Françoise Enguehard
Globe and Mail Update
July 22, 2008 at 10:17 PM EDT
On July 3, 2008 I (along with Francois Enguehard, the author of this fine
article) was one of many people who gathered in Quebec City to commemorate
the founding of the great city by Samuel de Champlain. Glad as I was to
have been invited to represent the roughly 300,000 Acadians of the four
Atlantic provinces, I was saddened by the speeches I heard.
Listening to the dignitaries,
you would be excused for thinking that Champlain sailed straight from France
to Cap Diamant in the spring of 1608. Not a word was said of the four years
he spent in the Bay of Fundy, in what is now Nova Scotia. There, in a large
establishment called Port Royal with leader Pierre du Gua de Monts, writer
Marc Lescarbot and their companions, Champlain wiled away the long winters
by instituting l'Ordre du Bon Temps, the order of good cheer and
good fellowship. Lavish feasts were prepared and plays performed –
the first in New France. Of all this colourful sojourn in the Bay of Fundy
by the hero of the day, not a word.
This is not a matter of wanting
to be first. In fact, long before Champlain – 100 years before –
French fishermen had reached the shores of Newfoundland in pursuit of the
cod fishery. Because of their stories of abundant fish, lush forests and
probable riches, Jacques Cartier followed in 1534. That in turn convinced
French King Henry IV to send du Gua de Monts to found Acadia. Champlain,
who had already been to North America, signed on.
History is simply a succession
of events, each propelling the next. History is not meant to be edited or
altered to fit the occasion, whatever it may be. Some of the phrases used
on July 3, such as “This is where New France began,” were identical,
word for word, to those uttered in 2004 on the shores of the Bay of Fundy,
where they were spoken by different people in similar political positions,
celebrating the 400 anniversary of the founding of Acadia.
The people of Acadia and Québec
are both true inheritors of Champlain's legacy, but each has evolved in
a different way. Quebec has become the successful province we know, while
the Acadians had to face deportation from 1755 to 1763. Thousands died and
thousands more were scattered to different parts of the world, some as far
away as the Falklands; many came back and settled wherever they could –
in Acadia, in Quebec, in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. Others went back to
France or settled in Louisiana. Today, every one of their descendants remains
Acadian.
Scattered all over the Atlantic,
the Acadians then transcended the deportation in a bold democratic experiment
borne out of sheer necessity: they became a “nation” unto themselves,
using that term deliberately and self-consciously. In the 1880s, they gathered
in several “National Conventions” and chose a flag, a national
anthem, a Société Nationale to represent them, but without
government or frontiers. Today, as writer Antonine Maillet attests, “Wherever
you find an Acadian, there is l'Acadie.” Ours is a nationhood of history
rather than geography, of lineage rather than passport. It is a most interesting
concept in a world that is tearing itself apart for land, frontiers and
domination.
This too is Champlain's legacy
to our country. Perhaps more than anyone else, he was the one short-changed
on July 3.
Aug. 15 is the national day of the Acadians. This summer, on that very day,
thousands of us will march in a great show of exuberance in the streets
of Quebec City. We will reaffirm our place as Canada's other francophone
people, as players in the shaping of New France. As we weave through the
cobbled streets of old Quebec, we will make noise, lots of noise, performing
a Grand Tintamarre – a medieval tradition adopted by the Acadians after
they returned from the deportation.
The noise is a symbol of their determination never to be silenced again
as a people. Today, this resolve is as strong as ever.
Françoise Enguehard is president of the Société Nationale
de l'Acadie
Québec City celebrates
400 years in 2008
Almost 400 years ago, a great moment in history
was recorded. The day that Samuel de Champlain founded Kébec on the
shores of the St. Lawrence River, he set a fabulous adventure into motion…
Bienvenue au 400
ieme de Québec
On July 3, 1608, the curtain rose on the theatre
of our destiny. From that day forward, a multitude of encounters, events and
circumstances have shaped our heritage, our culture and our dreams; have helped
define our identity and make Québec the city we know today.
Domaine Maizerets
Down through the years, some 5 million men and
women have trod the soil of Québec, every day or on occasion, at various
stages of their lives. They are the history of Québec City, as are
we. At one time or another, Québec City figured in the lives of each
of these individuals. We are celebrating 400 years of encounters, 400 years
of emotions, 400 years of life.
Ile d'Orléans
From pioneer to builder - Explorer
to visionary - 400 years in a new world
Vieux Québec
For thousands of years, Québec
has been a natural meeting place for encounters great and small, historic
and contemporary.
Quartier Petit-Champlain
Encounters between Europe and
North America, First Nations and settlers, France and England. The confluence
of a mighty river and a chain of mountains, of fresh and salted waters,
of Upper and Lower Town, of venerable old stones and modern glass walls.
A rendez-vous for lovers charmed by the city with its hospitable residents
and visitors from the world over.
Pont de Québec
This succession of encounters
has left its mark on Québec City and on its landscape, architecture,
culture, economy, population and lifestyle. Today we celebrate the founders’
choice to establish Québec City here where so many memorable meetings
and encounters are made possible.
Vieux Québec
This is the essence of the programming
for Québec City's 400th anniversary : sharing this historic and contemporary
crossroads of memorable encounters with all comers.
Manège
Militaire
Céline Dion will perform
on the Plains of Abraham with several other artists on Friday August 22
in a free public concert.
Porte St-Louis;
Grande Allée
Happy Birthday Quebec - July
3, 2008 Official Commemorations
Basilique de Québec Plains
of Abraham Bassin Louise; July 3 is the anniversary of the founding of Québec
City, and in 2008, marks the exact date of its fourth centenary. This is
the high point of the 400th anniversary celebrations...
Promenade de
Gouverneurs
To celebrate Québec City's
400th anniversary is also to celebrate our origins and to recognize the
rich history that we all share in Canada.
Vieux-Port de
Québec
All Canadians, friends and fellow citizens are
invited to this fabulous celebration! Québec City's 400th anniversary
will be an opportunity to express our collective pride in what we have accomplished
and who we have become; an opportunity to come together, to strengthen our
mutual ties and to bring all Canadians closer together.
Quartier Petit-Champlain
This is our way of paying tribute to 400 years
of history by welcoming the many different Canadian communities to Québec
City and to include in our program Canada-wide activities and events that
will commemorate this historic moment elsewhere in Canada.
Ile d'Orléans
A special tie with France
Our language, our culture and…
many of our names are a living testimonial to our French origins. Four hundred
years later, we still maintain these special ties with the country of Samuel
de Champlain and of the immigrants that followed him to New France to found
Québec City.
France will play an active role in the festivities with a program of events
taking place both in France and in Québec.
Petit Séminaire
de Québec
The United Kingdom and Ireland
Many buildings, place names and
streets remind us of the time when the British and Irish were a strong presence
in Québec City, and of the significant contribution of the British
Regime and of immigrants from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Their
history and their influence will be acknowledged on several occasions during
the 400th anniversary celebrations.
Château-Richer
The United States
Québec is closely linked
with the United States, geographically, culturally, economically and historically.
The Unites States, and especially New England, have become home to many
immigrants from Québec. The Franco-American community has a stake
in these historic commemorations for the 400th anniversary of Québec
and plans to take this opportunity to promote its roots, its history and
its culture.
Portes St-Jean
Meeting the First Nations
The Huron-Wendat Nation has been
named the First Nations' host for Québec City's 400th anniversary
celebrations. They are in charge of ensuring significant participation of
the First Nations in the 2008 festivities.
Remparts de
Québec
Official Song
Singer-composer Danny Boudreau,
hailing from Petit-Rocher in New Brunswick and Louis Mathieu from St-Basile-Le
Grand won the contest "Québec, je te chante" with the song
So Many Tales. The contest was organized by Espace musique, in cooperation
with the Société du 400e anniversaire de Québec.
The contest took place between
April and June of 2007, and over 300 participants submitted their projects.
A jury chose three songs as finalists among all the submissions, and the
public voted for their favourite on Radio-Canada’s Web site.
Danny Boudreau and Louis Mathieu’s
So Many Tales becomes the official song for the 400th anniversary of Québec.
Using "meetings" as a theme, the song pays homage to the city
of Québec and its 400-year history, as well as its modernism and
its openness.
This song will definitely be heard
on many occasions all through 2008!
We invite you to learn the lyrics right away so that you may sing Québec
along with us, as soon as the festivities open!
Comments about this Page? Send them to me at cajun
acadian.org
