Le Comité des Archives de la Louisiane

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

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

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

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

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

DONA NOBIS PACEM

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

Peace in the hearts of all men and women and peace

among the nations of the earth.

Turn to your way of love those whose hearts and

minds are consumed with hatred.

God of understanding, overwhelmed by the

magnitude of this tragedy, we seek your light and

guidance as we confront such terrible events.

Grant that those whose lives were spared may live so

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

Comfort and console us. Strengthen us in hope, and

give us the wisdom and courage to work tirelessly

for a world where true peace and love reign among

nations and in the hearts of all.

-- Pope Benedict XVI
Prayer Service at Ground Zero

April 20, 2008

Painting by Peter O'Neill

"Two Minutes of Silence"

http://www.oneillgallery.com/

DEPORTATION OF THE ACADIANS - Sept 5, 1755

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

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

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

by a woman remembering her Acadian ancestors

LOOKING AHEAD TO L'ACADIE DU MONDE 2014

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

by Juliana d'Heureux

LABOR DAY PRAYER

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

NATIONAL DAY OF THE ACADIANS

FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY

August 15, 2010

St-Martinville

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

DESCENDANTS OF ACADIAN FAMILIES

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

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

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

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

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

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

All Acadian families are especially invited to attend.

FAFA also would like to invite those who are interested to

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

Jean J Gaudet

President – FAFA Inc.

CMA - 2014

To All,


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

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

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

CMA - 1994 was held in South-Eastern New Brunswick

(About 40 members attended)

CMA - 1999 was held in Louisiana

(Too many to keep track of)

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

(About 120 members attended)

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

(About 150 members attended)

Jeff Mélançon, President

The Acadian Genealogy Society

ACADIAN PRAYER FOR HURRICANE SEASON

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

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

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


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

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

www.acadianroots.com

GRAND ISLE AID FESTIVAL

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

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

MI'KMAG-ACADIAN (METIS) OF LOUISIANA

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

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

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

"THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER"

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

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

Francis Scott Key

KATRINA + 5: DOCUMENTNG DISASTER

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

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

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

WE'RE BACk! AFTER NEARLY 5 YEARS!

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

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

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

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

NATIONAL ACADIAN DAY

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

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

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

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

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

FUTURE EVENT for your calendar:

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

KEEP FRENCH PROGRAM!!

SAVE THE FRENCH DEGREE PROGRAM AT SOUTHEASTERN AT HAMMMOND

Dear Cousins,

Please sign the petition to save the French degree program at

Southeastern University in Hammond, Louisiana.

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

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

From Gilbert LaBauve's Journal  1915

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

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

THE LABAUVE GUARD

THE LABAUVE GUARD

Company B, Labauve Guard, 11th Regiment Infantry,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

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

DEATH OF A HERO

From Gilbert LaBauve's Journal

July 17, 1917

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TREASURES OF GRAND PRE

Historic site reveals more valuable artifacts to archeologists

By GLEN PARKER

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

GACHGS MEETING

WestBankGenealogySociety Yahoo! Group

Title: GACHGS meeting

Date: Tuesday May 25, 2010

Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

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

Notes: Speaker: Emory C. Webre

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

ACADIAN MEMORIAL EVENTS

Summer and Fall 2010

121 South New Market Street, St. Martinville, LA

www.acadianmemorial.org

Phone: (337) 394-2258

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

July 28, 2010 - Day of Remembrance

Join the Acadian Memorial for an afternoon of commemoration:

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

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

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

Acadian Memorial in St. Martinville.

Tribal ceremony by the Métis/Mi'kmaq nations coming

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

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

signed.

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

August 15, 2010 - National Day of the Acadians

National Day of the Acadians has become International Day of the

Acadians! Celebrate the culture and heritage with educational lectures,

storytelling, Acadian films, and reception at the Acadian Memorial

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

===========

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

Gala dinner for Acadian Memorial Foundation members belonging to

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

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

International Guest Chefs prepare and deliver an extraordinary gourmet

dining experience. Purchase of Foundation membership and event tickets

required.

Brenda Comeaux Trahan

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

Director of St. Martinville Department of Tourism

www.acadianmemorial.org & www.stmartinville.org

337.394.2258

fax 337.394.2260

Grand R'veil Acadien Great Acadian Awakening 2011

Grand R'veil Acadien / Great Acadian Awakening 2011

October 7th - October 16th

Come when the weather is nice and cool  (Louisiana)


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

Planned Schedule:

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

October 8, 2011 Showcase New Orleans area

October 9, 2011 Opening ceremonies in Houma, Louisiana

October 10, 2011 Showcase Houma area

October 11, 2011 Ceremonies in Lake Charles, Louisiana

October 12, 2011 Showcase Lake Charles area

October 13, 2011 Ceremonies in Lafayette, Louisiana

October 14, 2011 Showcase Lafayette area.

October 15, 2011 Festival des Acadiens et Cr'oles

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

( www.festivalsacadiens.com)

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

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

Ray Trahan, Louisiana Acadie President

Phone: (337) 288-2681

Email: beaufile@bellsouth.net

CAJUN MUSIC LIVES!

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!

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

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

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

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!

Title: Mardi Gras

 

Date: Tuesday February 16, 2010

Time: All Day

Notes: Laissez les bons temps rouler!

GRAND REVEIL ACADIEN

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!

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

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

"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

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