Acadie marks flag's 125 years
Published Friday March 20th, 2009
Saint-Louis-de-Kent proud of its role in flag's origins
SAINT-LOUIS-DE-KENT - A small, picturesque village may be the last place some might expect to find a culture of unabashed flag-waving.
But bold celebrations of Acadian culture, and the flag that represents it, were exactly what could be found here yesterday as the 125th anniversary of the flag was highlighted.
From speeches to rock music, and from mini-flags to bandannas and temporary tattoos, several generations, from children to senior citizens, gathered to mark the occasion in their own way.
Although they carry pride in the flag all year long, it was a particularly special day for residents of Saint-Louis-de-Kent.
All the fuss revolves around Monseigneur Marcel-François Richard, the son of a farmer from the Saint-Louis-de-Kent area who went on to become one of the leading forces behind preserving the French language and Acadian identity.
It was Richard who proposed the flag at a National Convention of Acadians in Miscouche, P.E.I., in 1884.
Fittingly, yesterday's celebrations took place at the high school named in his honour and that reminds young minds of his contribution every day, the Polyvalente Msgr-Marcel-François-Richard.
"His name became the echo of his actions as a courageous colonizer, church builder, fervent defender of education, and a dedicated priest," explained Aline Richard to students from the high school and younger students from l'École Marée-Montante.
"He wanted Acadie to have a flag that reminded its children that they are not only French, but Acadian."
It was Richard who asked a local parishioner, Marie Babineau, to sew a yellow star on France's blue, white and red flag.
Yesterday's celebrations were punctuated by several musical performances by students, and even a larger-than-life mascot of Richard himself.
The mascot grabbed a lot of attention when he walked into the school gym.
The president of the local organizing committee of celebrations surrounding the 125th anniversary of the Acadian flag, Bernard Landry, said the local residents' pride in the flag has been revived since a television program was filmed in the community last summer.
"That's when it stimulated the pride in our flag, and we are continuing in that direction and we are taking advantage of the 125th anniversary," said Landry.
"It isn't just for the kids, it is for the whole community."
Saint-Louis-de-Kent Mayor Louis Arsenault unveiled the village's new logo yesterday.
It places the emphasis on the flag, and Arsenault said it was created to help his community attract more tourists who are looking for an Acadian experience.
Landry said the flag is the ideal calling card for the village.
"You can travel anywhere and you will see the Acadian flag, it can be in the north, the south, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, but we are taking advantage because it is here that it started."
Senator and local resident Fernard Robichaud was impressed by the young people's pride in their language and culture.
"It is always interesting to see all the talent of the kids and how they don't hesitate to come up on stage, (that) they are comfortable," said Robichaud.
"It encourages me especially because they are doing it in French, because, for a while, we were shy, but this is very revealing and encouraging."
Robichaud admits that times have changed since his days in school, when most classes were taught in English.
"When we see the kids expressing themselves now with such ease, there has been enormous progress. They are proud to do it," said Robichaud.
"We were a bit more reserved."
The local celebrations will continue throughout the rest of the year. For example, there is a play in the works that will showcase the accomplishments of Richard, as well as an outdoor church service near the village's shrine that will be broadcast nationally.
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In fact, when the French revolution happened, the Acadians were already 'out of the picture' as far as France was concerned.
I'm surprised the Acadians didn't adopt a flag that more closely resembled the flag of French during the colonial period.
I'm not trying to be difficult-- I know that a flag holds deep symbolic meaning and is a source of pride for most people.
Probably the best explanation is that in our modern era, more people recognize the tricolor as the proper French flag, so the easiest way to link Acadia to its French heritage is by way of the currently used symbol of France.
I suppose a flag is given meaning in the same way that money is given meaning. Its worth is determined by those who back it up and by those who give it value.
As Voice of Reason stated, the Acadians have chosen their own flag. That act of self determination gives their flag meaning.
How different would the continent look if the deportation hadn't happened in 1755? What if the issue at hand had waited 20 years... until 1775?
The issue at hand was that the Acadians refused to swear allegiance to the king of England. I can't say that I blame them.
If you put yourself into the frame of mind of a colonist from that era-- the fact is, your family has likely been on the continent for about 100 years already, and you have likely had little intervention from 'home base'. As I understand it, French colonization was different from British colonization. The French settlers (of which the oldest were the Acadians) tended towards living off the land rather than denuding the land and industrializing it. So, you are living an independent lifestyle. Why give your allegiance to some foreign king?
Anyway, had the Acadians made their stand at the same time as the 13 colonies, I wonder if we'd all be living in the US state of Acadia right now?
I've always understood the star part of the flag, but not necessarily the french republican part.
If it is taken merely to represent language, it makes a but more sense, since more people associate the French republican flag with the French language than a layman would of a pre-revolutionary flag.
Quebec is not using a republican flag, but I suppose Quebec is big enough that they can use pre-revolutionary symbols and everyone will still know they are French.
If Acadia had done a flag similar to the flag of Quebec, people may have mistakenly thought the Acadians were trying to identify with Quebec, which wasn't the case.