LaBauve Genealogy

DEDICATION OF FLOOD MARKER

2012-01-25T20:55:00.002-05:00

You're invited to attend the dedication of the Historical Marker commemorating the flood of 1849.
Friday, January 27, 2012 10 a.m.
Corner Sauve Road and Jefferson Hwy.

Unveiling by Mr. Elton Lagasse, Jefferson Parish Councilman at Large Division B

Informal chat with Ruth Autin about La Providence concession and Professor Richard Campanella about the New Orleans Flood of 1849 with cake and coffee at PJ's Coffee 10158 Jefferson Hwy.
Please RSVP to Ruth Autin: cajungenie2002@yahoo.com or 504-

2014 WORLD ACADIEN CONGRESS

2012-01-23T19:56:00.002-05:00

LIST OF FAMILIES REGISTERED FOR THE WORLD ACADIEN Congress:
FAMILLES INSCRITES /families registered LOCALITÉS/locality
ALBERT Lejeune,QC
ARSENEAULT Saint-Michel-du Squatec QC
AYOTTE Ste Agatha Maine
BAKER Baker Brook NB
BEAULIEU Portage Lake Maine
BELLIVEAU Edmundston NB
BOUTOT Portage Lake Maine
BROUSSARD Edmundston NB
CAISSIE Drummond NB
CARON Madawaska Maine
CHAREST St Jacques NB
CHASSÉ Maine
CYR Madawaska Maine
DAIGLE Madawaska/St David Maine
DEVEAU Cyr Plantation Maine
DESCHAINES/DESCHÊNES Madawaska Maine
DIONNE Biencourt QC
DUBOIS Portage Lake Maine
DUGAL Maine
DUMONT Maine/Québec
FOURNIER Edmundston NB
GAGNON Maine
GAUDET Nouveau-Brunswick
GAUVIN Van Buren Maine
GIROUARD Témiscouata QC
GODBOUT Drummond NB
GUERETTE Ste Agatha Maine
HÉBERT Maine
LAGACÉ/LAGASSÉ Madawaska Maine
LANDRY St François NB/ Rivière Bleue QC
LEVESQUE Fort Kent Maine
LONG/LANG Clair NB
MADORE Van Buren Maine
MAILLET St Basile NB
MALLET-Mallais-Malley Nouveau Brunswick
MARQUIS Maine
MARTIN Madawaska Maine
MAZEROLLE Nouveau Brunswick
MICHAUD Ste Agatha Maine
MORNEAULT Ste Agatha Maine
NADEAU Lac Baker NB
OUELLET-TE St Hilaire NB
PARADIS Frenchville Maine
PARENT Hamlin Maine
PELLETIER St Marc du lac Long QC
PICARD Madawaska Maine
POITRAS St André NB
RAYMOND Dégelis QC
RICHARD Témiscouata sur le Lac QC
IOUX Grand Sault NB
ROUSSEL St Jacques NB
ROY Frenchville Maine
SAVOIE Saint Quentin NB
SIROIS/LALANCETTE St Joseph NB
SOUCY St Basile NB
ST-PIERRE Van Buren Maine
TALBOT/GERVAIS Ste Agatha Maine
THERIAULT Fort Kent Maine
THIBODEAU Rivière Verte NB
TURCOT/TURCOTTE Dégelis QC
VIOLETTE Van Buren Maine

GREETINGS TO BREAUX FAMILY

2012-01-03T12:02:00.001-05:00

Subject: CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

The Great Acadian Awakening/Grand Reveil Acadien was a wonderful opportunity to make contacts with and meet new BREAUX cousins this year, and we look forward to maintaining those contacts in the future.

We also look forward to the possibility of other BREAUX DU MONDE events in the future and will contact you about all upcoming Acadian/Cajun events.

The Board of Breaux du Monde Association wishes all our cousins a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Gayle Breaux Smith, President, Baton Rouge, LA
James Bourque, Vice President, Youngsville, LA
Gloria Breaux Sanchez, Secretary, Duson, LA
Roy Breaux, Treasurer, Youngsville, LA

CONGRES MONDIAL ACADIEN 2014

2012-01-02T19:46:00.001-05:00

The region of Acadia of the Lands and Forests has been selected by the «Société Nationale de l’Acadie» to host the next World Acadian Congress (WAC) in 2014.

Our region encompasses the counties of Victoria, Restigouche and Madawaska in New Brunswick, as well as Maine’s Aroostook County in the United States and the Témiscouata county in Québec. This region covers an area of about 13 250 km2 and includes nearly 100 000 inhabitants grouped in 50 municipalities.

The WAC is a major event which attracts over 50,000 visitors and more than 300,000 entries to the activities. Held every five years since 1994 for two to three weeks in August (including August 15 - the Acadian National Day) the celebration brings together Acadians and friends from around the world.

The WAC will be held from August 8 to 24, 2014.

The theme for the 2014 congress is: Acadia of the World ... A new Acadia!

EVANGELINE OAK ORNAMENTS!

2011-12-10T12:02:00.001-05:00

Sunday, Dec. 11, the City of St. Martinville, La. will present the St. Lucy Festival of Lights. During the festival, citizens will have the opportunity to own a piece of the Evangeline Oak. The Acorn Project will be offering handmade Christmas ornaments made from acorns and leaves from the historic tree.

In October 2011, the Evangeline Oak Tree began dropping acorns by the hundreds. According to those charged with the tree’s care, the Evangeline Oak has not produced a healthy crop of acorns in approximately eight years.

Immortalized by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's 1847 poem "Evangeline", Evangeline and Gabriel, a betrothed Acadian couple, are separated when forced out of their homeland of Nova Scotia. Evangeline's long and meandering search for Gabriel brings her to the Atchafalaya Basin, where at one point, the lovers' boats unwittingly glide past one another. Arriving in the Poste des Attakapas, or the area of present-day St. Martinville, Evangeline is reunited with Gabriel's father, only to be "irrevocably barred from this pastoral paradise" when she learns of Gabriel's recent departure and marriage. According to legend, after hearing this news, she is said to have died of a broken heart beneath the moss laden branches of the Evangeline Oak.

The oak's recent return to health is attributed to the benevolent work of Daniel Green Enterprises, Inc. of Breaux Bridge, La. In an attempt to preserve the legacy and integrity of the Evangeline Oak Park, The Acorn Project was established in Oct. to raise money for the Park’s beautification and maintenance and to educate the public about the Oak’s history.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

2011-11-24T11:08:00.002-05:00

Thursday November 24, 2011

Time: All Day
Notes: Happy Thanksgiving
From West Bank Genealogy Society Group

HISTORIC CEMETERY DISCOVERED

2011-11-11T14:21:00.007-05:00

Historic Cemetery Discovered In French Quarter Back Yard
13 Caskets Found As Workers Dig Pool.
New Orleans is known by some as America’s most haunted city, but what was found in the city’s oldest neighborhood isn’t folklore or legend.

A man made a historic discovery in his historic French Quarter back yard – he unearthed 13 caskets while workers dug a spot for a pool.
The discovery has deep roots in New Orleans history.
The caskets were found in the 600 block of North Rampart Street

The discovery was made when Marcello decided to hire workers to dig a pool for his back yard.
Knowing the area was the site of St. Peter Cemetery, where many were buried in the 1700s, Marcello enlisted the help of archeologist Ryan Gray from the University of New Orleans.

“Part of the reason why the cemetery was closed was because it was overcrowded, and historical accounts and complaints can't dig anywhere without hitting earlier remains,” Gray said.

Gray said the wealthier people in the city likely paid to have remains removed and reburied at the St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 – the city’s first above ground graveyard.

“We suspect people left behind represented kind of the poorest and most marginalized elements of that early population,” Gray said.
As the city started developing the block, Gray said, the city basically stopped worrying about what was underneath.

Marcello said he’s not too worried either when his residents realize they are not alone.
“It's all part of New Orleans culture. I think they might even like it,” Marcello said.

The caskets are believed to be made of cypress and are intact.
More forensic work is to be done on the remains. Gray said he hopes to identify the family members if they exist and have a public reburial ceremony.
In 1984, 36 bodies were uncovered when condos were built on the block.

Read more: http://www.wdsu.com/news/29744746/detail.html#ixzz1dQZ3cVZU

CAMP PARAPET DAY

2011-11-06T21:53:00.001-05:00

WESTBANK GENEALOGY SOCIETY

TITLE: CAMP PARAPET DAY

Date: Saturday November 12, 2011
Time: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Location: Camp Parapet, Arlington St. at Causeway Blvd, Metairie, LA

Notes:

Free tours of structure and grounds, historic dancers, etc. Built in 1861 as part of an extensive fortification to protect the City of New Orleans from Yankee Invasion during the War Between the States. Also, visit special vendors on grounds.

ACADIAN CROSS HOUMA

2011-11-06T18:02:00.012-05:00

MONUMENT MARKS ANCESTORS EMIGRATION TO LOUISIANA

Published: Monday, October 10, 2011 at 11:29 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, October 10, 2011 at 11:29 a.m.

An international crowd gathered near the Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum on Park Avenue in Houma Sunday to watch as organizers unveiled a new monument.

The cross and its accompanying map, which shows the emigration patterns of Acadians after they were expelled from Canada, is the first to be installed in the United States.

The ceremony was part of the Grand Reveil Acadien, or the Great Acadian Awakening, a 10-day French culture festival with events in four Louisiana cities.

There are 37 monuments in all. They were created by the Society of National of Affairs of Acadians and mark the landing places of those expelled by the Acadian Deportation.

The Acadians were forced out of eastern Canada when the British gained control of the Maritime Provinces during the French and Indian War. The original French settlers, the Acadians, were sent to the 13 colonies and France in the 1750s.

Over time, many of those moved to the American south, founding Acadian communities along the Mississippi and the bayous.

“The Acadians never forgot this history. How could they?” said Francoise Enguehard, president of the National Association of Acadians, during Sunday's dedication ceremony. “The objective of this monument is to remember, but also to reaffirm our nationhood.”

Thelma Babineau Richard, bearing an Acadian flag, was among those on hand for the unveiling. She traveled to south Louisiana as part of a delegation of 70 Canadians.

“These are our people. We share the same ancestry,” said Richard, who lives in Moncton, New Brunswick, Lafayette's twin city. “When we're here, we don't feel like we're in the United States.”

The unveiling ceremony drew Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet, Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne, and Jean-Claude Brunet, France's New Orleans-based consulate general.

The monument was meant to commemorate the hardships the group's Acadian ancestors had faced, but also to celebrate the exodus' contributions to the region's heritage.

“I know I don't have to tell you that Terrebonne means good earth,” Claudet told attendees. “It's fortunate that a group excluded from another place came here, to a land so full of bounty.”

Staff Writer Cara Bayles can be reached at 857-2204 or at cara.bayles@houmatoday.com

AFGS ACADIAN HERITAGE NEWS

2011-10-24T23:15:00.004-04:00

There is an unusual oral tradition Acadians have used to define their ancestry back to the very beginnings of the colony. In some areas, it is still in use today. The unbroken chain, both paternal and maternal, allows the listener to know from what family and what area of Acadia the speaker is describing. In one string, I can be transported from 2011 New England, to the Village of Memramcook, New Brunswick after Le Grand Dérangement, to Needham, Massachusetts during the exile, to a mid-1600s farm on the north side of the Rivière Dauphin near Port Royal, Acadia.

Between each first name is the French word “à” which in English translates as “to”.
Rob à Norma à Alda à Placide à Amable à Israël à Simon à Jacques à François à Jacques à Daniel LeBlanc. This one-from-the-other linguistic tradition can be applied to any of my Acadian lines, but not without looking at my notes first. I was surprised the first time I actually heard it in practice. My cousin was speaking with a distant relative of ours at a funeral. He is the son of Thadée LeBlanc and Domithilde Boucher.

I had never met the man before, but within moments he knew how we are related. And it still amazes me today.

http://afgs-acadian-heritage-news.blogspot.com/2011/10/from-one-to-another.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AfgsAcadianHeritageNews+%28AFGS++Acadian+Heritage+News%29

EVANGELINE

2011-10-14T23:48:00.006-04:00

Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie is an epic poem published in 1847 by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The poem follows an Acadian girl named Evangeline and her search for her lost love Gabriel, set during the time of the Expulsion of the Acadians.

The idea for the poem came from Longfellow's friend, Nathaniel Hawthorne. Longfellow used dactylic hexameter reminiscent of Greek and Latin classics, though the choice was criticized. It was published in 1847 and became Longfellow's most famous work in his lifetime. It remains one of his most popular and enduring works.

The poem had a powerful effect in defining both Acadian history and identity in the nineteenth and twentieth century. More recent scholarship has revealed the historical errors in the poem and the complexity of the Expulsion and those involved, which the poem ignores.[1]

CLICK ON LINK BELOW TO READ THE ENTIRE POEM:
http://www.gov.ns.ca/legislature/library/digitalcollection/Evangeline.pdf

GENEALOGY FAIR

2011-10-11T20:28:00.003-04:00

Librarians from the Special Collections area of the East Bank Regional Library who are familiar with genealogy research will be present to explain the library's resources.

The purpose of the fair is to encourage people to become interested in tracking their ancestral lineage, including:
*        To acquaint library customers with local genealogy organizations and how they can help people who are trying to research their ancestry;
*        To demonstrate the databases available to help patrons discover ancestors;
*        To demonstrate other resources available at the library - including books and microfilm - that can help customers locate ancestors.

The genealogy fair is held in conjunction with National Family History Month, established in 2003 and recognized by the United States Senate that year. In doing so, the senate was encouraging Americans to set aside time for family history research and education. When President George W. Bush signed the proclamation in support of Family History Month, he said, "Lessons in family lineage are often lessons in courage, endurance, and love. While tracing our roots can be challenging, the rewards can be great - affirming our pride in our history and keeping us mindful of the sacrifices of our forebears."

For more information regarding this presentation, contact Chris Smith, manager of adult programming for the library, at 504-889-8143 or mailto:wcsmith@jefferson.lib.la.us

BELIZAIRE THE CAJUN

2011-10-02T23:01:00.000-04:00

The 25th anniversary edition of “Belizaire the Cajun” will have its Lake Charles debut at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12, at the Imperial Calcasieu Museum, 204 W. Sallier.

Filmmaker Glen Pitre will introduce the film. After the screening, Pitre and re-release producer Michelle Benoit, a native of Lake Charles, will host a question-answer session with the audience.

The screening is part of the Great Acadian Awakening, which features a variety of activities on Oct. 11 at the Civic Center.

Admission is free but seating is limited for the screening; your name must be on the list to enter. Reserve a seat by calling the museum at 439-3797.

“Belizaire the Cajun” is set in pre-Civil War Acadiana where a wily herb doctor must save a life, defeat murderous vigilantes, win a woman’s heart, and escape the gallows in what Variety called “one of the looniest hanging scenes ever committed to film.”

The movie was shot at Acadian Village in Lafayette, Evangeline Park in St. Martinville, south of Abbeville and other spots around Acadiana.

http://www.americanpress.com/lc/blogs/wpnewssum/?p=28950

GREATER NEW ORLEANS GENEALOGY

2011-09-11T18:02:00.000-04:00

The population of southeast Louisiana provides a rich source for genealogy studies. However the relocations associated with Katrina has adversley affected the local community of genealogists.
As one step to help rebuild our community, a Facebook group named the Greater New Orleans Genealogical Group has been created with the following purpose.

"The purpose of this group is to promote regional genealogy discussion in several ways. Local genealogy groups are invited to post information about themselves including meeting times and locations. Individuals can post questions which might be answered by other members. Researchers may share tips and sites for others. Sponsors can publicize events and meetings that may be or interest.
The parishes this site targets includes Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany and Washington. Other parishes are welcome to participate."

We are just getting started and we welcome any suggestions that would improve the concept.
Members of the West Bank Genealogical Society are invited to join this group. Just type the group name in the Facebook search box and then select join. Please inform your members about this group and encourage then to participate.

ICITTE, ON PARLE FRANCAIS

2011-08-09T22:45:00.001-04:00

The Louisiana State Museum presents
“Icitte, on parle français”
The History and Diversity of the
Cajun French Language
by Dr. Nathalie Dajko

Thursday, August 11, 2011

6 to 7 PM
The Cabildo at Jackson Square

Dr. Nathalie Dajko is a professor of anthropology at Tulane University.

DELIVRANCE - ACADIANS WHO FOUGHT BACK

2011-08-08T20:21:00.001-04:00

Danny Thebeau is the screenplay writer, producer, director, and lead actor in 'Délivrance,' a tale of oppression and the great courage that resulted from it in the time of the Acadian expulsion at Fort Beauséjour.

The one-hour film, which has been produced through a partnership with Red Leaf Productions and Thebeau, will debut on CBC Maritimes on August 20 at 8 p.m. Another screening of the film will be shown on Societe Radio Canada at an undecided date.

Thebeau, who is of Acadian descent, says that his inspiration in producing the film came from a desire to demonstrate the great courage and bravery that many Acadians displayed at the time of deportations.
He believes that the Acadian people are too often depicted as victims and sufferers.
This was something he wanted to change.

"We were so used to hearing the stories of the martyr of the Acadians, and the poor Acadians," says Thebeau. "We wanted to tell the story of those who fought back, those who are our heroes. We're telling the story of our people."

Although the film's story is fictional, it is based on what Thebeau believes are true events.
"We try to stay true to the era. We wanted to make it a true New Brunswick film about our people; we incorporate Colonel Monckton as a character in our film. It tells a story about our history, but it's not to be tied to the reality of things, because it is a fiction."

The premise of the film revolves around Pierre-Henri Surette, one of the many Acadians deported at Fort Beausejour. Surette takes it upon himself to free him and his fellow townsmen from their incarceration.

In the film, he does this by winning over the trust of the British commander in charge of the fort. A demonstration of Surette's tremendous courage, as well as the hint of a love interest, blossom as the film progresses.

Thebeau says the film has been an ongoing project since its initial debut at the Silverwave Film Festival in Fredericton last year. An 18-minute version of the project was shown to audiences at the film festival last November. The film swept several awards at the festival, including Best Actor in a Drama, Most Unique Film, and Best Picture Edit.

The first act of the film was shot a year and a half ago, and the second part began shooting on May 14 and concluded on May 23. The film was shot in Fort Beauséjour, Memramcook, Hillsborough, and Beaumont.

DEPORTATION OF THE ACADIANS

2011-07-25T20:48:00.002-04:00

Cermony marking the deportation of the Acadiens

Translation of the French from below:
On Thursday July 28 at 5:30 pm there will be a cerermony in Dieppe, NB at the Odysee Monument on Champlain Street. There will be a display of history, music, and there will be a laying of flowers in memory of our ancestors.

Sent: Sunday, July 24, 2011 11:53 AM
Subject: Cérémonie de commémoration
Il y aura une cérémonie marquant la déportation des Acadiens le jeudi 28 juillet à 17h30 au Monument de l'Odyssée sur la rue Champlain à Dieppe. Brin d'histoire, musique, recueillement à 18h et des fleurs seront seront disposées en mémoir de nos ancêtres. Tous sont les bienvenus.
--
Donald Boudreau
Secrétaire-Trésorier
Fédération des Associations de Familles Acadiennes Inc.
307, rue Amirault
Dieppe NB E1A 1G1
fafa.acadie@gmail.com
http://fafa-acadie.org
Téléphone: (506) 532-8019

LAFOURCHE HERITAGE SOCIETY

2011-07-20T19:24:00.001-04:00

The Lafourche Heritage Society invites you to attend its 35th Annual History and Genealogy Seminar

Saturday, August 6th

The thirty-fifth annual seminar on history and genealogy will be held by the Lafourche Heritage Society on Saturday, August 6, 2011, at the Envie Restaurant and Banquet facility in Thibodaux. The day’s activities will begin with registration and coffee at 8:30 a.m., and will close after the last speak...er, at 3:00 p.m. The seminar will have two morning sessions, a buffet lunch, and two afternoon sessions. There will be breaks between sessions for visits to book vendors. Speakers scheduled for this event are Dr. Christopher Cenac, Sr., Neil Guilbeau, Emilie Leumas, and Jay Schexnaydre.
Christopher E. Cenac, Sr., M.D., is a native of Houma. Several years ago, Dr. Cenac began compiling years of research on the Cenac family into a book for his family. His presentation will highlight some of the documents and photographs he discovered in his research. His presentation is entitled “The History of the Cenac Family and the Early Oyster Industry in Terrebonne Parish.”

Neil J. Guilbeau is a native of Sunset and is the Assistant Archivist at Nicholls State University. One of Neil’s current projects for the Nicholls Archives is interviewing local veterans on their experiences in the armed forces. His presentation will be “U.S. Veterans of Southeast Louisiana: An Oral History,” which will highlight some of the veterans interviewed thus far.

Emilie “Lee” Gagnet Leumas, PhD, is Director of Archives and Records for the Archdiocese of New Orleans and former Archivist for the Diocese of Baton Rouge. She is the current president of the Association of Catholic Diocesan Archivists. Lee’s presentation will be “Catholicism and French in Louisiana”

Jay M. Schexnaydre is a native of Convent. He is a genealogist and an assistant manager at Laura Plantation in Vacherie. He is currently the president of the Genealogical Research Society of New Orleans. He has compiled family trees for several of the families along the Mississippi River and has made several trips to the Family History Library for research. His topic will be “Old Creole Families of River Road.”
The seminar will be attended by book vendors offering history and genealogy selections. The Society will also have its publications available for purchase including Lafourche Country III which was published in 2010. Participants and members are invited to bring their family history charts.

To pre-register, please send your name and check in the amount of $28 (each participant) to the Lafourche Heritage Society, P.O. Box 913, Thibodaux, LA 70302. Only participants who pre-register will be included in the count for a buffet lunch. Same day registration for the seminar will be accepted at the door, but will not include lunch. The deadline to pre-register is August 3, 2011. Book vendors will be welcome at no additional cost; however, these will need to pre-register and reserve a table in advance. For further information, please contact any of the following:

Clifton Theriot at 985-448-4621, clifton.theriot@nicholls.edu

Patty Whitney at 985-447-7318, pattywhitney@hotmail.com

JULY 28TH--DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

2011-07-19T17:06:00.001-04:00

In Halifax, Nova Scotia on July 28, 1755 British Governor Charles Lawrence signed the deportation order setting in motion Le Grand Derangement. “From 1755 to 1763 it is estimated by historians that 7,000 – half of the entire ethnic population of the Acadians – perished during their diaspora from disease, starvation, and neglect, as well as from violence by the British.”

          “In 2003, Queen Elizabeth II signed the Royal Proclamation decreeing that every July 28th the world should pause to remember the suffering of the Acadians during the Acadian exile.” By symbolically declaring an end to the Acadian exile, the Royal Proclamation stated: “...we acknowledge these historical facts and the trials and sufferings experienced by the Acadian people during the Great Upheaval.”

       Brenda Comeaux Trahan, Curator Director of the Acadian Memorial invites all Louisiana Acadiana/Cajuns and friends to join in the event which is dedicated to the memory of the Acadian victims who died during the years of the deportation. A commemorative mass of reflection by Father Rusty Richard at 7:00 p.m. will be held in the mother church of the Acadians, "St. Martin de Tours". At the conclusion of the service, the church bells will toll during a solemn "candle light" procession of the congregation to the Acadian Memorial Deportation Meditation Garden for prayers under the Deportation Cross.

          As part of the day’s events, at 6:00 p.m. at the Acadian Memorial in St. Martinville, the Acadian Museum will honor Ville Platte native and St. Martinville resident Janie Bulliard by inducting her into the “Order of Living Legends.” Janie with co-founder Patricia Resweber, served on the St. Martinville Tourism Commission that established the Acadian Memorial. She chaired the committee that researched and created the Wall of Names and assisted artist Robert Dafford in designing the mural 'The Arrival of the Acadians in Louisiana'. She currently serves on the Centennial Celebration committee commemorating 100 years of the founding of Evangeline Parish including a bronze statue of Longfellow's heroine, the Parish namesake to stand on the courthouse grounds.

(Some information was taken from a letter submitted to the editor July 2008)

"IN GOD IS OUR TRUST!”

2011-07-10T00:10:00.005-04:00

O thus be it ever when free-men shall stand
Between their lov'd home and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd 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!

Read more: The Star-Spangled Banner — Infoplease.com

GUMBO ROOTS

2011-07-07T13:04:00.000-04:00

Since the West Bank evolved with people from far and wide, the extent of our research includes everywhere. You may join this free group (must click "Join This Group" and set up your membership, then sign-in each time you visit) to contribute information, discuss genealogy, make queries, post genealogical or heritage events, lurk, or just browse the links and our calendar to the left. If you wish to join our official society, the $20 dues may be sent to us at P.O. Box 872, Harvey, LA 70059-0872. The membership year begins June 1st, meetings are held at 1:00 pm on varied days of the month since Katrina when we can get the meeting room (check the calendar on this group site for exact dates). When we cannot get the meeting room, we have research meetings in the LA History and Genealogy room at West Bank Regional Library at 11 a.m. Our quarterly publication, Gumbo Roots, is included with the membership fee. The meeting venue is still subject to change due to library scheduling practices, so be sure to watch our calendar for place and dates.

"If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it
dance." --George Bernard Shaw

HAPPY JULY 4TH!

2011-07-02T01:40:00.000-04:00

This is my song, O God of all the nations,
a song of peace for lands afar and mine;
this is my home, the country where my heart is;
here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine:
but other hearts in other lands are beating
with hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

My country's skies are bluer than the ocean,
and sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine;
but other lands have sunlight too, and clover,
and skies are everywhere as blue as mine:
O hear my song, thou God of all the nations,
a song of peace for their land and for mine.

This is my prayer, O Lord of all earth's kingdoms,
thy kingdom come, on earth, thy will be done;
let Christ be lifted up 'til all shall serve him,
and hearts united, learn to live as one:
O hear my prayer, thou God of all the nations,
myself I give thee -- let thy will be done.

Jean Sibelius (1899)

ISLETON CAJUN FESTIVAL

2011-06-18T00:59:00.002-04:00

HISTORIC ISLETON BREATHES NEW LIFE INTO ITS CAJUN FESTIVAL

For more than 20 years, the town of Isleton CA hosted a festival over Fathers’ Day Weekend that brought as many as 100,000 to this quiet setting on the Sacramento River Delta; many were saddened to learn that the old Isleton Crawdad Festival was sold to R-Wild Horse Ranch in 2008.

But now, the quaint little community of Isleton is bringing back the crawdads and music for their newly-dubbed Isleton Cajun Festival on Saturday and Sunday, June 18 and 19. Historic Main Street will host a plethora of vendors of food and fancies, and three stages will present 20 bands of Zydeco, Cajun and Southern blues including Mark St. Mary, Flambeau, the Bob Woods Band, and others. A carnival for the kids, more crawdads, beans and rice, and jambalaya than you can shake a voodoo stick at, and the warm welcome of a true Delta community is enough to get anyone ready for dancing in the streets!

Carnival Rides
Crawdads & Cajun Food
Arts & Craft Vendors
Street Entertainment & Live Music

2014 WORLD ACADIAN CONGRESS!

2011-06-11T22:49:00.002-04:00

"ACADIA OF THE LANDS AND FORESTS - In a much-anticipated announcement, officials of the fifth World Acadian Congress launched on Tuesday the first round of open applications for groups interested in hosting family reunions during the two-and-a-half week celebration coming in August 2014.

"The call for proposals of gatherings in northern Maine, northwest New Brunswick, and southeast Quebec was made at the Historic Acadian Landing Site in St. David, Maine. Years ago, Acadian ancestors raised a 14-foot marble cross in honor of the pioneer Acadian and Québécois families who settled on both shores of the St. John River in 1785. St. David sits across from the first parish of the Madawaska Territory, Saint-Basile, New Brunswick.

"It is most fitting that we come here to this spot to make the most significant announcement to date about how the 2014 World Acadian Congress will unfold in Acadia of the Lands and Forests," said Emilien Nadeau, president of the international organizing committee. "Within days of the news in August of 2009 that we would have the honor of hosting this event in 2014, there has been a high level of interest from people in Maine, New Brunswick, Québec, and from outside our region, to host family reunions in our territory. We are now soliciting proposals and have a well-defined process in place to determine where these reunions will take place."

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

2011-05-30T14:46:00.001-04:00

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.

John McCrae 1915

MEMORIAL DAY

2011-05-29T19:57:00.010-04:00

"Did you know that Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day in honor of Union and Confederate soldiers who died during the Civil War. It has become a day of national observance for all Americans who lost their lives serving in a war."

The Cajuns.com Stanley LeBlanc

We have an eye witness account of Gustave LaBauve's death in a Civil War battle, entitled "Death of a Hero."

Gilbert LaBauve, my great-grandfather, included it in his journal:

http://labauvegenealogy.blogspot.com/2010/05/death-of-hero.html

MAY HIS SOUL AND THE SOULS OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED, THROUGH THE MERCY OF GOD, REST IN PEACE. AMEN.

WBGS MEETING - HISTORY OF THE CARVILLE LEPROSORIUM

2011-05-24T13:03:00.004-04:00

Date: Tuesday May 24, 2011

Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

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

Speaker: Elizabeth Schexnyder

Topic: The History of the Carville Leprosorium

Get reminders on your mobile, Yahoo! Messenger, and email.

LETTER FROM GILBERT LABAUVE

2011-04-17T13:01:00.000-04:00

From Lawrence Earlo LaBauve Jr. via Facebook:

Gilbert LaBauve. Found this online thought it might be your family.---“[?] County, Texas, [?] juillet, 1889.” Joseph Gilbert LaBauve to “Mr. Raphaël Hebert, Ouest B. Rouge.” The letter – badly damaged and housed in the oversize folder – reads in translation:

“My dear uncle, I would tell you that I am a little ashamed to take up the plume today to write you. Only because I would have had to do it a long time ago, [?] to do it, but you knew the news [was?] the same thing. Thus, today I write from Texas. We arrived about three hours ago at the inn from which I write you. Our trip was one of the happiest. It is now four days since we left the lake. We arrived yesterday morning at Galveston, and we left again at 4:00 in the afternoon. Our expenses up to here have climbed to $225.00. We had a bad time leaving Galveston for here. I saw waves – real waves – of the sea. Mama, Josephine, and [?] all had seasickness, but I knew how to come out of it like an old sailor. You [?] our relatives and friends this news. All of the [?] family are wonderful and charge me with sending their regards to you. Embrace all my cousins for me [?]. Your devoted nephew, Jos. Gilbert LaBauve”

Yes! Gilbert LaBauve is my Great-Grandfather! Thanks so much!

FAMILY TREE DNA

2011-04-14T15:52:00.001-04:00

Family Tree DNA is running a 1 day special rates on genealogic DNA sampling. Here is the link to the promotion if anyone is interested in DNA.

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/event.php?eid=166119860113271

WBGS MEMBERSHIP MEETING

2011-04-13T15:19:00.006-04:00

Date: Saturday April 16, 2011

Time: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

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

Notes: We will have Albert Robichaux for our guest this month. He will conduct a Q&A session for us. He will not give a presentation, but will be there for some brainpicking concerning the German-Acadian Coast and Louisiana Sicilians. Come prepared with your questions!

Thanks to Judy Mills for convincing him!

Please notice the change of venue. Once again we had to change plans due to library rescheduling. We will be at the WESTWEGO library.

MAY THE ROAD RISE UP TO MEET YOU

2011-03-17T13:22:00.000-04:00

"May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be ever at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face

and the rain fall softly on your fields.

And until we meet again,

may God hold you in the palm of His hands."

Traditional Gaelic Blessing

Happy St. Patrick's Day

May those who love us, love us;

And those that don't love us,

May God turn their hearts,

And if He doesn't turn their hearts,

...May he turn their ankles

So we'll know them by their limping.

--Old Irish Hex--

ST. PATRICK'S DAY -- IRISH IN LOUISIANA

2011-03-15T20:03:00.002-04:00

By Terri Wuerthner, About.com Contributing Writer
.
Irish immigrants, attempting to flee British persecution, began appearing in New Orleans at the end of the 1700s. Even larger numbers of Irish started arriving in the 1820s when the famine drove them out of Ireland. The passage from Liverpool to New Orleans was cheap, so many Irish immigrants looking for a better life ended up in the Crescent City, though living conditions were less than ideal once they arrived.

The Irish left their stamp on New Orleans. There is even an area called the "Irish Channel," which is uptown, near the Garden District. This is the center of many St Patrick's Day festivities (see [Link] St. Patrick’s Day Parades in Cajun and Creole Louisiana [Link]).

TO BE CONTINUED....

The Cajuns—Acadia to the Bayous

GRAND-RÉVEIL ACADIEN

2011-02-14T14:44:00.001-05:00

LOUISIANA-ACADIE, INC. PRESENTS

GRAND-RÉVEIL ACADIEN / THE GREAT ACADIAN AWAKENING

Lafayette, LA. Louisiana-Acadie calls on all Acadians to attend Grand-Réveil Acadien/ Great Acadian Awakening (GRA). Grand-Réveil Acadien will be held October 7 through 16, 2011 in four Acadiana regions. Houma, Lafayette, Lake Charles and New Orleans will hostforums, events and celebrations that will close with a spectacular renewal of pride at Festivals Acadien et Creole in Girard Park, Lafayette, LA.

The GRA event has been organized to revitalize Louisianans of Acadian descent and in particular our youth, to the realization that Acadians are losing their French language, culture and coastal lands. GRA is a means of seeking support, partnerships, solutions and concerted plans of action to revitalize all aspects of our culture, including the environment that nurtures and forms a large part of our existence.

The mission of Louisiana-Acadie, Inc., Grand Réveil organizer, is to mobilize all Acadians to participate in the continued expression of their native French language and culture.

After engaging a group of young adult Cajuns (Les Juennesse Acadien) to prepare and participate in promoting the Cajuns of Louisiana for the World Congress of Acadians in 2009, an awakening of their heritage was visibly evident. "The spirited Acadians of the Acadian Peninsula of New Brunswick and the Canadian Juenesse Acadien program was part of what sparked a renaissance and awakening of our younger generation's pride and interest in upholding their Acadian ancestor's native Frenchlanguage and culture." stated Ray Trahan, Louisiana-Acadie President.

Trahan went on to say, "In order to maintain the rich Cajun heritage, it is now time to take advantage of this renewal."

"It is time to capitalize on the older Cajun generation's knowledge.

"The importance of keeping this momentum cannot be lost. We ask that those of Acadian descent join us, in Louisiana, to continue the fight to keep this culture alive.

"Vive Acadie!"

AN ELEGANT CAJUN VALENTINE

2011-02-12T23:03:00.003-05:00

This delicious meal is designed to be made ahead of time. Everything may be prepared early in the day, and baked or assembled at dinner time. The meal is designed for 2 people, but the recipes can easily be doubled or tripled for 4 or 6 if you have guests.

Menu

Shrimp & Roasted Red Potato Salad
*******************************
Three-Pepper Lamb Chops
Bacon Mashed Potatoes
Buttery Minted Peas
********************************
Angel Food Cake with Warm Raspberry Chocolate Sauce

An Elegant Cajun Valentine
A Loving Menu
By Terri Wuerthner, About.com Contributing Writer

http://southernfood.about.com/od/valentinesday/a/cajun-valentines-day-menu.htm?r=un2

CAJUN NEW YEAR'S EVE CUSTOMS

2010-12-30T22:42:00.005-05:00

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.

The Acadian Memorial in St. Martinsville

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

BONFIRES LIGHT THE WAY FOR PAPA NOEL

2010-12-24T16:59:00.007-05:00

(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 storiesPaul L LeBlanc<pleblan@aim.com>

BECOME A NEW ORLEANS TOUR GUIDE

2010-12-14T16:54:00.002-05:00

"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

SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT

2010-12-06T11:23:00.002-05:00

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

MADOCKAWANDO

2010-11-28T15:09:00.002-05:00

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.

WBGS THANKSGIVING!

2010-11-25T12:40:00.002-05:00

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.)

FATHER WE THANK THEE

2010-11-24T13:05:00.004-05:00

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

CAJUN AND CREOLE CULTURE

2010-11-20T16:48:00.004-05:00

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

GREAT ACADIEN AWAKENING

2010-11-17T14:48:00.001-05:00

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

Email: ray@louisiane-acadie.com

Brenda Trahan, Director of GRA2011

Email: brenda@louisiane-acadie.com

Valerie Broussard, Director of Youth Programming for GRA2011

Email: whiskey6@lusfiber.net or

valerie@louisiane-acadie.com

http://www.louisiane-acadie.com/

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

2010-11-11T11:42:00.000-05:00

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.

ALL SOULS DAY CAJUN HISTORY

2010-11-01T22:42:00.002-04:00

http://www.acadian-home.org/deportation-cross.html

“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

CAJUN VS CREOLE CUSTOMS

2010-10-23T15:26:00.002-04:00

"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

THE ROST HOME COLONY

2010-10-15T23:04:00.000-04:00

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.

WBGS MEETING

2010-10-09T16:14:00.001-04:00

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.

THANKSGIVING DAY IN CANADA

2010-10-07T13:58:00.001-04:00

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.

WEST FLORIDA GENEALOGY SOCIETY MEETING

2010-09-22T17:25:00.001-04:00

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).

ACADIAN SILVER UNEARTHED AT GRAND-PRE

2010-09-20T15:14:00.002-04:00

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

Le Comité des Archives de la Louisiane

2010-09-17T15:11:00.000-04:00

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.

DONA NOBIS PACEM

2010-09-11T13:58:00.000-04:00

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"

http://www.oneillgallery.com/

DEPORTATION OF THE ACADIANS - Sept 5, 1755

2010-09-09T01:44:00.003-04:00

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

LOOKING AHEAD TO L'ACADIE DU MONDE 2014

2010-09-07T00:02:00.002-04:00

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

LABOR DAY PRAYER

2010-09-06T15:22:00.000-04:00

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.

NATIONAL DAY OF THE ACADIANS

2010-08-13T03:13:00.003-04:00

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

DESCENDANTS OF ACADIAN FAMILIES

2010-08-12T13:37:00.000-04:00

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.

CMA - 2014

2010-07-24T23:29:00.002-04:00

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

ACADIAN PRAYER FOR HURRICANE SEASON

2010-07-20T13:59:00.002-04:00

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

GRAND ISLE AID FESTIVAL

2010-07-18T15:29:00.000-04:00

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.

MI'KMAG-ACADIAN (METIS) OF LOUISIANA

2010-07-13T16:47:00.004-04:00

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

"THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER"

2010-07-04T15:33:00.001-04:00

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

KATRINA + 5: DOCUMENTNG DISASTER

2010-07-03T00:10:00.003-04:00

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

WE'RE BACk! AFTER NEARLY 5 YEARS!

2010-07-02T16:22:00.000-04:00

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

NATIONAL ACADIAN DAY

2010-06-26T16:35:00.002-04:00

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.

KEEP FRENCH PROGRAM!!

2010-06-25T17:14:00.005-04:00

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.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/keep-the-french-department-at-southeastern- louisiana-university

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.

HELP SAVE PARISH RECORDS

2010-06-07T21:50:00.001-04:00

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/

THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS

2010-05-29T00:18:00.001-04:00

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

2010-05-29T00:02:00.001-04:00

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

DEATH OF A HERO

2010-05-28T20:30:00.002-04:00

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.

TREASURES OF GRAND PRE

2010-05-25T22:31:00.002-04:00

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

GACHGS MEETING

2010-05-22T20:35:00.001-04:00

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

ACADIAN MEMORIAL EVENTS

2010-05-21T14:35:00.003-04:00

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

Grand R'veil Acadien Great Acadian Awakening 2011

2010-04-15T13:32:00.003-04:00

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

CAJUN MUSIC LIVES!

2010-04-02T13:36:00.002-04:00

The Traditional Cajun Music Radio Network

http://www.live365.com/stations/lamusicradio?play

Cajun music lives. The Cajun culture is alive and well, not only in the local Louisiana area but also through the countless displaced Cajun descendants scattered around the world.

Come join us in celebrating the Cajun culture in it most exciting form -- the music of Cajun country. The Cajun Music Radio Social Network welcomes you to come on in. Listen to streaming traditional Cajun music and view special video events. Get the latest news from the area. Find out where the best bands are playing. Start your own fan club for your favorite artist. Open a discussion about Cajun music, food, festivals and more!

It's no Accident that we launch this site on Mardi Gras day, February 24, 2009! Y'all come on in.

Allen Menard

Director of Root Music Promotion

Louisiana Music Radio Network

Plays Tracks Like

Blackie Forestier - Here I Am Drunk Again - Cajun Favorites

Charivari - The Monkey & the Fiddle - A Trip to the Holiday Lounge

Chuck Guillory - Chere Bassette - Grand Texas

Jamie Bergeron - Nonc Adam - Walking Away

Milton Adams - Midnight Playboy Special - Steppin' Fast

CALLING ALL CAJUNS!

2010-03-15T20:07:00.004-04:00

IT'S FESTIVAL TIME!

CALLING ALL CAJUNS!

A Publication of The Acadian Memorial Foundation March 2010

With the first breath of spring in St. Martinville arrives the Acadian
Memorial Festival. On March 19 and 20, 2010 the 6th annual festival
once again promises a good time in the historic district. As sponsors
of the festival, it‟s a great time for Foundation members and our
families to get together.

Bring some guests, and let‟s take part in the fun with a Friday night
downtown stroll for the Art Walk, Tour of St. Martin de Tours Church
and Crawfish Boil (call Ray Trahan, Festival Chairman, to reserve
tickets) and Saturday‟s festivities in Evangeline Oak Park including
live music, great food and drinks, exhibits, merchandise, costumes, art, reenactments,
reunions, genealogy presentations, etc. Volunteers are needed, welcomed and
greatly appreciated!

By festival time, installation should be complete for the new lamp for
the Eternal Flame. Stop by the Acadian Memorial Courtyard and have a
look!

It will be our pleasure to host some special guests: author Gérard-Marc
Braud and Maryannick Braud of Nantes, and artist Georgette Bourgeois of
Nova Scotia. The traveling exhibit Voices of the Atchafalaya is also
scheduled for display. Created by Earl Robicheaux and John Amrhein, it
features photography, recorded oral history and ambient sound.

At 1 p.m. on festival day, take a spot on the Boardwalk and welcome the
2010 Honored Acadian Families, BREAUX and GUIDRY, some of whom will be
representing their ancestors in the much anticipated reenactment of the
Arrival of the Acadians on the Teche in St.Martinville.

Admission is FREE to all events! Please enjoy Cajun cooking and
beverages from our booths in support of the festival. See you there...

Festival Schedule Updates
http://www.acadianmemorial.org/
http://www.stmartinville.org/

For More Info: Email us at
info@acadianmemorial.org
or call: 337-394-2258/
337-288-2681

ACADIAN FLAG-BEARER AT OLYMPICS

2010-03-05T19:15:00.011-05:00

NEW.BRUNSWICK (CBC) - An Acadian hockey fan from Dieppe, N.B., has attracted attention from

across the country after last Sunday's gold medal men's final.

Two different groups of Acadians started searching for the man who was captured on television waving

the Acadian flag during the game.

Michele Pothier was watching from Victoria, B.C., when she saw the familiar red, white, and blue flag

with the yellow star undulating above the gold medal match spectators.

"I went, 'Oh my God, look, someone's waving the Acadian flag.' "

Pothier, who is originally from Nova Scotia, was instantly curious.

"Who would go to a gold medal game in Vancouver with an Acadian flag on them? It was just random,

fun stuff," she said.

So Pothier put together an anglophone Facebook page "Who was waving the Acadian flag at the Canada

vs. USA Olympic game?" calling on people to identify the flag bearer.

A similar French site was created by others Qui étais l'Acadien avec notre drapeau?

In total, about 400 people were looking for the flag-bearer online.

Meanwhile, the man who had been waving the flag, Bobby Léger, had no idea he was getting so much

attention until Monday, when word got out that it was him.

Joël Viger proudly announced on the French site that it was his "bon chum" Léger. "You're the man,

Bob!" he wrote.

Lissa Léger also posted a comment. "Proud to say it's my brother and my dad! Way to go, guys! I guess it

took a gold medal game for someone to notice our flag at the Olympic Games! Go Canada Go."

Bobby Léger said he used a fishing rod as a flagpole. "When we got in we scrambled to get the whole

fishing rod together and taped the Acadian flag on it, and there we went," he said.

"Every time that we got an opportunity to wave the flag, we did, because I just wanted to prove to all of
my buddies that I was actually at the game."

Afterward, dozens of people came up asking about the flag, said Léger.
"We were just walking down the streets and [people shouted] 'Hey, an Acadian here.' Overall it was

pretty neat."

Léger said nations around the world wanted to fly their colours at the Olympics, and he's glad L'Acadie

wasn't left out.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/cbc/100305/canada/canada_newbrunswick_nb_acadian_flag_olympics_hockey

ACADIANS: BAYOU TECHE TO ATCHAFALAYA

2010-03-01T17:53:00.001-05:00

The theme of the 2010 Acadian Memorial Festival is Acadians: Bayou

Teche to Atchafalaya. The festival, a museum style celebration of the

Acadian Settlers in Louisiana, will be held on Saturday, March 20, 2010

from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in St. Martinville. Festival Kickoff is Friday,

March 19, 2010 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. All events are free and open

to the public.

The Acadian Memorial Foundation Board and the City of St. Martinville

want to share the highlights to entice your presence. The history and

stories step right out of the museum and Memorial to showcase the

Acadian Cajun culture and traditions loaded with visuals and fun for

all ages.

Festival kickoff will be a Downtown Promenade around historic Church

Square. Join us for an Art Walk through downtown businesses, Crawfish

Boil, tour of St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church and introduction of

the 2010 Festival’s honored families, Breaux and Guidry. Advance

tickets for the crawfish are on sale by the L’Ordre du Bon Temps.

Brief family meetings can be arranged, please contact us for

accommodations.

Festival day is old fashioned Cajun fun set in Evangeline Oak Park.

Acadian costumes are encouraged. Join us for family reunions, music,

cuisine, history, lectures, theatre, film, demonstrations, storytelling

and kids’ activities, wooden boat parade/exhibit, antique cars, and

much more. Voices of the Atchafalaya, a traveling exhibit of

photography and sound, will be on display. Special guests will include

author Gerard-Marc Braud and Maryannick Braud of Nantes, France and

artist Georgette Bourgeois of Nova Scotia, Canada.

Cracklins, boudin, jambalaya, fried fish, cush cush, Cajun sweets, etc.

will be cooked on site. Beverages of all types will be available.

Anyone interested in selling their Cajun products may rent a booth.

The Reenactment of the Arrival of the Acadians on Bayou Teche takes

place at 1 p.m. on festival day. Bring your children, grandchildren and

elderly family members for this opportunity to reconnect with all Cajun

families! We are looking for two to four members from the Breaux and

Guidry families to ride in pirogues or barges. Acadian Dress circa

1764 is required. Please contact us to make arrangements.

All Cajun family associations should join in a huge welcome of the

Acadians arrival in St. Martinville.

Let us make this the biggest day ever! For more information or to

volunteer, contact us at 337-394.2258 337-288-2681 or

info@acadianmemorial.org. Please visit our websites at

www.acadianmemorial.org and www.stmartinville.org for schedule updates.

CONTACT: BRENDA COMEAUX TRAHAN, ACADIAN MEMORIAL CURATOR, 337.394.2258

CHILLY PARADE

2010-02-16T13:51:00.000-05:00

NEW ORLEANS — Pete Fountain, clarinet in hand and looking dapper in a white tuxedo and fedora trimmed in gold, kicked off Mardi Gras with his "Half Fast Marching Club" the way they have for 50 years: with beads and jazz.

Fountain, 79, has marched every year except the year after Hurricane Katrina hit, when he had bypass surgery.

"We're slower than we were, and older than we were," Fountain said with a laugh. "But on Mardi Gras none of it matters."

Tuesday, the final day of Carnival, was sunny and cold with high temperatures expected to hang around 50 degrees.

"I have plenty of antifreeze with me if I need it," said Jessie Grace, 57, playfully waving a flask from his pocket. "If Mardi Gras doesn't warm you up, nothing will."

Grace and about 30 family members and friends staked out their spot on St. Charles Avenue at 2 a.m., setting up chairs and tables. By 7 a.m. gumbo was cooking in a big pot and ribs were on the barbecue grill.

A week after the parade celebrating the New Orleans Saints' first Super Bowl victory, the joy of that win fed right into the Mardi Gras.

Many of those along the parade route wore Saints jerseys. One group of cyclists were costumed as flying pigs, which long-suffering fans had always said they would see if the Saints won the big game.

"Hell froze over," said Sandra Bell, 51, shivering under a blanket. "Can't you feel it?"

Saints quarterback Drew Brees, coach Sean Payton and owner Tom Benson served as monarchs of parades and more players rode with the Krewe of Zulu.

"It's a big, big deal," said Glynn Brown, 55, who said he had taken out a second mortgage to pay for the Saints gear he and his family were decked out in. "But Mardi Gras is our heritage."

MARDI GRAS!

2010-02-16T13:17:00.000-05:00

Title: Mardi Gras

Date: Tuesday February 16, 2010

Time: All Day

Notes: Laissez les bons temps rouler!

GRAND REVEIL ACADIEN

2010-02-10T00:11:00.003-05:00

LOUISIANE-ACADIE, INC. ANNOUNCES

“GRAND RÉVEIL ACADIEN / GREAT ACADIAN AWAKENING”

Lafayette, Louisiana. January 29, 2010 - Louisiane-Acadie, aiming to

fulfill the mission to mobilize all Acadians to participate in the

continued expression of their native French language and culture,

announces "Grand Réveil Acadien / Great Acadian Awakening”, a one week

gathering of Acadians from around the world, to be held in Louisiana in

October 2011.

From September 30 to October 9, 2011, 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 of the first North American settlers, the

Acadians. 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

After engaging a group of young adult Cajuns (Les Jeunes Cadiens) to

represent the Louisiana Acadians at the 2009 World Acadian Congress, an

awakening of their heritage became evident. "The spirited Acadians of

the Acadian Peninsula of New Brunswick , hosts of the 2009 Congress,

more particularly the “Grand Rassemblement Jeunesse”, sparked a

renaissance and awakening of our younger generation's pride and

interest in preserving their Cajun ancestor's native French language

and culture,” states Louisiane-Acadie President Ray Trahan.

The Acadians left France in the early 1600s to colonize “Acadie,”

present - day Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, Canada. Years after the

Deportation of 1755, over 3,000 Acadians arrived and settled in south

Louisiana bringing with them the French language and rich

French-Acadian customs. These settlers, now called "Cajuns," are

estimated to number over 600,000. As the Louisiana gulf coast, where

many Acadians settled, dwindles, the Cajuns are forced to move further

north to English-speaking communities. Consequently, as the older

generation of Acadians passes away, our French language and many Cajun

traditions risk being lost forever.

When Cajun parents/grandparents pass away, material possessions from

those loved ones are dearly preserved to remember and honor them.

"There is no better way to honor and remember our loved ones, than to

keep and to live their native French language and culture,” says Trahan.

The importance of keeping this momentum cannot be lost. It is time to

invite the world, especially those of Acadian descent, to join us, in

Louisiana, and continue the fight to keep this culture alive

We have awakened a renewed spirit of our Cajun people and need

everyone, including our international families and cousins, to support

us in our efforts. Vive l’Acadie!

###

If you would like more information on this event, please contact Ray

Trahan at (337) 288 – 2681 or visit www.gra2011.org and

http://www.louisiane-acadie.com/.

For your information:

“Grand Réveil Acadien/Great Acadian Awakening”:

Mission: The mission of the Great Acadian Awakening is to awaken the

population of Louisiana and the world, primarily those of Acadian

descent, and in particular our youth, to the realization that, while we

have made positive strides, the people of Louisiana are losing their

French language, culture, and coastal land, and to seek support,

partnerships, solutions and concerted plans of action through these

large gatherings.

Executive Board Members:

President Ray Trahan

Vice-President Elaine Clement

Secretary Peggy Matt

Treasury Loubert Trahan

Philippe Gustin

Brenda Trahan

Valerie Broussard

Lucius Fontentot

Associate Members Sharon Alfred

Angie Istre

Information will be forthcoming as plans are finalized. The web sites,

mentioned above, for Louisiane-Acadie are currently being developed and

should be accessible shortly.

Sponsored by a grant from the State of Louisiana and the Lafayette

Consolidated Government

CALLING ALL CAJUNS!

2010-02-03T13:20:00.005-05:00

The Acadian Memorial Festival, a museum style celebration of the

Acadians who settled in Louisiana, will be held on March 20th., 2010

from 10 am to 4 p.m.

The "Evangeline Oak Park" is the setting for a day of old fashion

Cajun fun. Enjoy an old fashioned spring day of Cajun culture and

traditions with music, cuisine, history, lectures, theatre, films,

demonstrations, storytelling, wooden boat parade/exhibit, antique

cars, and much more.

This day is an opportunity for Acadian families to join together for

reunions and connections. Featured are educational and traditional

opportunities for our younger generation. Bring your children,

grandchildren and elderly family members to reconnect with all Cajun

families.   Acadian costumes are encouraged.

The highlight of the day is the Reenactment of the Arrival of the

Acadians to St. Martinville. It will take place on the Bayou Teche

at 1 p.m.

All Cajun family associations should join in a huge welcome of the

Acadians arrival in St.Martinville. Let us make this the biggest day

ever!

The two families honored, who will participate in the reenactment,

will be the Breaux and Guidry families. We will need two to four

members from each family to ride in pirogues or barges for the

reenactment. We will furnish the pirogues unless you have one of

your own and want to bring it.   It is mandatory that these

participants dress as the Acadian ancestors did during their arrival

beginning in 1764. Most carried all their belongings with them so a

grass sack full of hay, old clothes etc., would have that effect.

Come dressed the part and encourage all your family members and

friends to dress accordingly also.

The festival is free but Cajun food and drinks are sold to pay

expenses. We cook on site: cracklin, boudin, jambalaya, fried fish,

cush cush, cajuns sweets, etc. We also sell drinks: water,

coke, beer, wine. etc.   Also, anyone interested in selling their

Cajun products can rent a booth.

A CAJUN VALENTINE

2010-02-02T23:01:00.001-05:00

Join the city of St. Martinville, Acadian Memorial, Cultural

Heritage Center at the most romantic and most photographed oak tree

in the United States, a most important aspect of intrigue and

adventure that can bring romance to couples for Valentine Day!

On February 11, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. Longfellow's poem, "Evangeline"

the romance behind it will be part of a tribute to all couples who

were married or engaged under the famous oak tree in St.

Martinville. Many marriage proposals and weddings occurred under the

boughs of this famous and magnificent oak tree situated along the

Bayou Teche. Some of these couples will tell about their reason for

coming to this romantic town and famous tree to keep a most precious

memory of their marriage and proposal.

Peggy Hulin with Old Castillo Hotel: La Place du Evangeline, ( 220

Evangeline Blvd, St. Martinville 337.394.4010 ) will co-host the

event, and the city of St. Martinville invites all couples to be a

part of this annual romantic celebration. Come enjoy a Valentine

romance "Cajun Style" then dine in our historic city.

Enjoy a reception with music, door prizes, lecture on Longfellow's

"Evangeline" and the influence this story has on romance for couples

and the history of the Acadian/Cajuns. Come early and catch the 1929

film of "Evangeline" shown at the Acadian Memorial Conference Room

South New Market~ 337.394.2258.

Free and open to the public.

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

ADVENT BLESSINGS

2009-11-29T15:39:00.003-05:00

"This is the irrational season/
When love blooms bright and wild./
Had Mary been filled with reason/
There'd have been no room for the child."

From Madeleine L'Engle's poem "After Annunciation"

http://www.splendoroftruth.com/

ACADIAN RESISTANCE FOUND IN DIARY

2009-11-27T23:02:00.006-05:00

The officer's writings are mostly dry and technical - accounts of the weapons deployed and how many lashes were meted out for drinking.
But buried in the terse prose of Jeremiah Bancroft's journal, which goes on display today in Halifax, are new details of Acadian resistance to the 18th-century deportation. It's information that one community leader hopes will help erase a lingering feeling of helplessness.
"I have met several Acadians over the years who have experienced a sense of shame of not having done anything about it," said Victor Tétrault, executive director of the Société Promotion Grand-Pré. "That's what they gleaned from the history, but with this we can know that we did all we could."
Ensign Bancroft's writing offers an account of the 1755 British military efforts to remove Acadians from the Maritimes. It includes some acts of resistance not mentioned in the journal of expedition leader Lieutenant-Colonel John Winslow, the only other British officer whose account of this phase of the deportation has survived.
The original Bancroft journal is now lost, but in 1925 an amateur historian typed out what appears to be an accurate copy, going so far as to replicate archaisms such as "Munday ye 16th." Then it was filed away and sat forgotten for decades, until chanced upon by Jonathan Fowler, an historical archaeologist at Saint Mary's University in Halifax.
The pages will have their first public airing today at the university's Sobey School of Business, exhibited for one day only along with artifacts from the Grand-Pré site. There is the hope that the exposure could jog someone's memory and perhaps lead to the original journal resurfacing.
"There are only a few documents written by eyewitnesses, so this is very interesting," Prof. Fowler said. "Because the events of the deportation have such resonance today, any light that we can throw onto these events, that becomes significant."
The transcript notes the captives' "shame and confusion" when they learned their lands were forfeited and they would be deported. Later, though, Ensign Bancroft describes prisoners seizing weapons from the British and fleeing, captives slipping off ships and a man shot while trying to escape.
"It really humanizes the deportation, this cataclysm in the Acadian experience, because it shows us how messy it really was," Prof. Fowler said. "This is not a people that simply goes passively aboard ships and sink into the mists of history."

OLIVER MOORE
HALIFAX — From Thursday's Globe and Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/in-lost-diary-story-of-acadian-resistance-is-found/article1377945/

TO READ AND PRINT JOURNAL,

GO TO

http://www.smu.ca/newsreleases/ 2009/26-11- 2009.html

and click at the bottom where it says VIEW

LEST WE FORGET

2009-11-09T12:05:00.001-05:00

Lest we forget

To the editor,

Two hundred fifty years ago, several thousand Acadian men, women, and children were deported from their home; their property burned or confiscated the victims of crime against humanity.

This missive is to alert your readers of a series of interviews by the CBC on the subject of the Acadian deportation.

The first interviewee is Warren Perrin who will address the subject of an apology for the Crown for the deportation. It will be aired on November 10 at 7:15 in the morning.

Perrin is an attorney in Louisiana and the recent author of a biography on Acadian Redemption (copies at Acadian Village in V.B.) He is also President of CODOFIL in Louisiana. Perrin was a recent guest speaker at UMFK, at the invitation of History Professor Roger Paradis.

Perrin has been calling for des excuse de la Reine for over two decades, and, in a carefully researched document, cites numerous precedents for doing so.

David Le Gallant and myself will be interviewed on November 12 at the same time, in French and English.

Le Gallant is a graduate of Moncton University, with a degree in common law.

From there he went on to study at the European Institute for International Studies in France where he won first prize for an essay entitled, "La passion d'un voyage d'un Acadien errant.

He is also the past president of the Acadian Museum Association of P.E.I., and the Sr. Antoinette de Roches Historical Society.

Le Gallant is a man of the world several times over, and he has also endorsed Perrin's efforts to obtain an apology from the Queen for the so-called Grand Dérangement.

For myself I continue to labor in the Augean Stables of Acadian history, 1604-1763.

My interview will focus on the issue of genocide, and whether it is an apt description of the deportation.

Until a few years ago, historians were in agreement to blame colonial underlings for the Acadian tragedy; some even blamed the victims.

I followed the money trail and it led me George II. The Crown has since admitted responsiblility, but the apology lingers. Without this, there can be no healings, no closure.

Two hundred fifty years ago, in 1758, the Acadians on Ile Royale, (Cape Breton Island), and those on Ile Saint-Jean, now Prince Edward Island, were deported to France.

Of the 4,000 who were deported from Ile Saint-Jean, some fifty percent never reached their destination.

Many died from fever on the squalid and over crowded ships; the others went down to a watery grave. Two ships sank in mid Atlantic, and another broke up on a reef.

While the insular Acadians were being rounded up for deportation, General Jeffrey Amhurst ordered Colonel Robert Monckton to clear the St. John River of the unwanted Acadians.

Their settlements were torched and most, though not all, fled up river to the St. Lawrence where they found host families.

Weakened by exposure, hunger and fatigue, many succumbed to disease and were hastily buried in unmarked graves along the river.

For the very elderly and very young, the long trek to Québec was a death march. The few that were found hiding in the forest were ultimately deported.

Among the settlements that were destroyed was Sainte-Anne, the largest with some 250 inhabitants, located at present day Fredericton.

In 1759, the settlement was felled upon in the dead of a winter's night. Among the dead were women and children.

Many of the refugees would eventually find homes here in the upper St. John Valley.

This Thanksgiving, while we are enjoying the comforts of home and family, we may want to pause and reflect on the fate of those refugees, many of them our ancestors.

They were embarked on often-leaky tubs to cross 3,000 miles of ocean during the hurricane season.

This was the most dreadful time to sail the North Atlantic when ships braced against 30 and 40-foot waves, and huddled below deck were hundreds of terrified, filthy, hungry, feverish people, gasping for every breath of fetid air, whose groaning and weeping and screeching mingled with the whimper of the dying.

Gaze upon the river before you and witness the pitifully long line of distraught refugees as they went their way, in fair weather and foul, to face a grim future in a strange and distant land.

In war as in peace, the innocent always suffers more than the guilty. T'was at this time, this season, 250 years past that the light almost went out for the Acadians.

Lest we forget.

Roger Paradis

UMFK Professor

Fort Kent

HALLOWEEN'S CHRISTIAN ROOTS

2009-10-31T19:57:00.001-04:00

The true origins of Halloween lie with the ancient Celtic tribes who lived in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Brittany. For the Celts, November 1 marked the beginning of a new year and the coming of winter. The night before the new year, they celebrated the festival of Samhain, Lord of the Dead. During this festival, Celts believed the souls of the dead—including ghosts, goblins and witches—returned to mingle with the living. In order to scare away the evil spirits, people would wear masks and light bonfires.

When the Romans conquered the Celts, they added their own touches to the Samhain festival, such as making centerpieces out of apples and nuts for Pomona, the Roman goddess of the orchards. The Romans also bobbed for apples and drank cider—traditions which may sound familiar to you. But where does the Christian aspect of the holiday come into play? In 835, Pope Gregory IV moved the celebration for all the martyrs (later all saints) from May 13 to November 1. The night before became known as All Hallow’s Even or “holy evening.” Eventually the name was shortened to the current Halloween. On November 2, the Church celebrates All Souls Day.

The purpose of these feasts is to remember those who have died, whether they are officially recognized by the Church as saints or not. It is a celebration of the “communion of saints,” which reminds us that the Church is not bound by space or time.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that through the communion of saints “a perennial link of charity exists between the faithful who have already reached their heavenly home, those who are expiating their sins in purgatory and those who are still pilgrims on earth. Between them there is, too, an abundant exchange of all good things” (#1475).

Carving the Turnip?

Many of the customs we now associate with Halloween are also derived from ancient celebrations.

For example, the current custom of going door-to-door to collect treats actually started in Ireland hundreds of years ago. Groups of farmers would go door-to-door collecting food and materials for a village feast and bonfire. Those who gave were promised prosperity; those who did not received threats of bad luck. When an influx of Irish Catholic immigrants came to the United States in the 1800s, the custom of trick-or-treating came with them.

Does your family carve a pumpkin to place on your porch for Halloween? If so, then you can once again thank the Irish for the tradition. Actually, the custom began with a turnip. People would hollow out the turnips and place lighted candles inside to scare off the evil spirits. When the Irish came to America, they discovered the pumpkin as a larger substitute for the turnip. And so, we now carve pumpkins instead of turnips for Halloween.

CAJUN ALL SAINTS DAY

2009-10-29T13:50:00.004-04:00

All Saints Sunday

By James Akers

ST. MARTINVILLE – It is often said that after 225 years of the existence of St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church, there are more people buried in the cemetery than are alive today in town.

All Saints Day, which falls this Sunday, is a major feast day and holy day of obligation in the Roman Catholic Church. But in past times, people used to begin cleaning their family tombs for the occasion starting six to eight weeks before Nov. 1. People could be seen arriving at the cemetery with buckets, brushes, brooms and scraping tools. For weeks before Nov. 1, one could find Mrs. Louis Gary Sr., and her prison labor force cleaning the cemetery.

In the early days there was not the choice of flowers you have now. Talented people would fashion wreaths from wire and would make colorful crepe paper flowers dipped in hot wax. On the church square would be seen vendors of these arrangements. Rooster’s combs, fresh flowers of burgundy and gold, were popular. The small purple flower known as “everlasting” could also be found. The more affluent of the community would have fashioned wreaths of metal flowers to adorn the tombs.

At the end of the day, these metallic wreaths were removed from the tombs and stored away until next year. Upon the tombs could be seen every type of container from glass milk bottles and glass fruit jars to beautiful vases holding flowers for the deceased. The tombs were described as looking like white wedding cakes.

All Saints Day was a solemn day and yet a festive day. St. Martinville is a social community and the day provided an opportunity for the gathering of local news and visiting friends and relatives. From before dawn on the grand day, people began to converge on the town to fulfill their religious obligations and to honor their dead.

People from the country, out-of-town visitors, and local people began to gather at the cemetery and the church. Many people from the country visited the cemetery the whole day, bringing lunches and beverages. All Saints Day always brought brisk business to town. Most merchants closed their stores for the three o’clock ceremonies, however. Mrs. C.T. Bienvenu could be seen collecting the cemetery dues at the gate. All the way to the rear could be found Mrs. Luke Bonin, sitting on her concrete bench, saying the Rosary.

The women at that time wore black, navy blue, gray or brown. Hats, kerchiefs, and later, chapel veils were appropriate head coverings. Usually All Saints Day was cold. Some of the older ladies wore the Croix de Bon Morte, crucifixes pinned to their coats. Children were starched and ironed within an inch of their lives.

Because of the sugar cane grinding going on at that time, many men were not able to attend services until late in the afternoon. After working so hard in the cemetery, ladies brought pieces of cardboard to fan the soot off the tombs, deposited there by the burning of the sugar cane in the fields and the smoke stacks of the Levert and Bulliard sugar mills, which filled the air with a sweet smell.

At about 2:30 p.m., the vested priest and the altar servers lined up outside the Church, bearing the processional cross, acolytes, the aspergillums and sprinkler carrier. There was no driveway in front of the church at that time, so the procession went down Main Street to Bridge Street and to the cemetery. From the main gate, the procession moved to the large cross in the cemetery. Many of our pastors were gifted orators and gave stirring sermons that were spoken about for days. After the ceremonies, the priest retired to the church and the visiting continued until dusk.

In the 1970s, Father Kenneth R. Morvant added an second observance at night. The community was encouraged to place lighted candles in glass containers on the tops of the tombs for this second blessing of the cemetery. Hundreds of flickering candles enhanced the beauty of the occasion until the 1980s. A great writer once said that one of the beauties of the Christian religion is the way they honor their dead.

Blessing of the tombs in celebration of All Saints Day will take place Sunday, Nov. 1, at the following cemeteries:

•Catahoula – After 10 a.m. Mass, Our Lady of the Lake Cemetery, St. Rita’s Catholic Church.
•Henderson – 11:30 a.m., St. Michael’s Cemetery, Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church.
•Cecilia – 8 a.m., St. Joseph Cemetery, St. Joseph Catholic Church; after 10 a.m. Mass, St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church.
•Arnaudville – After 10:30 a.m. Mass, St. John Francis Regis Catholic Church.
•Coteau Holmes – 11 a.m., St. Elizabeth Catholic Church.
•Breaux Bridge – After 10:30 a.m. Mass, Cemetery No. 1; 3 p.m. Cemetery No. 2, St. Bernard Catholic Church.
•St. Martinville – 4 p.m., St. Michael’s Cemetery, St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church;
3 p.m. Queen of Peace; 4 p.m. St. Michael’s Cemetery, Notre Dame Catholic Church.

NEVER FORGET

2009-09-11T01:31:00.002-04:00

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 Oneill

http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=peter+oneill&init=quick#/photo.php?pid=30318936&id=1353888410&ref=mf

La Fête Nationale des Acadiens

2009-08-11T15:15:00.003-04:00

The Acadian Memorial "A people without a past are a people without a future."

Laa Fête Nationale des Acadiens
National Day of the Acadians

August 15, 2009

121 South New Market
St. Martinville
337.394.2258

Acadian Memorial Events

Acadian colors and attire encouraged (red, white, blue, and gold)

St. Martinville, LA ~ Saturday, August 15th! On this day St.
Martinville, Canada, and France celebrate la Fête Nationale de l’Acadie
or National Day of Acadians. The City of St. Martinville, Historic
District, and the Acadian Memorial / Museums, along with the
Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site invite tourists and
friends to enjoy the ongoing activities happening around town. Come
spend the day in historic St. Martinville, we love company!

Events of the day:

The day will start at 1:00 p.m. at the Acadian Memorial with an
opportunity to hear and view the audio interactive of the mural, "The
Arrival of the Acadians in Louisiana".

1:00 PM ~ Flag ceremony - Lead by Sarah Roy, Acadian Memorial Choir
Director

2:00 PM ~ A Patchwork of Memories story telling by Yvonne Thibodeaux
Bogan. She will share her short stories about growing up in the 1950s
rural French farming community of Richard in Southwest, LA.

3:30 PM ~ Thèatre Acadien / Vignettes on Deportation Story

5:30 PM ~ Meet at the A
.M. Hall to line up for procession / leave for
church at 5:50 p.m. / For Children:* Tintamarre (racket) is an Acadian
tradition showing Acadian pride by making as much noise as possible.
*Bring your own noise makers.

6:00 PM ~ French Mass at St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church, mother
church of the Acadians, with the Acadian Memorial French Choir

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM ~ Enjoy dinner in the historic city’s wonderful
restaurants.

--
Maegan Berard
St. Martinville Tourism Department
337.394.2233
P.O. Box 379
St. Martinville, LA 70582
www.stmartinville.org

-------------------------------

WE SHALL NEVER FORGET

2009-07-13T17:57:00.004-04:00

WE SHALL NEVER FORGET

July 28th, 6:00 p.m. ~ Acadian Deportation "Day of Commemoration"

Memorial Service held at St.Martin De Tours & The Acadian Memorial Meditation

Garden St.Martinville ~

Brenda Comeaux Trahan, Curator Director of the Acadian Memorial and Monsignor Douglas Courville of St. Martin De Tours invite all Louisiana Acadian /Cajuns and friends to join in a spiritual Memorial to remember the Acadian victims who died during the years of the deportation.

As mandated by the Queen's Proclamation of December 9, 2003, and with the support of the Catholic Diocese of Lafayette, we request that all churches in the Acadiana region please toll the church bells at 6:00 P.M. on July 28th, 2009 in remembrance of the day that the Acadian Deportation Order was signed by the British officials in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The signing of the Order by the British Lt. Governor Charles Lawrence brought about the Diaspora which commenced on September 5, 1755 and resulted in the cruel removal of Acadians from their homelands in Acadie, now present-day Nova Scotia.

Warren Perrin, instrumental in bringing awareness to the Canadian Parliament comments, "Over 250 years after the defining tragic event of Acadian history, we will pause to remember the unparalleled saga of our ancestors because, as was stated in dictum by William Faulkner, ' The past is never dead. It's not even past '

The desirability of an official apology to the Acadians became the subject of debate in the Canadian Parliament and within the Acadian community.

In 2003, the Society Nationale d'Acadie, -- the largest Acadian organization in the world-- wrote directly to the Queen of England "asking that she ' recognize the wrongs done to the Acadian people as a consequence of the deportations from 1755-1763' in order "to turn the page definitely on this tragic episode in our past". As I look back upon the Petition For An Apology, which I launched in 1990, I'm very gratified to have played a role in bringing about this closure."
Following the Commemoration ceremony, please join those in attendance for a prayerful procession to the Acadian Memorial Deportation Cross and the closing ceremony.

Thereafter, there will be a short reception and later a communal dinner at local restaurants in St. Martinville, Louisiana (Dutch treat).

32nd ANNUAL ACADIAN FESTIVAL

2009-06-24T15:01:00.003-04:00

Event Date(s): 6/25/2009 - 6/28/2009

Name: Downtown Madawaska
Address: Main Street
City: Madawaska
State: ME

Event Time / Additional Information: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m. (see the list of events for times and more information)

The 32nd Annual Acadian Festival will take place June 25-28 in Madawaska. The festival celebrates the culture and heritage of the Acadians who, driven from Nova Scotia during the 18th century, ultimately arrived in the St. John Valley and established settlements that later became American and Canadian towns.

This year’s festival will coincide with the Marquis Family Reunion, with descendants of the original Acadian Marquis traveling to Madawaska from throughout North America — and perhaps points beyond.

Events will take place throughout downtown Madawaska, including Bicentennial Park overlooking the St. John River. Among the scheduled activities are:
• June 25
9 a.m.: Merchant sidewalk sale in downtown Madawaska;
10 a.m.: Quilt show at Madawaska High School;
6-8 p.m.: Official opening ceremony at Bicentennial Park. The Pride of Madawaska Band will perform, and a new festival mascot will appear;
8-10 p.m.: La Famille LeBlanc providing music at Bicentennial Park.

• June 26
9 a.m.-5 p.m.: Townwide yard sale;
9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.: The "My Acadian Valley" bus tour will stop at such locations as the Tante Blanche Museum, the Acadian Village, and Madawaska’s oldest homestead;
11 a.m.: Les Chanteurs Acadien providing music at Bicentennial Park;
12 noon, 2:30 p.m., and 4:30 p.m.: Great State of Maine Lumberjack Show at Bicentennial Park;
6-7 p.m.: Bed race on Main Street, with each team requiring five participants;
Throughout the evening: Various groups providing music in downtown Madawaska.

• June 27
6:30-11:30 a.m.: Acadian Breakfast at Four Seasons Trail Lodge, Spring Street, Madawaska;
9 a.m.: Top O’ Maine Mountain Bike Race at Four Seasons Trail Lodge;
9 a.m.- 4 p.m.: Open house at Martin Acadian Homestead on St. Catherine Street, Madawaska;
10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Show n’ Shine Classic Antique Car Show at Dead River Co., Madawaska;
10 a.m.-1 p.m.: Held at the Acadian Cross Landing Site on Route 1 in Madawaska, a Welcoming Ceremony will feature a re-enactment of the first Acadians arriving in the St. John Valley in 1785;
1:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., and 9 p.m.: Great State of Maine Lumberjack Show at Bicentennial Park;
2-4 p.m.: Family Fun Day at Bicentennial Park;
6:30 p.m.: Fashion show at Four Corners Park on Main Street, Madawaska;
7-9 p.m.: La Famille Arsenault performing "Ca Swing Encore" at Bicentennial Park.

• June 28
10:30 a.m.: Firemen’s Chicken Barbeque at Madawaska Fire Station;
1 p.m.: Acadian Festival Parade on Main Street, Madawaska;
3:30-7 p.m.: Closing ceremonies at Bicentennial Park;
10 p.m.: Fireworks display launched over Madawaska.

Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day: Québec's Fête Nationale

2009-06-24T13:42:00.004-04:00

Every year, on the 24th of June, all Québécois get together with friends and family to celebrate their Fête Nationale (National Holiday); la Saint-Jean-Baptiste. It is a privileged moment to celebrate our identity, our pride of what we were, of what we are and of what we dream of becoming. But what are the origins of this great national celebration?

The event originated more than 2000 years ago, in pre-Christian Europe, as the pagan celebration of the summer solstice. It was originally held on the 21st, but with the arrival of Christianity, it transformed into Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, and moved to the 24th. The two events did have several things in common after all. Both celebrated the symbol of "light"; the sun of the summer solstice and Saint-Jean-Baptiste who opens the way for the light of Jesus-Christ. The ancients used to light a great bonfire on the evening of the 24th to honour the sun, a tradition that continued into the Middle Ages.

Before the Revolution, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day was a very important event in France. In the night between the 23rd and 24th, the king himself used to light a great Saint-Jean bonfire. This tradition was brought to New France by the first colonists. The Jesuits refer to the tradition as soon as 1636. On the 24th of June of that year, the Gouverneur of Québec, Monsieur de Montmagny, had five shots of cannon fired. The first Saint-Jean bonfires in New France date back to 1638. They were accompanied by dancing and singing in every village along the Saint-Laurent river.

In the beginning, Saint-Joseph had been designated as the patron saint of New France (just like Saint-Patrick is to Ireland). The problem was that his Holy day is in March and the Québec climate during that time of the year is not very favourable for celebrating. It is for this very practical reason that Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day became more popular, the end of June being a great time to have fun outside. Today, the holiday has lost its religious meaning but has kept its traditional name.

WEST BANK GENEALOGY SOCIETY MEETING

2009-06-18T00:55:00.003-04:00

Title: WBGS Meeting

Date: Saturday June 20, 2009

Time: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

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

Speaker: Richard Stringfield

Topic: Plaquemines Parish Native American research and the Ancar Family

BREAUX REUNION CMA2009

2009-06-15T15:40:00.006-04:00

The Breau Family Reunion

(Breault, Breaux, Brault, Brot et autres)

Friday, August 21, 2009 in Neguac

INVITATION TO ALL!!!

The Br(e)au-lt(x) during the World Acadian Congress 2009 will be held in Neguac on Friday, August 21, 2009. The day Programme includes a community breakfast at the Neguac C.S.C La fontaine School from 7 AM to 11 AM, a genealogical presentation by genealogist Robert Brault of Quebec from 8 :00 AM to Noon and from 7 PM to 9 PM at Neguac C.S.C La fontaine School, the Breau Family Rally & Tribute to Jean-François Breau at Neguac Sportplex Arena from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM, and the Breau Party at Neguac Sportplex Arena with Les Fair-Isle-Liens group and others from 9 PM till 1 AM.

PROGRAMME
COMMUNITY BREAKFAST à la BREAU
At Neguac C.S.C La fontaine School
From 7 AM to 11 AM
Admission : Adults: $5.00 & Children/Students: $3.00

GENEALOGICAL PRESENTATION BY ROBERT BRAULT
Part 1: At Neguac C.S.C La fontaine School
From 8 AM to 11 AM
Admission included with breakfast

Part 2 : At Neguac C.S.C La fontaine School
From 7 PM till 9 PM
Free Admission

BREAU FAMILY REUNION: TRIBUTE TO JEAN-FRANÇOIS BREAU
Invited artists : Dominique Breau, Marie-Josée Breau, Raymond Breau & others
At Neguac Sportplex Arena
From 1 :30 PM to 4 :30 PM
Admission : Adults : $5.00 & Children/Students: Free

BREAU PARTY (with Les Fair-Isle-Liens group)
At Neguac Sportplex Arena
From 9 PM to 1 AM
Admission: Adults 19 years or older: $8.00

BREAU FROM HEAD TO TOE

HISTORY OF THE ACADIANS

2009-03-09T12:45:00.006-04:00

The Beginning: Sainte-Croix Island and Port-Royal

The Acadian adventure in North America started in June 1604 when Pierre Dugua De Mons established a first French trading post in Acadie.

Having been granted the fur trade monopoly in the New World by King Henri IV of France, de Mons organised an expedition composed of a hundred men, including mapmaker and geographer Samuel de Champlain.

They chose Sainte-Croix Island in what is now southwestern New Brunswick to build a Habitation.

During the first winter, scurvy caused many deaths, so much so that only about half of the 80 settlers survived, hence, when spring came the settlers moved to Port-Royal, in what is today northwestern Nova Scotia.

Even though the establishment in Port-Royal was destroyed in 1613 by an English attack, it remained a key French establishment throughout the 17th century and still marks the beginning of the permanent French presence in North America.

The Acadian Cross by Denise Comeau

FRENCH CANADIAN RESEARCH - NERGC

2009-03-05T23:52:00.003-05:00

New EnglandRegional Genealogical Conference (NERGC)

April 22-26, 2009 in Manchester, NH

Some of the talks include:

Discovering Family Treasures in Quebec: What you need to know - SylvieTremblay;

Beginning Acadian Research - Jessica Hacken;

Franch-Canadian/Native American Connections - Patty Vigeant Locke;

How toTell if Your French Canadian Ancestors include Acadians - George Findlen;

Wandering (Canadian) Frenchmen: Tracing the Voyagers Back to Canada - JamesL. Hansen
And much, much more!

NERGC features over 50 genealogical experts and 100 informative lectures,workshops, the Ancestors Road Show, Librarians and Teachers Day and the popular Special Interest Groups.

This year's national headline speakers are Megan Smolenyak, Thomas W. Jones,FASG and

L. Hansen, FASG.

For more information or to register visit http://www.nergc.org/2009

NERGC is held only every other year. And each conference is held in adifferent state. Don't miss the chance to attend in New Hampshire.

GENEALOGICAL SEMINAR & BOOK FAIR!

2009-02-27T17:00:00.004-05:00

The Louisiana State Archives is having its

Annual Genealogical Seminar & Book Fair

Sat March 7th 8 AM to 5 PM

Archives 3851 EssenLane, Baton Rouge.

2008 was canceled last fall so this is the first one in a year and a half.

Seminar is free. There is a charge if you would like a box lunch.

Last time the vendors & other exibitors included:

USL (oops ULL-Laf) so check their online catalogue for books ofinterest. We were able to purchase the early US period maps of Bayou Teche &Vermilion River.

Archives association's inPrint books.

Other local associations, libraries & Museums.

Again, I will ask the SAR/DAR if anything has changed about the members of "Verret Company" eligibility.

Anyone who wants more info contact me off list & I will send you theattachment with more info.
Contact me also with your book wish list & I will see what I can do.

Paul Le B l'Ascension Louisiane

CAJUN ASH WEDNESDAY

2009-02-25T19:01:00.002-05:00

Ash Wednesday is the first day of the 40-day Lenten Fast. Lent is a word that comes to us in English from the Anglo-Saxon word for Spring. In Cajun French, we use the word, careme. Careme comes to us from the Latin word quadragesima. The Latin and French words for this season of the Church both mean “the 40th day”

The Lenten (or 40-day) Fast is period of fasting and penance preceding the Easter Festival; it occurs 40 days before Good Friday.

On Ash Wednesday, Catholics begin this period by attending Mass, where they will receive ashes on their foreheads in the shape of a cross.

This ceremony serves several purposes, among which are 1) to remind all of us that we belong to Jesus Christ, who died on a cross for our salvation; 2) that ashes are a biblical symbol of repentance and mourning; 3) and that, by this visible display of our faith, we are a visible sign to the world of the Body of Christ, His Holy Catholic Church.