What is an "Acadian" (Portland, Brunswick: living in, move, food)

[cmist]

Is an Acadian just a person who lives in a certain region? Or is it more like a term used to describe some type of culture that originally settled the area, similar to Cajuns/Creoles in Lousiana?

If it is culturually based. Where did they come from to settle Maine and what kind of music and food is associated with it?

[Danbo1957]

Acadians - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[msina]

Acadians - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Acadians (French: Acadiens) are the descendants of the seventeenth-century French colonists who settled in Acadia (located in the Canadian Maritime provinces — Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and in the US state of Maine). Although today most of the Acadians and Québécois are francophone Canadians, Acadia was founded in a region geographically and administratively separate from Quebec ("Canada" at this time), which led to their developing two distinct cultures[3]. The settlers whose descendants became Acadians did not all come from the same region in France.

Google is your friend

[cmist]

Um I just googled it and see there is plenty of info. If anyone feels inclined to answer it with their own spin and not such a "dictionary" definition that would be nice, but for some reason I thought of google after I submitted this... SORRY!

[cmist]

Originally Posted by msina

Acadians - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Google is your friend

haha, i was writing that same thing in the post directly below yours as you wrote that!!! Lol!!!

[msina]

I'm not Acadian though I have some friends that are. There are similarities to the cajuns of La. in that they are of French descent and heavily Roman Catholic.
Some of the localized Acadian foods are wonderful, poutine, cretins. ployes and French meat pies.
Creoles, more specifically, French Creoles, are people of mixed race.
Louisiana Creole people - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[retiredtinbender]

Nova Scotia was founded by the French and they named it Acadie. The English gave it to the Scots who both came over and exiled the French (at least the ones that didn't run). There's a book called "A Great and Noble Scheme" by Faragher that talks about the French expulsion. Long and sometimes dry but insightfull. I'm part Scot and part French. My French side went to QUebec. Most days I don't know if I should show glee at getting N.S or kick my a@@ for doing it to me. (joke)

[Coaster]

The people of the St. John Valley in Maine sometimes call themselves Acadians because many of their ancestors came to the Valley to escape the Expulsion. Cajun is a corruption of Acadian and refers to Acadians who resettled in French Louisiana after the Expulsion.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem Evangeline is about two Acadian lovers who are separated by the Expulsion. Longfellow was a Portland native, and his statue still stands on Congress Street in Longfellow Square.

[cortlandtmanorresident]

We visited Acadia National park back in the late 90's loved it there, loved the name so much, we wound up naming our first daughter Acadia. She loves her name, and its unique!

[kellysmith]

During...and actually before the Revolutionary war (in 1755), the British were actually quite ruthless. British Major Charles Lawrence (gulf of St Lawrence named after him) oversaw the expulsion of those of French Heritage from the area.They actually practiced ethnic cleansing. There was a strong French population living in Northern Maine as well as what is now Quebec and New Brunswick. Basically the British attempted to obliterate the French from the area. Some settled in what is now Nova Scotia, some migrated to the south and are the roots of Cajuns...some stayed in Northern Maine, Quebec and New Brunswick. Do some research on the British attempt to remove the French from this area and you will be amazed at the ruthlessness. Acadians are very strong spirited because of the path they have walked. North of Caribou you will find many folks of Acadian decent. They are cool in the fact that they speak one sentence in English, next in French. I asked one once if the French was when they were talking about someone nearby who didn't speak French...the answer was no...they speak in the language that they think. One sentence might be English because it was thought in English, next is French because that's how it popped into their head! Quite amazing! I don't think Acadia National Park has much connection to Acadians other than by name. The story of Acadians is one that we would be find unacceptable in today's world. They have walked a very rough path and because of it have a very rich culture.