SATURDAY
JULY 15
LOUISIANA DAY
The CMA 2024 presents
Acadian Days at Grand-Pré 2023 is an annual festival with the mission of bringing together many Acadians to celebrate and share their culture and history with tourists and the local community of the world's most famous Acadian memorial site: Grand-Pré.
11 a.m. Historical presentation
Rethinking the Acadian Diaspora in Louisiana through the Vigilante Revolt of 1858-59
​
With CLINT BRUCE, Professor and Director of CRÉAcT at Université Sainte-Anne
​
On the eve of the Civil War, southern Louisiana was rocked by an illegal uprising of vigilante groups seeking to defend the slavery-based social order against perceived threats and to uphold white supremacy. As chronicled by a contemporary observer, the writer Alexandre Barde, Acadian descendants like former governor Alexandre Mouton figured prominently in the “committees of vigilance”—as well as among the vigilantes’ victims. This presentation offers new research and new perspectives on this controversial episode in Louisiana’s history.
A native of Louisiana, Dr. Clint Bruce holds the Canada Research Chair in Acadian and Transnational Studies, or CRÉAcT, at Université Sainte-Anne. His research deals with the Acadian diaspora, Francophone cultures of Louisiana, and the Atlantic world. In 2021, his book Afro-Creole Poetry in French from Louisiana’s Radical Civil War-Era Newspapers: A Bilingual Edition received the Lois Roth Award for literary translation.
​
The same presentation is presented in French at 10 a.m.
​
11 a.m. Music
HENRI LAFITTE AND PHILIPPE APESTÉGUY
​
Henri Lafitte, singer-songwriter from Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, carries with him 40 years of songs with various rhythms: life and challenges of his archipelago, eventful history, vital vector of the French language... He has organized festivals where Acadian artists have had a strong presence. In September 2022, the SNA awarded him the Camille-Antoine Richard Medal for his contribution to the promotion of his community and to the development of its youth. Philippe Apestéguy, also from Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, has a long experience as a bass player in a wide variety of genres, including rock, country-folk, jazz, but also song. He has a great faculty of adaptation and brings a very personal touch. He’s had the initiative to accompany Henri Lafitte in a process that carries the colors of the archipelago.
Noon Lunch
Come and enjoy a good gumbo and cornbread
(free - recommended donation $10)
12:30 p.m. Words & poetry
A Tribute to John Frederic Herbin
Special presentation to mark the 100th anniversary of his death. Born to a French father and an Acadian mother, it is to him that we owe the existence of the Grand-Pré National Historic Site. He bought the site of the Saint-Charles-des-Mines memorial church and cemetery in 1907 and created a park there in memory of the Acadians. Actor Alan Slipp will present some of his writings during the Journées acadiennes (in English)
​
Cri de terre: discovering emerging words
A new feature this year is the Cri de terre writing retreat. The SPGP in partnership with the FÉCANE are proud to announce the three artists from Nova Scotia: Sylvie Boulianne from Baie Sainte-Marie, Laura Rae and Joel Diamond, the latter two from the Dartmouth region. The artists will read or interpret an extract from their writings (in French).
1:30 p.m. Cajun dance class
with ADELINE MILLER
2:30 p.m.
Les Amis du Teche from Louisiana
​
Simply named because its members are friends who grew up living on the historic Bayou Teche in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana.
​
Amis du Teche is steeped in the Louisiana Cajun music culture.
​
At 21 years of age, Adeline Miller has been playing Fiddle since she was 5 along with adding many other instruments over the years, and has performed Cajun music with her younger brother, Robert. Adeline has attended the Sainte Anne University French Immersion Program in Nova Scotia three times since she was 15 and values her family's mother language, Cajun French. While in Nova Scotia, she performed at Festival Acadien de Clare. Using her French minor from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, she dives into the lyrics of the deeply rooted French language sung in the songs she performs. She is currently at the University of Louisiana in Lafayette as part of the Cajun Ensemble and String Ensemble. She performs at local venues and festivals in Louisiana as well. She and Renee are regarded as a few of the emerging women in Cajun Music and are proud to uphold their culture.
At age 24, Renée Reed is a professional Cajun guitar player, singer, and fiddle player. With her parents and both grandfathers being Cajun musicians, she grew up surrounded by the music, playing with family and friends. In addition to working as a Cajun musician, she is an active singer-songwriter. Her self-titled debut album, released in March of 2021, has gained the likes of Pitchfork and Rolling Stone France.
Robert Miller, age 17, brother to Adeline, has been playing Cajun music since he was five with acoustic guitar, bass guitar, and upright bass. He has performed for many festivals with his sister including Festival Acadien de Clare, in Nova Scotia and other prominent Festivals in Louisiana such as Festival Acadians et Creoles, Festival International, BlackPot Festival, & Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival.
Laykin Usie, age 18 has been playing drums since he was three years old. Being the son and grandson of musicians, he was able to sit in with Louisiana Cajun bands and musicians such as Lee Benoit, Sheryl Cormier, Jamie Bergeron and the Kickin Cajuns, and Alligator Blue, just to name a few. He became part of a children’s band at the age of 7 playing drums with the band Les Bon Sons (which means “the good sounds”). He was also the drummer for Hunter Courville and Cajun Fever at the age of 14. He also plays drums at his high school as part of the music ministry and also plays with the drumline. Laykin can also play the accordion, bass guitar, and piano. When he is not playing gigs with his current band, Amis du Teche, he is practicing for college football.
With a very rich repertoire reaching deep into the archives of Cajun music classics and drawing from the best compositions of their contemporary peers, the talent, cultural influences, and musical curiosity of Amis du Teche should peak the best of music lovers' and aficionados' curiosity as we watch this young vibrant band emerge!
Acadian Days activities and access to the grounds of Grand-Pré National Historic Site are free. However, visitors must pay a fee for guided tours and to visit the Information Centre and the Memorial Church on Friday and Saturday
Free admission on Sunday, June 16.
For more information : www.grandpre.ca
Facebook : experiencegrandpre