of New Orleans

Architecture

Civil War In New Orleans

Louisiana State Museum Historical Center

Those who complete the program are encouraged to make a commitment to the FOC to serve as a volunteer guide for a period of two years. Guides are generally on the schedule one or two times per month during this period.
The walking tour class is offered one time per year at the Cabildo. Acceptance into the program is contingent upon an interview process following application.

The upcoming course runs from January 31, 2011 to February 25, 2011, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 9:00am-3:30pm. The cost is $175, which includes both classroom and in-field training with experienced guides.

Time is of the essence, so please contact me if you are interested in this exceptional program!"

Sincerely,
Rebecca Duckert
Assistant Director
Friends of the Cabildo
701 Chartres Street
New Orleans, LA 70116
Phone: 504-523-3939
Fax: 504-524-9130
rebecca@friendsofthecabildo.org

December 06, 2010

SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT


Isaiah 35: 1 – 10


1 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus


2 it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing.


The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God.


3 Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. 4 Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”


5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then shall the lame man leap like a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy.


For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; 7 the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.


8 And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not pass over it, and fools shall not err therein. 9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there.


10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.


Advent Wreath by Jeff Miller  http://http://splendoroftruth.com

November 28, 2010

MADOCKAWANDO


Came across this article today, there are some of us who have St Castin in our lines and the indian chief Madockawando, I found this interesting.

Madockawando is remembered as "a great chief of the Penobscots". His village was at Pentegoet (modern day Castine, Maine) and his daughter, Pidianiski, baptized Molly Mathilde, married Baron de St. Castin (1652-1707).


Among the nomadic Wabanacki - the tribes of the Maritimes, Maine and the rest of northern New England - Shamanism was commonly attributed to the greater chiefs to whom supernatural power would give authority in the absense of a strong social organization


Madockawando as chief and Shaman was a soothsayer, clairvoyant, necromancer, exorcist and was in a position to act as a middleman between his people and the powers that meddle with life. He is a "wonder-worker", whose magic was derived from the spiritual and animal world. Indeed, the very ending of his name means mysterious, magical, powerful, miraculous, enabling things to be done supernaturally. He could lead them to game; he could drive out the devils of disease and circumvent the magic of enemies. Ordinary men could fight, but only the man with magic could content with the unseen powers and work out destiny.


Among his descendants was Lt. Governor John Neptune (1767-1865) who inherited the Shamanistic power of Madockawando. As with his forbear, he was regarded as a peculiarly gifted "Medeoulinwak" (magician) "who could make his voice heard 100 miles away, who could walk in hard ground sinking up to his knees at every step, who could find green corn in winter and tobacco in the forest where there was none and who had fought and overcome that slimy, devouring monster, the dreadful Wiwiliamecq.*"


From
"Old John Neptune and Other Maine Indian Shamans"
by Fannie Hardy Eckstrom (1938)



Thanks to Aline Cormier for this information.

November 25, 2010

WBGS THANKSGIVING!



Title: Thanksgiving Day

Date: Thursday November 25, 2010

Time: All Day

Notes: Let's remember the meaning of Thanksgiving and be grateful.
(It does NOT mean football.)

November 24, 2010

FATHER WE THANK THEE


For flowers that bloom about our feet
Father, we thank Thee.
For tender grass so fresh, so sweet,
Father, we thank Thee.
For the song of bird and hum of bee,
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee.

For blue of stream and blue of sky,
Father, we thank Thee.
For pleasant shade of branches high,
Father, we thank Thee.
For fragrant air and cooling breeze,
For beauty of the blooming trees,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee.

For this new morning with its light,
Father, we thank Thee.
For rest and shelter of the night,
Father, we thank Thee
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee.

"This three-stanza, 21-line poem has long been attributed to Emerson, but is definitely not by him. No author has been discoverd."
The Ralph Waldo Emerson Society


Photo of Holy Faith Catholic Church, Gainesville, FL

November 20, 2010

CAJUN AND CREOLE CULTURE



Hi, Y'all,

I am the contributing writer for the Cajun and Creole section at the website about.com.

Do you want to know where in Louisiana the locals eat, play, and shop and how you can cook and party in your own home as they do, with authentic Cajun and Creole recipes?

Would you like to stay in an antebellum home on Bayou Teche, or in a haunted mansion that sometimes drives even skeptics away in the middle of the night?

These are the type of topics I cover and the more clicks I get on my articles the more successful my site will be, so by clicking on the links(even if you don't have time to read the entire article) you help insure the continuation of my Cajun/Creole site and, thus, my contribution to the continuation of Cajun and Creole culture and history.

This week:

LAST MINUTE COOKING IS FOR THE BIRDS: A MAKE-AHEAD THANKSGIVING DINNER:

http://southernfood.about.com/od/thanksgivingfood/a/make-ahead-thanksgiving-dinner.htm

REDUCING THE FAT--NOT THE FLAVOR: A LIGHTENED-UP THANKSGIVING DINNER:

http://southernfood.about.com/od/thanksgivingfood/a/light-thanksgiving-dinner.htm

Thanks!

Terri Pischoff Wuerthner

Contributing Writer: about.com

Author: IN A CAJUN KITCHEN

Image:  Orange Gelatin Snow

November 17, 2010

GREAT ACADIEN AWAKENING



The Great Acadien Awakening’s mission is to awaken the population of Louisiana, primarily those of Acadien descent and the youth, to the realization that our language, culture and coastal lands are being threatened. We intend to seek support, partnerships, solutions, and concerted plans of action through large gatherings with Acadians and their friends from all over the world.

“Come explore and celebrate OUR Acadian culture” PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE

October 7, 2011 - Open Ceremony and Unveiling of Acadian Monument in New Orleans, Louisiana. (To be confirmed)

October 8, 2011 - Discover New Orleans.

October 9, 2011 - Opening Ceremony and Conference about Protection of the Environment in Houma, Louisiana.

October 10, 2011 - Discover Houma and the Bayou Region.

October 11, 2011 - Ceremony and Conference in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

October 12, 2011 - Discover Lake Charles and its surrounding areas.

October 13, 2011 - Ceremony and Conference in Lafayette, Louisiana.

October 14, 2011 - Discover Lafayette and its surrounding areas with the Grand Rallaye d’Automobile/Opening concert of Festivals Acadiens et Créoles/Opening of the Camp des Cadiens.

October 15, 2011 - Festivals Acadiens et Créoles, Girard Park, Lafayette, LA (www.festivalsacadiens.com)/Workshop about New Technologies and Acadian Heritage/Fête des Cadiens (at the Camp des Cadiens).

October 16, 2011 - French Mass, Acadian Processional (Mardi Gras, Tintamarre, Mi-Carême, Guillonnée)/ Festivals Acadiens et Créoles/Closing Ceremony.

The event will focus on showcasing the regional culture and developing closer ties between all Acadians throughout the world by hosting: * Seminars * Lectures * Family Reunions * Concerts * Many Other Cultural Activities *

A large place will be reserved for our friends from L'Acadie des Terres et Forêts who will be invited to promote the Congrès Mondial Acadien 2014

Thank you to our partners: Société Nationale de l’Acadie and all its member organizations, Zachary Richard and Action Cadienne, CODOFIL, Festival Acadien de Clare, Madawaska Acadian Festival, Festival en chanson de Petite Vallée, France-Louisiane-Frano-Américanie, Les Amitiés Acadiennes, Louisiane-Bretagne-Acadie, Les Cousins Acadiens du Poitou, Canadian and Lousiana twinned cities

For More Information Contact:

Ray Trahan, President of Louisiane – Acadie, Inc.
Phone: (337) 288-2681
Brenda Trahan, Director of GRA2011

Valerie Broussard, Director of Youth Programming for GRA2011
Email: whiskey6@lusfiber.net or

November 11, 2010

IN FLANDERS FIELDS


In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

November 01, 2010

ALL SOULS DAY CAJUN HISTORY


“The Clocheteur des Trépassés” or Bellman of the Dead


Formerly, at night on the eve of All Souls’ Day (November 2), the church bells were wildly pealed, and people ran about the streets of the village ringing hand bells and saying in a loud and serious voice these words:

Réveillez, réveillez,
Entre vous gens qui dormez,
Pensez a l’éternité!
Priez Dieu pour les fideles trépassés.
Requiescat in pace.

Awake! Awake!
Those among you who sleep;
Think of eternity!
Pray God for the faithful dead.

Rest in peace!

http://www.acadian-cajun.com/choliday.htm
History of the Cajuns: Encyclopedia of Cajun Life - Holidays
Tim Hebert

October 23, 2010

CAJUN VS CREOLE CUSTOMS

"The intriguing history of Louisiana's denizens often leads to a discussion of the distinctions between Cajun and Creole customs. Though there is often a great deal of heated debate surrounding the similarities and dissimilarities of these two unique Louisiana cultures, the following article will attempt to offer steps to help you make clear distinctions between the two.

"Realize the historical differences between Cajuns and Creoles in order to distinguish between their customs. Cajuns come from low-country, rural stock living on the bayous of Louisiana. They are renowned for being private, clannish and fiercely religious. Creoles, on the other hand, have urban origins. They are of European stock and settled primarily in New Orleans. The Creoles created the French Quarter and still hold on to their European roots.

"Take into account the differences in food. Cajun food, having its roots in the rural southern Louisiana bayou country, is largely based on stews, gumbos, okras and rice dishes, whereas, Creole food is more European, with its roots coming largely from the more urbane French Quarter. Some popular Creole dishes incorporate seafood with etoufee and jambalaya.

Know the differences in the music. Though there are a number of similarities between Cajun and Creole music, it can be broken down thus: Cajun music is more blues-based and jazz-oriented, while Creole music has a more West African, Caribbean feel to it.

"Be aware that the city of New Orleans is a perfect portrait of the way that Cajun and Creole customs are different. For most Creoles, the French Quarter was and is the only culture. It has an air of old-world European charm in the architecture and mood of it. Canal Street divides the quarter from the rest of New Orleans, and it has been said that Creoles believe anything on the other side of Canal Street is not worth seeing. Cajuns, on the other hand, like their rural roots, so they are closer to the river and on the other side of Canal.

"Understand that nowadays most people do not distinguish much between the two cultures. Down in Louisiana, the cooking and the customs of both the Creoles and Cajuns are pretty hard to tell apart. Only by taking a close look at the historical roots of the two cultures can you see the now subtle differences."

Read more: How to Distinguish Between Cajun and Creole Customs
eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2073886_distinguish-between-cajun-creole-customs.html#ixzz13DA14hh9

October 15, 2010

THE ROST HOME COLONY



Title: Gen. Research Soc. of N.O.

Date: Monday October 18, 2010

Time: 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Location: Whitney Bank, 1441 Metairie Rd., Metairie, LA

Notes: Jackie Milan will be the speaker. Jackie is a new member. She
volunteers at the Archdiocese Archives.

The topic for the meeting by Jacqueline Milan is "The Rost Home Colony." The colony was one of only 4 experimental colonies all located in Louisiana to assist freed slaves move from plantation life into the general population.

This experiment was part of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands Act. The colonies existed for 18 months during the Civil War. Rost was located on the site of present day Destrehan Plantation. The Destrehan Plantation is also where the enslaved persons were tried who participated in the 1811 Slave Revolt.

October 09, 2010

WBGS MEETING


Date: Saturday October 16, 2010

Time: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Next reminder: The next reminder for this event will be sent in 5 days, 4 minutes.

Location: Westwego Library, 635 4th Street, Westwego, LA

Notes: Our annual "Order of the Good Times" Bring a dish that your ancestor would have brought as the host of the Good Times along with a tale as to how he/she obtained it.

If you do not wish to participate, come for the fun and eats.

October 07, 2010

THANKSGIVING DAY IN CANADA

Thanksgiving Day in Canada has been a holiday on the second Monday of October since 1957. It is a chance for people to give thanks for a good harvest and other fortunes in the past year.

What do people do?
Many people have a day off work on the second Monday of October. They often use the three-day Thanksgiving weekend to visit family or friends who live far away, or to receive them in their own homes. Many people also prepare a special meal to eat at some point during the long weekend. Traditionally, this included roast turkey and seasonal produce, such as pumpkin, corn ears and pecan nuts. Now, the meal may consist of other foods, particularly if the family is of non-European descent.

The Thanksgiving weekend is also a popular time to take a short autumn vacation. This may be the last chance in a while for some people to use cottages or holiday homes before winter sets in. Other popular activities include: outdoor breaks to admire the spectacular colors of the Canadian autumn; hiking; and fishing. Fans of the teams in the Canadian Football League may spend part of the weekend watching the Thanksgiving Day Classic matches.

Public life

Thanksgiving Day is national public holiday in Canada. Many people have the day off work and all schools and post offices are closed. Many stores and other businesses and organizations are also closed. Public transport services may run to a reduced timetable or may not run at all.

Whilst Thanksgiving Day is holiday at a national level, it is not considered among the list of paid public holidays in New Brunswick under New Brunswick's Employment Standards Act.

Background

The native peoples of the Americas held ceremonies and festivals to celebrate the completion and bounty of the harvest long before European explorers and settlers arrived in what is now Canada. Early European thanksgivings were held to give thanks for some special fortune. An early example is the ceremony the explorer Martin Frobisher held in 1578 after he had survived the long journey in his quest to find a northern passage from Europe to Asia.

Many thanksgivings were held following noteworthy events during the 18th century. Refugees fleeing the civil war in the United States brought the custom of an annual thanksgiving festival to Canada. From 1879, Thanksgiving Day was held every year but the date varied and there was a special theme each year. The theme was the "Blessings of an abundant harvest" for many years. However, Queen Victoria's golden and diamond jubilees and King Edward VII's coronation formed the theme in later years.

From the end of the First World War until 1930, both Armistice Day and Thanksgiving Day were celebrated on the Monday closest to November 11, the anniversary of the official end of hostilities in World War I. In 1931, Armistice Day was renamed Remembrance Day and Thanksgiving Day was moved to a Monday in October. Since 1957, Thanksgiving Day has always been held on the second Monday in October.

Symbols

Thanksgiving Day in Canada is linked to the European tradition of harvest festivals. A common image seen at this time of year is a cornucopia, or horn, filled with seasonal fruit and vegetables. This represents the "Horn of Plenty", which was a symbol of bounty and plenty in ancient Greece. Turkeys, pumpkins, ears of corn and large displays of food are also used to symbolize Thanksgiving Day.

September 22, 2010

WEST FLORIDA GENEALOGY SOCIETY MEETING

The West Florida Genealogical Society (WFGS) presents its Fall Seminar on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2010 at Washington High School, 6000 College Parkway, right off Airport Blvd. in Pensacola, Florida. The school has a new, state of the art theater/auditorium with ample seating. Registration is from 8-8:50 a.m. The Seminar begins promptly at 9 a.m. Click on the Registration Form, then open the document and print it. The form contains directions. Complete the form and mail it in with your check at your earliest convenience. Point of contact is Cynthia Dean, 850-432-7072, cgdean@bellsouth.net.

Mark your calendars now!

Elizabeth Shown Mills, the internationally known and very popular genealogy lecturer, author, editor and translator will present an interesting and informational seminar on the following topics:

Genealogical Problem Solving: Professional Techniques for Everyday Success

Finding Origins and Birth Families: Methods that Work

In a Rut? 7 Ways to Jump-Start Your Research

The Genealogical Proof Standard: How to Build a Case When No Record States the Answer

To learn more about Elizabeth's professional background, honors and publications, Google Elizabeth Shown Mills. She is cited in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly and the New England Register as "the genealogist who had the most impact on American genealogy in the post-Roots era."

Cost

Before October 27, 2010 -- $36 (does not include lunch). There are 37 nearby places to eat, or you may bring your lunch and take it to the meeting room at the West Florida Genealogy Library.

After October 27th and at the Door -- $40 (does not include lunch).

September 20, 2010

ACADIAN SILVER UNEARTHED AT GRAND-PRE



Above is the silver cross measuring only 3cm wide found at Grand Pre.

Test results on an artifact recovered from Grand-Pré National Historic Site of Canada have excited archaeologists who are gearing up to return to the site this spring. The artifact is a long-lost fragment of Acadian church history: a silver cross measuring only 3cm wide. The Grand-Pré find is the only one of its kind from what was one of the largest of the region’s pre-1755 Acadian communities, and an extremely rare archaeological example of colonial church silver.

Archaeologists are pleased with the discovery. According to Professor Jonathan Fowler of Saint Mary’s University, who has directed an archaeological field school at the national historic site for the past eight years, it represents “compelling evidence in support of the tradition that the church of St-Charles-des-Mines stood nearby.”

The Acadian parish church, established in 1687, was used as a headquarters by New England’s Lieutenant-Colonel John Winslow during the 1755 Deportation of the Acadians from Grand-Pré. During this time it served as a temporary prison for nearly 500 Acadian men and boys. Long believed to have stood at the center of the national historic site, the structure’s precise location is still a mystery.

Broken at its base, the cross appears to have once been joined to a larger object, such as a chalice lid or a ciborium, sacred vessels used during the celebration of the Eucharist. The artifact was recovered from the cellar of a building that appears to be a burned Acadian home. Archaeologists will continue to investigate the building this spring.

http://www.smu.ca/newsreleases/2008/03-17-17-17-2008.html

September 17, 2010

Le Comité des Archives de la Louisiane


Le Comité des Archives de la Louisiane will hold its annual meeting on Sunday, September 26, at the Embassy Suites, 4914 Constitution Ave., in Baton Rouge. Registration begins at 1:00 p.m. and is free to members. Non-members may join at the door for $15.

This year’s main speaker will be Barry Jean Ancelet, co-editor of Dictionary of Louisiana French: As Spoken in Cajun, Creole, and Native American Communities. He will speak on his new book which was recently published by the University Press of Mississippi. Ancelet is Granger & Debaillon Endowed Professor of Francophone Studies and Folklore at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He has given papers and published articles and books on various aspects of Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole cultures and languages.

Judy Riffel will also give a presentation on Louisiana Spanish Land Grants. Riffel is a professional genealogist and has compiled numerous books and articles on Louisiana genealogical sources. She is also editor of Le Comité’s print journal, Le Raconteur, and electronic newsletter, E-Communiqué.

The society will also display its publications for sale. Members already receive a discount on purchases, but for this one day only, they receive an additional discount.

For a copy of the program, visit the society’s website at www.lecomite.org.

September 11, 2010

DONA NOBIS PACEM

God of peace, bring your peace to our violent world.

Peace in the hearts of all men and women and peace

among the nations of the earth.

Turn to your way of love those whose hearts and

minds are consumed with hatred.

God of understanding, overwhelmed by the

magnitude of this tragedy, we seek your light and

guidance as we confront such terrible events.

Grant that those whose lives were spared may live so

that the lives lost...may not have been lost in vain.

Comfort and console us. Strengthen us in hope, and

give us the wisdom and courage to work tirelessly

for a world where true peace and love reign among

nations and in the hearts of all.

-- Pope Benedict XVI
Prayer Service at Ground Zero
April 20, 2008

Painting by Peter O'Neill
"Two Minutes of Silence"

September 09, 2010

DEPORTATION OF THE ACADIANS - Sept 5, 1755


On Sunday I did the commemorative walk at Grand- Pré - you would have loved it!

To the day 255 years ago at 3 o'clock the church bells started to ring and 418 men and boys from 10 years of age and up were made to stay in the church to be read the deportation orders from WINSLOW! We did the re-enactment of that day at 3 o'clock!!!! Everybody was given a tag name of a deported person. The Parks Canada team there are trying to find the original church so 418 of us were photographed from high up in a crane so they can know the real dimensions the church would have been. Over 500 persons came... and this is the day after the hurricane Earl swept through.

Then we walked to the very wharf that took them away on boats..... we had 7 stops on the way and each place had 2 persons acting as a deported acadian of 1755 - a lot of tears were shed...

by a woman remembering her Acadian ancestors

September 07, 2010

LOOKING AHEAD TO L'ACADIE DU MONDE 2014


An international leadership team is preparing for the 2014 World Acadian Congress to be held in Maine’s St. John Valley and New Brunswick’s Acadian Peninsula.
In fact, welcome signs recently put up in the St. John Valley are already heralding the event. In French, the conference is called Congres Mondial Acadian 2014 (CMA 2014). It’s a 2-3 week celebration held once every five years at a specially selected place to celebrate the Acadian and Franco-American cultures. It’s an important event because the Congress brings together the families and shared cultures of people who were separated by centuries of past displacements due to colonial wars and political treaties.

Jason Parent is a well known community leader in the St. John Valley. He speaks French and English. He was appointed President of the Maine delegation to the 15-member CMA international organizing committee. They are planning activities in Aroostook County, in Quebec and New Brunswick Canada. Their work is focused on a mission to bring international attention to the seemingly lost population of the Acadians and Franco-Americans of Maine and New Brunswick.

“The St. John Valley has a very strong Acadian Culture,” says Parent. “On a global level, we have been forgotten. People think of the Louisiana Cajuns or Acadians in other parts of Maritime Canada, but seem to forget we exist up here.”

Tragic historical events described by poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his epic poem “Evangeline” described how the Acadians were purged from Nova Scotia by the British in the horrible events of 1755. Yet, comparatively little is written about the refugees who fled the deportation known as le Grand Derangement. Many found their way to the Madawaska region where they landed at St. David, in Maine. The Madawaska Historical Society protects the Acadian Landing Site as part of the Tante Blanche Museum complex in St. David parish, Madawaska.

Parent says Maine and New Brunswick worked hard to attract CMA 2014.

“The site selection is competitive and rigorous,” says Parent. Louisiana and Quebec also wanted to host. “We are honored to be the region selected.”

Planners expect to attract 50,000 people from the four corners of the world to the Maine and New Brunswick area for the festivities. Activities planned include 300 events like family reunions, local historical celebrations, commemoration ceremonies, musical, and theatrical productions, conferences, genealogy networking and sporting events.

The theme for CMA 2014 is “L’acadie des terres et des forets!” or “Acadia of the Lands and Forests.” Parent says the first of many welcome signs to promote the theme was unveiled on Aug. 9, specifically because the date marks four years to the day of the

In addition, the date is significant for Acadian history because it marks the 168th anniversary of signing of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty on August 9, 1842. This treaty set the boundary between Maine and Canada along the St. John River. Unfortunately, the boundary split Acadian and Canadian families living on both sides of river. Once again, Acadian families were sadly separated by the border, after they had worked to build their lives following the 1755 expulsion from Nova Scotia by the British.

Celebrations of the pentennial Congress are scheduled around August 15th, the Acadian Feast Day to honor Our Lady of the Assumption, the patron saint of the Acadian people.

Parent says CMA 2014 will be a cultural and economic attraction. The committee is working on ways to provide smooth border crossings for the people who plan to attend festivities on both sides of Maine’s international border with Canada.

by Juliana d'Heureux

September 06, 2010

LABOR DAY PRAYER


God, our Father, I turn to you seeking your divine help and guidance as I look for suitable employment. I need your wisdom to guide my footsteps along the right path, and to lead me to find the proper things to say and do in this quest. I wish to use the gifts and talents you have given me, but I need the opportunity to do so with gainful employment. Do not abandon me, dear Father, in this search, but rather grant me this favor I seek so that I may return to you with praise and thanksgiving for your gracious assistance. Grant this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

August 13, 2010

NATIONAL DAY OF THE ACADIANS

FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY
August 15, 2010
St-Martinville

10:15 am: City Hall, Flag Raising & Chorus


10:30 am: Heritage Center, Film: Story of the Acadians


11:00 am: AM 2nd floor, Roslyn Fouin: Kid‟s stories


12:00 pm: Bayou Teche Boardwalk & Gazebo (Bring Your Own Picnic)


1:00 pm: AM 2nd floor, Breaux Genealogy lecture by Gayle Breaux Smith


2:00 pm: AM 2nd floor, Presentations on Grand Réveil Acadien & L‟Ordre du Bon Temps


3 & 4:00 pm: AM 1st floor,Théatre Acadien


4:50 pm: AM Garden,Gather banners for 5:15 pm procession to Church


5:30 pm: St. Martin de Tours: French Mass

August 12, 2010

DESCENDANTS OF ACADIAN FAMILIES

The Federation of Association of Families Acadian Inc., (FAFA) invites the descendants of Acadian families especially those who were here before the Great Deportation to meet at Beaubassin on Saturday August 14,2010.

The get-together will be near the Nova Scotia Tourist Information Centre beginning at 11 am near the monument which has the names of those families who lived at Beaubassin in the 1750s

At noon there will be a "bring your own" picnic.

A new flagpole will be erected and the Acadian flag will be raised at 1pm. A short presentation on the economic and strategic importance of Beaubassin will follow.

At 1:30 participants will go to the excavations on the site of the old village.

The archaeologist responsible for the excavations Charles Burke will conduct a visit to the digs and will talk about the finds that have been made over the course of the last four years of archaeological work there.

All Acadian families are especially invited to attend.

FAFA also would like to invite those who are interested to

For further information consult http://fafa-acadie.org

Jean J Gaudet

President – FAFA Inc.

July 24, 2010

CMA - 2014



To All,


We are starting as early as possible to test the waters to see who may be interested in going to the CMA-2014. For those of you who do not know what this is, the Congrès Mondial Acadien (Acadian World Congress), is a gathering of Acadians from all over the world. It last for about a 2 week period to celebrate our heritage, have family reunions and exchange genealogy research. Even though the events last about 2 weeks, does not mean that you have to stay there for the whole time. Some people only go for a couple of family reunions and nothing else, and that's OK.

The CMA-2014 will be held August 8 - 24, 2014 in what is known as the Acadia of the Land and Forests Region. The region includes the Northwest of New Brunswick, the Aroostook county of Maine, and the Témisoucata county in Québec. The activities will include an opening ceremony, activities for celebrating Acadian National Day on August 15th, many family reunions, a series of conferences, an international showcase, special events and live shows, as well as spectacular closing ceremony performances. More than 200 activities will be presented for all ages. Each family association is responsible for getting their individual reunions together.

At this time things are only in the planning stages, but as I said before, we're only trying to find out who may be interested in going. As the CMA, SNA and individual families send out more details I will pass it on to you so you can make a more informed decision. The Acadian Genealogy Society has a little over 2000 members. It takes a lot of planning to make plans for as many that has traveled with us and the group just keeps getting bigger.
Past CMA's attended:

CMA - 1994 was held in South-Eastern New Brunswick

(About 40 members attended)

CMA - 1999 was held in Louisiana

(Too many to keep track of)

CMA - 2004 was held in Nova Scotia were over 250,000 Acadian descendants converged on the land of their Ancestors.

(About 120 members attended)

CMA - 2009 was held in the Moncton, New Brunswick region.

(About 150 members attended)

Jeff Mélançon, President

The Acadian Genealogy Society

July 20, 2010

ACADIAN PRAYER FOR HURRICANE SEASON

O GOD, MASTER OF THIS PASSING WORLD, HEAR THE HUMBLE VOICES OF YOUR CHILDREN. THE SEA OF GALILEE OBEYED YOUR ORDER AND RETURNED TO ITS FORMER QUIETUDE. YOU ARE STILL THE MASTER OF LAND AND SEA. WE LIVE IN THE SHADOW OF A DANGER OVER WHICH WE HAVE NO CONTROL: THE GULF, LIKE A PROVOKED ANGRY GIANT, CAN AWAKE FROM ITS SEEMING LETHARGY, OVERSTEP ITS CONVENTIONAL BOUNDARIES, INVADE OUR LAND AND SPREAD CHAOS AND DISASTER.

DURING THIS HURRICANE SEASON WE TURN TO YOU, O LOVING FATHER. SPARE US FROM PAST TRAGEDIES WHOSE MEMORIES ARE STILL SO VIVID AND WHOSE WOUNDS SEEM TO REFUSE TO HEAL WITH THE PASSING OF TIME.

O VIRGIN, STAR OF THE SEA, OUR BELOVED MOTHER, WE ASK YOU TO PLEAD WITH YOUR SON IN OUR BEHALF, SO THAT SPARED FROM THE CALAMITIES COMMON TO THIS AREA AND ANIMATED WITH A TRUE SPIRIT OF GRATITUDE, WE WILL WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF YOUR DIVINE SON TO REACH HEAVENLY JERUSALEM WHERE A STORMLESS ETERNITY AWAITS US.
AMEN


- Maurice Schexnayder, Bishop of Lafayette in Louisiana - Written byBishop Schexnayder after Hurricane Audrey hit the Louisiana coast in June, 1957

Schexnayder is one of the German Coast families that was waiting onthe dock when the Acadians arrived in Louisiana Paul Le B l'Ascension, LA

www.acadianroots.com

July 18, 2010

GRAND ISLE AID FESTIVAL

The BP Oil Spill may have canceled the annual Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo, but they're going to rock on at an Island Aid Festival on Saturday. For $10, you can attend the benefit for the newly formed Grand Isle Alive Fund, and hear Three Dog Night, LeAnn Rimes and The Little River Band along with local talent Doug Kershaw, Amanda Shaw, The Topcats, The Wiseguys and Hurricane Levee Band. In addition to the two stages, food, crafts and clothing will be sold on the beach across from the Community Center.
Established in 1928, the Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo was the oldest annual fishing rodeo in the United States. Tickets to Island Aid will be sold at the gates which open at 10 a.m., and bands will play until 8 p.m., rain or shine.

The event's web site asks that you leave your ice chests, umbrellas, video cameras, pets, food, beverage and bicycles at home, but I would suggest that you bring your dancing shoes. An artwork by Christy Works-Boutte will be auctioned. Benefit posters of her work are available for $30 so order one and crank up Little River Band "Cool Change" if you can only be there in spirit.

July 13, 2010

MI'KMAG-ACADIAN (METIS) OF LOUISIANA


First Gathering of the Mi'kmaq-Acadian (Métis) People of Louisiana
At the Acadian Memorial behind the Catholic Church near the Evangeline Oak which is ground zero for Acadians.
*
On July 28th, 2010, a date decreed by the order of Queen Elizabeth of England to memorialize the Deportation and heritage of the Acadian People, we will gather for the first time to honor our French- Acadian and Mi'kmaq heritage and our cultural experience as a Métis (Mixed European-Native American) people, at the St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in St. Martinsville, Louisiana.
*
The event, which celebrates the contributions of "Living Legend" and Traditional Cajun Heritage Musician Bernie David to his history and culture, will feature a traditional Mi'kmaq Honor Ceremony at the Acadian Cross. In celebration of his Métis heritage, Bernie David will wear the traditional sash of the Association des Acadiens Métis Souriquois of Nova Scotia, as the AAMS' first Louisiana member.
*
Invited special guests include: Leland Surette (Mi'kmaq-Métis) Aboriginal Spiritual Leader, Nova Scotia, Keeper of the Sacred Pipe; Dr. Raymond Lussier (Abenaki, Vermont), Tribal Judge of the Koasek Traditional Band; Amerindian DNA-specialist and author Marie Rundquist (A'tugwet Mui'n), Maryland-Cajun and member, Associations des Acadiens Métis Souriquois (AAMS), and the Métis of Maine. Marie's 12th-generation grandmother, Anne Marie, a Mi'kmaq woman of Chief Membertou's Village of 17th-century Nova Scotia continues to re-unite her family, tragically separated by the Grand Deportation in 1755, as she has cousins Bernie and Marie, and her spirit is
with us today.
*
Celebrate this historic event with your Métis cousins, who hail from the finest families of Louisiana: the Doucettes (and Doucets), the Heberts, the Rimbaults, the Gauterots, the Oubres (and Hoovers), the Gosselins, the Gaschet de Lisles, the Dennelles, the Broussards, the Richards, the Lejeunes, the Youngs, the Theriots, the Trahans, the Lamberts, and the Davids.

RSVP: Call (do not text) Bernie David (Etlintoq Mui'n) for further
information: Phone: (985) 515-0579.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=131750620194259&ref=mf

July 04, 2010

"THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER"


O! say can you see by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming.
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O! say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust.
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Francis Scott Key

July 03, 2010

KATRINA + 5: DOCUMENTNG DISASTER

The exhibition Katrina + 5: Documenting Disaster is a reminder of the history made since August 29, 2005, and The Collection’s ongoing efforts to record it.
May 12–September 12, 2010
Williams Gallery, 533 Royal Street

"In the timeline of history, half a decade constitutes not even the blink of an eye, but for many residents of the Gulf Coast affected by Hurricane Katrina, the past five years have seemed like a lifetime. Yet time has moved on. Five years after the storm, recovery efforts have produced a mixed bag of results across our region."

http://www.hnoc.org/?p=1704

July 02, 2010

WE'RE BACk! AFTER NEARLY 5 YEARS!

St. Bernard Genealogical Society is back!
Next meeting July 17th 10:30 am at the
Slidell branch of St Tammany library,
555 Robert Blvd.

New Orleans research will be the topic with a Q & A session following.
We are not limited to St Bernard Parish research. Guests are welcome.
our research assistance is not just for St Bernard Parish.
http://www.sttammany.lib.la.us/slidell.html

August 21th, same time and location
September 18th same time and location
October 16th and Nov 20th also
December luncheon projected for Dec. 11th

Suzanne D. "Sue" Wessing
swessing@hotmail.com

June 26, 2010

NATIONAL ACADIAN DAY


HELLO COUSINS & FRIENDS!
For the Acadian Memorial Festival in April, I put together a power
point presentation featuring our Breaux family’s roots from France
to Acadie to exile in Massachusetts and then to Louisiana. The
pictures are from our trips to France in 2008 and Canada – Nova
Scotia and New Brunswick – in 2009.

I have been requested to make the presentation again for National Acadian Day (see below).
If you did not have an opportunity to be in St. Martinville for the
Acadian Memorial Festival, then you will have two opportunities to
hear the stories.

Also, you may know Breaux cousins who might enjoy
the presentation, so please feel free to share this email with
others.
Gayle Breaux Smith
Baton Rouge, LA

SATURDAY, JULY 17, 2010, 10:00 a.m.,
Baton Rouge Genealogical & Historical Society
Bluebonnet Regional Library,
9200 Bluebonnet Boulevard,
Baton Rouge, LA.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 15, 2010, 1:00 p.m.,
NATIONAL ACADIAN DAY
Museum of the Acadian Memorial,
121 S New Market Street,
St. Martinville, LA
Note: If you google National Acadian Day, there are several
choices to search. Here's one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Acadian_Day

FUTURE EVENT for your calendar:

September 30 – October 9, 2011
Grand Réveil Acadien / Great Acadian Awakening (Louisiana):
Website: http://www.gra2011.org/
This will be a one week gathering of Acadians from around the world.
The entire Acadiana Region will open its doors to welcome family and
friends, who want to celebrate and assist in helping preserve the
Acadian/Cajun culture, customs, traditions and history. The "Grand
Réveil Acadien / Great Acadian Awakening” will be held the week
before Festival Acadiens et Créoles and will close with a huge
celebration of renewal on the last day of the Festival.

June 25, 2010

KEEP FRENCH PROGRAM!!




SAVE THE FRENCH DEGREE PROGRAM AT SOUTHEASTERN AT HAMMMOND


Dear Cousins,

Please sign the petition to save the French degree program at

Southeastern University in Hammond, Louisiana.


It was only 1 or 2 generations ago that French was a major language

here in Louisiana. The system beat it out of our parents and grand-

parents and made them learn English. Many Louisianans still speak

French, and as such the impact of French on our state has been

incalculable.

Other than Quebec, Louisiana is the largest French speaking area in

the Western Hemisphere. There's too much Acadian & Cajun culture

to be lost by eliminating these courses. More schools should offer

these courses instead of trying to get rid of it. I might understand

a school in someplace like Kansas eliminating French (nothing

against Kansas), but not here in Louisiana.


Acadian Memorial:  A people without a past are a people without a future.

June 07, 2010

HELP SAVE PARISH RECORDS


At the end of the Seven Years War, Acadians began to resettle in Nova Scotia . The Torbay region of Guysborough Co. was one of these settlements. The earliest parish in the Torbay area, St. Ann’s was estabished in 1819, and continues to this day. This parish holds importance for all local families with early roots. Of special significance, local Acadian families preferred this parish.
Today, St. Ann 's records are neglected and literally falling apart. They have never been copied, and access to these registers is almost impossible.

Our goal is to preserve and share these records. We are thrilled to report that our project has received permission from the church! And we already have a core team of experienced volunteers on board! All the work will be done through the generosity of volunteers, but funding is needed for expenses.

A fundraising effort was launched this week. To make this project possible, we need help from our cousins and the genealogy community.

To learn more, visit:

http://web.me.com/avery_smith/St._Ann/

May 29, 2010

THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS

From Gilbert LaBauve's Journal  1915

It was this 8th day of the present month that the battle of New Orleans,101 years ago, was fought. My father would often speak to me of the streunous time, of those days; how the Tennesseeans and Kentuckeans would drift down the Mississippi River, in flat boats roofed over, and dance on the roof of the boats as they floated down the river, as they were going down the river towards N. Orleans, in anticipation of trouble from the British who were ammassing forces around Pensacola and vicinity of New Orleans.

Finally the call was made for men, and a company was organized in No. Baton Rouge and adjoining parishes and, the men flocked to the American Standard, no one holding back.
My grandfather, Isidor Labauve was at the battle of New Orleans on the 8th of January 1915

THE LABAUVE GUARD


THE LABAUVE GUARD

Company B, Labauve Guard, 11th Regiment Infantry,

James A. Ventress Jr was commander, at his promotion Joseph
Warro became commander. Warro resigned 4 Jun 1862 & John C. Kleinpeter became commander.

Regiment was organized at Camp Moore on 13 Aug 1861 with 857 men.

Ordered to KY, they became part of the garrison at Columbus.

On 7 Nov, the men fought in the Battle of Belmont MO - 12 killed & 42 wounded.

Then moved to Island No.10 after the evacuation of Columbus & remained there till 17 Mar 1862, then to Fort Pillow.

The regiment took 550 men into the Battle of Shiloh on Apr 6th & suffered heavily in a bayonet charge against an enemy artillery battery.

On May 9th, they participated in the Battle of Farmington MS - 12 men killed, wounded or missing.

General Braxton Bragg ordered the regiment disbanded on 19 Aug because of its decline in numbers caused by battle causalities & illness.

The men left from Co B went into the 20th LA Regiment. Some picked men were organized as part of the 14th LA Battalion Sharpshooters.



Many thanks to the United Daughters of the Confederacy Website
UDC4LA@aol.com

copyright (c) 2000 Steven A. Cormier
11th Regiment Volunteer Infantry
www.acadiansingray.com/11th%20Regt.%20Inf.htm - 14k

May 28, 2010

DEATH OF A HERO


From Gilbert LaBauve's Journal

July 17, 1917

I am about recording the death of a hero, Gustave Labauve, Orderly Sergeant of a Company of the 18th regiment of Infantry commanded by Col. Armant of St James' Parish, participated in the battle of Mansfield, during the Confederate War.

The 18th regiment was ordered to charge a battery disployed behind a rail fence. As soon as the colonel received the order to charge the battery, he arose, leaving his regiment prone on the field. And, answering "The order to charge will be executed; but charging that battery is leading my men to death." whereupon he mounted his fiery steed, no sooner had he mounted, than a ball ended his military career. He fell dead; but the regiment made the charge nevertheless, and, in advancing at a double quick, the Standard bearer fell. No sooner had he been killed than Alexander Breaux of Fausse Pointe raised it high, telling the boys to follow their standard.

He had made only a few steps onward when he was killed, Leonce Ransonette also of Fausse Pointe, raised the color on high and advanced on toward the goal, but he also fell, mortally wounded

Gustave Labauve, happened to be, the only officer of the company unscathed. All the others had either been wounded out of action, or killed; he, as follows, in such emergencies, would not allow the regimental color to trail in the dust. On picking it up, he raised it on high and called to the men to follow him on to victory; no sooner were these words uttered than he was perforated by a mines? ball. And, fall on the bloody field, covered with immortal glory.

He was my first cousin, Uncle Victor Labauve being his father. There was not a lazy bone in that boy, fear was an unknown quantity in him. He was always ready to do his part in everything. I knew the boy well, for we split boards together in the Fausse Pointe swamps on Bayou Crocodile that empties into Lake Pond. For nearly two months we were encamped near that bayou; I was then 15 years old, and Gustave was about two years older than myself.

The Company must have been the center of the regiment, as it was entrusted with the Regimental Color. The regiment got to the rail fence, anyhow.

All at once the battery which had been pouring grape shot and canister into the ranks of the 18th regiment ceased. firing, and the whole battery with its support of infantry, were captured as prisoners of war, but the Confederates who had flanked them by a circutious movement around them. They all surrendered, about 5000 men in all. To accomplish this Genl. Dick Taylor had sacrificed nearly one whole regiment. Gustave Labauve was every inch a man;

To prove his sense of honor, it is only necessary to relate about his furlough at his home at Fausse Pointe, for he was on furlough home at the time the yankees went up the Teche to Red River. His wife and wife's relatives begged him to remain home--that his furlough was not yet up. But nothing could prevail on him to remain home while his company would be exposed to the enemy's fire on the battlefield. So, eluding the yankee army by a flank movement, he left his home and arrived at the headquarters, just in time to enter into action.

May 25, 2010

TREASURES OF GRAND PRE




Historic site reveals more valuable artifacts to archeologists

By GLEN PARKER

Mon. May 24 - 4:53 AMHistory is being unearthed at the Grand Pre National Historic Site at an unprecedented rate.
The latest phase of a decade-long archeological dig at the Acadian village came to a close on Saturday amid an atmosphere of optimism and enthusiasm.

"For us, this is an outdoor classroom," said Jonathon Fowler, professor of archeology at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.

He has been leading a team of 14 undergraduate students in the latest phase of the dig, which got underway on May 3.

The continuing work is the result of a partnership between Saint Mary’s, Parks Canada and the Societe Promotion Grand-Pre.

"We’ve found lots of things," Fowler said.

Some artifacts unearthed so far, besides the rock walls and foundations, include fragments of pottery, handmade nails, a glass wine bottle, window pane glass, coins, spoons, belt buckles, buttons and clay pipes.

"We’re finding things that are durable, and some of these objects are very datable," Fowler said.

In 1755, the site was the centre of an Acadian village. It is thought that the original parish church stood there. It has long been a site of national significance.

photo:  The Memorial Church in Grand Pre    
http://www.grand-pre.com/en/courage-to-conquer.html

May 22, 2010

GACHGS MEETING

WestBankGenealogySociety Yahoo! Group

Title: GACHGS meeting



Date: Tuesday May 25, 2010

Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Location: St. John the Baptist Parish Library, 2920 Hwy 51, LaPlace, LA

Notes: Speaker: Emory C. Webre

Topic: The Education of Freedpeople in Louisiana by the Catholic Church during Reconstruction, 1865-1900

May 21, 2010

ACADIAN MEMORIAL EVENTS






Summer and Fall 2010


121 South New Market Street, St. Martinville, LA


www.acadianmemorial.org


Phone: (337) 394-2258


===============


July 28, 2010 - Day of Remembrance
Join the Acadian Memorial for an afternoon of commemoration:

Induction of Bernie David, Louisiana representative of the Mi'kmaq

Nation, into the Acadian Museum Hall of Fame "Living Legends."

Program co-hosted by the Acadian Museum of Erath, & held at the

Acadian Memorial in St. Martinville.

Tribal ceremony by the Métis/Mi'kmaq nations coming


from Vermont, Canada and Louisiana..St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church


French Service and Mass to remember the day the Deportation Order was


signed.


=================


August 15, 2010 - National Day of the Acadians

National Day of the Acadians has become International Day of the


Acadians! Celebrate the culture and heritage with educational lectures,

storytelling, Acadian films, and reception at the Acadian Memorial


ending with a French Mass at St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church.


===========


October 6, 2010- L'Ordre du Bon Temps supper


Gala dinner for Acadian Memorial Foundation members belonging to


L'Ordre du Bon Temps (Order of Good Cheer) to be held at the City Club


at River Ranch, Lafayette, LA. Executive Chef Patrick Mould and


International Guest Chefs prepare and deliver an extraordinary gourmet


dining experience. Purchase of Foundation membership and event tickets


required.


Brenda Comeaux Trahan


Curator Director Acadian Memorial & Museum of the A.M.


Director of St. Martinville Department of Tourism


www.acadianmemorial.org & www.stmartinville.org


337.394.2258


fax 337.394.2260

April 15, 2010

Grand R'veil Acadien Great Acadian Awakening 2011


Grand R'veil Acadien / Great Acadian Awakening 2011

October 7th - October 16th

Come when the weather is nice and cool  (Louisiana)


Event mission: to awaken the population of Louisiana, primarily those of Acadian descent and the youth, to the realization that we are losing our language, culture, and coastal lands, and to seek support, partnerships, solutions and concerted plans of action through large gatherings with Acadians from all over the world.

Planned Schedule:

October 7, 2011 Unveiling of Acadian Monument in New Orleans, LA

October 8, 2011 Showcase New Orleans area

October 9, 2011 Opening ceremonies in Houma, Louisiana

October 10, 2011 Showcase Houma area

October 11, 2011 Ceremonies in Lake Charles, Louisiana

October 12, 2011 Showcase Lake Charles area

October 13, 2011 Ceremonies in Lafayette, Louisiana

October 14, 2011 Showcase Lafayette area.

October 15, 2011 Festival des Acadiens et Cr'oles

October 16, 2011 Closing ceremonies Lafayette, at Festivals Acadian et Creole

( www.festivalsacadiens.com)

The event will focus on showcasing the regional culture and developing closer ties between all Acadians throughout the world by hosting:  Family Gatherings - Seminars - Lectures - Many Other Cultural Activities

Come celebrate and help preserve the Acadian culture!
For More Information Contact

Ray Trahan, Louisiana Acadie President

Phone: (337) 288-2681

Email: beaufile@bellsouth.net