Queen's ASO: Who are the Acadians?

[@mashedtaters93]

I am an Acadian descent and love genealogy, thank you for the break down of the meaning of the flag, the anthem and the importance of the Catholic religion in our culture! It is all so important to me.

[@EdinburghFive]

It was not so much the Acadians trying to 'Christianize' the French flag than they were placing a symbol of their patron Saint, St Mary, on the flag. The important point was representing their Saint, not taking a counter position to France's civil society that had shed many of its Christian connections and symbols.

[@kommisar_chiptune]

While it's true that we don't speak the same dialect, it's false to say we're not French Canadians. 50% of québécois have Acadian lineage. Our descendants are from poitou-charentes which is...France. So we are French Canadian. While many settlers in Québec were from later in the 1800s, the spread of Acadian bloodline is made obvious not only by last names that survive in the province, but also that some of the deported Acadians settled in New France territories that were not Louisiana - including Québec.

[@jonathansgarden9128]

Yes. I am Cajun, and my ancestors include Québécois and Acadians from the 1600's even

[@EdinburghFive]

Although Professor Caron is correct to state the obvious that Acadians are not Quebecois she is a little off to think Acadians are not French Canadians. In the political sense when we may think of French Canadians we think of those residing in Quebec or with a close linkage to the Province. In the cultural and ethnic sense Acadians are clearly French Canadians; one of several other non-Quebecois French Canadian groups in Canada. Acadian settlement took place at the same time as Quebec and in each case drew settlers from across northern and western France. She is also misrepresenting the development Acadian identity as well. After the Expulsion and return of Acadians to the Maritime region the culture was intact, although perhaps weakened. As the Acadians communities developed their spirit as a people strengthened. Stating the creation of the Acadian identity did not come about until the 1880s is in effect saying the Acadians had little to no agency and that they had to depend on their status being given to them as a gift from a handful of educated elite. What the conferences of the 1880s did was focus what already existed, formalized it, and created a number of touchstone cultural symbols, and helped instill a pride in being Acadian.

[@perlys4698]

My dad who passed at 92 years old last February all ways told me don't ever forget your Acadian he was born in Moncton, and told me stories about a time when they where not allowed to speak French.

[@akacadian3714]

@@perlys4698 my Grandmere said very much the same and I grew up in New Jersey.

[@kommisar_chiptune]

I'm quite certain we have always referred to ourselves as French Canadians/Acadians here in New Brunswick. Much like the Métis in Manitoba are also French Canadians, Franco-Ontarians, etc. We obviously speak French because of our French ancestors, how could we be anything else?

[@kommisar_chiptune]

Though to be fair to prof. Caron, if we mean "French Canadian" as in recent genealogy from France, the Québécois certainly will have a closer link than Acadians who have to trace it back nearly 400 years.

[@EdinburghFive]

@@kommisar_chiptune Acadia and Quebec were settled by French colonist at approximately the same time. The linkage back to France is the same on that basis. From a colonial governance point of view Acadia was not as tied to France and certainly after 1710 the relationship was severed.

[@adric137]

interesting!

[@danieldemers9433]

Les Acadiens sont une nation Vous ne devez pas heister a le dire.

[@rickybroussard5350]

This is the British version and not 100% true trying to make themselves feel better for what their ancestors did most Acadians end up in South Louisiana and Later on in South East Texas becoming what is known as The Cajun French People today

[@EdinburghFive]

This professor I believe is French from Quebec. That being the case maybe your statement should be revised to bring out the fact that France was as much to blame for what happened to the Acadians as were the British.