July 24, 2010

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

July 20, 2010

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

July 18, 2010

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.

July 13, 2010

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

July 04, 2010

"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

July 03, 2010

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

July 02, 2010

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