Village Squire, 1977-08, Page 27TRAVEL
Ancient Acadian lifestyle preserved
in New Brunswick park
BY
CLAUDE LEMIEUX
The Village historique acadien in New
Brunswick is destined to become a place of
pilgrimage for Acadians as well as an
interesting tourist attraction for othdrs.
The reconstructed village, on 3.000 acres
(1,214 hectares) of land between Caraquet
and Grande Anse officially opens May 28.
Acadians are the descendants of French
settlers in Acadie, the name given by
France, centuries ago. to her Atlantic
seaboard possessions in North America.
In 1755, the Acadians were deported by
the British to other British colonies
because of their refusal to take the oath of
allegiance, but large numbers found their
way back a few years later. Others stayed
in Louisiana in the United States and other
areas of the continent.
The new historical site will be open daily
from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until September 11.
It is a provincial government develop-
ment under the jurisdiction of the
Historical Resources Administration of the
Education Department.
The village provides a living lesson in
the history of a tenacious people who now
make up nearly 40 per cent of the
population of New Brunswick.
Kings Landing, New Brunswick's only
other historical village situated near
Fredericton, portrays the life of the early
English settlers who came to North
America with money, fine clothes and rich
families. The Acadian Village, on the other
hand. shows how a poor but determined
people could make the best of "leftovers."
Following the ignominious expulsion of
1755. the Acadians lost all they had
including their land. When they returned
gradually. between 1763 and about 1780.
they had to settle for what was left.
Too often, this meant swampy marshes
and lowlands washed by high tides and
considered useless by English and
French-Canadians. So the Acadians 'went
to work and became experts at claiming
land from the sea. They built their own
unique canal system that made the
drainage of marshes possible. This method
of claiming land from the sea earned the
name of "Defricheurs d'eau" (water
tillers).
The site chosen for the historical village
is typical of earlier such sites in that it is in
marshland, isolated from nearby built-up
areas and was once cultivated by Acadians.
The Caraquet area was picked because it
is here that Canada's greatest concentra-
tion of Acadians can be found. The village
is on the banks of the Riviere-du-Nord
where old dykes still exist. The marshes
produce a rich hay crop once more and it is
interesting to see haystacks kept dry on
high platforms.
The site is alive with people, animals and
buildings. Demonstrations of old-time
activities such as wool carding, spinning
and weaving are carried out continually
and some of the interpretation staff wear
period costumes made from material spun
locally. Other craftsmen demonstrate
ancient skills such as the making of cedar
shingles. soap, candles and forged objects
as well as the drying and barrelling of cod.
Everything in the village is reminiscent
of the 1770-1880 period. The large parking
lot and the Centre d'Accueil (rest centre)
are the only exceptions. They are modern.
The other constructions, except the chapel,
are pioneer homes and buildings which
have been taken down and rebuilt at the
Girls' Dresses and
Pantsuits
Sizes 2 - 14
Girls Slacks and
Jerseys
Sizes 2 - 14
village. They come from various parts of
New Brunswick settled by early Acadians.
The Centre d'Accueil contains a theatre,
an exposition hall, a cafeteria and offices.
Elsewhere in the village, there are one
fishing and five farming complexes. Each
has a house and dependencies.
In all, there are 10 restored homes, one
general store, one tavern, one school, one
blacksmith's shop, one reproduction of an
1827 bridge and a replica of an 1831
chapel. Two buildings, apparently out of
place, stand out. They are the Robin
warehouse and the Blackhall home.
The Acadians, who were very poor,
depended heavily on the Robin, Jones and
Whitman Company for most of the
necessities of life. This is how the Robin
warehouse found its place in the Village
historique acadien. The company supplied
Acadians with fishing equipment and food
in exchange for their catch. It paid with
coupons redeemable only at the company
For Your
"Back to School"
Wardrobe
Come and see our colourful
selection of
Girls' and Boys' Wear
Boys Jerseys
Sizes 2 - 16
$3.98 to $9.98
Boys' Polyester Pants
and Blue Jeans
Sizes 2 - 18
THE
CAMPUS SHOP
92 Wellington St., Stratford
271-3720
VILLAGE SOUIRE/AUGUST 1977. PG. 25.
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