CAJUN FRENCH: CAN DYING LANGUAGE BE SAVED?

Every Thursday evening, a group of about 10 students gathers at Houma's Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum with workbooks and hefty language dictionaries.

They practice speaking to each other in local French, trying out words and sentences and memorizing the proper terms.

Learning a second language can be a hobby or an attempt to reconnect with one's roots. But for these students, there's another goal: To save a dying local language.

“I grew up with my mom and all my family speaking French,” said Theresa Picou, 52, a Raceland resident. “It's a part of the culture that I want to stay. To me, learning the language makes you feel a sense of belonging.”

Swampy Louisiana regional French tones have long been a unique part of life in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes and a link to the culture. But most of the area's youngest residents have not learned the language from their elders, leaving Cajun French with an uncertain future.

Easter Blessings

Alleluia! Alleluia!
Let the holy anthem rise,
And the choirs of heaven chant it
In the temple of the skies;
Let the mountains skip with gladness,
And the joyful valleys ring
With Hosannas in the highest
To our Savior and our King.

Alleluia! Alleluia!
Like the sun from out the wave,
Christ has risen up in triumph
From the darkness of the grave,
Glorious splendor of the nations,
And the lamp of endless day;
Christ the very Lord of glory
Who is risen up today.

Happy St. PETrick's Day Adoptions

ST. ALPHONSUS CHURCH FUN UNDER THE FRESCOES CONCERT March 14th at 6:00 pm with The Crescent City Celtic Band plus the McTeggart Irish Dancers The Friends of Saint Alphonsus (FOSA) announces the finale concert for the Fun Under the Frescoes premier season. Celebrating its rich Irish history, St. Alphonsus Church, located at 2025 Constance Street in New Orleans, will host an extravaganza featuring the Crescent City Celtic Band along with the McTeggart Irish Dancers on Wednesday, March 14, from 6 to 8 p.m. Beverages will be generously provided by Gordon Biersch and the Boondock Saint. Tickets are $10 and include 3 complimentary beverages. Memberships start at $25.The mission of this series is to bring an audience to St. Alphonsus and, as a result, increase membership to FOSA as well as awareness of the Church. *St. Alphonsus Catholic Church was built in 1855 to serve the needs of the Irish Catholic immigrants who began settling in the neighborhood in the 1840s.In 1979, the church was closed.After a continuing fall into decline, FOSA was formed in 1990; in 1996, the building was declared a National Historic Landmark. With glorious, yet deteriorating, ceiling frescos and stained glass windows over a century old, the building is breathtakingly beautiful and has been featured on television and in several movies… and the acoustics rock! Our first concert featuring Irish Channel native Paul Sanchez was a magical evening for all. Becky Allen, Chris Wecklein, and Harry Mayronne, brought the house down with their outrages holiday show in December. Most recently, Margie Perez with Lynn Drury and Monica McIntyre put on a dynamic show full of beautiful harmonies and music. Don’t miss out this time around, it is your last chance of the season! Enjoy fabulous music with your friends and support one of New Orleans’cultural treasures, the 155 year-old Saint Alphonsus Church. Thank you for a wonderful inaugural season of Fun Under the Frescoes! Where: St. Alphonsus Church – 2025 Constance Street When: March 14th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm For more info contact: saintalphonsus1@gmail.com Phone: 504-524-8116 www.stalphonsusneworleans.org

NEW ORLEANS GENEALOGISTS

 

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.

I am a board member of the Jefferson Genealogical Society and JGS supports this effort.
Frank Bordelon

BREAUX GRAND REVEIL ACADIEN

Acadian Awakening
(Grand Reveil Acadien) www.gra2011.org
     Events will be held across south Louisiana from October 7 – 16, 2011. 

Tentative agenda:
Fri. & Sat., Oct. 7 & 8, 2011 – New Orleans, LA
Sun. & Mon. Oct. & 10, 2011 – Houma, LA
Tues & Wed, Oct 11&12, 2011 – Lake Charles, LA
Thurs. – Sun., Oct. 13-16, 2011 – Lafayette, LA

The finale for activities will be a French Mass, Acadian Processional, and closing ceremonies held in conjunction with the Festivals Acadiens et Creoles to be held in GirardPark on October 14-16.  For festival details, check out their website at http://www.festivalsacadiens.com/. 

Breaux du Monde activities:
Thursday, October 13: Cajundome, Lafayette, LA
     Between 9:00 a.m. & 4:00 p.m.
        Visit our Breaux du Monde table on the second floor.  Meet family and request assistance with your Breaux genealogy.
Saturday, October 15:  Breaux Bridge, LA

     8:00 – 9:45 a.m. – Join us for breakfast at the St. Bernard Catholic Church Parish Hall,
204 North Main Street, Breaux Bridge, LA.

     Cost:  $5 per person paid at the door
     PLEASE RSVP by October 1: 
Gayle B. Smith, 7251 Palmetto Drive, Baton Rouge, LA70808, 225/766-8970, or email breauxdumonde@cox.net
     Meet family and listen to Breaux family presentation.

     10:00 – Mass honoring Vincent Brault descendants at St. Bernard Catholic Church and paying homage to our Breaux family saint, Blessed Marie-Leonie Paradis.

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

In Flanders fields the poppies blow (1)
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: In Flanders Fields (1915)

---

Canadian poet John McCrae was a medical officer in both the Boer War and World War I. A year into the latter war he published in Punch magazine, on December 8, 1915, the sole work by which he would be remembered. This poem commemorates the deaths of thousands of young men who died in Flanders during the grueling battles there. It created a great sensation, and was used widely as a recruiting tool, inspiring other young men to join the Army. Legend has it that he was inspired by seeing the blood-red poppies blooming in the fields where many friends had died. In 1918 McCrae died at the age of 46, in the way most men died during that war, not from a bullet or bomb, but from disease: pneumonia, in his case.

http://public.wsu.edu/~wldciv/world_civ_reader/world_civ_reader_2/mccrae.html

DEDICATION OF FLOOD MARKER

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

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