Wednesday, 20 January 2016

By Antony Pharel


Acadians are the descendants of a group of French-speaking settlers who migrated from coastal France in the late sixteenth century to establish a French colony called Acadia in the maritime provinces of Canada and part of what is now the state of Maine. Forced out by the British in the mid-sixteenth century, a few settlers remained in Maine, but most resettled in southern Louisiana and are popularly known as Cajuns.

When about forty Acadian delegates attended the conference in 1880, they came up with the idea of an Acadian national convention. The first convention took place the following year and many more were to follow, featuring discussions on language, education, and religion. It was at Memramcook, in 1881, that Acadians chose August 15, Feast of the Assumption, as their national commemoration day. In 1884, at Miscouche, Prince Edward Island, they chose Ave Marie Stella to be the national anthem and approved the design of the national flag.

The Acadian banner was set up at the second Acadian Convention in 1884 at Miscouche, Prince Edward Island. Father Marcel-Francois Richard planned it and conveyed it with him to the occasion. Like the banner of France, it is blue, white, and red. The gold star at the upper left is the Stella Maris, there to look for the direction of the Virgin Mary, benefactor holy person of the Acadians. This banner represents Acadians around the world.

Dr. Thomas Arceneaux, Dean of Agriculture at the University of Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette (1941-1973), designed a similar flag in 1965 to honour the 200th anniversary of the arrival of Acadians in Louisiana. Like the Acadian flag, it is blue, white and red and has the gold star to represent the Virgin Mary, patron saint of the Acadians.

The star additionally symbolizes the dynamic investment of the Acadians in the American Revolution. The gold palace on the red field respects Spain, the nation that controlled Louisiana at the season of the Acadian movement there. The silver fleur-de-lis on the blue field reflects their French legacy.

Soon after 1974, this banner has formally recognized the Acadians who relocated to Louisiana. Flag Company Inc decided to assist with the history development by providing special decals and banners to make it easy to build a bit of history right at home.




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