February 7, 2008
Not just for families with Acadian roots! The Congrès mondial acadien family reunions are for all families interested in Acadie.
By CAROL DOUCET
Numerous families are planning to get together during the next Congrès mondial acadien (World Acadian Congress) set for August 7 to 23, 2009 in New Brunswick’s Acadian Peninsula. Some Acadian families will not only be hosting their own members but will also welcome families interested in Acadie.
As of today, more than sixty families have officially registered for the event and twenty more are expected to do so in the coming months. Themed “They’re Here!” these reunions will be celebrated on different dates and in different locations throughout the Péninsule Acadienne.
A 2009 Congrès mondial acadien (CMA) Guide to Family Reunions has been produced to help support the people responsible for planning and implementing of the reunions. The CMA website (www.cma2009.ca) is the place to get all relevant information such as the list of registered families (dates and locations included), non-registered families, the planning guide, the schedule of reunions, meeting summaries, tips for organizing your family reunion as well as e-postcards for registered families that can be sent anywhere in the world to invite your relatives.
Two lists of family names are available on the website. The first list is composed of 18th century families and the second of popular Péninsule family names that weren’t on the initial 18th century list. Please note that the Congrès mondial acadien family reunions do not exclude non-Acadian families but are rather inclusive of all families interested in Acadie.
Registered Families
Numerous families are already registered and have decided on their dates and locations : Arseneau-Arseneault-Arseneaux-Arsenault, Babineau & Granger , Basque-Bastarache-Bastrash, Belliveau, Blanchard, Boudreau, Bourgeois, Bourque, Breau-Breault-Breaux, Chevarie, Chiasson, David, Doiron, Dozois, Dugas, Duguay, Elward, Ferron, Finn, Forest, Frigault, Gautreau, Gauvin, Gionet, Girouard-Giroir-Gerrior, Godin, Guedry-Labine-Petitpas, Haché & Gallant, Landry, Lanteigne, Léger & Trahan, Losier-Lausier-Lauzier-Lozier, Maillet, Mallet, Martin, Mazerolle, Morais, Noël, Paulin-Poulin, Pinet-Pinette, Plourde, Power, Prince, Richard, Rioux, Robichaud, Saindon-Sindon, Saulnier-Sonier, Savoie, Thériault and Thibodeau.
Other families have shown an interest to meet but have yet to create an organizing team. This is the case for the Allain, Babin, Barriault, Boucher, Butler, Cormier, Daigle, Dupuis, Gagnon, Hébert, Larocque, Lebreton, Lumbsdun, MacLaughlin, Roussel and Roy families. While the purpose is not to exclude any families, the CMA team is actively looking for information on some specific families. Therefore, they are calling for people who would be interested in organizing the following reunions: Albert, Benoit, Bordage, Brideau, Brun, Caissie, Clément, Collette, Comeau, Dignard-Guignard, Doiron, Doucet, Gaudet, Gosselin, Jean, Kenny, Leblanc, Lebouthillier, McGraw, Melanson, Pallot, Pellerin, Poirier, St-Pierre, Surette, Vautour and Ward.
These reunions can be simple one-day events or elaborate two or three day extravaganzas. It’s up to you to decide what best suits your family. Lots of families still haven’t started getting organized and to increase the participation of more families, there is no deadline to register. We are constantly recruiting and want all to know that everyone is welcome. If a family wants to be matched with another that’s no problem! Any form of alliance is accepted and do-able!
Interested individuals looking for more information are invited to communicate with Lisette Cormier Noël at (506) 336-2099, 1-866-370-2009 or by email at [email protected]