From the time of the first colonists, the main method of preserving food was by "salting". As the first ships of the King often transported salt, this ingredient was plentiful in the colony. The inhabitants often put most of the butchered porc in the "salting tub"...
1. 1. Conservation des aliments Preserving Food
Du temps des premiers colons, la principale méthode de conservation des aliments étaient le « salage ». Comme les premiers navires du Roy transportaient souvent du sel, cet ingrédient ne manquait pas dans la colonie. Les habitants mettaient souvent la plus grande partie des porcs de boucherie au « salois »...
2. Recettes d'époque Ancient Recipes
Si cela vous plaît d'essayer les bonnes recettes de nos ancêtres du Québec, en voici quelques-unes extraites du livre de Lorraine Boisvenue, épouse d'un de nos grands écrivains québécois « Yves Thériault ».
RÔTI DE PORC-ÉPIC
1 porc-épic
lard salé tranché
2 oignons coupés en morceaux
2 gousses d'ail...
Nettoyer et dégraisser...Some of these recipes of our Quebec ancestors, that I hope you will try….. are extracted from Lorraine Boisvenue's book. Lorraine Boisvenue was married to Yves Thériault, a well known Quebec writer,
Porcupine Roast
1 porpupine
Slices of salted back-fat
2 chopped onions
2 cloves of garlic
Clean and take off ...
3. Mariage/Marriage « à la Gaumine »
Une courte explication au sujet de l'expression « Mariage à la Gaumine ». Lorsque des jeunes gens rencontraient trop d'obstacles au sujet de leur mariage que ce soit du côté des autorités religieuses ou de leurs parents, quelques-uns d'entre eux usaient d'ingéniosité pour que leur mariage soit célébré et qu'il soit valide devant Dieu et devant les hommes. ..A brief explanation about this expression. When young people met too many obstacles to their marriage because the authority or their parents were of the opinion that their marriage was not reasonable, some of them used ingenuity to obtain a valid marriage in front of God and men...
4. Petits à côtés des épousailles - The Broadside of Marriage
Pour encourager les mariages ultra-hâtifs, les parents qui avaient des filles de seize ans ou des fils de 20 ans non encore mariés, devaient comparaître devant un tribunal tous les six mois pour expliquer les raisons pour lesquelles leurs enfants n'étaient pas encore mariés...To encourage early marriages, parents who had sixteen year old daughters and unmarried twenty year old sons were obliged to appear before a court of justice every six months to explain the reason for the non-engagement of their children...
5. Les bonnes veillées d'Autrefois - The Soirées of olden times
Nos ancêtres qui aimaient rire et chanter aimaient se réunir à différentes occasions soit dans le Temps des Fêtes comme il le disaient ou encore tout simplement pour être ensemble. Les chansons que l'on disait chanson à répondre étaient très populaires; souvent ils chantaient en chœur des chansons ...Our ancestors who loved to laugh and sing loved to get together on different occasions like during Feastive Times as they called them or simply to be together The songs which we called Song to Respond to were very popular; often times they sang in choir songs which came from their country of origins, ...
6. Vie quotidienne de nos ancêtres - Daily life of our Ancestors
C'est grâce à leur débrouillardise que nos ancêtres ont réussi à survivre sur une terre qui leur était parfois hostile et grâce à leurs efforts constants, à leur énergie débordante, à leur joie de vivre et à leur gaieté manifeste qu'ils ont su braver les rigoureux climats des hivers sur le sol québécois...It is because of their resourcefulness that our ancestors were successful in surviving in a land that was at times hostile, and thanks to the constant efforts, to the endless energy, to their love of life and to their funloving spirit that they have been able to brave the rough winter climates on Québecois soil...
7. Tout cela à cause d' une simple boîte de conserve…
and in English All that from a simple canned-good..
J'avais environ 9 ans à la fin de la guerre (IIe); j'habitais alors Montréal et les religieuses nous avaient demandé d'apporter des victuailles pour les envoyer aux enfants habitant en Europe qui vivaient à ce moment-là dans de villes ravagées par la guerre. Nous pouvions apporter tous les aliments non-périssables que nous le pouvions...I was about 9 years old at the end of the war (WWII); I lived in Montreal and the religious sisters had asked us to bring food in order to send it to children living in Europe who were living at that moment in villages ravaged by war. We could bring any non-perishable items...
8. Le nouage de l'Aiguillette - The knot of the Aiguillette en français & in English;
Le nouage de l'Aiguillette1 était un maléfice qui empêchait le nouvel époux de consommer le mariage en le rendant impuissant. La pratique était courante en France depuis plus d'un siècle. Elle avait été condamnée plus d'une fois par des synodes et conciles provinciaux dont le dernier était de St-Malo en 1620...The knot of the Aiguillette (aglet)1 was an evil spell that would prevent the new spouse from consumating the marriage by rendering him impotent. This was the current custom in France for more than a century. It was condemned more than once by synods and provincial councils of which the latest was at St-Malo in 1620...
9. Jean Rattier en français & in English.
Natif de St-Jean d'Angély, Jean Rattier était venu à Trois-Rivières en 1665. Il s'était placé chez un certain bourgeois du nom de Jean Godefroy de Tonnancour. Sept ans plus tard, il s'était marié avec une femme originaire de sa province natale. L'union fut féconde : le couple eut cinq enfants en cinq ans...A native of St-Jean d'Angély, Jean Rattier came to Trois-Rivières in 1665. He worked as a domestique for a certain bougeois by the name of Jean Godefroy de Tonnancour. Seven years later, he married a woman from his original native province. It was a fruitful marriage with five children in five years...
YEAR 2006 ANNÉE
10. Souvenirs d'enfance à St-Aimé (Massueville)
St-Aimé est un tout petit village situé près de Sorel que l'on a essayé un jour de rebaptiser Massueville en l'honneur du Seigneur Massue qui possédait la plupart des terres de cette seigneurie mais les anciens ont toujours continué de nommer leur village St-Aimé. Aujourd,hui, si vous allez dans ce coin du Québec, vous verrez les affiches indiquant "St-Aimé de Massueville".
St-Aimé is a very samll village situated near Sorel which, one day, it was decided to rename it Massueville in honor of the Lord Massue who owned most of the land of the Seignory, but the seniors still call their village St-Aimé. Today, if you visit that part of Québec, you'll notice the signs indicated "St-Aimé de Massueville"...
11. Îles de la Madeleine - une présentation
Cette présentation MS Powerpoint nous a été envoyée par ma chère cousine Dolorès. Il vous faudra le programme MS Powerpoint installé sur votre ordinateur enfin de voir cette présentation.This MS Powerpoint presentation - The Madeleine Islands - was sent to us by my cousin Dolorès. You will need MS Powerpoint installed on your computer to view the presentation. The media show is automatic; no need to click the mouse or a key. The song is in French.
Merci bien, Dolorès.
1. Jim's Tidbits The beaver, an animal or a fish? & also a newspaper clipping from January 1986A bit of history here, taken from Une Histoire de Québec by Jacques Lacoursière, pp.37-38.......
"In the XVII century, in the Catholic countries...Last evening I purchased a book in a shop and in it was hidden a newspaper clipping from January 1986....... Dies at 104 years Another giant of the North Shore has come to his resting place, Théophile Landry, 104 years. He was the "doyen" (oldest person) of all the North Shore folk and undoubtedly the eldest of all Québec...
Being born under a curious star, if there is one, and for all practical purposes we will say that there is, I attribute my passion for research, be it genealogical or other, to this particular star. Quickly did I become aware that searching out my ancestors encompassed much more than names, dates and places. ...After watching the the events of Feb. 1 and with much interest, mind you, I began to do a little arm chair mental meandering. The following text is not for everybody as it could easily be taken wrong. This is for people who have some knowledge of exploration, of the hardships that it encompasses and can understand the consequences which may arise in such undertakings...
This fellow is one of my favorites. You can go through the list of Intendants and Seigneurs and there are a few, to say the least, who were more interested in their personal advancement than the advancement of the colony, their primary job. Francis Parkman said, " Canadian feudalsim was made to serve a double end, .....to produce a faint and harmless reflection of French aristocracy, and simply and practically to supply agencies for distributing land among the settlers"...4. Immersion
When you learn a second language, French in this case, you also learn a new culture. This is the neat part. How do you know when you have obtained enough culture to say that you are bilingual? Rule of the thumb, if you can understand jokes in your new found tongue, you're standing in tall cotton. You got it!...Some months ago, a nine year old girl living in Michigan in a town on the shores of the lake that bears the same name, gave a fifteen minute lecture on Acadian history. The class was stunned, the teacher awed, to say nothing of her mom who was absolutely ignorant of her daughter's talents in that domain. The girl has Acadian roots through her mother and she only shared with the class what she had heard and learned of her heritage in her short life...6. Names
Names have always interested me, this could be a possible minor reason as to why I enjoy genealogical and historical research. There are quite a few unanswered questions which come to mind when I get into different regions and I try to draw a hypothesis to discover the “why’s” of such trends to use one name or another, and even though these trends occur in the same time frame, we can find names used occasionally in one one region, and not at all in others...De retour d'un voyage que m'avait amené dans l'état d'Arkansas. Comme je passais sur la I-40, dans la région d'Ozark j'ai remarqué quelques announces pour les vins locaux. Curieux de nature, et pas trop pressé de me rendre nul part car mon aventure n'avait pas vraiment de destination, je me suis laissé tenté par les visions d'un ou des vins très médiocre. Ozark, comme dans Ozark Annie, Ozark Ike et le berçail des hillbillies (L'il Abner et cie.), ne m'a pas allumé toute de suite...Returning from a trip which took me in the state of Arkansas, as I was passing on I-40, in the Ozark region, I noticed some ads for local wines. Curious by nature and not too pressed to get nowhere quickly, I allowed myself to be tempted by the attraction of one or more mediocre wines. Ozark, as in Ozark Annie, Ozark Ike, and the cradle of hillbillies (L'il Abner & Co.), didn't ring a bell right away...
The natural abundance of meat and fish, also often by necessity, modified the usual menu of the French-America, which did not persist to import from Europe at a very high price, the food and drinks, that they could have lived without. In the conservation of habits and traditional recipes as much as the new, the olde Canadians remained the old civilized [folks], by adapting to their environment and drawing from their natural resources...Parmi les nombreuses croyances et pratiques superstitieuses des Montagnais, il en est une, que l'on connaît sous le nom de « Lecture de l'omoplate ,» mais c'est l'une, je crois des moins connues en la présence d'un blanc, « notre frère, » à moins que celui-ci soit tenu en haute estime ou ait vécu parmi eux. Je suppose que c'est dû à ce que le secret en pourrait être dévoilé à leur préjudice. Dans le dialecte Montagnais cette coutume s'appelle "outlickan meskina" dont la traduction littérale serait « Pistes de l'os de l'épaule. » ...A while back this year, Marc-Guy Létourneau presented a collection of his recently published books, which consisted of the burials and epitaphs in the Monte-Marie Cemetery of Lévis, Québec, along with a team of people who scoured the entire cemetery to acquire the names from the headstones. Now I have a copy of the burial act of Joseph Drolet, gr-grandfather, who is buried in this cemetery as stated in the burial act. However after consulting the collection of Mr. Létourneau I found no mention of this gentleman...
10. Trading Post
Jeanne Pomerleau wrote an interesting book about the coureurs de bois, entitled none other than " Les coureurs de bois ". It is an overlook of the life and times of these people. The problem with this subject is that the vast majority were illiterate, and even if they could take down notes, they were paddling fifty-five minutes per hour, all day long, leaving little time for jotting down their feelings and all.. This leaves us somewhat ignorant as to their real lives, their tragedies and their personal victories...11. The sentences handed down by the Conseil Souvereign
The sentences handed down by the Conseil Souvereign varied according to the degree of the crime committed. Here we can see that part of the sentence was based in humiliating the convicted person in public, and in turn they used the poor soul for an image of what might or would happen to you if you decided to disobey the law. Of course, being as how jails were almost non-existant, and those that did exist were at best terrible, as they were not heated, there was often no food and the humidity and dampness was enough to finish off an already not too healthy prisoner...12. August 14, 1746 The Pennsylvania Gazette
ALL the accounts I have yet seen of Quebec are so faulty and deficient, that, I believe, I shall not displease you by a true representation of this capital of New France. It indeed merits your knowledge, were it only on account of the singularity of its situation, for perhaps it is the only city in the world that can boast of a fresh-water harbour, capable of containing 100 men of war of the line, at 120 leagues distance from the sea. It lies on the most navigable river in the universe...13. September 11, 1746 The Pennsylvania Gazette and also The Literary Roots
and in French La chasse aux castorsTHE Fort is a handsome Building, with two Wings. You enter by a spacious and regular Court, but there is no Garden, because it is built on the Edge of the Rock. This Defect is supplied in some Measure by a fine Gallery, with a Balcony, or Balustrade, which surrounds the Building. It commands the Road, from the Middle of which a Speaking-trumpet may be heard, and you see all the lower Towns under your Feet. Leaving the Fort to the Left, you cross a pretty large Esplanade, and by an easy Descent you reach the Summit of Cape Diamond,...This French was spoken especially in the "campagne" - "country" by the people. It is part of our roots, and over the years has been saved from extinction by people of the arts and literature colony.
>The Literary Roots
" Nazaie yon' tait in gas ben smat,
A l'écol parsonn' pouva l'battre;
Pas même l'tit noèr à Benhamen.
...Avant l'arrivée des Européens, les Amérindiens utilisaient la peau de l'ours pour se vêtir. Ils chassaient le castor pour sa chair et non pour sa fourrure. Mais la demande des marchés européens change leurs habitudes de chasse. Ils se lancent à la poursuite du castor...
14. Philadelphia Gazette, also The Tremblay Invasion of Charlevoix and The Tide Riders
DRIVING the French out of Canada, and making the river St. Lawrence our own, has been by ENGLISHMEN, for more than half a century past, thought one of the principal objects worthy of our regard in a war with France. I have now before me a French plan of Quebec and its harbour, with a view of 34 English ships in the latter, making a fruitless attempt to take the place. This expedition is said by the geographer to have been made in 1670. ---Some years ago I began a project on the Deschênes-Drolet family and their ascendants which has been an interesting past time to date. The Deschênes branch that I am doing crossed the St. Lawrence from the region of St. Jean-Port-Joli, dropped the "Miville" in their name and settled in Les Éboulements. Naturally if you settled in Charlevoix back then, your descendants were sure to meet up with and marry a Tremblay, or some one who has a Tremblay in their parentage...
This piece of research I entitled "The Tide Riders" as it treats a very special part of, in this case Charlevoix Co. history, the men who worked the Saint Lawrence River between Charlevoix and Québec on what is known as goélettes or schooners. To begin the text, let us return back to Noël Simard who had a farm at Saint-Joachim on the seigneurie of Mgr. De Laval in 1678. Mr. Simard found himself with a land grant from Mgr. de Laval which was located a few miles west of Baie-Saint-Paul in an area known as Maillard. Now between the two places there is a short walk of about forty miles...
15. The Pennsylvania Gazette, also The Lower North Shore
Captain Dalton, Superintendant of Indian affairs for the United State, arrived here last week from Canada, which he left about a month since, in company with 200 Americans, who are at length happily liberated from a cruel captivity with the savages. But he is sorry to inform us that there are a number of unfortunate fellow sufferers, who are still retained as prisoners by the Indians. The sufferings of Captain Dalton and his lady have been very great, both having been many years prisoners with the enemy, and forced to endure the most cruel treatment from their captors...Napoléon-Alexandre Comeau wrote one book, " La vie et le sport sur la Côte-Nord " and the first edition came out in 1909. I have two copies, one which was edited in 1926, the other in 1945. This man wrote his mémoires in such a way that the details are good enough to bring you to his table, in his group of friends and mostly into his life. The following is a text which I consider of great interest as you shall see as you read on. Enjoy...
16. The Woods
Over the past twenty-five to thirty years I have spent a lot of time in the woods. I am out there five days a week usually, either walking, working, X-C skiing , whatever. During this span of time I was fortunate to have "sacrificed" twenty years in the sugar bush where I ran a small sugarin' outfit. Well in the spring when we were boiling down there were some really long hours of doing nothing but being a stoker of what is called the "arch" or evaporator, and running off the occasional batch of golden delicious...17. Peogamy, Chig8timi & Metabet
There is a phrase I use which pertains to the different spellings of names that we see in the early days of the colony, and even on into the nineteenth century. "The names are written through the fantasy of he who holds the plume". Here are a few examples of an area dear to my heart, which was first visited in 1544 by an explorer, but where the official history began about 1647 upon the arrival of Father Jean Dequen. Jean Dequen left Tadoussac with two young Montagnais guides & paddlers on July 11th and he arrived on July 16th at Lac Piouagmik at the place inhabited by the Porc-Épic (Porcupine) people...In a previous posting I touched the subject of goëlettes and their utility along the Saint Lawrence River. And again these vessels were maritime history makers, and they deserve their place in our culture and even our language as the vocabulary used in this environment was as special as that used by the bûcherons, voyageurs and any other specialized group who helped form Québec...19. The Way It Was
This past summer I had the pleasure to attend the Fêtes de la Nouvelle France in Québec City. It is truly quite a happening, I must say. When you mention the word "history" every kid within earshot will disappear instantly, but when it is "animated history" they not only hang around, they get implicated in the animation...Some years ago I did a research for the family of Aristide Savaria. On his maternal side, Malvina Besset his mother and daughter of Magloire Besset and of Adélaïde Letertre, I found way back about five generations, a certain Marie-Louise Letrefil married to Nicolas Lague. Now this name sort of bothered me as it is certainly not as common as Tremblay, Martin or Roy. After consulting Tanguay, PRDH, marriages of Chambly, St-Mathias to name only a few and the micro-films at the A.N.Q. I discovered that there were many spellings of this name such as Lidfril, Lightfil, and twenty-four more...22. A Bit More On The Way It Was
Occasionally there are movies out there which depict the early colonies in either the New France or in America. In these flicks the people of some distinction are always dressed elegantly, and even the King's Daughters are very well attired as well as the local population and their clothes are made to the fashion of the day, and they are clean...23. Low Tide
Now although this piece is on low tides, I must insert this thought. High tides, a layer of snow and a good shoe shine all have one thing in common, they hide a multitude of sins. They also hide a multitude of historical events. As the tide falls, the times gone by rise or rather the artifacts of these times rise and one can sit and only try to imagine how life was along the riverside or waterfront and if thoughts could get profound enough, one could easily picture the comings and goings of the previous generations ...24. Jim's Tidbits: Maliseet Medicine
Almost every common tree and plant played a role in Maliseet medicine. Poplar bark was steeped in tea for emaciation, headache, impure blood, lack of appetite. Sarsaparilla root became a tonic for coughs, rheumatism, skin ailments. Tamarack bark, steeped in with cherry bark, was for colds. Bunchberry, dried and steeped was swallowed for fits and convulsions...25. Jim's Tidbits: Just Another Tradition
Some of you older folks from Québec will surely remember back many years ago when it was "la mode" to step outside the church on the "perron" to have a smoke during the sermon. At the time I was living on the Côte de Beaupré and over the years attended Mass at Courville, Beauport and St-Grégoire-de-Montmorency, and it was a carbon copy as there was always a group of men who stood in the back of the church and when the sermon began they would ease out to burn one down and discuss current events...26. Seeing the Waning Winter through Wet Eyes
When does winter begin and when does it end? The calendars are just a reference point in time when it comes to dealing with Mother Nature as far as I am concerned. It starts and ends when you decide that it does, that is all there is to it. The geese are gone, my yard and house are winterized, the winter garage is up and my bike is put away the day before the first snow. That’s not winter. You step out in the morning, there is a raw breeze from the northeast, the temps are in the low twenties and your cheeks tingle. There is six inches of new fallen, the deer visited your apple tree and suddenly, you can “smell” or “sense” it. It has arrived...27. Old Folks, Hearsay & Steamer Trunks
My great-grandmother died in 1943. She was the recipient of a widow’s pension of $40.00 per month as her husband, my great-grandfather, was a Civil War Vet. All she had went to my grandmother, who died in 1955. My grandma would tell stories of her family, most too far-fetched for a youngster to understand but at the same time her family’s status of “idol” raised in my mind. She would tell me of her paternal grandparents who were born in my favourite state, Vermont, way up by the border. Her father was born in Compton, in Québec she said...28. Jim's Tidbits: Maliseets-Malécites
As you head south from the Rivière-du-Loup area which we call “La 185” which ends at the New Brunswick border just up from Edmundston, you will drive through the Maliseet territory or settlement ( I do not like the word ‘reservation’) which is situated between St-Antonin and St-Louis-de-Ha-Ha, called Whitworth. Now the 185 runs parallel with the Lake Temiscouata, from which the Madawaska River gets its source to eventually empty into the St. John River. Incidentally in between the highway and the lake and river there is a 135 km. bike trail which also passes through the territory of the Maliseets. That is today. It was not always as such...29. Jean Nicolet and the Stinkers
No, this is not about a 17th century band. Matter of fact it is hardly about Jean Nicolet either, but you shall see how they fit into place as we go along. History can be fascinating if we take it out of our high school classes and personalize it to our own liking and by which we set up our own perimeters within which we dwell . A month ago a friend sent me a book entitled , The Long Ships Passing, which was edited in 1943 and whose author, Walter Havighurst does a very good job of keeping the reader interested in the history of shipping on the Great Lakes. Naturally anyone writing almost anything about the Great Lakes of any historical value has to return to the period of the fur trade and the many people who were responsible for their economical development...30. Jim's Tidbits: Roadsick Blues
Ah mannnnnn, here I am up in the boonies and for the time being due to unforeseen circumstances I ain’t goin’ anyplace. The leaves are not out yet, snow patches can still be found, and I spent the afternoon listening to Waylon, Willie & Bocephus and I got me a pack of the roadsick blues! Could really use an evening in the Railroad Blues Bar in Alpine, Texas and a dinner at Joe Cotton’s north of Corpus and a long barefoot walk on Galveston Island right about now...This is a chapter of my writings mostly done in Wal-Mart coffee shops all over the place between home and Portsmouth, Va. It is called Y"gotta Luv Traffic Jams. Y'gotta luv 'em! Here we are poking along an Interstate at 70 mph, nice day out, good music on the radio and all and we enter a curve there are miles of tail lights, all lit up. Automatically I switch to the TJ mode (Traffic Jam), look for the shortest line, glance in the mirror to see if that Freightliner I just passed will not be rolling over me, and then I settle down for an undetermined time...32. A Dying Breed
Let's call them Pierre and André. Two old boys who have paid their dues to society, done some hard times, had some good times and now are using up the remainder of their allotted time by just being there. Out in this area, Pierre & André will cruise the dirt roads of their youth a few times a week. Oh yeah they'll have a beer out there. Sorry to offend some of you, but many years ago this was considered a way of life, you cruised with your podnah, you had a beer and you talked...This is brought to you courtesy of the tailgate's immediate owner, a short-bed Ford Pickup and its owner, sponsor, driver, pit crew and gas man, me. I'm Jim, the one who is trying to put down what my p/u's tailgate would relate if it had the where with all to do it...34. Moonwood
For as long as I can remember, since I have had a woodstove, I have burned moonwood or as we say here in Québec, "Bois de Lune". This wood is special and not too many people use it for various reasons that you will discover as you read on.. Firstly it is not a species of wood, nor is it a particular tree, but more of a custom of acquiring this means of heating...35. Shipyard Happenings, Observations and Paybacks
Like all places of work where the work force is almost family or because of such seniority that after many years on the job together, the majority of the workers sort of establish a close relationship. I say the majority. It is like boarding a ship, you board or you fall into the drink. If you aren't accepted, might as well look for another employer because you might find the time long and arduous on occasions...36. As Seen Through the Eyes of the Awkward Seagull
After many hours of reading, many hours, for the sheer pleasure of reading and learning versus researching or studying I let my thoughts go a bit into a mode I call "stumblings of a wandering mind". It would be reasonable in my mind that when ships came in from away with the intentions of setting up a colony, such as La Heve, Trois-Rivières or even vessels whose homeport might have been Québec City and someone decided that it was high time to establish some holdings, that the first three people to set foot on land would have been a notary, a seigneur and a man of the cloth ...Le suivant est un extrait de Le Foyer Paroissial, 1950 que été publié dans La Carvelle, révue de la Société Historique de St-Romuald. The following is a piece taken from Le Foyer Paroissial, 1950 and was published in La Carvelle, a bulletin put out by the Société Historique de St-Romuald...38. The Observings and Thinkings of a Coffee-Ladened Twisted Mind
It must've been about 5:30 a.m. and here I am at N 49°00 - 849 ', W 070° - 017'' at an altitude of 532 meters, a huge cup of very hot Alta Pluma Mexcican coffee and the sound came to me. The sound of hearing the silence. Most folks have never really savoured the moment or minutes of hearing the lack of sound. I just have. I have experienced the complete euphoria of hearing the impossible, and it was a very, well almost, transcendental lapse of time. ( I sure hope that it is the right word, transcendental).As strange as it may seem, you do not need to be a Franco-Canadien to be a Québécois. To me being a Québécois, in a nutshell, is if you can understand something like, ''Aie, toé là-là, as-tu vu la morniffe que ton chum Armand à mangé hier soir au pétanque? C'est moé et ma blonde qui le planté.'' A typical example of what you might hear at Tim's (Tim Horton's Coffee Shop) the following morning and it demonstrates how we have become different from the times when my ancestor by alliance Juste Miville-Deschênes was farming in St-Jean-Port-Joli and waved good-bye to his son Jean-Baptiste as he ventured across the St. Lawrence to Charlevoix seeking a new life somewhere after 1820...Augustin Roy dit Lauzier, b.05-06-1701Kamouraska (K), bp.02-07-1701 Rivière-Ouelle (RO). Godparents: Pierre Michaud and Marie Ancelin. He married 22-10-1725, Boucherville (B). There seems not to have had a marriage contract. The circumstances that preceded and accompanied the marriage, that we will speak of while treating the wife, explaining why they had forgotten to pass the contract...T''The cutting and harvesting of ice has begun on the Chaudière River and if the temperature holds out, it should continue for a few more weeks now. The company "Etchemin Glace" employs actually about twenty men and they should hire an additional thirty at peak time...42. Dear Ancestor, Your Tombstone Stands Among The Rest
Dear Ancestor,
Your Tombstone Stands Among The Rest:
Neglected And Alone,
The Name And Date Are Chiselled Out
On Polished Marble Stone.
It Reaches Out To All Who Care
It Is Too Late To Mourn.
You Did Not Know That I Exist.
You Died And I Was Born
...43. Le jeudi 17 novembre 2005/ Le Journal de Québec
Le jeudi 17 novembre 2005/ Le Journal de Québec. La réhabilitation de Louis Riel n'est pas complète. (120 ans après sa pendaison) Winnepeg……Plus de 18 mois après l'engagement pris pas le premier ministre Paul Martin de revoir la place controversée faite à Louis Riel dans l'Histoire du Canada, les progrès sont minces.
Mais les Métis réunis autour de la tombe de leur héros, hier, …..souligner le 123 ième anniversaire de sa pendaison pour trahaison semblaient différer d'avis ….l'urgence, pour M. Martin, de tenir parole...YEAR 2006 ANNÉE
47. "Jim's Tidbits Us et Coutumes
After doing a mild research on Jean Nicolet, I got to thinking on how some things have become a tradition and/or a custom here. It also came to mind that traveling in a birch bark canoe on the Great Lakes is no meagre accomplishment. Traveling on the Lakes in any small embarkation is a feat worthy of mention, so a canoe of such fabrication could be called a daring adventure in the utmost sense of the word "modesty". I have been on the Lakes and their weather whims can be as diversified as those of the oceans...What memories this phrase brings back to mind, back in the latter days of the goëlettes on the St. Lawrence. These schooners which would come to the Anglo-Pulp Co. in Québec, or the paper mills in Donnacona and Trois-Rivières were the link back to the earliest times of coastal shipping became a way of life for many and an icone for the St. Lawrence River and the people who inhabitated its shores or earned their living on the river. They carried pulpwood and it was stacked so high that I always liked to believe that the helmsman was on tippy-toes to see out the wheelhouse window...49. A Question
Some years ago I acquired book entitled ‘’Le Poste de Metabetchouan’’, a very interesting history of this trading post set up on the shores of Lake St-Jean or as it was called, Lac Péogamy and also the first mission at Chicoutimi, St-Charles...50. Pourquoi j'ai choisi Québec…
Ce texte a été écrit par James Carten, un Américain qui a choisi, il y a plusieurs années, de venir au Québec et qui y est resté.
L'amour qu'il porte à sa province adoptive saute aux yeux à la lecture des paragraphes suivants dans lesquels il tente de répondre à une question qu'on lui pose souvent: "Pourquoi as-tu choisi de venir, à Québec".51. Jim's Tidbits - Me Druthers
This morning it is raining, the skies are at best, a steely grey and the winds are raw and easterly…Well actually it is not raining, in fact it is a beautiful sunny summer day but then everyone would say, ''What are you doing on your computer on a day like this? Get outside and get fresh air and take a bike ride f'gosh' sakes, you moron!''52. Jim's Tidbits - Canadian Humour
You know you are from Canada when :
1. You wake up on a January morning and there is no mercury in your thermometer...53. Autumn
Y'know, you just know it, you do not need calendars or any other device which has pre-determined such events, it is in your bones and when the summer is over you simply know it. Like in the spring you just know when to tap your maple trees...54. Jim's Tidbits - The Art of Woodry
This very informative text will however, give you a sort of insight on the acquisition of wood for use in your stove, and also the care and a few tips on how to prepare your wood without looking like a wannabe country boy. To begin I must define my course of action regarding the overdose of accumulation of wood for my yearly use. Any of you who do wood heat know that we NEVER have enough wood put up, never...55. Jim's Tidbits - Notre-Dame-des-Temps-Durs, P.Q. A noter: en français - In French only
Ce texte est tiré d'un des chapitres dans le livre de ma vie. Le chapitre touche l'époque où je demeurais dans cette paroisse, qui n'est pas vraiment une paroisse mais plutôt un lieu de l'imagination conçu un après-midi pluvieux quand on restait dans la rue Sans-Emploi, un des nombreux culs-de-sac dans ce village, donc il a probablement plusieurs de vous qu'ont déjà passés un séjour. Tout le monde dans ma rue vivaient les mêmes problèmes, les mêmes joies et comme ça, ''en gang'' on n'a pas chiâler trop sur notre situation, étant tous dans le même chaloupe...YEAR 2007 ANNÉE
56. When a Deschênes is not a Deschênes
We all know about my ancestor Pierre Miville who came across from Switzerland and all which is interesting although very used and somewhat wrung out by different researchers over the years and generations. They settled in the St-Roch-des-Aulnaies/St-Jean-Port-Joli area mostly, even if a few showed up around here in St-Romuald. I have been messing around with a sort of ''tourist research'', meaning I go to their 'bercails'' and bum around cemeteries and ask questions and generally make me look like a tourist, pure laine...He did it! This ol' boy opened a can of worms the day he married Elmina ( Mina) Perron because her mom was Adelaïde Tremblay and when you get into that clan down around the area of Les Éboulements, you're going to have to wait out dispensations for marriages. Just for the heck of it let me take you to meet the family...Before I begin, I know that I'm going to rub some folks the wrong way, so those who know of me should know that I do go by the roads less traveled, so now's the best time to flush the text.
As we read history, we are getting basically cold facts and occasionally an insight into an event or a personage, but personally I like to read between the lines and find a story...59. The St. Lawrence and the Éperlan
When I get down to the river anywhere along the shores from, say, Deschambault east to I guess the Saguenay River history comes to mind and the visions firstly of my favourite boats, les goëlettes which plied the river for generations. In fact I have a model of L'Alida which is on the wall just next to my computer. She burned in 1956 off of Orléans Island. Secondly I can relate to the éperlan, the smelt which at one time not too far back came up river in the fall and helped make the history of the river that much more interesting...60. Sugarin' A spoof...Is this for real?
Well it happened last year, but I doubt very much that it will re-occur this year because of the messed up temperatures. What has happened here is that we had a very warm day early in the season and the sap rose like crazy, then at about 3:00 pm, the temps dove down to well below freezing, like in the low 20's within the space of maybe 40 minutes...61. Vocabulaire Du Temps Des Sucres
Voici les principaux termes qui sont utilisés pour désigner des réalités parfois disparues mais dont on parle encore...62. And a comment by Jim:
Norm, women in the church? No problem here, except I sure wouldn't want to confess to one!!!!! I'll go even further. I believe that priests should be able to marry. Women in politics??? no way............LOL........j63. Jacques ''Pino'' Fournaise
Fell upon this name today in a book entitled ''Best Little Stories from the Wild West'' by C. Brian Kelly ISBN 1-58182-263 Library of Congress Cataloging. And browser that I am, fell also upon the story of a Jacques Fournaise, who was called ''Pino'' and who was born on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River in Québec around 1747. Not being able to capture much history on the fur trappers/traders mostly because they were, the vast majority, illiterate and even if they were not, I'm sure they did not have the time nor the space to jot down notes and carry around a diary. Those were priests jobs.64. La Pluie Abondante Cette Année Évoque Le Tragique Été De 1938
La pluie abondante qui tombe sur la région depuis le debut de la saison évoque l'année 1938 marquée par des désastres à la suite de déluges successifs. Le glissement d'une maison dans la Rivière Portneuf avait causé sept morts dans la nuit du 31 août au 1ère septembre. L'écroulement d'un pont ferroviaire à Portneuf également avait plongé dans la mort deux employées du Pacifique Canadien et blessé une trentaine de personnes. L'écrasement d'une maison sous un éboulis de roc à St-Grégoire-de-Montmorency, en pleine nuit, avait anéanti quatre personnes et causé des blessures à douze autres...65. Jim's Tidbits
America the Beautiful in Anishinabe: A favourite song of ours from before the English and Français arrived.66. Jim's Tidbits - A Reaction
I liked Frances Lachance version. Not really being person who discusses religion ( I won't convert you, you won't convert me), I rarely go there.67. Jim's Tidbits
Bonjour.............300+ photos, voici une.......
Hi, .......300+ piocs, here's one...............67. Les Dates & les Saisons - Dates & Seasons
January is the coldest of the cold and probably the most encouraging sign of the time would be around the 10th when you will hear, ''Well the are beginning to get longer now''. A sure sign of someone searching out something optimistic while checking on his woodstove. The new have February 2nd, ''à la Chandleur, la neige est à son hauteur''. I rhymes great andevery generation has heard it from their grandfather. The old folks believed this except that you can be sure that within a few days a foot of snow will fall. So much for the sayings of the old folks. February 15th means winter is over. It is?...68. Les légendes envoyé par Jim.
And another presented by Jim The Hurricane of 1938
My experience and observation of the great hurricane of September 1938 by Warren V. VailIn the whole history of Orient, to my knowledge there has never been any record of conditions to equal or to come anywhere near the savagery of the hurricane of September 21, 1938. We have heard of some very hard gales as told us by old timers, and have experienced a few ourselves, but for all-around destructiveness went beyond any ever recorded here...
Louise-Andrée Éthier aka Sundance Aquero Sharp
Kwai to all my relatives today, the word is Késsinnimek! Family, ancestry, roots all rolled into one beautiful sounding Algonquian word. It reminds me of what the Peace Maker spoke of: Unity and Peace, the precursors of abundance, prosperity and success. Not in the financial sense though that is good too, but in the nature of living one's life!!! Our ancestors always told us that as long as we obeyed the original instructions which was to love one another and to council with one another to be sure amongst the most prominent of instructions, that we would have life on earth forever! ...2. Brother André - Alfred Bessette
It is March and spring is coming soon! The Kessinniek of the wild life will be opening its petals in the flowers and little birds will be chirping asking for their food. Spring always brings a certain nostalgia of my childhood in Canada for some reason. Perhaps because the air changes, but there seems to be freshness about everywhere, even in the desert where the changes are subtle but nevertheless here.
I lived in Montréal as a child. When my parents decided to send me to English school, they moved to a predominantly English neighborhood. It had a French name though, called Notre Dame de Grace. "NDG" as the English called it. My elementary school was situated next to the great St. Joseph's Oratory which fascinated me...3. Sundance's Corner - April Showers
Kwai to all my relations!
April showers came early to Arizona this year! Many of our streets and homes are flooding and people are getting caught in what is called flash floods here in the desert. They are very dangerous. They come quickly in a sudden flash while a person is driving, and it can be very frightening. We are told not to leave our vehicles, to stay in the car till help comes. One man didn't do that last week and he died..." D'un sourire, d'une fleur, je me souviendrai", Blessed Dina Bélanger.
When May comes around in Yuma, all the winter visitor's have left and the streets are empty of RV'S. All other vehicles are gone except for what the native Yumans are driving. Native Yumans comprise of descendant's of white settlers who came during the gold rush who became farmers and or businessmen. Yuma is the "iceberg" (funny word) capital of the country. Lettuce! Lettuce pickers are mostly Hispanic. Some come from Mexico on temporary visas to do the work during the picking season, They go out in the fields in huge gray 1930 type busses and work all day picking lettuce5. June is bustin' Out All Over
Kwai once again to all my relations! Thank you for your comments regarding our magazine. Cousin Normand has had a long vision of this one day coming to fruition and it has at long last come! It is June already, month when the berries start to ripen; and the heat of summer has come upon us. Grandfather Sun is rolling his eyes in heaven and exercising his limbs, and we feel that as heat upon our bodies. Heat is good, like anything else, too much of anything will hurt us, but in moderation, most things have a medicinal value and certainly our sun has that...6. Berries Ripening, Temaskikos
Kwai to all My Cousins, It is the month of the Berries Ripening, Temaskikos! I have a very brave friend; her name is Lillybeth and she is dying from cancer but you'd never know it! She is going on day by day as if nothing is going on in her body. She is happy, giddy, cracking jokes and carrying on as her usual happy self. She talks about her illness as if she were talking about baking cookies. I don't get it! She is absolutely amazing! Several weeks ago, she went for her tests, the ones that came back negative where the Doctor told her that she had three months to live if she does not have a series of surgeries, chemotherapy's, lots of blood transfusions and so on. My friend told her Doctor that she did not want any more treatments...7. Voyage d'une Québecoise - The Travel of a Québecoise
Writing these articles for Késsinnimek has made me think from a different perspective. It appears that my life has been one long journey away from my ancestral and birth place. In fact, my journey started as early as twelve years old when my Mother and I had to go live in Mexico for a while due to my father's illness which was very complicated. In order to get away from it all, my mother was advised by her doctor to leave the country for a while. So she did; and she took me along with her. I had many experiences in Mexico which I'd like to write about very soon. Memories that have been joyful and lasting for me. Prior to that, at six years old I had travelled as far as -Québec City and lived in St. Gabriel de Brandon for a spell with all the ravens and crows which I remember vividly. However, in my travels, I came across many interesting things and people about which I'd like to share stories with you if you will permit me...8. Le Voyage d'une Québecoise and Learning To Walk In Balance
Our native ancestors were very wise in their outlook on life. Respect for life was one of the key elements taught almost in all native societies of North and South America. There is a thread that runs amongst these nations that can be said to be universal. Mainly because we are human beings and human beings have a way of influencing and learning from each other. Whether we lived thousands of years ago or today, our basic needs always remains the same. Physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual needs have not changed since time immemorial9. La Madre de la Santa - Josephina
Here we are about a month away from Christmas. It is still like summer here in Yuma. Winter in the south west is warm and Christmas lights are strewn around cactus plants and meskuite trees. Santa Clause wears red shorts and a white t-shirt! Santa's sleigh works fine in the sand but Rudolph is vacationing at the Taos pueblo in Santa Fe while his team is replaced by a group of road runners and flying lizards. It's quite a sight to see Santa in the Southwest...10. Sundance's Corner - If the shoe fits ...
This is in reference to the message published in Acadian-Cajun List, Volume 05: Issue 6, Mon 3 Jan 2005, Message #3 and Pierre Montour's article A Huge Lie published in the Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines January 2005 issue. When someone points a finger at someone, four fingers are pointing back at themselves. I've often wondered what causes a person to accuse another person unjustly and venomously especially in a public forum which could be considered libelous and slanderous without any thought to the consequences of their actions? First of all, it's very hard to expose a real liar. Liars are careful to cover their tracks and there are legal definitions as to what constitutes a lie...11. Sundance's Corner - Journeys of a Québecoise
I have been too ill to be able to keep up with a monthly article and I regret that I have been unable to write as much as I'd like. However, perhaps from time to time I may be able to continue with my corner when and if the Great Spirit gives me the energy. Having been very moved and inspired by Pierre Montour's article "A Huge Lie", I am here today to lay down my own testimony to the fact that it is time the truth was told and that I support anyone who has struggled with the difficult and sometimes humiliating issue of being a person of mixed ancestry. So first, I'd like to begin this article by thanking Pierre for writing it...12. Sundance's Corner - Journeys of a Québecoise
There is a saying that says: When the pupil is ready the teacher appears. When my children were young and growing, I would say to them "you are a teacher to everyone and everyone is a teacher to you." I believe this is true of all of us. Last month I spoke to you about my entrance into Metissedom. It is how I became aware of immortality as a child which became my spiritual and security base which lasted all my life. As I get on in years, these writings are my memories that I am relating to you the reader in the hopes of making some kind of connection with the world. As I am ill and disabled now, my life is my art and my doctor's appointments....My computer is my new teacher and window to the world and this communication is the exchange. So for me, these memories have value...13. Sundance's Corner - A Mysterious Occurrence
This month of the field planter is the perfect time for planting seeds! Whether they be ideas, thoughts or other. Seeds are the life giving gifts from Creator. They are inherently mysterious as we have no real way of knowing where they come from except as believers of the One great Spirit, we assume that as the origin. It is not often that seeds are spoken of as mystery but they are particularly fascinating as they develop into such strength and beauty as well as great sustenance for life on Mother Earth...14. Sundance's Corner - Impressions of a Québecoise "Bah Humbug!"
It is the moon of the tiller of the soil....the seeds having been planted...hopefully this article will provide good soil for our thouhts. It is always my wish to serve in the most positive manner I can find. Unfortunately, one cannot please everyone. Invariably someone will complain or throw mud at one's works....Some of us have learned to adjust to the adversities of life and some have not....Those of us who do not adjust well become like a bah humbug! I think we all suffer from Bah Humbugism at one time or other in our lives. Most of us however get over it and keep on going but some of us get stuck in it and become very pessimistic, unhappy, moody, and sometimes mean spirited...17. A Soldier's Wife
She weeps eternal tears on the stones of strife
Each one crystallized and blessed with memories
Of times left for the living
She sits alone at night, by day she walks without her heart
Beating for tomorrow
There is no tomorrow
There is only today at life's end
...16. What is a Metisse/Metis Anyway?
Here we are in August...the month of the gathering. Summer has found its way in times of climate changes and the rising in global temperatures where although we might not be aware of these changes, they are affecting life on earth in its most primitive areas like the migrations of the great caribou; or the coral reefs in Trinidad....and for those of us in the desert it's time to remain low and suffer the heat.We do not expect cooler days until November!
Gathering implies many things. Mostly, it makes us think of happy times, unity, celebration, social activities and human interaction of some sort. People struggling collectively and individually to survive life on planet Earth...none of us being immune from some sort of suffering at some period in life whether by illness or death of a loved one..or some other tragedy....we gather together in happy as well as sad times...17. Moon of Skamonkas - Corn Harvest
Mother Corn one of the great sisters of the Life Givers feeds us,she teaches us; she replenishes us every day of our lives. She keeps us as one child in the Universe. Like her children, she comes in many colors. Black, white, blue, red, yellow! She does not see her children divided; she feeds us all equally. Her blood is our blood so we thank her for her gift of Life.
Mixed Bloods: It is only consistent to write about mixed bloods after having written "What is a Metisse!" The subject is "hot", controversial and emotions can rise high when speaking of race or people of mixed races...18. a message to Pope Benedict XVI
His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI
Vatican
Rome, Italy
Dear Pope Benedict
First many good wishes and blessings on your new mission! It has been a decade since I have communicated with the Vatican! In 1987 Pope Jean Paul was invited to attend a ceremony for Peace at the Scottsdale Yearly Native American Pow Wow to which I was coordinator for the Sunrise Ceremony for Peace to honor Our Mother Earth in the name of our Lord and for the Cause of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha. His Holiness sent us his good wishes for a successful event.19. A painting of Joseph Stebbins
(A copy of the painting is shown here...)
The painting created by Sundance Aquero Sharp of her ancestor Joseph Stebbins, age 4, being carried by his sister Abigail and Thankful Stebbins as they were handed over to a Sacred Heart nun and Mohawk Elder Ganastarsi by a Mohawk Indian male on a horse after that very long walk from Deerfield. A copy of this painting was on exhibition at the Deerfield museum reunion 2005...YEAR 2006 ANNÉE
Kwai to all my relatives today, the word is Késsinnimek! Family, ancestry, roots all rolled into one beautiful sounding Algonquian word.It reminds me of what the Peace Maker spoke of: Unity and Peace, the precursors of abundance, prosperity and success. Not in the financial sense though that is good too, but in the nature of living one's life!!! ...
1. Genealogy Resources on his website: www.leveillee.net
My contributions to this online magazine will be varied. This month, I will concentrate on resources that are available on my web site: www.leveillee.net
As a result of my courses at the National Genealogical Society and the research conducted since 1985, I've created a list of resources that might prouve helpful to the researcher. The first is found on the home page of my ancestry directory on this site: Table of Contents - Resources2. Mon petit coin - All My Relations - Késsinnimek
When my sister Rita introduced me to genealogy research in 1985, after she had been searching for our family roots, I discovered a whole new interesting hobby. This hobby has turned into a passionate avocation for me. Genealogy was so fascinating that I decided to take courses to learn how to do research properly and professionally. After some ten years or so, I decided to put my sister's and my research on the internet for others to share our findings. After I published our project, I began to realize that there are many others who share this passion, who wish to find their "roots - racines - késsinnimek". The technology - computer, software, internet - assisted me in codifying all the data into an easily readable format to share my findings with others. This technology helped me to find my "késsinnimek"...3. Mon petit coin - Biographical Dictionary - Part 1
I recently came across a series of works translated by the Jesuit Father William Lonc, Emeritus Professor in Physics, Saint Mary's University, Halifax, Canada. Another Jesuit Father George Topp is credited with beginning the translation process and continued by Father Bill. I plan to concentrate on one volume of the series. I first became aware of Father Bill's work when Steve Catlin, Archivist at the Martyr's Shrine, Midland, Ontario sent me a copy of Fr. Bill's translation of Jesuit Father Pierre Cholenec's "Catherine Tekakwitha" - Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha. This will be the subject of a future "Mon petit coin"...4. Mon petit coin - Biographical Dictionary - Part 2
There is an explanation of Father William Lonc's translation of this Biogrpahical Dictionary in Part 1 April issue. In this May issue, I plan to finish my referencing some of the names found in the biography with surnames in my website at www.leveillee.net/ancestry. Most of the people mentioned in Part 1 and Part 2 are my ancestors. Guillaume HUBOU arrived in Québec in 1623 as an employee of the Compagnie de Caen for one year, with a salary of 150 livres. He married Louis Hébert's widow, Marie ROLLET on 15 May 1629. He remained in Québec during the English Occupation from 1629-1632. He became an important man in the flourishing colony and Champlain granted him a plot of land in the vicinity of Québec. He worked his land and furnished wood to the Jesuits in March 1647. His wife died in 1649; he died four years later in 1653. (BD pp. 208-209)...5. My great-great-grandfather Joseph Léveillée - The Town Crier of St-Aimé
My father, Jean-Baptiste Léveillée, was born in the Parish of St-Aimé, now called Massueville, in Richelieu County, Québec, on 23 June 1905, as a I recently discovered during one of my visits to my ancestral land. My discovery surprised me because we always celebrated my father's birthday on 24 June, feast of St-Jean-Baptiste, after whom he was named. All his documents contain the 24 June date as his birth date which in reality was the date of his baptism. We didn't learn of this birth date until 97 years after his birth, in 2002. I am introducing the reader to the Parish of St-Aimé, founded in 1834, with an anecdote about my father's birth and baptism dates to set the scene for another discovery about one of my ancestors. This person is Joseph Fourquin dit Léveillé who was known as the "Le Crieur de St-Aimé - The Town Crier of St-Aimé". He is my father's great-grandfather, my great-great-grandfather...6. Mon Petit Coin - Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha
In honor of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha's feast day on July 14, my article will focus on this Mohawk-Algonquin Native American, who just happens to be "one of our relations". As an introduction, I need to make the reader aware of my premise for writing this month's article on Tekakwitha, a Native American. For the most part, the literature on Native Americans has been written from the white man's perspective. Research by anthropologists has been conducted by the white man from his viewpoint. Movies have been created by white men writers. I am trying to point out that our information about the Native Americans has been skewed in favor of what the white man imagined an Indian to be ...7. Mon Petit Coin - The Old Man of the Mountain - several articles are reprinted for your enjoyment.
During the night of May 2-3, 2003, a rumble was heard in Franconia Notch, New Hampshire. The next morning, hikers noticed that the Old Man of the Mountain had crumpled down the mountainside. There was no longer a reflection of the Great Stone Face in Profile Lake. The symbol and spirit of the White Mountains, honored by the Native Americans from time immemorial, first seen by a white man in 1805, viewed by millions of people since then, had disappeared forever in 2003...8. Mon Petit Coin - Blessed Dina Bélanger
the July issue of Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines, I wrote about "my cousin", Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha. That discovery, written about in that article, was the result of extensive research. I continue this research for every piece of data found on my website. Last summer, during a PowWow at Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada, I met the husband of a distant cousin, a Bélanger, my maternal ancestry. He told me about a cousin of his who had done extensive reseach on the Bélanger ancestry. He gave me his email address and told me that he would write to this cousin, asking him to send me his research...9. Mon Petit Coin - Marie Mite8ameg8k8e Couc
The Algonquin woman, her heart weighing heavily with grief, fanned the embers of her fire covered with sage, sweetgrass, tobacco and cedar, sending billows of sacred smoke towards the Great Spirit as she sang a song of mourning. For days, she had prayed the same chant to Tabaldak, her Algonkin Creator, and to Nemitokusena, her Christian God the Father. She prayed that her mourning chant would give her a vision of what had happened to three people, her husband and two children, whom she loved and who loved her so dearly. Mite8ameg8k8e received comfort as she watched the sacred smoke rise towards the sky, bringing her prayerful pleas to the Great One, on this day of Spring (April 1652)...10. Steve Powley et al v. Her Majesty The Queen
recently became involved in the Corporation Métisse du Québec. This group of Québecois with French and Native American heritage is seeking the same rights and priviledges that the Canadian government extended to the Métis of the West. We are in the process of revising and updating its website. I plan to write about this Corporation in a series of articles. Many of the articles are presently in French only. Each month, I'll translate some of the articles into English. I'll go in succession as indicated in the Table of Contents - Table des Matières. My cousin, Pierre Montour and one of our authors, Louise Éthier Sharp will be assisting in the translations...11. Mon Petit Coin: My Acadian Ancestors and Information on Acadie
I remember having to complete an English assignment in High School in which I was not really interested. It was to read Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's Epic poem Evangeline. I wondered why the author had chosen to use the poetic medium to tell us the story of this young girl who was separated from her lover by the British who persecuted and killed Acadians, loyal to the French government in New France (Canada), or deported them to France, or England or various locations in the United States, during the Great Deportation of 1755. It seemed to me that it was a wonderful story but could have been more interesting to a high school student and more easily read if Longfellow had used prose. Some fifty years later, my interest in this poem grew as a result of several factors. In the June 2003 issue of Késsinimex, Juliana L'Heureux wrote about Grand Pré. I purchased Stephen A. White's Dictionnaire généalogique des familles acadiennes. Using this three volume work, I updated the data on all my Acadian ancestors found in my ancestral website...12. Canadian Supreme Court Decisions of September 19, 2003
Since my last article in the October issue, the Supreme Court of Canada finally made decisions on the suits brought to it in March 2003: Her Majesty The Queen v. Steve Powley et al. and Ernest Lionel Joseph Blais vs. Her Majesty the Queen. In effect these two decisions by the Canadian Supreme Court establish the Métis ancestral and territorial rights, that these rights were never abolished by the subjugation of the Métis, first to French civil laws, then to the English civil laws. Here are the summaries: ...13. Suggestion Box - Corporation métisse du Québec
What's happening with the Métis of Québec & Eastern Canada? On November 8, 2003, the Corporation métisse du Québec et de l'est du Canada, met in Rivière-Bleue in the county of Temiscouata, in northern Québec, met for the first time. A result of this historical gathering can be found in three new links on their website: Boîte aux suggestions - Suggestion box - A Vous La Parole - Speak Your Mind14. Mon Petit Coin: Editorial Summary of the First Year of Publication
Permit me to look back on what we have accomplished during the first year of our publication Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines. As of the writing of this article, November 30, 2003, there have been 5796 visitors to our site. We have received comments from our readers indicating that what we are doing is informative, interesting and worthwhile. I chose the title "Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines" because for most of our authors, their "roots" have been threefold: Algonquin, American, Franco-Canadian. This online magazine is the result of my interest in genealogy; and because of this interest, I found many "cousins" who shared my "késsinnimek - roots - racines"...15. Results of the vote taken by the Corporation métisse du Québec & de l'est du Canada
A continuation of my article on the progress of the Métis of Québec and of Eastern Canada will simply point you to the "La définition des Métis(ses) par les titulaires des droits", which is "The Definition of the Métis by the holders (owners) of rights". On the site, I have liberally translated what the Members agreed to on the historic meeting of November 28, 2003. This liberal translation can be found at: www.metisduquebec.ca ...The holidays and holy days at Christmas and New Year have always brought back very fond memories of my youth, growing up in the village of Harris, in the town of Coventry, Rhode Island. This village was founded towards the end of the 19th century by the English owners of Interlaken Mills to receive the French-Canadian immigrants from the province of Québec who came to work in the textile mills along the Pawtucket River. Many of the men of these families came here first to secure work in the mills, either in the various machinery rooms or as a yardman. These men stayed here for several months even a year to establish a home for their family. Then, with a house and a secure job, they brought their family to this village. Eventually, a priest from Québec immigrated and the families built a church for their pastor and for themselves...17. Mon Petit Coin: Harris Village - Rhode Island USA - Le village de Harris.
Last month, I wrote about the Christmas and New Year holy day celebrations. I mentioned that I had lived in Harris Village, situated in the towns of Coventry, Cranston and West Warwick in the state of Rhode Island. Harris Village was one of many small villages situated along the Pawtuxet River where textile mills flourished during the latter part of the 19th and early part of the 20th centuries. Most of the villages were of ethnic origins: Arctic and Centreville for the French-Canadians, the Irish and Scotch; Riverpoint for the Portugese-Americans, Natick for the Italian immigrants. Most of the people, men, women and children, worked in the textile mills built by the English along that river. This was not unique to this region but common to many other New England towns. I will concentrate on the village where I was born and lived for 26 years...18. Mon Petit Coin: Memories Harris Village and also One of my heroes!
This month, I will go back into my mind to relive activities that I enjoyed with both of my "pépères" - my grandfathers. Again, these activities took place in my Harris Village. One of these activities was "jeu de cartes" - playing cards. My "Pépère Joseph Léveillée" taught me how to play cribbage. He was a geat teacher since I learned how to play well enough to beat him on many occasions. Or, did he really let me win! I wasn't sure. But I did always return home with a coin in my pocket, whether I won or not...As a follow-up to Juliana's story about a Franco-American hero in World War II, here's my story. "My cousin Alcide Léveillée was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division which parachuted behind enemy lines at the start of D-Day operations. His unit landed in the village of Ste-Mère Église. One of his buddy parachutists got stuck on the church tower and spent a very uncomfortable night suspended from this tower. A stained-glass window inside the church honors American paratroopers. Several others paratroopers never made it alive to hit the ground and do what they were supposed to do. Luckily, Al made it safely to the ground. However, he along with several other Americans were quickly surrounded and captured...
19. Mon Petit Coin: École Notre-Dame du Bon Conseil
There were thirty-four families in the center of the village of my youth. There were another fifty or more in the surrounding area. More than ninety percent of the children went to the local catholic parish school - Notre-Dame du Bon Conseil (Our Lady of Good Counsel). I never learned the English name of this parish until I was in high school. We also referred to it as Notre Dame when speaking English. I am sure that anyone who attended a French-Canadian-American catholic elementary school (grades 1 through 9) will be able to identify with my experiences.
First of all, the school was located within walking distance of several villages: my own Harris Village, Phenix, Riverpoint, Arkwright and Fiskeville. Those further away, like in the village of Hope, would take the local bus or get a ride from a parent or relative. There were no school buses available to us...20. Mon Petit Coin: Harris Mill & Harris Village
In my previous articles, I mentioned the village of Harris, located in the towns of Coventry and West Warwick, Rhode Island. In this article, I would like to give an historical background to the village of my birth. (Click on photos for enlarged view) Harris Mill was one of the sprawling textile mills built along the northwestern branch of the Pawtuxet River. Elisha Harris commissioned David Whitman in 1850 to build a mill on the shore of the Pawtuxet River. It contained carding machine rooms, looms and spinning frames with spindles, dye rooms and hand looms to weave yarn into cloth, all necessary to operate the cotton mill. Richard Arkwright built a textile mill north of Harris, on the same branch of the Pawtuxet, in Fiskeville...21. Mon Petit Coin: Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish ou en français La Paroisse de Notre-Dame du Bon Conseil
As I mentioned in previous articles, the place of my birth was in my maternal grandmother's home at 68 Mill Street, in the village of Harris, in the town of Coventry, Rhode Island. When I was baptized in the church of Notre-Dame du Bon Conseil - Our Lady of Good Counsel, the Catholic parish that served that village as well as several surrounding villages had been in existence for only 38 years. In this article, I would like to give an historical perspective of the parish of my ancestors here in Rhode Island...Comme je vous l'ai mentionné dans de précédents articles, je suis né dans la maison de ma grand'mère à 68 Mill Street, dans le village de Harris, dans la ville de Coventry, Rhode Island. Au moment de mon baptême, la paroisse de Notre-Dame du Bon Conseil n'avait que trente-huit ans d'existence et desservait les villages environnants. Dans cet article, je vais vous donner le point de vue historique de la paroisse de mes ancêtres dans l'état de Rhode Island...
22. Mon Petit Coin: L'École Notre-Dame du Bon Conseil Rewritten and updated!
First of all, the school was located within walking distance of several villages: my own Harris Village, Phenix, Riverpoint, Arkwright and Fiskeville. Those further away, like in the village of Hope, would take the local bus or get a ride from a parent or relative. There were no school buses available to us. My home was a ten minute walk from the school. Occasionally, during the first years of school, my father would come home for the noon day meal and drive me to school in the mill truck. I very seldom walked to school alone. There were always some friends or classmates who banded together to have fun on the way to and from school. Of course, the younger ones were always watched over by the older children. There were times when this group of travelers stopped on their way from school to play a game of baseball or tag footbal in one of the fields nearby. Every adult along this well-travelled route knew who we were, where we had come from and where we were going...23. A cousin who parachuted into Ste-Mère-Église on June 4, 1944
However, he along with several other Americans were quickly surrounded and captured. They were put into a makeshift prison, probably in the town hall or local school. The prisoners were fed by the French of that village who came across the bridge to the prison each day. In the evening the men of Ste-Mère Église would come to the prison with bread, wine and oftentimes a stew or simply vegetables. Since my cousin was Franco-Canadian-American, he spoke French. He learned English, like myself, in the local parish school, the same school that all of us attended who lived in Harris Village, Rhode Island. He became the interpreter for the rest of his buddies in that unit. My cousin Al was able to escape however. As the story goes, one evening four Frenchmen came into the prison to feed the prisoners. Five left the prison, one of them, my cousin who spoke boldly to his German captor in French, thanking him for allowing the townspeople to feed the prisoners. Al hid in the basement of the home of his rescuer. He stayed there until the Americans who had landed on the Normandy beaches advanced into that village, pushing back the enemy...24. A personal experience in Bastogne, Belgium Ma viste à Bastogne en Belgique
Since my uncle Gérard participated actively in the Battle of the Bulge, I decided to visit the Ardennes, and specifically Bastogne during the summer of 1958. I promised my uncle that I would take pictures of the places where he had been, but especially Bastogne where he had fought. And I did just that. He appreciated seeing these photos. An experience that I will never forget happend to me while I was visiting Bastogne. Three of us arrived on our Maico motorcycles (150cc) into town late Saturday night, on our way back to our colleage in Louvain, Belgium. Just before at the outskirts of Bastogne, my motorcyle started skipping - so much so that I didn't think that I would make it into the center of town. However, I did manage to arrive at a small restaurant-hotel, some of the way by pushing the dead cycle. I inquired if there were any garages or mechanics in town. I was directed to a Monsieur Degraide's Garage at the edge of town...
Mon oncle Gérard était soldat dans l'Armée Américaine, durant la bataille des Ardennes, surtout aux environs de la ville de Bastogne en Belgique. En 1958, j'ai décidé de visiter cette région et de prendre des photos pour mon oncle. Je lui ai d'ailleurs envoyé les photos prises là-bas et il les a bien appréciées. Durant ce voyage à Bastogne, quelque chose d'assez spécial est survenu; un incident que je pourrai jamais oublier. Nous étions trois amis qui étaient en route pour notre Collège Américain à Louvain après avoir passé l'été en France. En approchant de la ville, voilà que ma moto Maico commence à faire des siennes et ne voulait plus rouler. De peine et de misère, je me suis rendu au petit restaurant-hôtel de la ville, la plupart du temps en poussant ma motocyclette. Malheureusement, le garage était fermé pour le weekend...25. Mon Petit Coin: Blessed/Bienheureuse Kateri Tekakwitha
In honor of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha's feast day on July 14, my article will focus once again on this Mohawk-Algonquin Native American, who just happens to be "one of my relations". Last year, I tried to give the reader a view of Tekakwitha from the Native American perspective by using ideas and words from two Jesuit missionaries who were contemporaries of Kateri. I also included opinions and quotes from several scholars on Native Americans, including Native American writers. However, this year I will attempt to write from my heart, how Tekakwitha came into my life and has influenced it since the discovery of "my cousin". Several years ago, in researching my ancestry, I discovered an Algonquin woman, Mite8ameg8k8e, who had been baptized as Marie and worshiped in the Catholic faith. After her Algonquin husband Assababich died, she eventually found love again in the person of Pierre Couc, a French soldier and colonist in New France in the 17th century. They married and raised seven children...26. Mon Petit Coin: A personal experience with Blessed Katéri Tekakwitha - July 2004
Last month, July 2004, my article honored my cousin Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha. I made a reference to a story about Kateri, A Litany to My Cousin that was written in May 2002, two and half years after I had discovered this saintly Mohawk-Algonquin woman. The story was also the result of a pilgrimage to Kateri's three shrines: at Ossernenon (Auriesville, NY), Canaughwaga (Fonda, NY) and Kahnawaké (Québec, Canada). During that pilgramage of 2000, I prayed to her for a very important favor. I described this event in my booklet A Litany to My Cousin ... As I walked the grounds of St. Peter's Mission, I kept thinking about my discovery, about my cousin Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, about my request that she watch over my daughter's family as they were going through a tough period of divorce. The chapel is a quiet place with many paintings and artifacts pertaining to our Kateri. The hillside with its Stations of the Cross is an invitation to follow the passion of Jesus and to contemplate its mysteries as Tekakwitha did three hundred and fifty years ago. Then I saw the following statue:...27. A summary of a news story about the Church of the North American Martyrs, in Auburn, Massachusetts
There is a parish in Auburn, Massachusetts which celebrates the North Amercian Martyrs, the eight Jesuits who were sent to New France shortly after the landing of the Mayflower in 1620. They were the Jesuit Father Isaac Jogues, the donnés or lay assistants Jean de Lalande and René Goupil, the Jesuit priests Antoine Daniel, Jean de Brébeuf, Gabriel Lalemant, Charles Garnier and Noël Chabanel who were killed by the Iroquois between 1642 and 1649. Father Joques and Jean de Lalande and René Goupil were martyred in Ossernon (present day Auriesville, NY) in 1646, ten years before Tekakwitha was born to a Mohawk chief and his Christian Algonquin wife in 1656...28. Mon Petit Coin: Discovery of rare books on Catherine Tekakwitha and excerpts from two of these
Recently, I became the proud owner of several first and second editions of books written about Kateri Tekakwitha, namely in the 1930 & 1940's. There was much activity at that time regarding the beginning of the canonization process of this Native American as a Catholic Saint. Récemment, je me suis procuré de plusieurs oeuvres - éditions premières et secondes - écrits, pendant les années 1930 et 1940, au sujet de Catherine Tekakwitha. On était en train de documenter la vie de cette sainte enfin de commencer le procès de canonization. These are the wonderful books that I have acquired and read enthusiastically: Voici les merveilleux livres acueillis et lus avec enthousiasme:1. "La Vie gracieuse de Catherine Tekakwitha" by Juliette Lavergne, Editions Fides, Montréal, written in 1934, in French. (A gift from my cousin Rita Roy Drouin - Merci, Rita). Wildy Brousseau bought it for $2.00 Juliette Lavergne écirt les détails en pleine de la scène autochtone comme fond de la naissance de Tekakwitha comme membre de la tribu des Agniers......29. Mon Petit Coin: Witnesses to Her Sanctity, Apparitions and Cures or/ou Témoignages de Sa Sainteté, Apparitions et Guérisons A continuation of the Life of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha.
I am continuing my story about Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, again citing passages from Father Lecompte's An Iroquois Virgin - Catherine Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawk and the St. Lawrence, 1656-1680, Translated by Sister Francis, published 1932. "On the death of a servant of God the first impression is his reputation for holiness with the people. "She is a saint," they vied with one another in repeating. The Iroquois at the Sault, after Catherine had died, said to one another: "The saint is dead."... Father Cholenec, witness of the glory that surrounded Catherine's name, wrote in 1715 to his Provincial in France...Je continue mon histoire de la Bienheureuse Katéri Tekakwitha, en citant d'autres extraits du livre du Père Lecompte, Une Vierge Iroquoise, Catherine Tekakwitha, Le Lis des bords de la Mohawk et du St-Laurent (1656-1680), publié en 1930. "A la mort d'un serviteur ou d'une servante de Dieu, ce qui frappe d'abord c'est sa réputatioon de sainteté, répandue dans le peuple "C'était un saint, une sainte", répète-t-on à l'envi. Les Iroquois du Sault, après le décès de Catherine Tekakwitha, se disaient les uns aux autres: "La sainte est morte." ... Le P. Cholenec, témoin de la gloire qui auréolait le nom de Catherine, écrit à son Provincial de France en 1715 ...
30. How I spread knowledge of and devotion to my cousin Blessed Katéri Tekakwitha My Promise
I am continuing my story about Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha. In this article, I would like to share with you one of the ways that I continue to spread knowledge and devotion to my cousin, as I promised her on July 14, 2000 at her shrine in Caughnawaga, now Fonda, NY.As I was praying to Kateri in front of this statue, I renewed my prayerful request ... I became enraptured in meditative prayer. I felt myself going back to the time and place of Tekakwitha. She was speaking to me; she asked me to spend the rest of my life in spreading knowledge of and devotion to her. I promised her that her request would be my guide for the rest of my life here on earth. Excerpt from A Litany to My CousinI suspend a large medal on a deerhide string, on which are beads of different coloring to form a necklace honoring Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha. The colors used are of Native American usage...31. Important events in Kateri's life Published in 1940 by the Franciscan Fathers at Fonda, New York.
"Forward: The ever increasing requests for information concerning Catherine Tekakwitha have caused this short account of the"Lily of the Mohawks" to be presented to the public. 1656:Tekakwitha was born either at Ossernenon or at Gandoaouga (now Auriesville, N.Y.) on the south bank of the Mohawk River. Her father was a Mohawk Indian chief of the Turtle Clan...32. A tribute to one of our authors Henri-Vincent Gosselin
In the middle of each month, I send an email to all the authors of our online magazine Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines reminding them of the forthcoming issue, in this case the October 1, 2004 issue. I received the message below from one of our authors Henri-Vincent Gosselin who has written several articles for our magazine:...33. Mon petit coin: My three/mes trois "Pierre Léveillée" and/et Fans of the Boston Red Sox
In my paternal lineage, there are three Pierre Léveillée: my son Peter (Pierre), who for the present is the last in my lineage with the Léveillée surname, is the third Pierre. The second is Pierre Fourquin dit Léveillée, who was born in 1686 in Lorraine, France and who married Barbe Félis in Vittel before 1723. Whether he stayed in France with his mother when his father, the first Pierre, came to New France as a soldier or came to New France with his father and mother, and then returned to Lorraine to marry Barbe Félis. I have as yet found data to support either of these suppositions. Ironically, the first two "Pierre" are also ancestors of my father's maternal lineage...In the spring of 1938, at the age of 3 years, I saw my first Boston Red Sox baseball game. As a matter of fact, I also saw my first Boston Braves game. I have been a Red Sox fan since that time - some times an avid fan, at other times a so-so fan. Every year thereafter, except for one, until I was about 15 years old, my father Jean Baptiste Léveillée, my grandfather "Pépère" Joseph Léveillée, an uncle "mon oncle" Adelare Salvas, other uncles from time to time, and I would go to Boston to watch a Red Sox game. We also had to go to see a Boston Braves game since my "pépère" and "mon oncle" were Braves fans. My father and I were for the Red Sox. My favorite ballplayer and hero, of course, was Ted Williams. But, I remember fondly, and liked very much, Bobby Doer, Johnny Pesky, Dom Dimaggio and Jimmie Fox. Actually, any of the Red Sox players were also my favorite...
34. Mon petit coin: New biography of Dina Bélanger in English and/et en français.
In the August 2003 issue of Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines, I wrote about my discovery of a distant cousin, Dina Bélanger, who was named Blessed by Pope John Paul II in 1993. I wrote a brief history of her life:Blessed Dina BÉLANGER was born at Québec on 30 April 1897, the daughter of Olivier Octave BÉLANGER & Séraphia MATTE. Her parents lived at 168 Notre Dame des Anges in the Parish of Jacques Cartier. Dina was baptized at St. Roch, Québec. She studied music and planned to become a concert pianist. While studying in New York, Dina lived with the Religious of Jesus-Mary. She returned home and decided to enter the religious life in the Congrégation de Jésus-Marie at Sillery, where the nuns had their mother house. She entered the convent at the age of 24, in August 1921. She entered the order of Jésus-Marie in February 1922 and received the name Sister Marie Sainte-Cécile de Rome and took her final vows on 25 August 1923. As a nun, Dina BÉLANGER taught music...35. The Council of Women - A great Christmas Feast English and/et français
Are organizing a great feast for Christmas (alcohol- and drug-free) on Saturday December 11, 2004 at the local L'Âge d'Or of Pohénégamook(St-Eleuthère) at 1904 B St-Vallier basement of the church. To celebrate among family and friends, members and non-members. We will be waiting for you from 2h00pm with registrations for many acitivities for the little ones and the adults such as...Organise une grande fête de Noël (sans alcool et drogue) samedi le 11 décembre 2004 au local de L'Âge d'Or de Pohénégamook(St-Eleuthère) au 1904 B St-Vallier sous-sol de l'église. Pour célébrer en famille et amis, membres et non-membres. Nous vous attendons dès 14 heures avec inscriptions pour plusieurs activités pour petits et grands comme ...
36. Fleur-de-la-Prairie - Prairie Flower: The Algonquin Mother of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha
et en français Fleur-de-la-Prairie: La mère algonquine de la Bienheureuse Katéri TekakwithaThere has been much written about Kateri Tekakwitha. She is called the "Lily of the Mohawks" because she belonged to the Turtle Clan of the Mohawk tribe of the Iroquois nation. There is an extensive bibliography of works on this saintly Indian maiden. Most authors emphasize her Mohawk affiliation. They may, at times, mention in passing her Algonquin heritage. However, there is very little known and written about her Algonquin mother who was baptized a Catholic. Most prayers to her do not mention her Christian Algonquin influence. I contend that Tekakwitha's spirituality is due primarily to, if not almost solely on, the influence of her mother's Catholic faith imparted to her daughter during the first four years of Tekakwitha's life. What three or four year old child is not aware of what her mother is doing, in this case kneeling and praying to the Great Spirit as taught to her by the Black Robes? I am sure that she quizzed her mother...Il y a plusieurs oeuvres écrites au sujet de Katéri Tekakwitha. On l'avait surnommée "le Lys des Agniers" parcequ'elle était membre du Clan de la Torture de la tribu des Agniers (Mohawks) de la nation Iroquoise. Une grande bibliographie insiste sur sa filiation agnière, mais, nous retrouvons peu d'écrits sur sa mère algonquine qui fut elle aussi baptisée dans la religion catholique. La plupart des prières à Katéri ne mentionnent pas l'influence chrétienne algonquinne. Je suis persuadé que la grande spiritualité de Tekakwitha est dûe d'abord à l'influence de la foi catholique de sa mère et ce, dès les quatre premières années de vie de Tekakwitha. Quel enfant de trois ou quatre ans qui voit régulièrement sa mère à genoux et en prières ne lui demanderait pas ce qu'elle fait ainsi à genoux? Je suis certain que la petite Kateri a, sans doute, demandé à sa mère ce qu'elle faisait là...
37. Kateri Tekakwitha according to Juliette Lavergne, Part 2
et en français Katéri Tekakwitha selon Juliette Lavergne, Deuxième partieLast month, I proposed a different look at Blessed Kateri's Christian Catholic influence by her Algonquin mother Fleur-de-la-Prairie. As I read successive chapters in Juliette Lavergne wonderful little book, I found many other references to Fleur-de-la-Prairie's influence on her young daugher. In subsequent articles, I will indicate in bold letters the christian influence of Tekakwitha's mother, Fleur-de-la-Prairie (Prairie Flower) on her daughter, by her actions, words and prayers to the Great Spirit. I would like to see added to all her prayers "Flower of the Algonquins" and not just "Lily of the Mohawks". It was her Algonquin mother who put the seed of a christian life in her daughter at the most influential period of a person's life: childhood. And the Great Spirit allowed this seed to grow within Fleur-de-la-Prairie's daughter..Dans la parution de janvier 2005, j'ai présenté une théorie que notre Tekakwitha a été fort influencée par sa mère catholique chrétienne, par ses actes, ses mots et ses prières au Grand-Esprit. Donc, dans les chapitres suivants, je vais noter les références en lettres en grasse de l'influence de Fleur-de-la-Prairie. Je demande qu'on ajoute à ses prières "Fleur des Algonquins" et non plus seulement "Lis des Agniers/Mohawks". C'était sa mère Algonquine qui a mis la graine d'une vie chrétienne dans l'âme de sa petite fille au moment où une personne est la plus influencée: son enfance. Et le Grand Esprit a permis que cette graine pousse à maturité dans la petite fille de Fleur-de-la-Prairie...
38. Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha - Part Three
et en français La Bienheureuse Katéri Tekakwitha - Troisième PartieFor the March 2005 issue, I will continue the story of my cousin, Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, again by basing myself on the beautiful work of Juliette Lavergne La Vie gracieuse de Catherine Tekakwitha (The Graceful Life of Catherine Tekakwitha). As in my preceeding articles, I will indicate in bold print the Christian influence of her mother, Fleur-de-la-Prairie (Prairie Flower). For me, the Christian Catholic influence of Fleur-de-la-Prairie is very strong, as you, our readers, will become aware of in the following chapters. Her mother taught her charity, humility, modesty, the acceptance of sharing the Cross of Christ in the humiliations which she would suffer during her life. And this Christian life would grow under the spiritual influence of the Great Spirit and through the education learned at the feet of the Black Robes, later in her life...Pour la parution mars 2005, je vais continuer l'histoire de ma cousine la Bienheureuse Katéri Tekakwitha en employant le beau texte de Juliette Lavergne La Vie gracieuse de Catherine Tekakwitha. Comme dans mes articles des mois précédents, je vais indiquer en lettres en grasse l'influence chrétienne de sa mère, Fleur-de-la-Prairie. Pour moi, l'influence chrétienne catholique de Fleur-de-la-Prairie a été très forte, comme vous, les lecteurs, allez vous rendre compte dans ces chapitres qui suivent. Sa mère lui a appris la charité, l'humilité, la modestie, l'acceptance de partager la croix du Christ dans les humiliations qu'elle a subis pendant sa vie. Et cette vie chrétienne va s'épanouir sous l'influence spirituelle du Grand Esprit et l'éducation apprise aux pieds des Robes Noires, plus tard dans sa vie...
39. Canadian Folklore Canadien
Fran Wilcox recently sent me an internet site what deals with Canadian Folklore Canadien which can be found at www.fl.ulaval.ca/celat/acef/171a.htm
Articles about Amerindians on this website: Laurier TURGEON, Denys DELAGE et Réal OUELLET, Marius Barbeau et l’ethnologie des Amérindiens/, Marius Barbeau and the Folklore of Amerindians...40. Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha - Part Four et en français La Bienheureuse Katéri Tekakwitha - Quatrième Partie
For the April 2005 issue, I will continue the story of my cousin, Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, again by basing myself on the beautiful work of Juliette Lavergne La Vie gracieuse de Catherine Tekakwitha (The Graceful Life of Catherine Tekakwitha). As in my preceeding articles, I will indicate in bold print the Christian influence of her mother, Fleur-de-la-Prairie (Prairie Flower). The Algonquian word "Pittaraski8ssi" which means "Flower of the land" could very well be the native name of this Algonquin woman. In the Ojibway language, Prairie Flower would appear as "Wahwahsekona". The more that I read and research about Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, the more convinced I become of the great influence of her Christian Algonquin mother. Without Pittaraski8ssi or Fleur-de-la-Prairie's influence during Tekakwitha's infancy, there would not have been a "Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha ...Pour la parution avril 2005, je vais continuer l'histoire de ma cousine la Bienheureuse Katéri Tekakwitha en employant le beau texte de Juliette Lavergne La Vie gracieuse de Catherine Tekakwitha. Comme dans mes articles des mois précédents, je vais indiquer en lettres en grasse l'influence chrétienne de sa mère, Fleur-de-la-Prairie. Le mot algonquian "Pittaraski8ssi" , qui veut dire "Fleur de la terre" est peut-être le nom en algonquin de cette femme Algonquienne. Dans la langue Ojibway, Fleur-de-la-Praire sera "Wahwahsekona". Pour moi, en lisant et en recherchant sans cesse au sujet de la Bienheureuse Katéri Tekakwitha, je deviens de plus en plus convaincu de la grande influence de sa mère chrétienne catholique. Sans l'influence de Pittaraski8ssi ou Fleur-de-la-Prairie pendant l'enfance de Tekakwitha, il n'y aura point de "Bienheureuse Katéri Tekakwitha"...
41. Mon Petit Coin - Some thoughts
The praying towns were started by John Eliot, a Puritan Missionary from England. As the Native people of the different areas where he preached converted to Christianity, they could live in the town. The towns then became known as praying towns. See this website for more information on the towns in CT...42. Watercolor Painting of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha by professional artist Dorothy M. Speiser
(Copy of a watercolor © by Dorothy M. Speiser
Editor's Commentary: If you visit my website dedicated to my cousin Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, you will find copies of many paintings of this Native American saint. However, the above recent acquisition, sent to me by Richard Aubrey Payne, and with the artist's permission to use in my site, is the most beautiful and the closest portrayal of who, in my opinion, is the real Tekakwitha ...43. Tekakwitha at La Prairie and in French Tekakwitha à La Prairie
For the May 2005 issue, I will continue the story of my cousin, Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha by using the beautiful work of Juliette Lavergne La Vie gracieuse de Catherine Tekakwitha. Tekakwitha left Caughnawaga (Fonda, NY) for La Prairie, in Québec. The Algonquian "Pittaraski8ssi", which means "Flower of the land" is perhaps the algonquin name of this Algonquin woman. In the Ojibwa language, also in the Algonquian language group, Fleur-de-la-Prairie would be "Wahwahsekona". I have decided that the Ojibwa term "Wahwahsekona" would better describe the translation of "Fleur-de-la-Praire", since it really means "flower of the prairie". Therefore, I will use this Indian name for the Algonquin mother of Tekakwitha. As in previous articles, I will indicate in bold letters, the Catholic Christian influence of Tekakwitha's mother, Fleur-de-la-Prairie or Wahwahsekona...Pour la parution mai 2005, je vais continuer l'histoire de ma cousine la Bienheureuse Katéri Tekakwitha en employant le beau texte de Juliette Lavergne La Vie gracieuse de Catherine Tekakwitha. Tekakwitha est partie de Caughnawaga (Fonda, NY) pour La Prairie au Québec. Le mot algonquian "Pittaraski8ssi" , qui veut dire "Fleur de la terre" est peut-être le nom en algonquin de cette femme Algonquienne. Dans la langue Ojibwa, Fleur-de-la-Praire sera "Wahwahsekona". J'ai décidé que le terme en Ojibway "Wahwahsekona" indique mieux la traduction de "Fleur-de-la-Prairie". Donc je vais employer ce nom indien pour la mère algonquine de Tekakwitha. Dans cet article comme dans les précédents, je vais souligner en lettres grasses l'influence catholique chrétienne de la mère de Tekakwitha, Fleur-de-la-Prairie ou Wahwahsekona...
44. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger - Pope Benedict XVI
Excerpt from www.cnn.com: The cardinal was born in Marktl Am Inn, but his father, a policeman, moved frequently and the family left when he was 2. He and his older brother, Georg -- former director of the renowned Regensburger Domspatzen boys choir -- return annually to the peaceful halls of St. Michael's Seminary to stay in the elegant, but sparsely furnished bishop's apartment next to the church. An accomplished pianist who loves Mozart, Ratzinger enjoys playing the grand piano in the seminary's main hall, and walking through downtown Traunstein greeting people, Frauenlob said...45. Native Americans on the Oregon Trail
The first section of the Oregon Trail bisected two major Native American tribes--the Cheyenne to the north and the Pawnee to the south. The emigrants worried about both. But the expected attacks did not come. In fact, there were many instances of Native American kindness--helping pull out stuck wagons; rescuing drowning emigrants; even rounding up lost cattle Most of the encounters with Native Americans were simple business transactions. The emigrants offered clothes, tobacco or rifles, in exchange for Native American horses or food...46. Tekakwitha at La Prairie and in French Tekakwitha à La Prairie
This article will be the sixth in a series of articles based on the work of Juliette Lavergne's La Vie Gracieuse de Catherine Tekakwitha. This translation will encompass Chapters VI through XI. I will conclude the series in the July issue with the last five chapters of her work...Cet article est le sixième de la série de l'oeuvre de Juliette Lavergne La Vie Gracieuse de Catherine Tekakwitha. Je vais transcrire les Chapitres VI à XI. Je vais conclure la série dans la parution juillet avec la transcription des cinq derniers chapitres de son oeuvre...
47. Election of Benedict XVI 'a moment of grace', by Archbishop Charles J. ChaputFrom the Friends-List.
Election of Benedict XVI 'a moment of grace': The Denver Catholic Register Week of April 27, 2005 By Archbishop Charles J. Chaput* (see Archbishop Chaput's biography below) Archbishop of Denver, Colorado: "Pontiff knows the soul of the world depends on the Church's faithful witness. Moments after the Holy See announced the election of Pope Benedict XVI last week, a friend of mine quipped that "Some folks will think that God isn't a very good listener" because He had ignored - yet again - the advice of most of the American media..."Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha was named one of several patrons of the World Youth Day in Toronto in 2002. Father Paolo Molinari, S.J., the Postulator in Rome, wrote this about her status there: "It is for us of real support - and it is at the same time a consolation - to be aware that the Holy Father has presented Kateri Tekakwitha as a model to the hundreds of thousands of young people gathered in Toronto..."49. Father Ronald Veigas, pastor of St. Francis Xavier Mission in Kable, Diocese of Shimoga, India
St. Francis Xavier, S.J., evangelized and established Missions in Southwest India and Japan during the early 16th century. During the 17th century, missionary activities were widespread across North America. The noted Jesuits, Sts. Isaac Joques, René Goupil and Jean Lalande among others, were evangelizing and establishing Missions. Isaac Joques established the Holy Trinity Mission at Ossernenon (Auriesville NY) around 1642. His two companions were martyred and he was tortured. He escaped but returned to his mission where he, in his turn, was martyred in 1646 by the Mohawks. Ten years later in this Mission was born Tekakwitha. I have written extensively about my cousin Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, both in my site dedicated to her and in this magazine.
The 21st Century: The missionary work continues even today. In Kable, in the diocese of Shimoga, the St. Francis Xavier mission has as its pastor Father Ronald Veigas...50. Conclusion: Tekakwitha at La Prairie et en français La conclusion: Tekakwitha à La Prairie
This is the seventh and last article in the series from the work of Juliette Lavergne's La Vie Gracieuse de Catherine Tekakwitha. I will translate the final Chapters XII to XVI: "Like so many others who came before him to the mission, Aigle was received with a sincere friendship by honest and truly Christian souls. The missionary came to warmly greet the famous Mohawk captain. Étoile-du-Matin (Morning Star) took care of him like a devoted sister. Meanwhile Pied-Léger (Lightfoot) and the Huron, realizing the seriousness of the wound so deep and painful, infected by dust, the lack of care, the rubbing of clothing of the carefree Indian, spoke of this to the missionary Father..."C'est le sixième and dernier article de la série de l'oeuvre de Juliette Lavergne's La Vie Gracieuse de Catherine Tekakwitha. Je vais transcrire les Chapitres XII à XVI: "Comme tant d'autres venus avant lui à la mission, l'Aigle fut reçu avec une sincère amitié par ces âmes droites et vraiment chrétiennes. Le missionnaire vint saluer avec beaucoup d'égards le célèbre capitaine de la Mohawk. Étoile-du-Matin le soigna comme une soeur dévouée. Cependant Pied-Léger et le Huron, constatant la gravité de la blessure extrêmement profonde et douloureuse, blessure envenimée par la poussière, le manque de soin, le frottement des vêtements de l'insouciant Indien, en parlèrent au Père missionnaire..."
51. Hommage à Dina Bélanger * Le courage d'aimer
Les Religieuses de Jésus-Marie de Sillery ont produit un CD dernièrement, un magnifique CD sur la vie de Dina Bélanger. C'est un véritable ravissement que d'écouter ces voix pures et mélodieuses qui nous révèlent la vie de cette jeune sainte encore méconnue de beaucoup d'entre nous. Ce CD contient 20 cantiques qui nous font mieux connaître la vie de la Bienheureuse Dina Bélanger...52. French and Native North American Marriages 1600-1800
The revised editon of Paul Bunnell's book French And Native North American Marriages 1600-1800 is a marvelous book dedicated to all our Native American and European ancestors who married to create a new nation of Métis. Paul has spent considerable time in this second edition, bringing up-to-date data based on more accurate resources. In the introduction, Paul writes: "This work is dedicated to my Huron ancestors to whom I am related, in some cases several times." And for the next two pages, he lists several of his Native American and European ancestors53. Mon Petit Coin #2 - My Little Corner: the passing of a beloved old friend by the name of ...
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend by the name of Common Sense who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic Red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such value lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm and that life isn't always fair...53. Mon Petit Coin #3 for the URL addresses:Acadian-Cajun List & Circle of Nations.
Hi Everybody, I have just posted to items you will find interesting if you had Acadian Ancestors along the St. John River from 1755-1760. Stephen A. White put together an article that is now on my web site. Another item you might find of great interest consists of extracts from the Pennsylvania Gazette that tell us what was happening on the St. John River at that time. Both are temporarily at the top of the sidebar. Enjoy and my thanks to Stephen White. www.acadian-home.org Lucie LeBlanc Consentino ...One of my Email correspondants sent me this URL regarding the Algonquin "Circle of Nations". There is some interesting information at this site regarding the Algonquin nation. One of my ancestors, Mite8ameg8k8e was an Algonguin. The following quotes are from the opening pages of the website: "It was prophesized that the time would come when the voice of indigenous peoples would rise again after five hundred years of silence and oppression, to light a path to an eternal fire of peace, love, brotherhood and sisterhood amongst all nations..."
54. A Poem in Remembrance - IF I KNEW
If I knew it would be the last time
That I'd see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly
and pray the Lord, your soul to keep
...55. Quaker Road Stories - the Goodwillie Family, Farm and Factory by Diane Goodwillie.
For more than 7,000 years humans have lived in southern Ontario, and, for at least one thousand years people have moved through Welland's Quaker Road district. Archeologists have discovered sites revealing the prehistory of the first inhabitants but accurate understanding of the early history of southern Ontario prior to the European invasion is difficult. Much has been lost, ignored or misinterpreted...56. Les Lambert
Pour nos lecteurs francophones, voici un article qui a apparu dans le site Nos Racines: "La grande famille Lambert qui se subdivise sous les surnoms de Dumont, Champagne, Aubin et Sainte-Marie est issue de plusieurs pionniers d’origine française qui ont immigré en Nouvelle-France au XVIIe siècle. Le premier et certainement le plus connu d’entre eux est Eustache Lambert dont le lieu d’origine reste inconnu. On sait que sa mère vivait à Boulogne en 1650, mais de quelle ville s’agit-il puisque ce nom désigne plusieurs lieux. Venait-il de la Vendée ou de la Picardie ? Le fait que sa mère et sa sœur aient vécu à Boulogne permet-il de conclure qu’il y soit né ?..."57. Columbus Day - A National Holiday or A Day of Mourning?
First of all, you need to know that I have an Algonquin ancestor by the name of Mite8ameg8k8e who married Pierre Couc, a French soldier/trader in the 17th century. I was born an American of an American mother and a French-Canadian father who became an American citizen. Both my paternal and maternal ancestors are of French-Canadian origin, in addition to my Algonquin ancestry. Will I be able to write an unbiased opinion? ...58. Sept premières années de ma vie
Je n'avais (prononcé "avé") que sept ans et j'étais (j'été) dans la première grade de l'école paroissale Notre-Dame du (dzu) Bon Conseil avant que j'ai appris à comprendre et à parler anglais (anglade) (ou parfois, on disait "américain").Les cinq premières années de ma vie se sont passées dans un petit village d' "immigrés Québécois" qui sont venus à Harris, dans la ville de Coventry, Rhode Island enfin de trouver du travail dans une usine qui fabriquait le coton (Cotton Mill). Il y en avait beaucoup au Rhode Island, le long de plusieurs rivières enfin d'utiliser le pouvoir de l'eau en traversant un barrage. La famille Léveillée est venue de St-Aimé de Richelieu, Québec; les Bélanger de St-Bernard, Dorchester, Québec. On se référait comme "français - French"...
59. Review of Késsinnimek-Roots-Racines 2003-2005
et en français Revoir Késsinnimek-Roots-Racines 2003-2005For this month, I would like to review the various sections of my website since it is on this site that our magazine Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines is located. In addition, there is a personal section; one dedicated to my cousin Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha; that of another cousin Blessed Dina Délanger; and finally a huge section devoted to the Genealogy of my Ancestors. The welcome page of my website is: www.leveillee.net from which all the links below and my data can be accessed. As Editor of this online magazine, I have found many wonderful authors with whom I have become friends. Some of these authors whom I already had met through the internet were distant cousins related to each other through our common ancestors. The contact point of these meetings was the first website that I put together: www.leveillee.net/ancestry/index.htmlPour cette parution, je vais revoir pour nos lecteurs les différentes parties de mon site où se trouve notre e-zine Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines. De plus, il y a une section personnelle; une autre dédiée à ma cousine la Bienheureuse Katéri Tekakwitha; celle d'une autre cousine la Bienheureuse Dina Bélanger; et finalement une grande base de données au sujet de la généalogie de mes ancêtres. La page d'acceuil de mon site se trouve à: www.leveillee.net à partir duquel on peut accéder tous les liens ci-dessus et les données. Comme Rédacteur de cet e-zine, j'ai rencontré plusieurs auteurs avec lesquels je suis devenu ami. J'en avais déjà rencontré plusieurs comme cousins germains parce que nous avions des ancêtres communs. Je les ai rencontrés à cause de mon site à: www.leveillee.net/ancestry/index.html
60. An Intimate Moment with Mary and Joseph
For the census, the royal family has to travel eighty-five miles. Joseph walks, while Mary, nine months pregnant, rides sidesaddle on a donkey, feeling every jolt, every rut, every rock in the road. By the time they arrive, the small hamlet of Bethlehem is swollen from an influx of travelers. The inn is packed, people feeling lucky if they were able to negotiate even a small space on the floor. Now it is late, everyone is asleep, and there is no room. But fortunately, the innkeeper is not all shekels and mites. True, his stable is crowded with his guests' animals, but if they could squeeze out a little privacy there, they were welcomed to it. Joseph looks over at Mary, whose attention is concentrated on fighting a contraction. "We'll take it," he tells the innkeeper without hesitation...61. Fête De L'hiver 3 Décembre - 2005 - Winter Feast December 3 en français & in English
FÊTE DE L'HIVER 3 DÉCEMBRE 2005 AU LOCAL DE L'ÂGE D'OR DE POHÉNÉGAMOOK (ST-ÉLEUTHÈRE) AU 1904 B ST-VALIER, SOUS-SOL DE L'ÉGLISE GRANDS ET PETITS, VENEZ VOUS DIVERTIR EN FAMILLE (MEMBRES ET NON-MEMBRES)WINTER FEAST DECEMBER 3, 2005 AT THE LOCAL L'ÂGE D'OR OF POHÉNÉGAMOOK (ST-ÉLEUTHÈRE) At 1904 B ST-VALIER, BASEMENT OF THE CHURCH OLD AND YOUNG, COME TO ENJOY A FAMILY GATHERING (MEMBERS and NON-MEMBERS)
62. Soeur Réjane Veilleux, R.J.M.: Messages téléphoniques de Dina en français: pour nos lecteurs franco-canadiens.
M. Leveillee,
J'ai bien reçu la réponse de votre fidélité à Dina. Merci de transférer les « Dina pense à vous » sur votre site. C'est une vraie grâce.
Depuis une semaine, j'ai lancé une nouvelle activité : Dina donne un message téléphonique pour rejoindre les personnes qui n'utilisent â l'internet surtout. La même confidence est donnée pour deux jours. Je vous envoie les textes déjà utilisés.
Réjane Veilleux, R.J.M.YEAR 2006 ANNÉE
63. Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines issues for the years 2003, 2004 and 2005 will be available on a CD
A CDrom of all the articles from the very first issue in February 2003 through December 2005 has been created. This CD will contain all 388 articles and graphics written by our 35 authors of our magazine Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines in their original format. It should be ready for distribution by March 1, 2006 or sooner.64. Drouin Database at the ACGS - American Canadian Geneological Society - Machester NH Copies of pages from parish registers: Léveillée - Bélanger Ancestry
A couple of months ago, Lucie LeBlanc Consentino wrote to me indicating that our society the American Canadian Genealogical Society - ACGS - of Manchester NH had acquired the Drouin Database in searchable, graphic format. She wrote an article in the October issue of Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines...65. Primary and Secondary Sources
SuggestionsI followed a discussion recently on the Quebec-Research List about which Genealogical Resources are the most valid and useful. Without a doubt, viewing the original parish registers or official county documents is the most valid and useful. These are primary or copies of primary records. There are also secondary sources which are quite accurate. On the other hand, there are several secondary sources which contain errors made by the transcriber. These have been perpetrated throughout the Internet.66. Deciphering a page from a Québec Parish Register
There are several items that will appear in a Primary Resource or a copy of such. The first will be the date, followed by a notice of marriage bans, between the groom and the bride, giving their mutual consent and receiving the nuptial blessed, with witnesses, some being able to sign the document, others not being able to do so ...67. New Magazine Feature: Index by Subject or Topic - Index par sujet
When I was preparing the CD format for sale several months ago, one of our readers wrote to me, asking if I had plans to include an Index according to Subject matter or Topic. At that time, I thought about it and decided that it would be a major task. So, I let it rest...68. Dans Mon Petit Coin - In My Little Corner
As I just published the March issue of our magazine Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines, I was wondering what my subject would be for my April article. I came up with nothing...Thanks to two people, Jacques L'Heureux and Juliana L'Heureux, I now know what a "blog" is. Do you? Read on...70. Looking for a Patron or Patrons
In recent weeks, I have been in contact with Dorothy M. Speiser, either by email or on the phone. We featured her first painting of my cousin Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha in an article in our magazine Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines a year ago in April 2005. Dorothy has a wish. And I join with her in this wish...71. Scatterred and Near Forgotten Song lyrics by Joe Pickering Jr.
72. Several entries to my Ancestry Register Index at Register Index.
There are some 70 entries from the registers of the "Greffe" -Civil Clerk's Office and of the "Presbytère" - Rectory of the various Parishes in Québec. There will be more added in the future, as I continue to research my ancestors. These copies have been retrieved from the Drouin Database at the ACGS - American-Canadian Genealogy Society of Manchester NH73. Genetic Genealogy - DNA Projects
Doug Miller, one of the readers of our online magazine Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines, sent me an Email indicating that "If you have not looked at the French Heritage DNA Project, please do. Please go to the results page. This is the new genetic genealogy. Some great results are achieved. Please consider joining the project." Here are some links that explain the various projects...74. Et pour nos lecteurs québecois Forum de discussion - Comédie Musicale "Dina"
J'ai reçu ce courriel de M. Louis Martin Lanthier
"Amis & amies de Dina, Vous êtes invité(e)s à vous rendre sur le tout nouveau forum de discussion de l'album et de la comédie musicale "Dina"...75. A Preview of a new Biography of Catherine Tekakwitha translated and published by Fr. William Lonc, S.J.
This biography was written by Fr. Félix Martin, a French Jesuit who arrived in the Montreal area around 1842 and had strong contacts with the Iroquois community at Caughnawaga. For example, he was involved in designing renovations for the church there and participated in the re-installation of the large out-door cross on the lawn behind the church.76. The name Fourquin dit Léveillé changes to Léveillée
Several months ago, a cousin asked me when and why did our ancestor dropped one of the two names associated with our ancestors: Fourquin dit Léveillé.77. Reactions from our Readers - Réactions de nos lecteurs
Several of our readers reacted to my article about the involvement of women in the Catholic Church's hierarchy. Here are their comments...78. What's all the fuss about the Da Vinci Code?
Last year, when Dan Brown published his Da Vinci Code, I read a few articles by Christians on how upset they were with the data found in his book. Someone wrote to me and asked my opinion. I told that person at that time that I wasn't interested in that type of fiction...
From one of our readers... From Dee CambellThank you for May issue of Késsinnimek-Roots-Racines. Being an artist, I was really uplifted by the "Three Ladies Who Each See Kateri Through Their Own Eyes"...On July 14, the Catholic Church of the United States will celebrate the Feast Day of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha...80. Special Announcement Bl. Kateri Commemorative Postmark
In honor of the 350th Anniversary of the Birth of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, the Tekakwitha League in Auriesville, NY and the National Kateri Shrine in Fonda, NY have created special commemorative postmarks.
On Sunday, July 2, 2006 and Sunday, July 9th, the US Postal Service will set up temporary post offices at the Kateri Shrine in Fonda and at the Martyrs Shrine in Auriesville to hand cancel letters and cards and other memorabilia using the special postmarks.81. Sad news for us Fr. John Paret & Martyrs Shrine
I recently learned, much to my chagrin, that Fr. John Paret, S.J., who is the Vice-Postulator for Kateri's Cause and who was stationed at the North American Martyrs Shrine in Auriesville, New York, is no longer there...82. And another A Reader's Response
The following was sent to us by Anne Marchand in response to Donald Lefebvre's On Letter Writing that appeared in the June issue of our magazine...83. Book Review - French & Native North American Marriages & Other Sources Vol. 2
I recently received a copy of Paul J. Bunnell's French & Native North American Marriages & Other Sources Vol. 2. Paul has continued his research into our French and Native Americans as he did in his Volume 1.84. St. Francis-Xavier Mission Parish in Kable, Karnataka, India Church Building Fundraiser
Our family has been sponsoring Fr. Rony since 1990, through his studies for the Catholic Priesthood. He visited us in the summer of 2005. We were able to sponsor a fundraising event which included an outdoor Mass in our yard to start him on his Church Building Project...
Can you help?85. Update of the Register Index in my Ancestry website.
After I discovered that the ACGS - American Canadian Genealogical Society - of Manchester NH had purchased the Drouin Database of the Parish Registers of Québec, I began in earnest to verify as much of the data - birth/baptism, marriage, death/burial - of my French-Canadian ancestors. I sent a request for "look-up" on several occasions. Each time, I received .jpg files of either baptism, marriage or burial records as photographed from either the City Clerk's Office or from the actual Parish Register housed in the presbytery of the parish in question...On September 4, the Catholic Church of Canada will celebrate the feast day of one of its own: Blessed Dina Bélanger. Who is this future Québecoise Saint? ...87. Catholic bishops OK changes to wording of prayers
Several weeks ago, the pastor at our church introduced some of the changes in the Catholic Mass prayers that will take place over the next year. Our diocesan weekly also publised a list of changes that were adopted recenty by the Conference of Catholic Bishops at their recent meeting.
The following was sent to our magazine by Louise Dubrule. The article appeared in the El Paso Times, authored by Diana Washington Valdez.88. Abenaki Individuals from the St-Francis Mission (1790-1900)
I received the following email from Elaine Ricard:I have just completed a 12 year project regarding abenaki individuals from the St-Francis Mission (1790-1900). For additional information please visit www.abenakipapertrail.com. I would appreciate it if you could consider adding my site as a link to your invaluable site. I have been reading the material on your web for many years and always love the various submissions by you and your guests. Great stuff!!
Thank you
Elaine Ricard89. Catholic artist ‘teaches’ about the blessed Indian ‘Lily of the Mohawk’
Catholic artist ‘teaches’ about the blessed Indian ‘Lily of the Mohawk’
By Maria Wiering
8/3/2006
The Catholic Spirit (www.thecatholicspirit.com) The first time 56-year-old Roger Zarembinski laid his hand on the wood panel on which he was to create an image of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, he groaned...90. Réflexions: Les Mains de Grand-mère - Reflection: My Grandmother's Hands
Cette belle présentation MS Powerpoint nous a été envoyée par notre cousine Louise Dubrule pour nos lecteurs français.
The beautiful MS Powerpoint Presentation was sent to me by my dear cousin Louise Dubrule. Thank you, Louise. I translated this presentation into English for our readers...91. St. Francis Xavier Mission in Kable, India
Thank you from our family for whatever assistance that you may able to render to Fr. Rony.92. This Old House
The man who built this house of mine Two hundred years ago With Christian doors of smooth, clear pine And chestnut timbers, rown on row...93. A Prayer by Blessed Mother Theresa
May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be...94. Mes souvenirs - Le réveillon chez nous
The "Réveillon chez nous" - the Feast after the Midnight Mass at our house unfortunately died with my parents. I just wish that I had continued this tradition which I enjoyed during my youth, at the home of my parents. I imagine that all the French Canadians who established themselves in New England carried this tradition from Québec to Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut...95. In Memory of Fr. John Paret, S.J. 1919-2006 Lily of the Mohawk Newsletter - Fall/Winter 2006
When I discovered that the North American Martyrs Shrine was built on the site where my cousin Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha was born in the Mohawk village of Ossernenon, I also found a wonderful priest who over the years served as my spiritual advisor, my confessor but most importantly a very dear friend. Each time that my wife Annette and I would visit Kateri's Shrine in New York, we would always spend some time with Fr. John Paret, S.J...
The articles and pictures were taken from the LILY Of The MOHAWKS - Newsletter - Vol LI No. 3 - Fall/Winter 2006YEAR 2007 ANNÉE
96. Happy and Prosperous New Year - Bonne et Heureuse Année
97. Why did I begin this magazine?
My family members frequently come into my study while I am editing and preparing this magazine. Several have asked me, "Why do you do this? It's obviously not for the money, since you volunteer your time and website, right?". And they are correct. I do this voluntarily as do all of the authors who have submitted articles for Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines...98. Appreciate every single thing you have, especially your friends, sent by Joseph Izzillo.
One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family...99. Something not to laugh about
sent by Joseph Izzillo. If they know of him at all, many folks think Ben Stein is just a quirky actor/comedian who talks in a monotone. He's also a very intelligent attorney who knows how to put ideas and words together in such a way as to sway juries and make people think clearly.100. The Woman
This was sent to me by my cousin Rita Roy Drouin. Thank you, Rita.101. Kateri's response - a feather
This was sent to me in a letter from a dear friend. Thank you, Bill.102. Mémère's Tourtière or Pork Pie recipe Or, my mother Jeannette Bélanger's version.
103. Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas - A MS PowerPoint presentation.
You will need to have MS PowerPoint installed on your computer to play this presentation.
Il vous faudra MS PowerPoint enfin de voir cette présentation.104. A Church in Exeter, Rhode Island - Dedicated to Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha
Several years ago, a friend, who knew my dedication to Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, asked me if I were aware that there was a chapel dedicated to my cousin Kateri. I was not aware of that. So, I ventured to find Exeter Road across from the former Ladd School. When I arrived there, I went into the chapel and was happy to find a beautiful statue of Tekakwitha, an altar, chairs and kneelers. As I found out later, the little chapel had been built by a small group of parishioners, some of whom I knew. I prayed to her as I had been for several years to watch over my family - her cousins (very distant, but still related). As I was leaving, a priest emerged from the farmhouse. And to my surprise, I recognized Fr. Gerard Sabourin, a classmate of my days in the seminary back in the 1950's...105. The Equality of women in our Catholic Church
In the May 2006 issue of Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines, I wrote an article "C'est le mois de Marie... It's the month of Mary", a song that I learned in a Catholic elementary school which we sang during Mary's month of May. As Christians, we owe so much to Mary's "fiat", her yes to God, celebrated in our church liturgy on March 25, the feast of the Annunciation of Our Lord.
Then I gave a personal view of what I firmly believe should happen in the Catholic Church...106. The Woman - A MS Powerpoint presentation by an unknown author. You will need MS Powerpoint installed on your computer to view this presentation. Please click on mouse or bar to move to the next screen.
When God created woman, he was working late on the 6th day.
An angel came by and said: “Why spend so much time on that one?”
And the Lord answered: “Have you seen all the specifications I have to meet to shape her ?"
(Author unknown)107. A Sequel - From Dante's Inferno...
As a follow up to my May dedication to Mary for the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25 , I would like to quote from the Prayer Book that I use on a daily basis Magnificat. The following was written by Anthony Esolen, a professor of English at Providence College, for the March issue of Magnificat:108. Book Review
I reviewed Paul J. Bunnell Volume 3 French & Native North American Marriages & Other Sources"...109. Avis - Assemblée Générale Annuelle
Les membres de la Communauté Métisse de l'Est du Canada sont convoqués à leur assemblée générale annuelle qui aura lieu le Samedi 26 Mai 2007 à 09 heures am à la salle Léon Desjardins (1252, Chemin Guérette) à Pohénégamook (Estcourt) au Témiscouata...110. Please note:
The Kateri Center & Gift Shop at the North American Martyrs' Shrine in Auriesville, NY has closed own. The gift shop will be located in the Main Gift Shop at the Shrine. All of Blessed Kateri's artifacts will be housed in the museum on the grounds.111. Comments from our Readers
Several readers wrote to me regarding my article on the "all male clergy" and my belief that "women" should have equal rights in the Catholic Hierarchy..."To commemorate her 69th birthday on October 1, actress/vocalist, Julie Andrews made a special appearance at Manhattan's Radio City Music Hall for the benefit of the AARP...113. Posted from an Internet List
Vows of celibacy weren't always required; for 1,700 years, priests often got married...114. My Father, Jean-Baptiste Léveillée
When I was a child, my father's influence shaped my life to what it is today. There were times when I resented his influence, especially when I became a "know-it-all" teenager. However, despite this resentment, what influence he gave me at that time, stayed with me..."115. The old barn
A stranger came by the other day with an offer that set me to thinking. He wanted to buy the old barn that sits out by the highway. I told him right off he was crazy. He was a city type, you could tell by his clothes, his car, his hands, and the way he talked. He said he was driving by and saw that beautiful barn sitting out in the tall grass and wanted to know if it was for sale. I told him he had a funny idea of beauty...116. Selling Bibles
A pastor concluded that his church was getting into serious financial troubles....117. Mary's Lamb
Think carefully about what you will be reading. This is a new one for me...118. July 15 - Feast of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha
In December 1999, I discovered Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha. My sister Rita and her husband Richard, my wife Annette and I were visiting the LaSalette Shrine in Attleboro, MA, when I saw, in the gift shop, a religious card with an Indian maiden and a prayer. I immediately seized the card and realized for the first time in my life that there was a Native American who was Blessed and a candidate for Sainthood in the Catholic Church...119. Purpose Driven Life
This was sent to me via our magazine's email address The author is unknown to this editor.
About Rick Warren (REMEMBER HE WROTE- PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE)
You will enjoy the new insights that Rick Warren has, with his wife now having cancer and him having "wealth" from the book sales. This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick Warren, "Purpose Driven Life " author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California .120. Our Bank Account. Sent to me by my daughter!
This is AWESOME!
A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.121. The Union Meeting House at Nooseneck and Dr. Stephen Allen
In 1787, Dr. Stephen Allen, a physician in the town of East Greenwich, Rhode Island, decided to build a home in West Greenwich. He purcahsed land on Sharpstreet from John Greene, one of the original petitioners.
Until 1809, Stephen, his wife and his daughter worshipped at the Maple Root Baptist Church on Harkney Hill Road. Most of the people went to the Mapleroot Root Church. However, in May 1809, a group of people petitioned the General Assembly to incorporate as the "West Greenwich and Exeter Union Society". The leaders of this group were Stephen Allen, Beriah Hopkins and Peleg Arnold. Dr. Allen spearheaded the idea of building a meeting house, which was built on land donated by Jonathan Weaver on Noose Neck Hill.122. Feast of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, July 15th at Blessed Kateri Church in Exeter, RI
This year, as I indicated in my July article, our family decided to celebrate our cousin's feast day - Blessed Kateri Tekakwitah - with the pastor and parishioners of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Church in the nearby town of Exeter, Rhode Island, rather than going to Kateri's shrines in Auriesville and Fonda, New York...123. A Wonderful Piece by Michael Gartner
This wonderful piece by Michael Gartner, editor of newspapers large and small and president of NBC News and who in 1997, he won the Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing was found on the Friends-List...124. Random Thoughts On My Religion
I was born and raised as a Catholic boy by two very devout Catholics who shared equally their love for me and my sister and also the responsibilities and duties of a Catholic home. Mother and father - woman and man - were equal in all their family activities. This equality of female and male truly influenced my life...125. Scapulars
There were two messages posted on the Quebec-Research List on RootsWebthat I would like to share with you. Both Jackie and Fran gave permission for me to post their thoughts in our magazine. Thank you Jackie and Fran126. Fr. Ronald Veigas' Mission Work in Progress
Fr. Ronald Veigas of the St. Francis Xavier Mission Parish in Kable, southwest India, came to the United States to preach a mission appeal for financial help for his poor parishioners. He did so in the dioceses of St. Louis and Cleveland. While visiting our family in August, he celebraed a special Mass at the Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Church here in Exeter, Rhode Island for all the people - family and friends - who have supported and continue to support his mission work. There are photos of the Mission Progress and of the Special Mass on our updated website (go to the link above). We are asking for your financial help if possible for his continuing mission work. We thank you in advance.
He visited with us in 2005. There are photos of this visit on the website listed above.127. A note sent by Sister Réjane Veilleux Study Conference: Blessed Dina Bélanger
I am happy to announce a Dina Conference which will take place in Rome, in October. This Conference is organized by the postulator for the cause of Dina, Mgr Brunero Gherardini. May this conference favour the influence of our Blessed Dina.128. And a message sent by one of our readers From Carleen
Hello from Burlington, Vermont. Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy reading "Roots" each month. Louise Dubrule introduced me to it a long time ago, and not only have I become a faithful reader, but I have passed the website along to several other friends and family members.129. My Editorial Responses from our Authors
The following valued comments and opinions were sent to me by our authors...130. An email friend sent this: The Origin of The Twelve Days of Christmas
There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me. What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas? Today I found out, thanks to the Internet.Comments Our Readers' Valued Comments - Les commentaires précieux de nos Lecteurs
When I wrote in the November issue that I was considering ceasing the publication of our magazine "Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines", I received comments from our Readers. There words touched my heart. At times, I never realized how much of an impact our authors' articles had on our readership. Many recommended that I continue the magazine, but in a different format, perhaps bi-monthly. For the immediate present, I will no longer publish our fine magazine Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines. However, I will make available, on my website, an offer of a CD containing all the articles from the years 2003 through 2007.
Perhaps in the future, I will reconsider re-publishing the magazine, but in a different format. In the meantime, I wish to THANK VERY SINCERELY all our AUTHORS for their dedication and volunatary contribution which really made our magazine what many of our readers indicated that our magazine professional and informative. I do not wish to forget to also THANK our READERS. They are the ones who told us that they benefited from the variety of articles.
So, TO EVERYONE, MERCI BIEN - GREAT THANKS.
Amitiés, NormDans la parution de novembre, j'ai écrit que j'étais en train de penser à la cessation de notre e-zine "Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines" à la fin de décembre 2007. J'ai reçu bien de commentaires de nos lecteurs. Leurs messages m'ont touché le coeur. Je n'ai jamais réalisé comment l'impact des articles de nos auteurs s'est fait à nos lecteurs. Beaucoup de gens m'a écrit que je devrais continuer l'e-zine, mais d'une manière différente, par exemple à tous les deux mois. Pour le présent, je vais cesser la parution de notre excellent e-zine à la fin de décembre 2007. Mais, tous les articles des années 2003-2007 seront disponsibles sur un CDrom.
Peut-être au futur, je recommencerai la parution, but d'une manière différente. À présent, je vais SINCÈREMENT REMERCIER tous nos AUTEURS pour leur dédication et leur contribution voluntaire. Ce sont eux qui ont rendu cet e-zine excellent et informatif. Je ne veux sans doute ne pas oublier de REMERCIER aussi SINCÈREMENT nos LECTEURS. Ce sont eux qui ont bénificié de nos articles.
Donc à TOUT LE MONDE, MERCI BIEN - GREAT THANKS.
Amitiés, Norm
1. French Culture: Follow the Churches - Suivre les églises
Churches are an irresistible draw whenever I travel. Not necessarily because I'm religious, because I'm only moderately so. To me, a church includes the composite history of a place. A good example is the Cologne Cathedral, in Germany. What most impresses me about the statuesque and ancient Cologne Cathedral is the small pile of pre-Christian rocks preserved outside the walls of the inspiring gothic structure. These assembled rocks are, actually, what remains of another worship site built eons ago by non-Christians or pagans. This transition from pre-Christian stone formations to gothic-Christian architecture tells me (and, presumably, archeologists as well) that Cologne has been a spiritual destination site for millenniums...GRAND PRÉ NOVA SCOTIA - Dans le monde entier, there are hundreds of places where the French left their historic mark by either building, or establishing magnificent and interesting churches. Although the Memorial Church at Grand Pré, Nova Scotia is small, it's a splendid and solemn memorial. Located in the Annapolis Valley in the western area of Nova Scotia, the rather small chapel signifies a sad and momentous event in French history called "Le Grand Dérangement". It was erected by the descendents of the French Acadians who once thrived in the area until they became victims of the colonial wars between the French and the English. The chapel was built near the remains of the original St. Charles Church, the parish built by the colonial Acadian settlers in the 16th century...3. Papa Martel
Thank goodness Papa Martel is back! There’s been a lot of talk among Maine’s writers and publishers about the Baxter Society of Maine’s list of the 100 most influential books about Maine published in the first millennium. There’s joyous praise from Franco-Americans for the Society’s selection of “Papa Martel”, a novel originally published by Doubleday in 1961, written by Gerard Robichaud. Others on the choice list are books by Samuel de Champlain, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Robert McCloskey, Stephen King and even Carolyn Chute. As a result of the new publicity for Robichaud’s long out of print novel, the book was re-issued by the University of Maine Press and the Franco-American Center...4. Franco-American Writers and Composers Festival June 26-29, 2003
New England is home to many talented Franco-American writers and composers. This year’s La Kermesse Franco-American Festival in Biddeford will again showcase the creative work of about 15 published writers and composers, invited to participate in the writers and composers tent, provided by La Kermesse to support cultural awareness. They will discuss their published work and sell books, music, CDs, and videos at the festival scheduled for June 26-29 at St. Louis Field in Biddeford, says Norman Faucher of Biddeford, one of the local coordinators. “We want to host as many published Franco-American writers and composers as we can in our tent this year,” says Faucher...5. St. Francis Cathedral, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe, New Mexico is a scenic capital city first settled in 1607 by Spanish explorers. Situated at 7000 feet high into the Rocky Mountains, it's the oldest capital city in America. Framed by seemingly endless and perfectly sculptured red mountains, the city is a destination spot for artisans who enjoy Native American handicrafts or tourists looking for spectacular weather. Although most of Santa Fe's skyline is a blend of quaint adobe structures surrounded by mountains, the symmetrical European style St. Francis Cathedral stands apart as a focal point on the otherwise monochromatic landscape... (photograph of the church)6. Also read about St. Ann in Indian Township of Maine.
(Please note: An Internet connection is needed.) or click here for a text only version St. Ann Indian TownshipIndian Township is the home of Maine’s Passamaquoddy Tribe, located near the town of Princeton in Washington County. One way to get there is by taking scenic route 6 East off of 95 towards Lincoln, and Topsfield into Princeton. It’s as close to a skyline drive as any road in Maine. On a clear day, the landscape extends all the way to Mount Katadin in Baxter State Park. Surprisingly few Maine citizens visit Indian Township. The Passamoquoddy community is also home for Father Frank Morin, 55, a Roman Catholic priest and pastor of St. Ann’s Church located in Indian Township. Father Morin is an ardent genealogist who is knowledgeable about the history of his French Acadian father and his Irish mother’s families. His simple lakeside rectory is decorated with dozens of old maps, hundreds of books and assorted historic artifacts describing how the colonial French explorers traveled the coast of Maine and the Canadian Maritime Provinces during the 16th and 17th centuries. “I feel very much at home here,” he says...7. C'est Magnifique: A Montana Mission
Missoula Montana is home to the state's University, but drive north of the city and you're heading towards the stunning snow capped Mission Range Mountains in the heart of Flathead Indian Territory. St. Ignatius is one of several towns on the road through the Flathead Indian Reservation heading toward Flathead Lake. It's also the location of St. Ignatius Church and Mission. St. Ignatius Church on the Mission grounds could be the only brick church for hundreds of miles outside of Missoula. Built between 1891-93, the colonial structure looks as out of place as Mark Twain's Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. It's a precious but lonely icon on a vast plain of grass extending to a horizon framed by mountains so high they pierce the cloud cover...8. French History Documented in Portland Diocese Anniversary
Maine’s French history is evident in pictures and stories in a soon to be published book commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Roman Catholic Diocese in Portland. "The Catholic Church in the Land of the Holy Cross: A History of the Diocese of Portland, Maine", by Vincent A. Lapomarda, s.j.,will be available this fall. Lapomarda is a Portland native, a Jesuit scholar and historian at Holy Cross College in Worcester, MA. Lapomarda’s book is the third Diocesan history published since 1853, when Maine’s Catholic district became independent from Boston...9. Gargoyles in Salt Lake City, Utah
There's an amazing Roman Catholic Cathedral dedicated to St. Mary Magdalen located in Salt Lake City, Utah. An East Coast person like me is taken back by The Cathedral of the Madeleine (the French name!), because the gothic structure looks like it belongs in downtown Paris. It's delightfully different than its ordinary surroundings, with gargoyles flying off the belfry's buttresses. It's located in the shadow Utah's Capitol, the Governor's Mansion and about three miles from the Mormon Tabernacle...10. Traditions d'Icite: Life in Maine's Saint John Valley
Maine's Acadians living in the St. John Valley are known by their history. Theirs is a strong identity born from roots firmly planted in their family, religion and the land they settled in the Saint John Valley of Northern Maine. Some families settled the area after le Grand Derangement of 1755 while others drifted into the territory at various times from Quebec. Some new publications finally draw attention to the rich French Acadian culture evident in Maine's Saint John Valley. About a six hour drive from Portland, a trip to the Saint John Valley is well worth the time, (there's hardly any traffic, after all)...11. St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square, New Orleans, Louisiana
The St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans, Louisiana is by far the most entertaining of all the churches with particular French connections and cathedrals I've visited in the United States. This special designation is rooted in the way the traditional, almost Georgian (colonial) looking cathedral blends into the local history and diverse culture unique to New Orleans. Tourists visiting the popular Jackson Square (where The St. Louis Cathedral is located) in the heart of New Orleans, are entertained by the clusters of fortune tellers, artists and street performers who create a mystical presence in the front courtyard of St. Louis Cathedral. It's an odd combination of conflicting ways of life. There's a Roman Catholic Cathedral casting its impressive shadow over the oftentimes weird goings on within feet of the front doors...12. "C'est En Secret" - St. John the Baptist Church in Brunswick, Maine
St. John the Baptist Church in Brunswick, Maine is, unfortunately, a well kept secret. People generally think of the pretty church as a nice French parish; and, unfortunately, they tend to leave it at that. Inside the rather gothic exterior is a beautiful old world cathedral interior. Still, it's considered to be a "French" parish. St. John the Baptist Church is lovingly called, "St. John's" by Brunswick locals. Regardless of what it's called, it houses one of the loveliest sanctuaries in Maine. Enhancing the milieu are wonderful French inscriptions on the stained glass windows, above the side altars and on all 14 three dimensional Stations of the Cross (photo of the church) ...13. A World War II Franco-American Hero
Phillip Roy, 88, of Sanford had difficulty speaking English when he was an Army private serving in Company L in the 116th Infantry in France during World War II. "Growing up Franco in Sanford, we were told our English wasn't very good," he says. Nevertheless, Roy's ability to speak French while fighting with US forces in France during the Normandy invasion helped to save American and German lives. Ironically, Roy's lack of confidence about his English speaking ability almost prevented him from following through with the heroic intervention. Roy's memory of a remarkable war incident is extremely clear...14. Brunswick's Swinging Bridge and Les Stations de la Croix Re-enacted in the “The Passion”
There's an opportunity for Franco-Americans in Southern Maine and from anywhere, actually, to help restore The Androscoggin River Pedestrian Bridge, better known as "The Swinging Bridge" between Topsham and Brunswick, Maine. It will soon be a relic of the past if rescue efforts don't succeed. As a historic artifact, the bridge may be the only visible memorial to Franco-Americans in Southern Maine. If restoration efforts succeed, the bridge will again link Topsham Island and the Town of Brunswick for pedestrian traffic, just like it was supposed to when it was built...Publicity surrounding the movie, “The Passion”, brings back memories of strictly observed Lenten religious services for Franco-Americans and others who were raised in the Roman Catholic faith. I was reminded of “Les Stations de la Croix” (Stations of the Cross) meditations when I saw the movie with my husband on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent (le carême)...
15. A French-Italian Connection
It took some getting used to the Italian word "buongiorno" rather than the French "bonjour" every time we greeted someone in Italy, where my husband and I just returned from an enjoyable two week vacation. Gregariously polite Italians say "buongiorno" at least a dozen or more times a day. Although there was some explicit hesitancy from the Italians we met on our vacation to embrace the French (one Venetian tour guide plainly said, "I don't like French tourists in Venice!), we nevertheless found several obvious historic and cultural connections between the two neighboring European countries. Personal preferences of the tour guides notwithstanding, references to the French influence in the northern Tuscany and Umbria regions were noticeable throughout our visit...16. Colonial Children Captured by Native Americans and A Reaction to her first article
Even three hundred years after the fact, the kidnapping of children in colonial New England is still a horrifying tale to describe. Kidnapping children during the brutal French and Indian Wars of the 16-17th centuries was among many heinous events occurring in New England and Canada during America's colonial era. Crimes were perpetrated by all sides in the series of conflicts known as the French and Indian Wars...Native Canadian-American from Québec Comments on Captive Children (Note: Excusez-moi, s'il vous plaît, I used a little journalistic license here - I don't believe a sociologist or anthropologist would be able to categorize "Native Canadian-American") A recent article about English children held captive and even adopted by Native Americans during the brutal colonial era French and Indian Wars of the 17th and 18th centuries brought a response from a Native Canadian-American reader in Northern Québec...
17. Rediscover Henry Wadsworth Longfellow- Author of "Evangeline"
and also The Jesuit Martyrs of Canada - Preface 1925 EditionHenry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) came alive in his alma mater Bowdoin College, in Brunswick, Maine when his ancestor read "Longfellow Reads Longfellow", in Kresge Auditorium. Layne Longfellow is making an avocation of bringing his distant cousin's literary work back into the vernacular vogue...Note: This book appears to be a promotional history about the Jesuit Martyrs of New France, written on the occasion of their beautification. Its purpose was likely to further document the priests' lives and their brutal deaths and to support their causes for eventual canonization. Author E.J. Devine, S.J., is acknowledged as being a member of the Canadian Author's Association; Member of the Antiquarian and Numismatic Society of Montreal, Canada and Lecturer in Canadian History, Loyola College...
18. In honor of the 60th Anniversary of the D-Day Landing, June 4, 1944
Normandy, France is a peaceful and beautiful place. In fact, the area is pristine. It's impossible to imagine the horror of the Allied D-Day landing on the exquisitely beautiful Normandy beaches on June 6, 1944, when you visit the area today. In my mind, there was a misperception about Normandy, erased by visiting the area about two years ago with my husband. My pre-conceived images were probably caused by the barrage of old World War II movies I grew up with. Movies created the impression of Normandy being a small place, like the village Ste-Mère-Église in the movie, "The Longest Day"...19. A World War II Franco-American Hero
Phillip Roy, 88, of Sanford had difficulty speaking English when he was an Army private serving in Company L in the 116th Infantry in France during World War II. "Growing up Franco in Sanford, we were told our English wasn't very good," he says. Nevertheless, Roy's ability to speak French while fighting with US forces in France during the Normandy invasion of June 1944, helped to save American and German lives. Ironically, Roy's lack of confidence about his English speaking ability almost prevented him from following through with an heroic intervention, saving possibly hundreds of lives at the time...20. The Battle of the Bulge: The Mardasson Memorial
While still unpacking moving boxes this Memorial Day holiday weekend, I was delightfully surprised when I found a program marking the 16 December 1994, 50th anniversary of the World War II Battle of the Bulge. The 7x10 inch printed program describes the Battle of the Bulge, along with an agenda and list of dignitaries who attended the events. It was a welcome find. This commemorative program was among the missing from my memorabilia for several years. Thanks to the extraordinary mess I'm cleaning up as a result of moving to a new house, the program is now found! The paper pamphlet fell out of a randomly filed bunch of miscellaneous documents...21. Book Commentary: Marie Grandin "Sent by the King"
Almost every Franco-American can find at least one relative to write a book about. Franco-American and Canadian history is loaded with interesting stories to write about colonial wars and the difficulties encountered by those who forged a French speaking society in North America. One particular historic episode about the young French women who were “Sent by the King” to help populate New France is popular among writers. That’s because thousands of Franco-Americans living today can point to at least one the hundreds of these brave and pioneering “files du roi” (daughters of the king) as an ancestor...22. Major exhibition to mark 400 years of French presence in North America
Major exhibition to mark 400 years of French presence in North America Gatineau, Quebec, January 14, 2004 — The Canadian Museum of Civilization will celebrate this year a significant, yet little known, Canadian anniversary with the landmark exhibition Once in French America, opening on June 11, 2004. On the four-hundredth anniversary of permanent European settlement in North America, Canada’s national history museum is presenting a major exhibition on life in New France. This exhibition draws on important collections from the United States and France, with many objects never before seen in Canada ...23. Bangor News, Celebrating St. Croix
History has long overlooked the short-lived French settlement on St. Croix Island, devoting attention to the later but longer-lasting English endeavors at Jamestown and Plymouth. Now, 400 years after French settlers landed on the small outcropping between what is now the United States and Canada, St. Croix Island is finally getting some deserved attention. Dignitaries from France, Canada, the United States and the Passamaquoddy Tribe will be on hand June 26 to commemorate the 1604 arrival of Samuel Champlain and 79 other men sent to establish the first French settlement in the New World. The history of the settlement itself is short. Armed with a grant from the King of France, Pierre Dugua, a nobleman known as Sieur de Mons, led two ships into Passamaquoddy Bay and up the river to the island, which he named St. Croix because it resembled the arms of a cross ...24. Letter from Samuel de Champlain to the King of France, Louis XIII & Queen Regent
Letter from Samuel de Champlain to the King of France, Louis XIII and the Queen Regent (Mother of the King: Marie de Médicis (1573-1642), queen consort of Henry IV of France), dated 1613. Originally translated by W.F. Ganong, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, November 10, 1918. Republished by the St. Croix Historical Society, Calais, Maine, transcribed from the original Ganong translation, coves only that part of Champlain’s recorded work in which he leaves France and arrives at St.Croix Island... (A graphic of the letter).25. To the Queen Regent, Mother of the King Louis XIII Marie de Médicis (1573-1642)
Madam: Among all the most useful and admirable arts that of navigation has always seemed to me to hold first place; for the more hazardous it is and the more attended by innumerable dangers and shipwrecks, so much the more is it esteemed and exalted above all others, being in no way suited to those who lack courage and resolution. Through this art we gain knowledge of different countries, regions, and kingdoms; through it we attract and bring into our countries all kinds of riches; through it the idolatry of paganism is overthrown and Christianity proclaimed in all parts of the earth...26. Celebration 27 June 2004 at St. Croix Island, Maine
Mass was held with Passamaquoddy and Bishop of Portland Richard Malone on June 27, 2004 at the Immaculate Conception parish, Calais, Maine, celebrating 400 years of bringing the Roman Catholic faith to Maine... (with photographs of the event)27. French-Americans Share Heritage
Franco-Americans in Maine and throughout New England are a group of people who share a heritage with our neighbors to the North, in French speaking Canada. Given the vast, and friendly border between Canada and the United States, it's interesting to note where other Franco-American groups are located outside of New England. Finally, other stories about French-Americans with ancestral roots in Canada are being written. In a series of historical books published by the Michigan State University Press, there's now literature about Michigan's Quebecois and Acadian ancestry, culture and heritage. Moreover, the book "French Canadians in Michigan" by John P. DuLong is a short and succinct description of a culture very similar to the Franco-American experience here in Maine...28. Review of "Evangeline - A Tale of Acadie", written in May 2004
A new publication of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's famous epic "Evangeline" will be out just in time to celebrate the St. Croix 2004 anniversary marking 400 years of French history in North America. Françoise Paradis of Buxton relied on her lifelong affection for Longfellow's classic story to research the original work first published in 1847. Her updated edition of "Evangeline" will help commemorate the June 25 anniversary celebration of the founding of the St. Croix Island settlement located in eastern Maine off the coast of Calais by French explorers. Paradis includes a foreword by Layne Longfellow, a living ancestor of the poem's author, as well as a glossary to help readers better understand some of Longfellow's artistic prose. Most important, Paradis provides a noteworthy historical sketch in a chapter preceding the printing of the events described by Longfellow...29. Review of "Evangeline - A Tale of Acadie", written in August 2004
Françoise Paradis, of Buxton, Maine, called several months ago to talk about her passion for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's epic story Evangeline. While some of us are verbalizing our frustration about how, after at least 9 years of preparation, the St. Croix 2004 committee in Calais, Maine and St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada, couldn't pull off a commercially successful celebration of 400-years of French history in North America, we can nevertheless, quietly celebrate the memory of the French-Acadians by taking up Paradis' cause. We can softly say, "Hurray", for her fresh off the press book, complete with value added historic information titled (mais oui) "Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie"...30. ABSTRACT: Acadia (French Acadie)
ABSTRACT: Acadia (French Acadie), original name of the parts of Canada now known as Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. The region was first colonized by the French in 1604, but the English claimed it by right of the explorations of the English navigator John Cabot in 1497 and 1498. King James I of England granted Acadia to the Scottish poet and statesman Sir William Alexander in 1621, but control of it changed hands several times during the subsequent Anglo-French struggle for supremacy in North America. The British obtained permanent possession of mainland Acadia by the Peace of Utrecht (1713), which ended the War of the Spanish Succession. The Acadians, who attempted to remain neutral in the Anglo-French conflicts, suffered greatly...31. Paul Bunyan's Franco-American Heritage
Paul Bunyan is a popular American folk hero who visually portrays the lumberjack heritage and a larger than life common working man. Indeed, the American giant Paul Bunyan could be our country's first official Franco-American, born in Bangor, Maine with ancestry in French-Canada. A colorful giant statue of Paul Bunyan is evident on Main Street outside of the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce. My lovely 15 year old granddaughter Amanda was going back to school shopping with "Mimi", near Bangor where she lives, when we decided to visit the Paul Bunyan statue...32. Thomas Plant - Franco-American Philanthropist
Newspaper column appeared in the October 14, 2004 edition of The Portland Press Herald, York County edition: Although Franco-American history is typically weighted with stories about growing up poor, Thomas G. Plant (1859-1941) was a special Franco-American remembered for his philanthropy. Plant was born in 1859, in Bath, Maine into a poor Quebec immigrant family. His rags-to-riches story, and eventual return to poverty, is a legend in Bath, Maine and Moultonboro, New Hampshire...November is National Hospice Month. Not many people know about this tribute to hospice. Unfortunately, hospice is usually discovered after family members or others find out they need it, but rarely before. In other words, people who are at the end of their lives begin reaching out for quality of life when they find hospice. When family members are searching for resources in the community to help bring a loved one home to die, they find hospice. Hospice is a caring program for terminally ill people. Although this sounds sad (and it is, of course), there's also joy in being able to help people who make the difficult decision to accept hospice care. Hospice care nearly always brings relief to family members and to their terminally ill loved ones...34. St. Mary's Basilica in Phoenix, Arizona
Franco-Americans, by tradition, are oftentimes considered parochial. In other words, there's usually little attempt to spread their hundreds of years of French speaking heritage outside of New England. That's why it's delightfully unexpected to discover the French culture evident in other regions of the USA. A recent trip to Phoenix, Arizona provided even more insight about the French in North America...GrandMother East: From you comes the sun which brings life us all I as that you have the sun shine on my friends here, and bring a new life to them --- a life without the pain and sadness of the world they left behind; and to their families, bring your sun for they also need your light t continue their lives...Letters tucked inside beautiful annual Christmas holiday cards are generally messages with quick updates about the status of family members. One such letter caught me by surprise this year because it's about helping others. Moreover, it's a letter about helping people we might normally overlook during the holidays...37. Album: An Epic of the Ordinary (A Family Video Project)
Writing a family history is a simple or complex project, depending on the skill and enthusiasm of the family historian. Producing a family history on video tape requires technical skill, attention to detail and dedication. “Album: An Epic of the Ordinary” is a professionally made family history of the Bernier family. It’s a history for Franco-Americans and non-Francos to watch because it tells some brutally honest stories about the immigrant culture of those who grew up French in Maine...38. MicMac Stories
The Boy Who Visited Muini'skw: It is long ago in the camps of the Old Ones. A little boy lives with one band of the People. He has no parents; no one really looks after him. Sometimes he stays in one wigwam, sometimes I another. Late in the fall, the little boy decides to go berry picking. He goes wandering through the forest, looking for the little meadows and bogs where berries are growing - foxberries and cranberries, the kinds of red berries that are gathered right before winter sends the snow. But this boy is alone and he gets lost. He walks and he runs, he twists and doubles back, but still he cannot find the camp. The wind is very cold now. And soon it is night. Still he walks on...39. Pope John Paul II in Better Days
Our aged Pope John Paul II is sometimes called a "media Pope", because he attracts picture perfect images, like sunshine pushing through a lightening storm. Wherever he goes, the media lights follow. Of course, this magnetic attraction of news recorders, video, audio and printed word, creates a universal image or the Pope, leader of the Roman Catholic world. Will any subsequent Pope be able to fill the same limelight? Time will tell. I had the awesome pleasure of seeing Pope John Paul II in person when he was in much better health, just a few years ago...40. French General Louis Daniel de Montcalm
French history in North America took a permanent turn for the worst on September 13, 1759, when the notable French General (Marquis) Montcalm died on the Quebec Plains of Abraham. Montcalm's battlefield death resulted in the French loss during the Seven Years War in Quebec, against the English. French influence waned in North America as a result of a short two hour battle in along the banks of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec City, where both Montcalm and the English commanding General John Wolfe were killed...41. Honoring the man who was pope
Pope John Paul II, who passed away April 2, was a man of peace who gave of himself with boundless energy and engaged the politics of the world with decision and consistency. His upholding of the most conservative of church doctrines, from sexuality and birth control to continued limited participation by women in church leadership, were accompanied by his untiring efforts on behalf of freedom and social justice issues worldwide...A newly published history describing the tragic expulsion of the French Acadians from their homeland puts the account of this horrible incident into a readable format. "A Great and Noble Scheme", by John Mack Faragher presents the daunting facts about the terrible French removal in a logical history, combined in one nicely readable text. This year marks the 250th anniversary of Le Grand Derangement, a tragic episode in North American history known as the 1755 British expulsion of the French Acadians from Nova Scotia (called Acadie by the French at the time)...43. Subic Bay Philippines in May 1975
Thirty years ago in May 1975, my family lived at Subic Bay, in comfortable base housing, on the US Naval Base in the Philippines. Our life was idyllic. We enjoyed having private house maids, personal seamstresses and domestic help of all kinds. I never drove a dirty car or went to sleep in an unmade bed in the three years we lived in the Philippines. Dirty dishes did not exist, either...44. Mais oui, 'Bienvenue' is back: Welcome signs to retain French
A "Bienvenue" sign welcomes I-89 motorists in West Lebanon. Bienvenue de nouveau. Or, welcome back. The state decided to reinstate the French "Bienvenue" greeting on its new highway signs yesterday, after plans for English-only signs along the southern border caused a minor fracas. The border signs will still picture the state's new design - a New England village setting - and will contain the slogan "You're going to love it here," but welcome signs will say "Bienvenue," and exit signs will wish travelers, "Bon Voyage."...45. Sanford's Goodall Mills Film Footage in "Empire Falls"
BUCKSPORT, Me - Many Franco-Americans living in the Sanford area in York County (Maine), including my husband's family, recall when almost all of their family members worked for the textile industry at the Sanford Goodall Mills. In fact, the full story of Sanford's Goodall Mills is the subject of a 1950's award winning "The Town That Refused to Die", Armstrong Theater television documentary...45b. Graveyard Tour of Annapolis Royal Cemetery
One of the best ways to learn about North American history is in a colonial graveyard. There's a lot of buried information in cemeteries where the gravestones are blackened and thin with age. Alan J. Melanson, a French-Acadian, is president of the Historical Society of Annapolis Royal in Nova Scotia. He's better known as the guide of the Garrison Graveyard evening tour at Fort Anne National Historic Site in Annapolis Royal.
46. Teaching Children with Cajun Fairy Tales
You meet interesting people when staying at quaint bed and breakfast inns. Recently, I learned how one writer is teaching children about the Louisiana French-Acadian heritage by writing Cajun fairy tales. Usually, it's difficult to explain the English translations of French words to children unless they learn and use the words in familiar ways. But writer Sheila Hebert-Collins, a native of Louisiana living in Naples, Florida, has one clever way of bringing French heritage and language to children. Her Cajun fairy tales are spattered with a variety of French words intertwined into the storytelling. Franco-Americans who grew up speaking French will enjoy these clever bi-lingual children's stories...
47. An opinion regarding Hurricane Katrina.
New Orleans, Louisiana looks more like an Isaac Asminov novel everyday. Although I'm not a big science fiction fan of the Asminov variety, I did read one story by this surreal writer when it caught my attention as required reading during a writer's workshop. I can't recall the exact title right now, it was a short story. In the particular plot, Asminov describes an ocean tide that flows out beyond the barrier reefs and never comes back in. People walk around like shadows, literally exploring the ocean floor...
48. Monhegan Island: Champlain’s First Stop
A day trip to Maine’s beautiful Monhegan Island provides another lesson in our state’s French history. Monhegan Island is one of hundreds of Maine’s picturesque islands with its own historic lighthouse. Some claim Monhegan is the state’s lookout island, located 10 miles off the coast, because it’s easily seen by ocean travelers...
49. Riding the Bus in Baltimore - A Tribute to Rosa Parks
I grew up in the 1960s riding buses and streetcars in Baltimore, Maryland. Frankly, riding the bus was relaxing and convenient. We just put a quarter or a token in the meter and away we'd go. Riding the bus (or streetcar) was a simple way to get from here to there. In the 1960's, we never thought twice about hopping on a city bus to go to school, for work, shopping or visiting. Although riding the bus doesn't cost a mere quarter anymore, Baltimore's public transportation system was (and remains) a reliable mode for getting around...
My Quebec pen pal Rita Drouin recently sent a pleasant note she hand printed on a quaint piece of birch bark. Receiving the hand printed message was like having a delightfully creative treat show up in my mailbox. Actually, the birch bark document looks like a rare piece of buffed brown antique writing paper. It feels like the consistency of a quality postcard and looks like a small distinctive document... (photo of the birch bark note).
51. The Acadians of Barrington Township
The Acadian celebrations of 2004 (marking 400 years of French history in North America) gave inspiration for this booklet on the Acadian history of Barrington Township, in Nova Scotia. Our emphasis is upon the events as they unfolded beginning with the early explorers and continuing through the deportation which, in the Barrington Township (known as Cape Sable) began in 1756. The Acadians were taken captive by night and transported by ship to an unknown destination. Our story follows this tragic exile of Barrington's first European settlers...
YEAR 2006 ANNÉE
53. Following Their Footsteps: A Travel Guide & History of the 1775 Secret Expedition to Capture Quebec
Adventurous Franco-American re-enactment historians will enjoy receiving a Christmas present travel guide book titled, "Following Their Footsteps: A Travel Guide & History of the 1775 Secret Expedition to Capture Quebec", by York County's writer Stephen Clark, of Shapleigh...
54. Obituary of Elise Dallemagne-Cookson (1933-2005)
Cherry Valley - Mrs. Elise Camille Dallemagne-Cookson, 72, of Cherry Valley passed away Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2005, at her home. She was born in Tarrytown on March 31, 1933, the second daughter of Edmund and Irene (Poisson) Cookson of Peekskill...
55. Franco-American New Year's Wreath- Celebrate Your Family's Heritage.
Christmas memorabilia is sometimes too special to put away for an entire year. In fact, there are decades of memories among our family's decorations and ornaments. Actually, some ornaments' bits and pieces are worth keeping on display just because our family's heritage is recalled by one thing or another. Rather than hide these items until next Christmas, I created a New Year's wreath from individual effects we consider part of our family's Franco American heritage. This wreath can become whatever your family treasures as "heritage".
56. Obituary of the Passamaquoddy tribal governor
PLEASANT POINT, PERRY - Melvin Joseph Francis, Passamaquoddy tribal governor, 60, passed away Thursday, Jan. 12, 2006. He was born Aug. 6, 1945, at Pleasant Point, Perry, the son of Leo and Ruth (Dana) Francis. He attended local schools, graduating from Shead High School.
57. Sanford-Springvale Historical Society
Maine's York County's Franco-Americans will have another resource along with the popular Springvale Library's genealogy collection for learning about local history and tracing family histories. York County is Maine's Southern most county bordering the state of New Hampshire.
58. Clovis - barbarian King of Franks and founder of French Christianity
A curious bit of ancient French history was brought to my attention recently while leafing through an antique text book...I learned how the pagan Franks became the first tribe to convert to Roman Catholicism while reading the book's section about the ancient European barbarians. Franks are the ancient ancestors of the French nation...
There are plenty of ethnic stereotypes circulating to describe almost any cultural group on the face of the earth. French-Canadians are familiar with colloquial images like the frog, which some claim is a slur to their culture. Therefore, questions were posed recently from readers who asked if the word "Canuck", used in a Portland Press Herald editorial to describe French-Canadians, is an appropriate ethnic expression or idiom.
60. Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahoney and American Immigration Policy
A recent CBS television interview with Cardinal Roger Mahoney of Los Angeles, California, clearly reported an ethnic bias accusing the Roman Catholic Church of pandering to Hispanic immigrants because these devout people are filling up increasingly empty church pews.
In other words, critics of the Cardinal are setting him up, as though his passion for supporting immigrants in need had something to do with church attendance rather than moral principles...
61. Da Hoopla Over Da Vinci Code
Dan Brown's fictitious mega-seller book "The Da Vinci Code" gets a B grade as a mystery novel, in my opinion. It's like reading a Miss Marple mystery and nearly as boring.
Therefore, I'm absolutely astounded - just shocked - by the hoopla this story continues to garner because it's based upon a riveting myth...
Fort Kent- Mademoiselle Marie-Anne Gauvin will address the 124th graduating class of the University of Maine at Fort Kent during commencement exercises on Saturday, May 13 at 1:00 p.m. in the University SportsCenter.
Gauvin, a relentless advocate for the preservation and use of the French language in the St. John Valley, will also be presented with an honorary degree during the ceremony...
63. Interview with Marie-Anne Gauvin
Marie-Anne Gauvin is a French language heroin who taught me about real French. I first met Gavuin in a literary way through her classic thesis, “Linguistic and Cultural Heritage of the Acadians in Maine and New Brunswick”. In my opinion, Gauvin’s thesis is a breakthrough for people who claim Francos don’t speak real French. My husband and I were visiting the Acadian Village in Van Buren, ME about 15 years ago when I found Gauvin’s paperback bound thesis in the gift shop, laying in a box along with a bunch of items beneath a table of hand crochet items for sale. I quickly realized the value of Gauvin’s thesis...
64. Champlain Commerative Stamp
Franco-Americans will be enthusiastic about a commemorative stamp honoring Samuel de Champlain, scheduled for a May 28 release date. This stamp is particularly interesting because it's jointly issued by both the United States and the Canadian postal systems.
65. English as the National Language
Maine's Franco-Americans who grew up speaking French before they learned English might take issue with mandating English as the national language of the United States, as is currently proposed by some.
Although the Franco-Americans I know, and love appreciate and respect their English language skills, their French language was once looked upon with disdain. They were often ridiculed for speaking French. Nevertheless, immigrant French-Canadians learned to speak fluent English within three generations of the first ancestor arriving in the United States...
66. N’tolonapemk - Passamaquoddy Film about St. Croix River Watershed Heritage
A recently released DVD film: N’tolonapemk documents eons of history about the Native American Passamaquoddy tribes’ residence in eastern Maine’s St. Croix River Watershed.
Although the historic St. Croix River in eastern Maine is shared with New Brunswick, Canada, the native Passamaquoddy tribes can carbon date evidence of their ancestors’ living in the area many thousands of years before territorial borders were ever considered...
67. Finding an Acadian Connection in our Quebecois Family Name
We just discovered French-Acadian ancestors in the L’Heureux family traced to the Thibodeau name. Many Franco-American families are connected through 11 generations of genealogies, but ancestors of Quebecois heritage are often distinct from those with Acadian ancestral roots. In other words, colonial Quebec’s French settlers did not intermarry with the families in Acadia, what today is western Nova Scotia, because the two groups developed, more or less, independently...
68. French and Indian War Encampment
Beautiful weather and scenic views brought out historical reenactors who shared their interest in our state's colonial past during the brutal French and Indian Wars...
69. Franco-American Seminar at Bowdoin College
Brunswick’s Bowdoin College is humble about its Franco-American connections. James Bowdoin (1726-1790), who the college is named after, descended from French Huguenots (Protestants) who were prominent in Massachusetts politics. In fact, Bowdoin was the second governor of Massachusetts from 1785 1787, which included Maine at the time.
“It’s time to remember and celebrate our Franco connections with Maine and Brunswick”, says Chris Potholm, Ph.D., a professor and coordinator of a three day seminar November 13-15, 2006 on the Brunswick campus, to celebrate the Franco-American heritage of Maine...
70. Congrats to Claire and The Times Record - from Henry Gosselin
71. Passamaquoddy and Franco-American Wedding
It was a marriage of a couple in love, who joined cultures and tribes in a wedding ceremony the guests will remember forever...
YEAR 2007 ANNÉE
72. St. Paul's Tomb Unearthed in St. Paul's Outside the Walls
St Paul's Outside the Walls is one of the largest churches in Rome Archaeologists working for the Vatican have unearthed a sarcophagus containing what they believe are the remains of St Paul the Apostle. The tomb dates back to at least AD390 and was found in a crypt under a basilica in Rome...
73. Franco-Americans Tell Their Stories
Along with a common French heritage, Franco-Americans also share the bond of overcoming adversity to achieve the immigrants’ goal of living the American dream...
74. Autobiography of a French-Canadian Nurse: "Yes, Father"
Family autobiographies are heirlooms, especially when authors publish their stories. Although family possessions may erode with advancing age, an autobiography will find its way into the heart of an extended family and contribute to the ongoing oral history. Publishing family stories was a formidable task in 1979, when Alvine Cyr Gahagan published "Yes, Father", in the first person. Cyr's daughter, Yvonne Cyr Bresnahan, of Manchester, NH, recently sent me a copy of her mother's published autobiography...
75. Day of Peace: Homily by Archbishop Peter Gerety
World Day of Peace - Homily of Archbishop Peter Gerety - Archbishop Emeritus of Newark, New Jersey - Given on January 1, 2007 - St. Charles Borromeo Church - Brunswick, Maine:
Our Mass today is being offered as a solemn prayer for peace in our time, universal peace among the nations of the earth. We gather for this purpose in response to the request of our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, that all over the world, Catholics join together on this first day of the New Year to offer the Holy Sacrifice begging God for the blessing of true peace in our time...
76. Snowshoe Thompson: Legendary Skiing Mailman
In 1855 (John A.) Thompson saw an ad published in the Sacramento Union: 'People Lost to the World: "Uncle Sam Needs Carrier." There weren't any takers until Thompson, whose father had made him "snow-shoes" to ski to school as a child in Norway, decided to answer the call to duty. (He) carved himself a nice pair of oak skis .... nearly 10 feet long and weighed 25 lbs...
77. French Story in DVD - Joyeux Noël Stirs World War I Family Memories
“Il fait froid!” Cold weather is actually the best climate for curling up in a warm family room chair to catch up with watching DVD and video movies. A recommended movie for Franco-Americans and World War I history enthusiasts is the DVD, “Joyeux Noël”, because it is based on an actual event sometimes called “The Christmas Truce”. The movie takes place on a cold Christmas Eve, during World War I in France...
78. Re: [Friends-L] Catholic Church
For those who don't know, unless you live in Portland, Maine, the parish where this controversial presentation was hosted is located adjacent to the Chancery of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, on Ocean Avenue (at least, I think it's the same parish mentioned - i.e., St. Pius X)...
79. Hall of Fame inducts two Franco-Americans
Maine's Franco-American Hall of Fame inducted Norman Beaupre of Biddeford at ceremonies held at the State House in Augusta during last week's La Semaine de la Francophonie, or "The Week of the Francophone."...
80. [Friends-L] The Land's Prayer from Layne Longfellow
Dear All (from Layne) - This is my contribution for Earth Day, 2007, as awareness of the Earth's situation seems at last to be dawning. If you value it, I'd welcome your launching it into cyberspace, as I am doing, especially those who have group lists and blogs, etc. I'd like my name to remain attached, as I hope to see how it progresses in cyberworld. May the prayer be answered. Layne ...
81. [Friends-L] Franco column - Evangeline Lives On
Maine's famous poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in 1807 and celebrating his 200th birthday this year. He was 40 years old when his world popular poem "Evangeline" was published. For Francoise Paradis of Old Orchard Beach, Evangeline's French Acadian icon spirit is stronger then ever. Paradis is passionate to teach others about the heroine's seemingly immortal story...
82. Franco-American Heritage Diverse
Although Franco-Americans share a common history and cultural heritage rooted in their French ancestry, there's actually diversity within the society. For example, the Acadians' history, with roots in Nova Scotia (Acadie), differentiates them from the Quebecois in Canada.
83. Response to Associate Press Article
VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Pope Benedict XVI has approved a document that relaxes restrictions on celebrating the Latin Mass used by the Roman Catholic Church for centuries until the modernizing reforms of the 1960s, the Vatican said Thursday...
Juliana's response: "Oh Joy" this news will brighten the lives of the Angus Dei groups...
84. Finding inspiration in the writings of Norman Beaupre
Franco-Americans with a talent for creative writing will find inspiration in the eight books written by Biddeford writer and professor emeritus, Norman Beaupre.
85. A Jesuit Knight at West Point: Forming "People of Peace"
"Article by Peter Feuerherd: Transcribed and sent to 'Roots' by Juliana L'Heureux. "
As a former military wife, I find this story interesting: "...his service, which included a year's stint in Iraq, was devoted, not to any particular military policy, but to the people who are charged with carrying out the decisions of the government." ..
86. York Neighbors: On the road to Lowell, Mass., Kerouac exhibit
Jack Kerouac's spirit is back at home in Lowell, Mass., with the national touring scroll exhibit of his "On the Road" manuscript. It's worth the drive down Route 495, to see historic Lowell and witness this antique classic piece of American literature, up- close and Kerouac-personal.
87. Honoring Cajun women, art of ironing
Conni Castille is a Louisiana-born French-Acadian woman who recently created a 25-minute documentary film honoring Cajun women and the art of ironing. Castille produced the visual gem, "I Always Do My Collars First: A Film About Ironing," as a tribute to the pride French-Acadian women take in doing daily tasks...
1. René Goupil (en français) English summary
René Goupil, né en France près d'Angers au mois de mai 1608, est fils de Hypolite Goupil légitimement marié à Luce Provost qui le font baptiser à St-Martin-du-Bois le 15 du mois. Il sait lire et écrire et a fait son cours de chirurgien lorsqu'il entre au noviciat jésuite de Paris le 16 mars 1639. Il a 31 ans, presque 32. Bien que son comportement lui fasse honneur, il doit quitter après quelques mois à cause de ses indispositions corporelles dont une surdité partielle...A French surgeon and Jesuit as the patron of deaf people? Why not if he is René Goupil? Baptized near Angers, France, on May 15, 1608, he learned reading, writing and surgery before he was accepted at the Parisian Novitiate of the Jesuits in 1939. He had to quit after some few months because he was partially deaf...
Entouré d'un mur sur les trois côtés, ce jardin peut s'observer à partir d'une promenade sur le seul côté du jardin attenant au temple. Il ne contient que de la belle petite roche blanche bien ratissée. Au centre quelques roches sombres...From a small sidewalk, we could see that garden, with an enclosing wall on three sides. There was small white gravel well raken up all over the place. In the middle of the garden were standing up, without any order, a bunch of grey rocks...
I was mesmerized by a red woolen scarf. I bought it. That scarf was carrying the Hiawatha belt motif, created by two leaders of the Iroquois Confederacy, the Peacemaker and Hiawatha. The Belt symbolized the unification of Five Nations living under one law: The Great Law of Peace. The heart of the great Tree of Peace in the center was representing the Onondaga Nation and each of the Squares, the Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga and Seneca Nations...«Les Hurons font amis de tous ces peuples, excepté des Sonontoerrhonons, Onontaerrhonons, Oüïoenrhonons, Onoiochrhonons & Agnierrhonons, que nous comprenons tous fous le nom d'Hiroquois.» ...
4. SUZANNE MILET, Aulin, Alain et tutti quanti
That story happened between 1798 and 1831 in the Province of Québec, at Yamachiche, Lanoraie and St-Hyacinthe. The town of Yamachiche is on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, west of Trois-Rivières half way between Québec and Montréal. The village of Lanoraie is also located on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, 30 miles [50 km] west of Yamachiche.L'an 1798, le 5 février, après la publications de 3 bans de mariage aux prônes des messes paroissiales entre Joseph Garin dit Lajoie, majeur, veuf de défunte Marie Théotiste Boucher, domiciliée en la paroisse St-Joseph de Lanouray d'une part, et Suzanne Milet, mineure fille de Jean-Baptiste Milet, domiciliée en cette paroisse et de Rose Grinier d'autre part...
5. Jardin ZEN Garden Revisitéd
Last March, I wrote a paper titled Jardin ZEN Garden where there was a mini-GRASS garden with some ZEN thoughts about it. That garden is really not the same anymore and should be revisited because it may induce different thoughts...En mars dernier, dans mon Jardin ZEN, il y avait un autre Jardin mini-GAZON avec ses propres pensées ZEN. Ce curieux de jardin Zen a évolué et mérite une nouvelle visite car il pourrait donner naissance à des pensées différentes...
Qui n'aime pas prendre son temps? Mais temps perdu ne revient plus! Sans oublier que le temps, c'est de l'argent et qu'il n'y a pas de cordeau pour l'amarrer! Mais qu'est le TEMPS, au justeTIME is money but how to get a grip on it? First of all, what is TIME?...
7. La Maîtresse du Procureur Quiental - Quiental, the attorney, had a mistress!
Le futur procureur a 16 ans lorsque sa future maîtresse, Marie Gaultier, est baptisée en la paroisse Notre-Dame de Québec de parents très catholiques...When my ancestor, François Quintal, came in New France, he didn’t know how to sign. Even 3 years before his marriage, he still was using a cross mark as is shown in the following deed by notary Thomas Frérot, dated June 18, 1675...
8. A VERIFICATION… and a confrontation - Un RÉCOLEMENT… et une confrontation
En 1679, le procès de mon ancêtre François Quintal, donne lieu à des récolements de témoins dont celui de Magdelaine Roy, la femme du geôlier-concierge des prisons du baillage de Montréal. Un récolement, c'est la vérification de la véracité de la déposition antérieure d'un témoin, après qu'il a entendu une nouvelle lecture de celle-ci. Le récolement inclut la déclaration ainsi obtenue...During the trial of my ancestor François Quintal at Montréal in 1679, the verification of the statement of Magdelaine Roy, the jailer's wife, was interesting...
9. Le 11e de Mich et Mado - The 11th one of Mich and Mado
Fils de mon ancêtre et premier armurier dans la famille, Michel Quintal est marié à Marie-Madeleine Guertin, la fille du capitaine de milice de Verchères. Mado semble être aimée d'amour fou (!) par son Mich car un enfant n'attend pas l'autre. Les accouchements sont sans histoire jusqu'au onzième...Michel Quintal was the son of my ancestor François and he was married with Marie-Magdeleine Guertin, daughter of the militia's captain at Verchères, New France. Mich and Mado were crazily in love because each child they had was already expecting the next one until… the 11th one. The midwife was helpless. The doctor of Repentigny had to come...
10. Capteur de rêves - Dreams Catcher
Selon une légende très ancienne des Amérindiens, les rêves, bons et mauvais, descendent du ciel durant la nuit. Ce sont des messages venant des Esprits. Suspendu au dessus d'un lit, le capteur de rêves permet aux bons rêves d'atteindre le dormeur mais retient dans ses mailles tous ceux qui s'avèrent mauvais...Coming from heavens at night, good and bad dreams are messages from the Spirits. With a dream catcher, a dreamer can select only good dreams to come down to him during his sleep...
11. The GIFT ANEW of her DOWRY by the URSULINE SISTER en français & in English.
Je savais que l’Ursuline devait avoir une dot, à son entrée au monastère, pour devenir Épouse de Jésus Christ et une sœur de «cœur» comme j’ai lu dans certains actes du notaire Leproust : tant sœur converse que sœur de chœur...When entering the monastery, the Ursuline Sister must have a dowry. That dowry was composed not exclusively of money paid by her parents. More importantly, it was including also herself: heart, mind and soul. But I didn’t know that the Ursuline was giving again her personal dowry, in a new way, to her children when they were leaving the school...
12. Les Voyages aux 8ta8ais dudit Quintal - a Fur Trader
Mon ancêtre François Quintal a fait plusieurs voyages pour traite de fourrures chez les "8ta8ais", "Ataouacs" ou Outaouais. Ces Amérindiens sont des Algonquins dit Supérieurs, répartis en plusieurs nations qu'il faut rejoindre en empruntant la rivière Outaouais. Les principales sont la Petite Nation, les Algonquins de l'Île et les Népissiriniens qui ont la réputation d'avoir les meilleures fourrures...My ancestor François Quintal traveled several times for fur trading among the "8ta8acs" or Outaouais Indians, living on the shores of the Outaouais River: the Small Nation, the Algonquians of the Island and also the Nepissirinians renowned for having the best furs...
13. Empreintes de Pas sur la Grève - Footprints on the Bank
Septembre 18, 2002. Tapis dans les hautes herbes en face de la Centrale thermique de Sorel-Tracy, QC (Canada) et les yeux fermés, je revoyais le passage d'une flottille de canots hurons lors du 2 août 1642. C'était René Goupil, le Père Isaac Jogues et leurs amis qui montaient en Huronie (près de l'actuelle ville de Midland, ON) avec toutes les ressources indispensables pour entretenir les missions jésuites en ces confins du monde...September 18, 2002. Hidden by bushes facing the Power Station of Sorel-Tracy (Québec, Canada) and with the eyes wide shut, I was seeing 12 Huron canoes passing by on August 2, 1642. René Goupil, Father Isaac Jogues and their friends were going up to Huronia (close to the present-day City of Midland, Ontario) with all the necessities for the Jesuit missions over there...
14. Un procès au criminel en 1679 à Montréal A Criminal Trial in Montréal in 1679
Le 14 juillet 1679, moins d'un an après son mariage, mon ancêtre François Quintal est retenu prisonnier dans les prisons du baillage de l'Île de Montréal depuis une semaine. À l'époque, ces prisons ne consistent que d'une "chambre destinée pour lad prison localisée en la maison ou est a present la prison de ce baillage, attendu que celle que lon fait construire n'est pas parachevée". Une ordonnance de monseigneur l'Intendant de Nouvelle-France, en date du 6 juin dernier, l'accuse "d'avoir contrevenu aux ordres du Roy, ayant esté dans les bois pour y traiter avec les sauvages contre les deffenses de sa Magesté"...On July 14 1679, lest than a year after his marriage, my ancestor François Quintal was maintained as a prisoner in the jail of the Island of Montréal since a week. An order of the "Intendant de la Nouvelle-France", dated June 6, was accusing him of "having been into the woods to trade furs with the Indians, against the expressed orders of His Majesty." He "was arrested in his home of Boucherville around 4 o'clock in the morning" by Monsieur de Comporté, the officer in charge of the police [maréchaussée], helped by one of his archers...
YEAR 2006 ANNÉE
15. Mariage à la gaumine en français
À une certaine époque, face à des empêchements divers, il est arrivé que des futurs époux déclarent leur mutuel consentement en présence de deux témoins et en face d'un prêtre, mais à son insu, alors qu'il est en train de célébrer la messe. Un tel mariage s'appelle mariage à la gaumine en souvenir du notaire français Gaumin...
and in English Marriage "à la gaumine"During a certain era, because of certain impediments, it happened that some future spouses declared their mutual consent in the presence of two witnesses and in the presence of a priest, but without his knowledge, while he was celebrating mass. Such a marriage is called à la gaumine in honor of the French notary Gaumin...
