Annual fete celebrates Acadian struggle and survival

As we know, Acadians were banished from their homeland among the Maritime Provinces — Acadie — some 250 years ago by the British and cruelly sent to sea.

Some Acadians returned to France, while others settled along the East Coast of what would grow into the United States of America. And, of course, there were even others who continued to the Gulf Coast port of New Orleans before heading west to the Opelousas and Attakapas Districts.

Their trials and tribulations are long over and have since metamorphosed into a tale as American as The American Dream — or, as is the case in South Louisiana, the Cajun Dream.

It is a cause for celebration: La Fête Nationale des Acadiens.And as it has been duly noted since 1881, the National Day of the Acadians, will be celebrated Saturday, which also is the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the patron saint of the Acadians.

At the Acadian Memorial and the Cultural Heritage Center, following a flag raising and reception, a new exhibit of documents from the Grand Pré registers housed at the Diocese of Baton Rouge, St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church and St. Martin Parish Courthouse will be unveiled.

“We wanted to share the story of the arrival of the Acadians here in a way that people could actually see some of the early documents,” said Elaine Clément, Curator-Director of the Acadian Memorial and the exhibit. “It’s really moving to see up close some of the birth, marriage and death records that tell us about our ancestors.”

The exhibit continues through the end of 2015.

History buffs will not be disappointed as it comes alive at 1 p.m. Researchers with Projet Nouvelle Acadie/The New Acadia Project will share its latest findings from the ongoing archeological dig, “a multidisciplinary research effort designed to systematically locate, identify and investigate the 18th century homesteads and unmarked gravesites of Acadian exiles in south-central Louisiana.”

And at 2 p.m., Danielle Fontenette, curator-director of the African American Museum, will speak about the links between the Acadian and African cultures.

“One of the things they wanted to do when the opened the Cultural Heritage Center, which houses the Acadian Museum and the African American Museum, was to show those two cultures had some similarities between their stories,” said Clement.

If you parlez-vous français, there are other activities to engage the public, such as Mavis Frugé and other French speakers for what’s billed as a “guaranteed lively and fun time,” as well as theater in French and videos on the Acadian-Cajun culture that will continue throughout the day.

For fun and games in a traditional way, the Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site will be at the Memorial throughout the day to teach traditional games for children and adults.

What’s a Cajun gathering without music? Answer: We’ll never know around here.

That said, music will be provided by the students of the Brazos Huval School of Music and Cajun dance lessons with Brandon Broussard. Work up an appetite and there’s jambalaya for sale from 3:30 to 4:45 pm.

The mini-festival will then turn into a parade of family-name banners around the square — a real family event, so bring your children and grandchildren to carry the banners and participate in the parade.

The Rev. Michael Champagne and a flotilla of boats, which have been heading down the Bayou Teche in a Eucharistic procession (la Fête Dieu du Tèche ) that began in Leonville, are ending at St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church at 4:45 p.m.

All activities at the Acadian Memorial and the Cultural Heritage Center will be free and open to the public.

Dominick Cross is culture, history and religion writer for the Times of Acadiana and the Daily Advertiser. Contact him at dcross@theadvertiser.com.

Schedule for the National Day of Acadians at the Acadian Memorial and Cultural Heritage Center

121 S. New Market St., St. Martinville, 337-394-2258

9 a.m. Levée de drapeau / flag raising (City Hall)

9:30 a.m. Opening reception of exhibit, 250 years of Acadian presence: The Journey (Acadian Memorial)

10 a.m. Table française avec Mavis Frugé (conference room)

11 a.m. Vignettes en français (Acadian Memorial) – Skits in French

11:15 a.m. King Crawfish (video) (Cultural Heritage Center) Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site – traditional games (Acadian Memorial)

Noon Lunch around the square

1 p.m. Projet Nouvelle Acadie – New Acadia Project (Acadian Memorial) Dr. Mark Rees and staff – Update on Research

2 p.m. Danielle Fontenette – links between Acadians and Afro-Creole cultures (Cultural Heritage Center)

3 p.m. Chapelet en français with James Theriot (AM)

3:30 p.m. Cajun music with Brazos Huval School of Music (Evangeline Oak); Cajun dance lessons with Brandon Broussard; Jambalaya for purchase

4:45 p.m. Gather for Parade of banners

5 p.m. Parade of banners and music around church square