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