L’ ETOILE ACADIENNE
                                A Boudrot Family Newsletter 

For our program this year we would like to have the emphasis on Family and Friends. We would like to have Eddie Richard give us an update on the plans for the 2003 Louisiana Purchase celebration, the 2004 reunion in Nova Scotia, and progress of the French Immersion program that we support. After that we would like to have everyone spend time getting acquainted with each other and we will have genealogy support for anyone who wants help looking up their ancestry. So get your genealogy charts out and update them with all the new additions since we got together and give it to us for our file. We currently have 80,000 names in our file which has about 38,000 Boudreauxs.

For food we will have a buffet with two entrees: baked ham and roast turkey breast, tossed green salad, candied yams, mixed vegetables, rice dressing, carrot cake, hot rolls, tea and coffee.

The price is $15.00 per person. Make checks payable to the Boudreaux Family Association and send to:

If you have any questions call me at 337 – 988-3454. Please make reservations early so we can make arrangements for the food.

The Best Western also has reserved a suite of rooms for anyone who wants to stay overnight. The cost is $56.00 per night for 1 – 4 people. When you call tell them it is for the Boudreaux Family Association reunion for the special rate.  The number at Best Western is:337 – 364-3030.

Tell us what you like about the newsletter and what you would like to see more of : genealogy, history, news articles, travel, articles and stories about Boudreaux, Boudreau, Boudreault families from across the U.S., Canada, and France, etc. Take up your pen and write an article yourself. It's one easy way to participate in the

Dear Boudreaux Family,

Since I live so far away, membership is a way of maintaining ties. It is also a reminder of my heritage. Finally it is a real education about the Acadian / Cajun culture – past and present.

I wish my mother were alive to see this.

Sincerely,
Carolyn Adams, daughter of Lucille Grace Boudreaux Adams
Newport News, Virginia

** . . . Yes, we received the July issue of L’Etoile Acadienne. As usual your newsletter is very interesting. This gives us news from Louisiana and from Texas and helps us keep contact with you.

If your newsletter and ours did not exist, I think that we would have less news from each other and we would not have much contact between us, which we want very much to keep.

On the subject of news of CMA ‘04

I know that the dates of the Boudrot Familly Reunion are August 4, 5 & 6 and will take place on Ile Madame, Nova Scotia.

I am in contact with Anne Boudreau, a journalist from southwest Nova Scotia. It’s mostly with her that I receive news of the reunion.

Garde le contact (keep the contact).
André et Louise Boudreault
La Baie, Québec

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Bonjour,

There are accepted guidelines for determining whether or not a name is authentically "ACADIAN". To be "Acadian" one’s family must have resided in Acadie (Nova Scotia) or other Canadian Maritime provinces (which were included in Acadie) between the years 1632 and 1755, up to the time of the deportation.

To celebrate the Louisiana Purchase in the year 2003, CAFA (Conféderation des Associations des Familles Acadiennes) will host an "Acadian Families Reunion on June 13, 14, & 15, 2003 in Rayne, Acadia Parish, La.

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Chers Amis, Chères Amies,

Just some info as we approach August 15^th ( this came in too late for our July issue but the info still applies).
The official name of Grand-Pré, according to Parcs Canada:
Lieu historique national du Canada de Grand-Pré / Grand-Pré National Historic Site of Canada
Note that they wish the hyphen and accent to be used in English as well as French.
The official name of our celebration on August 15^th, as determined by the SNA(Société Nationale de l’Acadie):

Robert Dafford released a new print in his Grand Dérangement series at the Acadian Memorial on Saturday, February 16, 2002. Titled "Acadians in the Islands: 1764", the work recalls the hardships endured by exiled Acadians when they attempted to resettle in present day Haiti and Santo Domingo.

Dafford told how the story of the Acadian exile has inspired a large body of his life’s work. He also revealed how painting Acadian history has influenced his career as a whole.

Signed and numbered prints from his entire Grand Derangement series are available for sale, benefiting the Acadian Memorial Foundation.

For more information, call 337-394-2258 or contact the following web site: info@acadianmemorial.org

Jolene Adam ~ Acadian Memorial

On Wednesday, September 11^th everyone is asked to drive with their headlights on during daylight hours.

United We Stand.
Ambrose Carl Boudreaux
San Diego, California

September is a time of remembrance. It is a time to remember those who died and those who suffered during and following those two dreadful events.

On September 5, 1755, John Winslow, commander of the British forces in charge of the arrest and exile of Acadians, gave the signal for the first prisoners at Grand-Pré to be loaded on ships anchored at the mouth of the Gaspareaux River. The shock of exile remained in the lives of Acadians the rest of their lives and lingered in their hearts and souls and those of their descendants for decades later.

In his journal on that sorrowful day John Winslow reflects in his writings how deeply touched by the mission he was sent out to execute which he found difficult, yet he accomplished his directives without failure. Winslow wrote " . . . I believe they did not then nor to this day do imagine that they are actually to be removed. Things are now very heavy on my heart and hands. I was met by women and children with great lamentation. It hurts me to hear their weeping . . . I am in hopes our affairs will soon put on another face and we get transports and I rid of the worst service yet ever I was in . . ."

In July 1755, all arms in the possession of Acadians had been confiscated. A storm had been brewing over the refusal of Acadians to sign the oath of allegiance to the king of England. A few Acadians, fearing the worst, agreed to sign the oath unconditionally. Their request was refused. Refused because the plan for expulsion was already in place. But no one could have imagined what was to follow.

John Winslow, a Lieutenant Colonel from Massachusetts, was a grandson of a former governor of the Plymouth Colony. After coming to Nova Scotia he became one of Governor Lawrence’s most trusted officers in charge of the expulsion of the Acadians in the Grand Pre area, the most populous region of the province. Winslow’s diary gives a first-hand account of the deportation.

On September 3^rd his forces made a preliminary march through the Rivière des Canards area and reported that . . .

This is testimony to the industriousness of this prosperous self-sufficient society.

Statistics on the people of Acadia vary but many sources place the population of French-Acadians at approximately 18,000 at the time of the deportation in 1755. Of course, many lived outside of what is now Nova Scotia but within what was then Acadia. Areas of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and the state of Maine, with Nova Scotia, were all part of the French colony of Acadie.

The tactic of the British forces in Acadia was to gather all the men from each village and surrounding farms, place them in the parish church and hold them until the arrival of the boats which had been ordered from some of the 13 English colonies while others came from England. These were not the best ships available. Many were worn out vessels, ships used to transport farm animals and cattle to the colonies, ships that were fast becoming un-seaworthy.

The Acadian men, assembled in the church of Grand-Pré, on that September morning, were the first to hear the edict and deportation order delivered in French and written by John Winslow.

Winslow summoned Father Francois Landry, the best interpreter in the area, and told him that he would start the embarkation that day. Winslow told Father Landry that he would load 250 persons that day, starting with the young men first. Father Landry was stunned with this news. Winslow told him that it was his orders and that he must carry those orders out.

In St. Charles - des - Mines Church of Grand-Pré Father Landry read the orders that Winslow had written.

The Deportation Order

John Winslow

Though they were told that could take their possessions, little of what they owned except for the clothes on their backs and perhaps a sack containing items hurriedly packed that they were able to carry were brought with them. They did not know where they going. But most knew they would not be back. They saw their houses and farms, go up in flames. They saw their villages destroyed. They saw their lives unraveling. Where were their husbands; where were their sons; where were their families. This could not be happening. But still they hoped.

Approximately 7,000 Acadians were deported to the 13 English colonies from Massachusetts to Georgia. Others were sent to England’s far-flung colonies. The Acadians were scattered into the winds.

Some of the English colonies refused to accept the Acadians. Among the 1,000 Acadians who were refused entrance to Virginia and shipped to England, a quarter of them died during the voyage. The ships Violet and Duke William carrying 600 Acadians from the colonies to England went down in the Atlantic with no survivors. Those who made it to England were thrown in prison as if they were prisoners of war.

To all Acadians, exile from Acadie meant uprooting of their families, of their way of life. The majority of the exiled Acadians left immediately from their first landing point for French occupied territories in America. But many spent a lifetime looking for their loved ones and family members who disappeared during the deportation.

The Acadian Memorial curator/ director has resigned her position with the City of St. Martinville, pending hiring of her successor.

Jolene Adam is the Memorial’s first curator / director and has held the post since August 1996.

Adam is leaving her position to prepare for a new career in graphic design. "I hope to grow as an artist and to continue making a contribution to the Acadian people," said Adam, "but first I need to spend time as an art student."

Among Adam’s accomplishments are the Memorial’s successful participation in the Congrès Mondial Acadien 1999, the Museum of the Acadian Memorial, and a popular field trip program. During Adam’s tenure, the thoughtful presentation of the Acadian story has grown in scope, reaching local and international audiences. Memorial programs regularly promote Louisiana French, while visitation has more than doubled.

Adam, who is originally from Thibodaux, Louisiana, will continue to make St. Martinville her home. "We have a wonderful city. One of the best parts of my job has been becoming a part of this community."

Adam hopes that her successor will continue to guide the Memorial’s growth. "I know there’s someone out there eager to do their part," Adam said.

Experienced administrators who are bilingual in French and English and hold a BA degree are encouraged to contact the Memorial for more information.

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From the Boudreaux / Boudreau Family Association it is with great regret that we say good-bye to Jolene Adam. Jolene has become synonymous with the Acadian Memorial. It seems that we never mention the Memorial without mentioning Jolene. She has contributed much to the development and success of the Memorial and for that, we thank you. We wish you could stay on, for there is still much to do. But we do send you our good wishes in whatever endeavor you choose. And whatever that endeavor will be, we are sure that you will be a great success!

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A celebration of Acadian heritage and pride was held Thursday, August 15, 2002 in
St. Martinville, Louisiana.

Duchamp Opera House opened at 10:00 with coffee, beignets and Cajun and country music by Hélène Boudreaux. Art, gifts, antiques, books and local memorabilia on sale all day.

Opera House artists exhibited and sold items and held drawings to give visitors a chance to win some of their works.

Acadian Memorial & Heritage Center opened from 10:00 to 6:30. Visitors had free admission to the Memorial Hall and Museum of the Memorial and could browse the history and genealogy collection in the Multimedia Center.

A new video entitled The Acadian Memorial was shown at 5:15. The film shows who the first Acadians were, how they came to Louisiana, and why a monument was created in their honor.

The Longfellow-Evangeline Historic Site was opened from 9:00 to 5:00 and featured video films such as Evangeline and Against the Tide.

Acadian farmstead tours were held throughout the day.

In the evening a French language Mass was celebrated by Father Leger. The Congrès Mondial Choir sang during the Mass. A procession was held before and after the service with representatives from Acadian families bearing their family’s banner. Don Boudreaux of Lafayette represented our organization and family.

At the first national Acadian convention held in Memramcook, New Brunswick in 1881, Acadian delegates chose August 15, the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, as the national Acadian holiday.

The State of Louisiana recognizes August 15 th as Acadian Day, while the city of St. Martinville has celebrated la Fête Nationale de l’Acadie since August 1996.

French colonists who founded Acadia in 1604 and through the years became Acadians were in North America before the English founded Jamestown in 1607. So it is with great pride that we can say that we are part of the very first Acadian families, and indeed, one of the first American families. Few Americans with European ancestry can hold this honor.

We thank you for your renewal and for your support through the years. Because of you we have been able to contribute to the French Immersion Program which is in large part helping to save the French language in Louisiana. Your support helps in publishing our newsletter L’Etoile Acadienne, a bilingual quarterly bulletin sent to our members.

Before the 1990’s there were no Acadian family associations in Louisiana. It is because of your interest and support that these organizations exist; and these organizations exist because of you. We thank those who gave a little extra with their renewals.

This is a gentle reminder that your renewal date is now on your mailing label. Annual membership dues remain at $10.00. Make checks payable to the Boudreaux Family Association and please send to Don Boudreaux, treasurer, 124 Clarmont Circle, Lafayette, Louisiana 70508.

Could you please add a note to your next newsletter stating that anyone who wishes to receive information to Congrès Mondial Acadien 2004 can register their name directly on our website: www.cma2004.com

Thank you,
Danielle LeBlanc
Communications Director
CMA 2004
Halifax, Nova Scotia

In April 2002, a young woman named Julie wrote to Forum CODOFIL on the CODOFIL web site to ask the following: "I hear speaking of Cajuns and Cadiens. Is there a difference between the two terms or are they synonymous? During a university class I spoke of "les ‘Cadiens" and my professor corrected my saying that it is "Cajuns" and not "Cadiens" and should not be confused with Acadians of New Brunswick, Canada. I did not know what to reply. Is there really a difference between the appellations?"

Julie

The following is a response from well-known Louisiana francophone advocate, David Marcantel.

I am not in agreement that the word ‘acadien" is reserved for Acadians of the Canadian Maritime provinces. In fact, the word "Acadian" is very much utilized in Louisiana to designate Acadian descendants in Louisiana who were exiled from these same maritime provinces during "le Grand Dérangement".

The word "Cadien" has a much larger meaning because people who are considered "Cadiens" in Louisiana are not of Acadien origin. The French were already established in Louisiana before the arrival of the Acadians and we cannot ethnically distinguish a LeBlanc who came directly from France and a LeBlanc who came from old Acadia [unless their genealogy is known]. Many of the names that are typically Cadien, such as Fontenot, Vidrine, Soileau, Tate, McGee, Lopez, Reed, Balfa, etc. are not Acadian names. In Louisiana "Cadien is designated to a cultural group and "Acadien" is designated as a sub-group of Cadiens classified by their genealogical origins.

Therefore, in Louisiana all Acadians are Cadiens, but not all Cadiens are Acadians

by Louisiana Governor Mike Foster, Jr.

Nay Sayers will try to bring just about anyone and anything down. And goodness knows, in this job,
I run into more than my share of them.

We, as the citizens of Louisiana, are often our state’s own worst enemy. We are the first to put ourselves and our state down. Sitting around the coffee shop when we travel around the country, we are the first to tell the "Boudreaux and Thibodeaux" jokes and the "Bubba" jokes to make fun of ourselves. The problem is, if this is the only impression that outsiders receive of our state – why should they ever think any differently? If we tell the worst – so will they. If we tell the best

– we’ve got a shot at changing the negative perceptions.

We, as citizens, have to tell the story of the progress we have made and the work that is being done to put Louisiana on the right path to prosperity. If we won’t work to sell ourselves and our state, no one person will ever be able to do it for us. To that end, I am offering you a few tools with which to work.

Below are some indicators that show where Louisiana has climbed to the top of national ratings. Senator Willie Mount from Lake Charles began this list a few years back and we’ve added to it since then. Nay Sayers will have you believe this list doesn’t exist, but it does. We now have more than five pages of "Louisiana Positives". You don’t have to take my word for it – I’ve provided the links for you to the documentation to verify all of the rankings yourself.

"Louisiana has been recognized as one of the Top 10 states in the nation in overall education reform, 4^th in the nation in standards and accountability, and 16^th in improving teacher quality (Education Week, January 2002).  http/www.edweek.com/sreports/qc02/

"Louisiana ranked in the Top 10 in the nation (7^th) in the Princeton Review’s first Annual Ranking of State Accountability Systems. The ranking is based on the state’s complete accountability system, including academic alignment, test quality, openness to public scrutiny and education policy goals of the state (Princeton Review, June 2002). www.review.com/stateStudymsg.cfm

"Louisiana remains in the Top 10 in tax friendliness in the prestigious Bloomberg annual tax survey, which cites assessment differences from state to state and then ranks them for their tax friendliness (Bloomberg Personal Finance, May 2002) www.bloomberg.com/personal/archives/may2002.html

Natchitoches has been named among the country’s top tax havens for retirees (Where to Retire magazine, March 2002) www.wheretoretire.com/

Louisiana’s problems did not develop overnight and we’re not going to be able to change our image overnight.

But, we are making a difference and laying groundwork long-needed for Louisiana. By continuing to invest in our priority areas and building a strong foundation on which to grow and improve our state, we will continue moving forward.

I hope you will all join me and others who are working to spread the good word about Louisiana – the progress we have made and the path to prosperity for all of our citizens that we are now taking.

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This is just a portion of Gov. Foster’s open letter to the citizens of Louisiana.

It appeared in many of the state’s newspapers in August. He goes on to list many other top national rankings for Louisiana. But his main point was his objection to the negatives that some people like to dwell on rather than the positives about our state, especially negatives such as offensive attitudes and cultural and ethnic jokes.

It may be apropos to quote Mitch Conover again, " Too often we have allowed ourselves to be portrayed as buffoons in Cajun jokes and B movies. The world will not be the one to change this image, this is our job!"

By Charles Larroque

Forget politics. Forget football, even. Meet the real Ragin’ Cajuns: la Confédérations des Associations des Familles Acadiennes (CAFA).

Ever since the first Congrès Mondial Acadien in 1994, a group of locals have been moving and shaking a whole lot of families in Evangeline country. Their original objective was to promote the culture and genealogy of Acadian families by organizing a "Family Association." Today, with some 40 families from Arnaud to Vautour, CAFA is much more than brokers of family reunions. Now, the mission is expanding into local classrooms where each member family sponsors a school with a French immersion program. To date, $10,000 has been donated to supplement the French immersion programs in the schools involved. This is of great cultural significance since some south Louisiana parishes ironically tout themselves as being "the most French per capita," yet are quick to bemoan funding shortfalls in order to avoid implementing French immersion programs in their communities. There are no grognards in CAFA. Whinning is fatal to the survival of an endangered culture.

Another area where CAFA is having a large impact is tourism. Many of the member families have begun corresponding with cousins in Canada and France and elsewhere in the U.S. Family ties being what they are, it is

only natural to expect Acadiana to become a lot more Acadian in the not too distant future. State and local tourism officials take note: The economic impact of initiatives such as CAFA’s may not be gauged as easily as one weighs the trash after a Mardi Gras parade. However, this is one family affair where blood is thicker than bayou water. There is a deep, emotional bond between the Acadians who managed to avoid deportation during the Grand Dérangement and those who did not (the Cajuns). Mais, what’s your e-mail, cher?

As they flock down here to recreate, retire and restock up on spices, there will certainly be a need for more services in French to accommodate these francophone cousins. That’s where CAFA’s partnership with education makes as many dollars as it makes sense. The idea is simple. More children becoming more bilingual more skilled to meet the demands of more French-speaking visitors who are coming and spending more and more. What’s more, most of these children are learning the language of their ancestors. It’s their right, it’s their responsibility, it’s their heritage.

CAFA is also involved with planning the next World Acadian Congress to be held in Nova Scotia in 2004. It should be noticeably quieter down here on the bayou with all the "Evangélines heading up north for that much long-awaited waltz with Gabriel.

Without groups like CAFA "Acadiana" would exist only in the fantasies of folklorists. In some places, Louisiana evokes an image of a people on the brink of losing their culture, a curious anachronism at best. For LeBlancs and Trahans, nothing could be further from the truth. Their Louisiana is a place of pride and hope where folk may be cute, but French is the vital sign.

Charles Larroque is a free lance bilingual writer from Lafayette. Reprinted with permission

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Two New Acadian Publications

     In keeping with its mandate to promote Acadian history and culture, the Société Promotion Grand-Pré has just launched two new publications.  With funding from Parks Canada, the Société Promotion Grand-Pré has produced two excellent bilingual booklets designed for the general public.

     With the help of maps, photos, and drawings, the booklet called Dykes and Aboiteaux describes how the early Acadians turned salt marshes into fertile meadows.  This is a very clear and well-written educational tool that showcases the agricultural methods that reinforced the solidarity of the Acadian people.

    The booklet entitled Lt. Col. Winslow’s List of the Acadians in the Grand-Pré Area in 1755  provides an authentic reproduction of the original document owned by the Massachusetts Historical Society.  Compiled at the request of Winslow, this list includes the names of the 446 men, who were the heads of families living in the Grand-Pré region at the time of the Deportation.  It constitutes an invaluable document for anyone doing genealogical research.

     Each booklet is 16 pages long and costs only $2.95.  Both booklets can be purchased at the Boutique at Grand-Pré National Historic Site and at numerous other sales outlets.

Emilie Desveaux-Starratt
Boutique Grand-Pré
P.O. Box 111
Grand-Pré, Nova Scotia
Canada  B0P 1MO
E-mail:boutique@grand-pre.com
Web Site:  www.grand-pr.co
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Did You Know . . .

      The first child born in Acadia of a French father and Amerindian mother was André Lasnier at Port Latour on Cape Sable in 1620 according to historian Fr. Clarence d’Entremont.  He was rebaptised in France on December 27, 1632.  André was the son of Louis Lasnier de Dieppe.  The name of the mother is unknown. 

    The first child born in Acadia of French parents on record was Mathieu Martin.  He was born in 1636.

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     History’s legacy has always been a fascinating subject for me.  Thus, when Warren Perrin, president of the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL), an organization also charged with the task of preserving Acadian culture in Louisiana, sent me a memo that referred to a three-day special report published by New Orleans Times-Picayune about the status of Louisiana’s Cajun culture, it piqued my interest.  Especially so, in this instance because the Cajuns are descendants of Acadians deported from their homeland in Mi’kmaq territory by British Governor Charles Lawrence.

    To help satisfy my curiosity about the present-condition of these descendants of the Mi’kmaq’s Acadian allies, I went looking for the report on the internet, eventually making e-mail contact with its principal author, Ron Thibodeaux, the paper’s suburban St. Tammany parish bureau chief and staff writer (staff writer Angela Rozas also contributed).  Ron sent me copies of the series, and I sent him copies of several columns that I had written about Acadians and a copy of We Were Not the Savages.

     Before proceeding, I want to mention a pleasant fallout for me from the contacts I’ve established with the Cajun community. Since the early 1990’s, I’ve exchanged phone calls and e-mails with Warren, and now for the past few months with Ron; I have never met either one, but, because of our correspondence and some similar interests, we consider ourselves friends.  This highlights the value of having an open mind and a willingness to learn about, and appreciate, the great things that other cultures have to offer.

   In this instance, from reading Ron’s and Angela’s reports, I’ve concluded that Cajun culture has a great many things that a non-Cajun can enjoy immensely.  To help depict adequately a few of them, I’ll quote heavily from the series.

    Thibodeaux asks several questions and supplies these answers :

     Who are the Cajuns?  “The Cajuns were easier to define when they were isolated from the United State, when their forebear’s simple lifestyle of farming and fishing still flourished across the 22 parishes that make up Acadiana.  Centuries ago, Cajuns arrived as refugees, adapted to their new home and helped tame it.  Today, Cajuns remain bound by language, cuisine, music, and shared heritage.”

     How did they get to Louisiana?  “The history of Louisiana’s Cajuns began in 1755 with “le grand dérangement”, the expulsion of French-speaking Catholics  from Acadie, the present-day    Canadian    province    of    Nova  Scotia . . .”

     Ties to the land:  “The Acadians’ former homeland in Canada hardly could have been more different from South Louisiana – a hot, muggy land of swamp’s and bayous, mosquitoes and alligators, grassy prairies and coastal marshes.  But the Acadians adapted and thrived as farmers, fishers and trappers as successive generations stayed close together on the farms and along the waterfront . . .  The ties to the land and water remain strong bonds for the Cajuns, just like their hard work punctuated with time for play, their hospitality, their values of faith and family.  “We’re a close-knit people because that was bred into us,” said Allen Leger, 72, a farmer from Iota.  “Cajun is a way of life.”

     The authors give this description about an old-timer living in the coastal marshes:  “The world may have changed around him, but time might as well be standing still for 92 year-old Dewey Patin, who spends nearly every day fishing or hunting. In 2001, his routine isn’t much different than it was in 1921.  That suits him fine.”

     Cajuns, like citizens of many other distinct minority cultures, have long suffered the evils of negative stereotyping.  They have been depicted by English-speaking society as a crude people, ignorant yokels speaking broken English with a French accent.  Nothing could be further from the truth. The ignoramuses even gave them a degrading name, “coonass”, which word the Louisiana legislature condemned the use of in 1981.

     Ignorance is not bliss.  If only the name labellers and the authors of biased, negative propaganda about  Cajuns and other bigots had half the civility they have, our world would be a great place to live.  Having a sense of humour, the ability to enjoy life, the knack to be hospitable to others, and embracing the extended community with love and loyalty aren’t things to be looked down on, but things to envy.

     Cajun cooking took the world by storm in the 1980’s and, in the process, has acquired a boat load of impersonators.  Some of these fake products were so bad that it began to stigmatize the culinary delight.  The real thing is great. When buying Cajun food, if you want to the genuine article, look for the following on the label: “Certified Cajun.”

The man responsible for starting the world’s love affair with the cooking was chef Paul Prudhomme.  Thibodeaux relates that, in 1985, “(Prudhomme) sets up shop for one month in New York, introducing his famous blackened redfish to the rest of the world, touching off an international Cajun cooking craze.”

     A question being asked by many Cajuns:  “Is the Cajun culture dying?”  I would like to think not; let’s hope that it’s only modernizing.  The world would be the worse if it were to disappear. 

Daniel N. Paul is a human rights activist, historian, author, journalist and consultant.   He and his wife Patricia live in Halifax.  Reprinted with permission of Daniel Paul.
   
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