Le“AFIN D’ÊTREFORUM EN PLEINE POSSESSION DE SES MOYENS”

VOLUME 37, #4 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2015

Peter Archambault, circa. 1984 (See pages 3, 20-23) Websites: Le Forum: http://umaine.edu/francoamerican/le-forum/ Oral History: Francoamericanarchives.org Library: francolib.francoamerican.org Occasional Papers: http://umaine.edu/francoamerican/occasional-papers/ Maine’s French Communities: http://www.francomaine.org/English/Pres/Pres_intro.html francoamericanarchives.org other pertinent websites to check out - Les Français d’Amérique / French In America Calendar Photos and Texts from 1985 to 2002 http://www.johnfishersr.net/french_in_america_calendar.html Franco-American Women’s Institute: http://www.fawi.net $6.00 US Le Forum Sommaire/Contents REMINDER! Dédié-Peter Archambault et Please check your address Harry A.M. Rush Jr...... 3,20-23 labels to see if your subscrip- tion to Le Forum has expired. Le Centre Franco-Américain Lettres/Letters...... 36, 37, 39 Université du Maine Year/Month for example Orono, Maine 04469-5719 [email protected] L’État du ME...... 4-7, 14, 27 16/01 would mean the sub- Téléphone: 207-581-FROG (3764) scription will expire on Janu- Télécopieur: 207-581-1455 L’État du MS...... 8-10 ary of 2016. Volume 37 Numéro 4 Summer/Été 2015 Publishing Board L’État du WI...... 11-12 Don Levesque We thank you for your Paul Laflamme continued support! Virginia Sand Roy L’État du CT...... 15-19, 24-26 Lin LaRochelle Louella Rolfe Diane Tinkham Books/Livres...... 28-30

Rédactrice/Gérante/Managing Editor Lisa Desjardins Michaud Poetry/Poésie...... 30-32

Mise en page/Layout Lisa Desjardins Michaud Coin des jeunes...... 33-35

Composition/Typesetting Genealogy...... 38 Lisa Desjardins Michaud Famille Fecteau Aide Technique Endowment Lisa Desjardins Michaud One way to support Le FORUM while at the same time reserving life income is Tirage/Circulation/4,500 the establishment of a charitable gift annuity with the Franco-American Centre Imprimé chez/Printed by Le FORUM Fund at the University of Maine Foundation. Call 1-800-982-8503. Centre Franco-Américain, Orono, Maine Publié 4 fois l’an par le Centre Franco‑Américain. Le Forum est distribué surtout aux Franco‑Américains Abonnement au Le FORUM Subscription des États‑Unis. Les énoncés, opinions et points de vue formulés dans Le Forum sont ceux des auteurs et ne Si vous ne l’êtes pas abonnez-vous –– s.v.p. représentent pas nécessairement les points de vue de –– Subscribe if you have not l’éditeur ou de la rédactrice, ou du Collège des arts et des sciences libéraux à l’Université du Maine. Le Forum is published 4 times a year by the Nom/Name: Franco‑American Center. Le Forum is distributed in particular to Franco‑Americans in the United States. Statements, opinions and points of view expressed are Adresse/Address: not necessarily those of the editor, the publishers or the ; College of Liberal Arts & Sciences of the University Métier/Occupation: of Maine. Tous les textes soumis doivent parvenir à —For- ward all submitted texts to: Lisa D. Michaud, Rédac- Ce qui vous intéresse le plus dans Le FORUM section which interests you the trice-en-chef/Editor-in-chief, Le Forum, University of most: Maine, Orono, Maine 04469-5719, U.S., au plus tard quatre semaines précédant le mois de publication—at Je voudrais contribuer un article au Le FORUM au sujet de: least four weeks prior to the month of publication. Les lettres de nos lecteurs sont les bienvenues— I would like to contribute an article to Le FORUM about: Letters to the Editor are welcomed. La reproduction des articles est autorisée sans préavis sauf indication contraire—Our original articles Tarif d’abonnement par la poste pour 4 numéros may be reproduced without notice unless otherwise indicated. Subscription rates by mail for 4 issues: L’équipe de rédaction souhaite que Le Forum soit États-Unis/United States –– Individus: $20 un mode d’expression pour vous tous les Franco‑Amér- Ailleurs/Elsewhere –– Individus: $25 icains et ceux qui s’intéressent à nous. The staff hopes Organisation/Organizations –– Bibliothèque/Library: $40 that Le Forum can be a vehicle of expression for you Franco‑Americans and those who are interested in us. Le FORUM Le Forum et son staff—Universitaires, gens de la Centre Franco-Américain, Orono, ME 04469-5719 communauté, les étudiants -- FAROG, 2 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2015 Ce numéro de Le Forum est dédié à la mémoire de Peter George Archambault et Harry A.M. Rush Jr. This issue of Le Forum is dedicated in memory of Peter George Archambault and Harry A.M. Rush Jr.

years in the U.S. Army and on November Kedgwick, NB, which will be displayed in 30, 1962, he was married to Flore Godbout the new tower being built to commemorate from Drummond, NB. The artist became the village's centennial celebration. The a father with three children, Lisa Archam- drawings hold the love and deep respect he bault of Moncton, NB, John Archambault had for the beautiful people and lands of this (passed on Aug. 24, 1990), and Denise corner of the Upper Appalachian Mountains. (Archambault) McCluskey of Moncton, A commemorative ceremony will NB. He has been blessed with three grand- occur on Saturday, May 23, 2015, at La Res- SAINT-QUENTIN, NEW BRUNS- children, Samuel Morin and wife Hayley, idence Funeraire Valcourt in Saint-Quentin, WICK - On May 17, 2015, Peter Archam- Richard Malenfant and Kaitlin Malenfant, NB, 254 RUE, Canada. The doors will open bault passed away peacefully in the presence all of Moncton, NB. Peter had three broth- at 1:30 p.m. and the ceremony will start at of his daughters at the Hotel Dieu St-Joseph ers, Paul and wife, Elaine, of Brunswick, 2 p.m. Friends and family are invited to Hospital in Saint-Quentin, NB. Peter was Maine, John and wife, Gwendolyn, of bring a special piece of Peter's artwork to be born on March 24, 1939, son to Paul and Brewer, Maine, and Jim (passed in 2013) displayed during this gathering; pieces large Corinne (Thibodeau) Archambault in Mad- and wife, Louise, of Madawaska, Maine. or small, framed or not, even something awaska, Maine. Peter was blessed with seeing Peter was a consummate artist, and a scribbled on a napkin. There will be time for the world through the eyes of an artist. From profound writer, who loved people, animals anyone who would like to get up and speak a young boy to his final days, his drawings and the raw beauty of nature. Throughout the a few words, or share a story ... and if you're and art reached out to the artist in each of us. wide variety of work and creative projects he thinking of bringing flowers, Peter's favou- After graduation from Madawaska did in his life, he could always be found with rite colour is yellow. - See more at: http:// High School in 1957, he attended St. Jo- his drawing pad of paper, a tin of graphite obituaries.bangordailynews.com/obituaries/ seph College in Biddeford, Maine, and The leads and black charcoal smudged fingers. bdnmaine/obituary.aspx?n=peter-george-ar- Rhode Island School of Art & Design in Peter's most recent project is a series of chambault&pid=174906407#sthash.Ep- Providence, Rhode Island. He served two historical drawings of the people and life of 88gxeT.dpuf (See page 20 for more...)

EAST MILLINOCKET – Harry Mary’s Church, Houlton, on August 10, A.M. Rush, Jr., 76, died Wednesday, 1968 by Rev. Francis Nelligan. He was a March 18, 2015, at a Millinocket health communicant of Christ the Divine Mercy care facility. He was the son of Harry Parish, St. Peter’s Church, East Millinocket A.M. and Mary Florence (Willett) Rush, and was a Eucharistic Minister to the sick. born March 15, 1939, in Millinocket. He was the advisor of the Schenck yearbook He graduated from St. Martin of for 30 years. He also contributed many arti- Tours High School, Millinocket, class of cles to LE FORUM, the Franco-American 1957, staffed by the Sisters of Our Lady of publication of the University of Maine, the Holy Rosary of Rimouski, Quebec, and and wrote THE CENTENNIAL DIARY earned his bachelor of arts degree at Holy OF EAST MILLINOCKET 1907-2007. Cross College, Worcester, Massachusetts, He was an officer of the East Millinocket and his master of arts in teaching at Assump- Teacher’s Association for many years and tion College, Worcester, MA. He also stud- a life member of the Sodality of Our Lady. Harry A.M. Rush Jr. ied at the Laval University French School, He was predeceased by his parents, his Quebec City, the University of Toulouse, aunt, Sister M. Teresa Rush, RSM, and his To see some of Harry’s past submis- France, the Middlebury College Spanish parents in law, Albert and Ethel (Denning) sions to Le Forum check out our past issues School, Vermont, and the Foreign Language Callnan. He is survived by his wife, Sha- at: http://umaine.edu/francoamerican/ Department at the University of Maine. He ron Callnan Rush, his sister in law, Sister le-forum/ served aboard the USS Witek DD 848 from Miriam Therese (Helen) Callnan, RSM; "The Town That ... East Millinock- 1962-64. He taught French at Houlton High cousins Sylvia Hagerthy, Brian Willett, et means East of "many islands" in ... School from 1966-68 and French and Span- Kay Harmston, Eleanor Miller, and Harriet Centennial Diary by Harry A.M. Rush Jr. ish at Schenck High School, East Millinock- Mason; ten godchildren, including James et from 1968-2001, when he retired. Jamo of East Millinocket; and cousins, http://www.eastmillinocket.org/centenni- He married Sharon Callnan at St. the Bonis, Jamo, and Provenzano families. al_diary.html 3 Le Forum From Maine to Thailand The making of a Peace Corps Volunteer by Roger Parent ED. NOTE: This is the seventh in a series of excerpts from a memoir written by Lille, Maine, native Roger Parent in 2004, tracing the first 24 years of his life, from his childhood in Acadian French-speaking northern Maine to the end of his service as a member of the first group of Peace Corps volunteers in Thailand. This aritcle first appeared in “Echoes”, No. 92 pages 19-21. Being Shy is Okay

I had been told too often when growing doing what I wanted to do with my life. March 1, 1961, when the Peace Corps was up that I was shy. Relatives said, “Oh, you’re created, tens of thousands of Americans had shy and cute,” and occasionally they talked Bangkok sent letters like mine to the President and about my shyness as if I was not present, the Peace Corps Director, Sargent Shriver. “He’ll get over his shyness as he grows up.” January 22, 1962, my 23rd birth- The long flight from Ann Arbor Did they think calling me shy would day, and I was just minutes from Bang- to Bangkok had been comfortable and make me less shy? Did they think because kok. I couldn’t have wished a better gift. uneventful. The pilot had dipped the I was quiet and reticent that I was oblivious plane slightly when crossing the date- to what was going on around me? Calling line west of Wake Island, awakening me shy just made me more self-conscience. the butterflies in my belly, and he had If the people around me had ignored my said jokingly, “We’ve just lost a day.” shyness, I might have grown out of it as a I would have to wait a few years to child instead of having to grapple with it as get back my lost day, but meanwhile, I an adult, when it had become more ingrained would learn lessons and create memories in my personality––when I saw myself that would help shape the rest of my life. as a shy person and acted accordingly. We had flown westward to exotic A wonderful thing happened to me southeast Asia, and after a soft landing, we during Peace Corps training: I discovered were on the tarmac, taxiing quickly to the that being shy was okay. The Thais liked terminal. We gave the crew a loud ovation my reticence, reserve, cautiousness and sen- for a great ride over the ocean, but inside sitivity. I was the antithesis of the popular we were celebrating our arrival in Thailand. caricature of the American abroad: loud, The stairway was rolled to the plane, backslapping, and insensitive to people of the door was opened, and the regular pas- other nationalities and cultures. The Thai sengers disembarked. We line up from the staff said I would get along great in Thailand door to the bottom of the stairway fro the for I acted like a Thai, and I would fit in well. welcoming remarks and picture-taking. My I learned that shyness in one culture immediate sensation on walking out was of A shy Roger Parent at about doesn’t necessarily translate to shyness in the heat and humidity. It felt good. As my eight years old another; a typical American can seem too eyes adjusted to the blinding sunlight, I saw aggressive in Thailand, while a shy Amer- As the plane made its final approach, a crowd of Thai officials, American Embassy ican can be seen as a typical Thai. I felt the excitement among the 45 volunteers was personnel and reporters, gathered to greet us. fully accepted by the Thai staff––shyness palpable. We had trained in Ann Arbor for We had arrived. and all––and this made me more confident. three months, which had seemed too long, I don’t remember what came first, Finally, I was in a situation where my and we were scheduled for two weeks of but we sang the Thai national anthem in shyness was a strength, not a weakness. orientation in Bangkok, which seemed Thai, and Thai officials welcomed us in Being shy helped me to navigate unnecessary. My excitement was tempered English. Volunteers Art and Peggy, re- the training program. My sensitivity to by my impatience to be teaching in Udorn, sponded to the welcome in Thai, express- other people’s feelings, which had often but my impatience was easily trumped by ing our happiness at being in Thailand hindered me in social relations, helped me the reality and joy of arriving in Thailand. and our gratefulness to the Thai people avoid cultural faux pas. My wait-and-see It had been only a year and two days for their invitation to live among them. attitude before jumping into unfamil- from President John F. Kennedy’s inaugura- I was told later that our arrival had iar social situations was a plus. These tion and challenge to the American people, doubled the number of Thai-speaking Amer- helped me “cross over” to the Thai culture. “...ask not what your country can do for you; icans in Thailand. Not only could we sing The Thais taught me that my ask what you can do for your country.” I had the Thai national anthem, but we could speak shyness was just fine, and from them I seized his challenge, made it mine, and had Thai well enough to carry on a rudimentary learned to accept myself more fully, and written President Kennedy of my interest to not let my shyness get in the way of in the Peace Corps, then only an idea. By (Continued on page 5) 4 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2015 (From Maine to Thailand continued from page 4) conversation. The Thais and the American Embassy personnel were impressed with our language skills, but they were even more impressed that most of us were to be assigned upcountry, outside of Bangkok. It would be hard to overestimate the im- pact of 45 Americans singing the Thai national anthem in Thai on the assemblage at the air- port, and on Thai peoples across the country. News of the Thai-speaking Ameri- cans spread quickly throughout Thailand as the welcoming activities stretched out for two weeks. Our ability to speak Thai, our knowledge of the culture, even if quite elementary, personified the Peace Corps approach. It said that Peace Corps Volun- teers respected the culture, the language, Famous Thai architecture style on a Catholic church the religion and the way of life of the Thai people. Later, our simple life style would deepen these initial impressions.

Roger Parent lives in South Bend, Indiana, where he served as city councilor and mayor in the 1970’s and ‘80’s. He is trustee of the South Bend Community School Corporation and found of World Dignity, a non-profit organization focused on educational programs in Thailand, India and South Bend. In 2005 he as- sisted victims of the Dec. 26, 2004 tsu- nami as deputy director of the Tsunami Volunteer Center in Khao Lak, Thailand. He and his wife, Rolande (Ouellette), Roger Parent and a few other Peace Corps Volunteers have four children and six grandchildren. surrounded by children in Hong Kong/Kowloon

abd Saine-Luce missions in Father Lan- the pastor's service to the Indians.[ RAPQ The history of the gevin's parish you have to understand the 1927-28 p. 262; p. 278] His annual treks to Catholic Church of the difference of positions between the the the Tobique and Woodstock reservations first pastors in those missions. [Journal where use of english was current also kept Saint John Valley of Bishop Fitpatrick, august 1847 p. 281] him in touch with New Brunswick author- Father Antoine Gosselin, pastor of ities in Fredericton. the in 1840 when an Guy Dubay St. Bruno was appointed to the St Bruno Irish priesf, Msgr William Dollard was Madawaska, ME parish at the request of New Brunswick's appointed bishop of New Brunswick, Father To understand the history of the Lieutenant-Governor, Sir John Harvey, not Gosselin's facility with English prove to be Catholic Church of the Saint John Val- at the request of Father Antoine Langevin. an asset. In 1852 when Fr. Gosselin was ley in Maine one might need to rec- [RAPQ 1983-39 pp. 227-228; p.232; p. reassigned to the parish of of Cocagne in ognize the impact of the Irish who 277] The primary motive for that request southeastern NewBrunswick Msgr Dollard played middleman between the French appears to lay in the Lt. Governor’s belief sent to St. Bruno a string of Irish priests, and the English in the American church. that Catholic mission help to keep the Na- Fathers Walter Aylward, Michael Meloy, John Francis Rice of Edmundston, tive American pacific and away from the Patrick McKeagney and John-James Nu- N.B, James C Madigan of Fort Kent (later reaches of American influence. the primary gent. when father Langevin died, rev. of Houlton) and Msgr. John Bernard Fitz- qualification for Fr. Gosselin's appoint was Hugh Mc Guirk was sent to replace him patrick got Msgr. Antoine Langevin, pastor his ability to speak and communicate in at St. Basile. also sent here were Sisters of of St. Basile, N.B. to accept an American English [RAPQ 1938-39 p. 272] in order to cahrity from the Irish convent of St. Vincent mission at Mount Carmel in 1847. Yet to work with the New Brunswick governement of St. John, N.B. to teach at the academy understand the situation of Saint-Bruno which suppled an annual stipend of £50 for (Continued on page 6) 5 Le Forum (The history of the Catholic Church of the Cary and Isaac Tabor of Houlton and repre- properties to the Bishop of Boston, Father Saint John Valley continued from page 5) sentative Joseph Nadeau of Fort Kent, but Dionne acted immediately. Fr. Gosselin ap- intitated by fr. Langevin before his demise. he speaks very negatively of Whig Party pears to have run into some resistence form Father Henri Dionne's communi- members, col. David Page of Fort Kent, Rep. his church trustees, or at least one of them.. cations with letters in 1853 sent to for- Elbridge Pattee of Fort Fairfield, William Joseph Cyr, first Acadian elected to the mer Maine Governor, Dr. John Hub- McCrillis of Bangor, Anson P. Morrill of Maine Legislature refused to sign the deed. bard, were written entirely in French.. Readfield, Maine [National Cyclopedia of For reason not altogether established Mr Cyr During his pastorship at St. Basile, American Biography has a portrait] . Morrill is no record of his having sold his homestead Fr. Langevin set up a scholarship fund to would subsequently run successfully for farm at what is now called Keegan village assist Madawaska students to go to the in Van Buren to his brother, Benoni Cyr and Collège de Saine-Anne-de-La Pocatière. moved to St.Leonard, N.B. where we find Two students from Petit Sault (Edmundston, him and his spouse listed with their three ser- N.B.) were sons of John Francis Rice cited vants in the 1851 N.B. census.[J. G. Poitras, above. One of Rice's sons died there at the Recensement 1851 Census, Victoria County, college. Another student from the Langevin June 1998 p. 140, idem. 02-0092] The deed territory was John Costigan of Grand Falls, finally got recorded five years later followed N.B., who would later in Parliament play a very rapidly by Fr Gosselins being trans- key role in the discussion there during the ferred to Cocagne, N.B. at the furtherest end New Brunswick school crisis in the 1870s, of the diocese from the upper St, John Valley. and yet another student from Aroostook Fr. Gosselin is out of the area at the at La Pocatiere was John McCloskey of time of the founding of the Diocese of Port- Houlton who would later defeat Major land in 1855. but Fr. Dionne remains on site William Dickey of Fort Kent in the 1858 with his seemingly Democratic leanings; race for the county's sole seat in the state Leaving us with the impression that the senate. McCloskey in 1861 would serve as Whigs/Know Nothings may have gotten the first colonel of the Maine 15th Regi- the best of him leading to his resignation ment comprising largely of Aroostook men. as Pastor of Ste. Luce in what is presently, Fr. Henri Dionne's French letter show Frenchville, Maine. In the second letter to to have been an astute observer of Maine St. Bruno Photo taken from Van Governor Hubbard Fr. Dionne stated out- Politics. Fr. Gosselin with his ties to New Buren, Maine History by Martine A. rightly that Col. David Page had threatened Brunswick did not give him the same context Pelletier and Monica Dionne Ferretti to have him removed from his post. In the as those evidenced in Fr. Dionne's setting. turbulent state senate race of 1858 William In the archepiscopal archives in Boston governor on the American Liberty ticket, Dickey's Democrat henchmen chased Re- there's a letter from James C. Madigan to which in effect was the The Know-Nothing publican Col. David Page right out of the the Bishop of Boston in which Madigan Party, then re-elected as a Republican.[ election room, a description of which may describes Fr,Dionne as"my confessor". a Maine Register, 1891 p. 107] Fr. Dionne's be read in the appendix of Professor Roger second person influencing Fr. Dionne in the letter comes at the time of the decline of Paradis' Mercure Papers. [ Appendix V p. cx- area of American politics was Major William the whig party and the birth of the Repub- viii] The temptation is to read into all of this Dickey who wrote a letter to a Woodstock, lican Party.[Maine Register 1891, p 107] that Fr, Dionne got ground in the grist mill N.B. newspaper expressing favor of Fr. The point of it all is that the difference of American Know-Nothing thread-mill. Dionne work in the area of education here. between Fr, Dionne and Fr. Gosselin was In between St. Bruno and Ste. Luce both Madigan and dickey were Democrats. not one against the other, but their differing there developed the Mount-Carmel Mission Father Dionne's letters to Governor Hubbard perception of politics. Fr Gosselin's experei- cited above when Irishmen Madigan, Rice [Chase, Henry, "Representative Men of ence in politics lay with Fredericton and and Fitzpatrick sweet-talked Fr. Langevin Maine", Lakeside Press, Porland, Me 1893 Fr. Dionne's ties to politics lay in Augusta. int a reluctant acceptance of the Amer- pp. xxix has a portrait of Gov. Hubbard when Msgr. Fitzpatrick asked both pastors to ican reality in the affairs of the catholic speaks favorably of Democrats, Shepard have their church wardens deed their parish church in the St. John Valley of Maine.

6 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2015 Un aperçu du passé... A glimpse into the past... Par/by Trefflé Lessard Waterville, ME Posing in front of the Waterville post office in Posant devant le bureau de poste à Waterville dans 1943, we have the parochial school St. Francis de l'année 1943, nous avons l’école paroissiale St-François de Sales, drum and bugle corps. The young boy at the sales corps de tambours et clairons. Le jeune garçon au centre center of the first row is only 11 years old and is a de la première rangée n’a que seulement de 11 ans et il est un fourth grade student. It was an all boys' school, and étudiant de la quatrième année. C'était seulement une école de taught by the Brothers of Christian instructions. The garçons, enseignés par les Frères d'instructions chrétiennes. Le nom de ce jeune membre de corps est Trefflé Lessard. name of this young corps member is Trefflé Lessard.

The young boy who is standing in the This young student manufactured a this young man was offered 3 jobs, one at center of the first row is only 11 years old. small 16 tooth steel gear and including a the Bath Ironworks, another at the Saco He completed parochial schooling up to the steel rack that the gear could be driven onto. Lowell shop and another at Keyes Fibre Co. 8th grade then went onto the 9th grade at Plus two single teeth fly cutters to machine in Waterville where he accepted a 4 year the local Junior high school and after that the gear and rack. The next step is that this machine tool apprenticeship. Eventually, he continued through senior high school. young student had to compose a speech re- overtime became a 1st class journeyman During his senior year in 1952, this garding his project that had to be presented at machinist and stayed with this company young student was involved in studying the competition. At the end of every school for 45 years. He then retired on January 1st machine tool technology. In the spring of day this student approached the English 1997. It is now the year 2015. This young that year, the state of Maine organized a teacher who also taught public speaking so boy who was only 11 years old marching in competition called Maine Future Apprentice that he could practice his speech and acquire the drum and bugle corps and today is now Competition. This student’s shop teacher her critiques. At the completion of the com- only 82 years young and would still enjoy saw a potential in his student and encouraged petition this young student took first place. participating in a drum and bugle corp. his student to participate in the competition The judges were engineers from and this student chose to enter and compete. different Maine mills and shipyards and (More from Maine see page 14) 7 Le Forum Compère Bouki pi Compère Lapin. A Franco-African Folktale. Par Kent Beaulne dit Bone, pas Os - Vieille Mine au Missouri What does West Africa have in com- They were always trying to outsmart, or mon with the Créoles of the St Francis cheat each other, with Lapin usually get- Mountains of S. E. Missouri? Well pay ting the best of Bouki. I knew right away attention, and I’m gonna explain it to that Lapin was a Wabbit, but couldn’t find you. Cette psite histoire est un peu com- bouki in any dictionnaire français. Ma pliqué, il faut faire attention, vous autres. grand-mère Ida Portelle m’a dit, Bouki est The area between Potosi, Old Mines un autre lapin. Hmmm j’ai cru. Others said and Richwoods, Missouri was an outpost he was some kind of animal but couldn’t of surviving French identity in Upper describe him, or even the devil. After a Louisiana well into the 20th century. This few years of wondering about this, quite is where the language, the culture, and the by accident, I found out what a bouki was. stories were still thriving in the 1930s. It is While doing some digging at the be noted that the now archaic word negro, important to note that Indian, and African County Library in Potosi I found an 1895 was a perfectly respectful word at the time. slavery was part of the history of Fran- book Louisiana Folk-Tales by Alcèe Fort- Fortier included 42 tales in his book, co-Spanish Louisiana, and therefore a part ier. M. Fortier was Professor of Romance 15 are Bouki pi Lapin stories. Mr. Fortier of this story. There were still French speak- languages at Tulane University, Nouvelle explains that bouki is an African word for the ing Blacks in the area in the early 1900s, Orleans. He was also first president of the hyena, specifically the Oulof or Wolof lan- most of them the descendants of slaves. American Folk-Lore Society. His book is a guage of Senegal. Many Africans brought « Ah ben, c’est bon de vous dzire. collection of stories collected among the old to the Louisiana Colony were captured in Ah well, it’s good to tell you”. That’s how West Africa. These stories were collected, the old French folktales started. None and written in the Créole dialect, which is a of that “Once upon a time stuff”, icitte, mixture of an African tongue, and French. non. Although the majority came from There is an English translation of each Canada, and France, there are a few that story, making them available to everyone. did not. Dozens of these stories had been The Créole dialect is still spoken handed down for generations, here in the by both whites and blacks, in parts of hills of Washington County, ancienne- Louisiana, as well as the island nation of ment, Pays des Illinois, haute Louisiane. Haiti. The word Créole in another context I first heard these stories in americain, is the name given to a person of French or as the old francophones here called En- mixed French ancestry, born in the huge glish. Later I was told them en français. Louisiana Colony, regardless of what In the age before radio, and television, language they speak. Although the term house parties, with live music, dancing, “Pawpaw French” is the most common and storytelling were the principle modes term heard today, in the 1930s, the tiff min- of entertainment. Being an isolated ru- ers still referred to themselves as Créoles. ral area, electricity did not come to most A decade and a half before Mr. For- homes off the main roads until the 1940s, tiers’, efforts, similar stories were collected and in some cases the 1950s. Imagine the from English speaking Black folks in the miners sitting on piles of tiff (barite) at the south by Joel Chandler Harris, a Journal- diggings, or on the porches of their log ist from Atlanta. In writing his stories he houses, listening to these vieux contes by recreated the dialect he remembered when kerosene lamp. Although they may seem he lived at a plantation in Georgia in 1862. like simple children’s tales to today’s more French speaking, black folks of Louisiana. He patterned Uncle Remus after a cou- sophisticated audiences, but they often Here is a part of the introduction from that ple of elderly black storytellers he knew. purvey a message on morality, and good 1895 book; “It is very difficult to make a From UncleRemus.com; “On July behavior, and like the Loony Tunes © complete collection of the negro tales, as 20, 1879 an undersized thirty-year old characters, the grownups liked them too. the young generation knows nothing about journalist from Atlanta known as Joel Harris There was a series of contes known them. It is a strange fact that the old negroes began a journey from relative obscurity to as Compère Bouki pi Compère Lapin. As do not like to relate those tales with which interregional fame. On that day the Atlanta far as I could tell, compère meant partner they enchanted their little masters before the Constitution published the young copy ed- or buddy, as Bouki and Lapin were usually war. It was with great trouble that I succeed- itor’s “Story of Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Fox as partners on some project in these stories. ed in getting the following stories.” It should (Continued on page 9) 8 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2015 (Compère Bouki pi Compère Lapin. good score of persons [at Prairie du Rocher ben”, Uncle Ben says. “ Ça c’est un autre A Franco-African Folktale. IL, and Ste. Genevieve MO] who still speak histoire.” Et voilà, Carrière got his stories. continued from page 8) French fluently and are intimately acquaint- His son, who we called Joe Ben, was told by Uncle Remus” Within months, mag- ed with the customs and traditions of an age fluent in the local French. He related that azines across the country were reprinting long past. It is impossible to reconstruct with Mr. Carrière would bring them presents, his tales, and after more than 1,000 written any degree of accuracy the social history of and always had a bottle of wine, to loosen requests for a collection, the first Uncle an ethnical group practically extinct merely up the tongues of his story tellers. His Remus book was published in Nov, 1880. from the study of a few scattered individuals daughter, Leona Thurman of Potosi had At the time, Harris said his purpose was not who have, for some mysterious reasons, her dad’s autographed copy of the Car- ethnology, or folklore analysis, but simply survived a movement of assimilation rière book, which she let me make a copy. documentation.” As a result of his Uncle completed almost a half-century ago. The Unlike the Uncle Remus book, the Remus book, millions of Southerners grew reader will understand readily my emotion audience for the Carrière collection was up with them, and they became a part of the when in Old Mines, Missouri I came into very limited. With the impending death of collective folk-lore of the South. I remember contact with an isolated group, practically the language they were told in, the stories hearing some of them, back when I was unknown to the outside world. I found nearly died out here. His book contains 73 pup. These books are still available, on line. six-hundred French speaking families living contes, written in French, in a phonetic way In the 1970s, talk about a Mr. Carrière in this community. As a native of Canada, as to be able to hear exactly how the miners who had come down from le Canada, was I was at once welcomed into their midst spoke. For the bizarre looking script to make still floating around the community. He had by the Creoles, since the tradition of their sense, it is necessary to read the stories out collected the old stories in a book, and the Canadian origin has been handed down loud, to hear them. Simply looking at them, songs on a wax cylinder recording machine from father to son, and is still quite alive.” they seem garbled. There is an English that fit snuggly into a round-top metal lunch He spent two summers in the tiff synopsis at the beginning of each story. box, so common at the time. Although nev- mining country in 1934 and 35. According So now we have collections of Af- er really lost, his recording machine and to his daughter Henrietta, he even brought rican Folk-Tales from three regions, in cylinders were eventually discovered by his wife once, for a visit. He must have the styles of Southern English, the Creole researchers. They were stored at the Uni- seemed at first a peculiar fellow to the rough dialect of Louisiana, and Missouri French. versity of Southwest Louisiana, at Lafayette. tiff miners, highly educated, dressed in his Most of the Bouki pi Lapin contes are The library of Congress made magnetic tape white clothes, and a Panama hat, but he humorous, with Bouki being the dupe, and copies, so that they are now in the Public spoke their language. He showed up at the Lapin coming out on top. While reading Domain, meaning no individual can claim Paco Boyer store looking for French-speak- them Bugs Bunny immediately popped into ownership of the material. I am lucky to ers. He met Pete Boyer who showed him my head. With Daffy Duck taking the place have many of them as MP3 in my collection. around. He found lodging at the home of of the Bouki, I can imagine him saying to Joseph Médard Carrière was a native Miss Suzzie Coleman. His principal con- Lapin, “your diths-picable”. It might be that of Curran Ontario, and at the time, a pro- teurs were Joseph Ben Colman, and Frank the guys at Warner Brothers who came up fessor at Northwestern University, Chicago. Bourisaw. When Mr. Carrière first showed with Bugs and Daffy, grew up hearing Uncle He eventually settled at the University of up at the diggings asking Joseph Benjamin Remus. An idea to pursue. If my memory Virginia, where he taught until his death in Colman to tell him stories, Uncle Ben told serves me correctly, Bugs Bunny even did a 1970. The introduction to his book, Tales him “I don’t have time for that, I’ve got version of the Tar Baby. Upon meeting her From The French Folk-Lore of Missouri a family to raise.” He was a widower. he says “What’s up Doc”? When she doesn’t states; “I was fortunate in meeting with a When Carrière responded, “Je peut payer, answer him, he gets pissed and slaps her, get-

Joseph Médard Carrière with his miners at Old Mines (Continued on page 10)

9 Le Forum (Compère Bouki pi Compère Lapin. Their mother, upon discovering this crime, in fact African stories their ancestors had A Franco-African Folktale. continued cons him into putting his head in her lap so learned from their slaves. Over time, and with from page 9) she can delouse him. Upon falling asleep in the abolishment of slavering in 1865, these ting first one, than all four paws stuck to the her lap, she cuts his throat in revenge. This stories blended into the collective memory cute gal with the dress and straw hat. Lots of is the true nature of the hyena, cunning, and of their European, and Canadian heritage. folks should remember the classic trickster bloodthirsty. Hyenas run in packs at night, It would be interesting to know if line from Rabbit. “Oh please don’t throw me and can kill an adult lion if persistent enough. any stories from the Indian ancestors’ in the briar patch, throw me down the well.” One day in 1980 at the Potosi home of became part of the Créole repertoire. So depending on the version, the farmer, fox, Ida Portell; While “looking at the TV” as she Be sure and check out our websites or bouki, threw Rabbit in the briar patch, used to say, a hyena came into view. I said to and face books; which is exactly where he wanted to be. her, mais gardez donc, ça c’est un bouki. She Old Mines French, and L’Aca- In one story from the Louisiana, 1895 says “pew, il est laid, comme le guiable”. démie Français du Pays des Illinois. Fortier book where Lapin is not included, (he is ugly as the devil). It is important to Next time; the story of Bouki pi Lapin Bouki is a very malicious creature. The remember, no one who told these stories in growing wheat together. Lapin is lazy and has parents of three daughters kept them in a tree Missouri for 300 years, knew what a bouki to leave to be a god-father, more than once. house for safety. The sly Bouki after being was, nor had seen or could describe a hyena. Bouki is stuck working in the heat. What rejected many times by the daughters finally Now after hearing the stories all her life, Lapin is doing, is sneaking into the cellar of convinces them into pulling him up in the she finally got to see what he looked like. Bouki house, eating his butter, and stealing basket used for hauling up their food deliver- So what the Missouri Créoles thought water. When Bouki finds out, he makes a ies. He then murders them while they sleep. were French or Canadian folk-tales, are catin de gomme, to catch and punish him.

C Ray Brassieur has written a biography of Joseph Medard Carrier. Ward Allison Dorrance some stories, and a glossary of unique words and terms in his Survival of French in the Old District of Ste Genevieve. 1935 University of Missouri Rosemary Hyde Thomas, It’s Good To Tell You, 1981 University of Missouri Press A retelling of these stories, in French with English versions. Drawings by her husband Ron Thomas.

Kent Beaulne dit Bone et Brad Cormier de Montreal, a Vieille Mine. A band stage I built for a local historical organization

10 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2015 Canada or now in the United States. Click Upper Saint John Valley on the name you are interested in, and that (Northern Maine and Northwestern New person’s plot will fill the screen next to the list. The image will be overly zoomed in; Brunswick) Historical Land Grant Database use the zoom out button to see where the land is in the Valley. On the image will be a By George L. Findlen, CG, CGL small box. Click on the word “Details.” The Madison, WI representatives of the two governments who ily members who have lived in the Valley surveyed were supposed to get depostions The 2014 Congrès Mondial Acadien should pay attention to this exhibit: it is from current occupants claiming posses- (World Acadian Reunion) took place in the their story. Two, the website version of the sion of a lot. The Canadian ones survived. Upper Saint John Valley on the Maine--New exhibit has a searchable version of the land The American ones have yet to be found Brunswick border in August. The three- grants made following the Webster--Ashbur- and may not have survived. If the plot is week event was filled with cultural, histor- ton Treaty. The paragraphs below will show on the American side, the “depositions” ical, religious, and entertainment events. how to locate a family in the database and field in the small box will be empty. If the The core of the CMA was a series of family how to use the information found there with plot is on the Canadian side, start grin- reunions, 120 of them, which included some other resources in order to track a family ning in delight. The detail is beyond rich. Yankee and Quebec names, since they and (some, not all) from 1845 forward in time. Here is an example of a depo- Acadians have intermarried over the years. Start by going to the website at www. sition which supplies the equiva- A delightful part of the CMA was an expoatf.ca. Once at the website, click on lent of a four-generation title search: exhibit at the Musée historique du Madawas- “Retrouvez votre famille sur la carte” (Find “Angelique Martin” : I claim land ka (Madawaska Historical on the River Saint John. Joseph Museum) on the University Martin on the upper side and of Moncton campus at Ed- Simon Martin on the lower mundston. Titled “Disputed side. I have been in possession Boundaries and Rediscov- twenty years since my husband’s ered Families,” the ten-stop death. He had possession twen- exhibit tells the story of the ty two years before his death. Acadians which led to the My husband bought it from his settlement of the Upper Saint father. He bought it from Louis John Valley starting in 1785, Mercure. There was a house and the conflict leading to the barn on it and about forty acres Webster--Ashburton Treaty cleared when my husband died. of 1842, the implementation I have lived on it since his death. of Article IV of that trea- He left nine children Simon, Ba- ty which acknowledged the sile, Paul, Marguerite, married grants of 1792 and 1794 and to Benoni Terriault, Lateque the possessory claims of those who had your family on the map). You will be taken married to Sifroy Michaud, Celeste, married settled land prior to the treaty, and finally to a different website at the Universite de La- to Louis Albert, and Judique married to the conflict between Quebec and New val. I recommend leaving the default settings Phillipe Violette. Simon has land given to Brunswick on their boundary which was on the upper right corner with a checkmark him by his father. Basile and Paul live with finally settled in 1851. A richly illustrated at OpenStreetMap and at Mosaïque. The first me. (Deed Louis Mercure to Simon Martin catalog of the exhibit was published as a places the plat maps over their proper geo- £10 dated 1st July 1792) [Lots fronting separate issue of the Revue de la Société graphic location, and I find the orientation on the River Saint John commencing at historique du Madawaska 42 (January – helpful. The second gives you the plat maps. the mouth of the Madawaska River and June 2014) and is available online in both (A technician georeferenced each lot on the extending downwards, Allotment No. 1, French and English at www.expoatf.ca/en/ plat maps drawn in the 1840s so that each Examination date: 1845. Madawaska Grant exposition. The museum plans to retain the plot is exactly where it should be today.) Book, page 158. Commissioners' remark: online exhibit as a regular part of its website. The bottom right contains the zoom in and The examinations relating to this tract as far Genealogists throughout North Amer- out buttons which will remain on all images as Lot no. 72 were taken in the year 1845, ica whose Acadian or Quebec ancestors once and which you will have to use. The upper except where it is otherwise expressed To lived in the Upper Saint John Valley should left has the Recherche (Search) button. Click recommend a Grant to the widow for life, be excited for two reasons. One, it tells the on that. That is where all the fun begins. and then to the heirs “except Simon”.] history of the Upper Saint John Valley in Type the surname you want to re- By clicking on the small gold star ten graphic panels. Visitors learn as much search in the Recherche (Search) box and below the box, you can make the box dis- or more from what they see as from what tap the Enter key on your keyboard. That appear or return. Note where the house was they read without having to plow through will produce a list of all individuals of located in the mid-1840s. The road on the 300 pages of text. Yankees and Quebecers that surname who received a deed to land map is likely where the old Rue Principal as well as Acadians who have distant fam- regardless of whether the land was now in (Continued on page 12) 11 Le Forum (Upper Saint John Valley (Northern five acres and built a house and Maine and Northwestern New Brunswick) barn on it. He lived on it till his Historical Land Grant Database continued death about three years ago. He from page 11) left twelve children, Benoni, Mariance married to Jean Bte (Main Street) is today. By going to the Michaud. Salomé married to map of the 1792 grants, you can see Louis Michael Terriault, Louisette, Mercure’s plot (then no. 37) straddling the Elizabeth, married to Barthélemi Iriquois River in what is today Madawaska Bourgoine, Angelique Marie, County, New Brunswick. By going to the Vital, Rémi, Léonore, Basile and Crown Land Grant Map for the area, you Christie. Benoni has his share can see the same lot (now no. 34) superim- of the property given to him by posed on a topo map showing today’s roads. his father. The children that are The first thing this deposition does not married live with me. [Lots is supply the chain of ownership—the title fronting on the River Saint John search, if you will—over the pevious 52 commencing at the mouth of the Madawaska Brunswick in Fredericton, New Brunswick. years: Louis Mercure to Simon Martin to son River and extending downwards, Allotment Lest I make all readers think their [Simon] Martin to wife Angélique [Cyr] and No. 60, Examination date: 1845. Madawas- ancestors all have delightful depositions to their son Simon. By culling Martin entries ka Grant Book, page 184. Commissioners' giving property ownership history and early in the parish register for Saint Basile (avail- remark: To all the heirs except Mariance, probate information, take a look at any entry able on microfilm via inter-library loan from wife of Jean Bte Michaud, subject to for the American side, where depositions the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick widows dower Salome died in April 1847 do not appear to have survived. Nada. and digitally in the “Acadia, Canada, Vital leaving two daughters Sophie & Marguerite] Nothing. A search through the microfilm and Church Records” database in the Drouin Benoni Martin : I claim a share in the at the Maine State Archives will produce Collection on Ancestry.com), you can get property left by my father Benoni Martin. I the surveyor’s notes outlining the proper- the baptisms (births), marriages, and burials bought the right of my sister Mariance, the ty, and they will supply an owner’s name (deaths) for each of those generations. By wife of Jean Baptiste Michaud. My sister as of their visit in the mid-1840s, but the going to the Services New Brunswick office Salomé, the wife of Michael Terriault died rest is up to the descendant to work out. in Edmundston, descendants will be able to last April. She left two daughters named That said, the resulting map (Hamlin track the sales of that lot and its owners to the Sophie and Marguerite. (Deed Jean Bap- Plantation—Township Letter G, Range 1— present day from the deed granted occupants tiste Michaud, and Mariance his wife to in my case) coupled with the 1877 Roe and following the Webster-Ashburton Treaty Benoni Martin $100 dated 16th April 1846. Colby Atlas of Aroostook County, Maine of 1842. Note the date that Simon Martin, Acknowledged before L. R. Coombes J. some 32 years later show changes in lot youngest son of Jean-Baptiste Martin and Peace) described this Being the same land ownership. A visit to the Northern Aroos- Marie Brun, purchased the land from Louis the said Benoni Martins mother now occu- took Registry of Deeds in Fort Kent will Mercure. Descendants now have an estimate pies, and is known as the homestead farm of enable descendants to trace those changes of when he moved his family up to the the said Benoni Martins late father”: [Lots from 1845 to the present day. And a careful Madawaska Settlement from Central Kings- fronting on the River Saint John commenc- combing of entries for that ancestor in the clear further down the Saint John River. ing at the mouth of the Madawaska River parish registers of Saint Basile followed by The second thing this deposition does and extending downwards, Allotment No. a careful combing of entries for the same is establish who still has inheritance rights 60, Examination date: September 1847. ancestor in the parish registers of Saint upon Angélique’s death. The deposition Madawaska Grant Book, “pages 184-185”] Bruno (eastern part of the Upper Saint John amounts to a pre-probate listing of heirs. Note on the map where the houses Valley) after 1838 or Sainte Luce (Western Note the last sentence of the record, listing are located. They are close to the river, part of the Upper Valley) after 1842 will en- the commissioners’ recommendation in the medium of transportation, the first able descendants to identify which ancestor accord with inheritance law of the time. “highway” if you will. Bénoni, brother-in- was the owner of a lot as of the mid-1840s. None of this information is available law of Angélique Cyr in the first example We Acadian and French-Canadi- to researchers elsewhere unless they visit above, has worked the lot since about 1822. an researchers are spoiled. We expect the Provincial Archives of New Bruns- Marie-Rose [Cyr] is most careful to list everyone in our family tree to be in an wick in Fredericton, New Brunswick. her children who have yet to receive their abstract of marriages. We don’t bother Here is another example of a inheritance, identifying who (Bénoni’s son with the story of our family. By visiting deposition which supplies the equiv- Bénoni) has already received it, and the this rich website, we get into that sto- alent of a pre-probate document: one child who died before receiving her ry, and it is very much worth our time. “Marie Rose Martin”: I claim land inheritance but has two daughters who have on the River Saint John for the heirs of my a right to half of their mother’s inheritance. The author thanks Allen Doiron, late husband Benoni Martin. André Martin Note also the commissioners’ remark ac- French Archivist, Provincial Archives of on the lower side, and Benoni Martin, my knowledging the inheritance law of the time. New Brunswick, and Christien Michaud, son, on the upper side. My husband had Again, none of this information is Curator, Madawaska Historical Museum, possession of the land forty years. He took available to researchers elsewhere unless University of Moncton at Edmundston, it all in woods. He cleared about twenty they visit the Provincial Archives of New for confirming the accuracy of this article. 12 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2015 THE HERMIONE, THE SHIP THAT REUNITED LAFAYETTE & WASHINGTON AND SEALED OUR FREEDOM, SAILS AGAIN FOR AMERICA. THE CASTINE HSITORICAL SOCIETY AS DESIGNATED HOST WELCOMES HERMIONE TO CASTINE, MAINE ON BASTILLE DAY JULY 14TH, 2015 2015 Summer Exhibit The French Frigate & the British Fort

L'Hermione & "Magabagaduce" in 1780 -- L’Hermione brought Lafayette to aid America during the Revolution- ary War, and then the ship sailed up the coast to spy on the British garrison at "Magabagaduce," later Castine. Find out why and learn about the adventures of the replica frigate at the exhibit, opening Friday, June 12, 2015.

Tuesday July 14, 2015 Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Parade of Ships Public Tours of the Hermione Castine Waterfront Castine Waterfront 2:00-4:00pm 9:00am - 4:00pm Parade of Boats accompany the Hermione; Hermione arriving Public visits will ticketed, with information forthcoming. Please approximately 4pm read on for timing of visits on Wednesday. No public tours on board on Tuesday. Visit the Castine Historical Society's website Welcome Parade for more information: http://www.castinehistoricalsocietyher- Main Street mione.org/ 6:00pm Welcome Parade down Main Street from the Castine Historical Festival continues at the town dock Society to the Waterfront. Castine Waterfront 9:00am - 10:00pm Welcome Ceremony Festival continues at the town dock: Castine Waterfront • Waterfront Festival All day and evening 6:30pm - 10:00 pm • Maine-made vendors, food booths, wine & beer tasting 6:30pm: Welcome Ceremony on the Waterfront • Stage and tent at the town dock with Acadian, French and 9:00pm: Fireworks traditional American music, dance, storytelling, interactive art projects, outdoor film screening A Bastille Celebration on the Waterfront • Tent and stage on the Commons adjacent to CHS with music, Castine Waterfront dance, storytelling, art projects, film screenings 11:00am - 10:30pm • Educational programs at local & neighboring schools A Bastille Celebration on the Waterfront featuring: Fran- • Local stores, galleries, inns and restaurant special offerings co-American and Acadian music, dance, storytelling, local and • Historical kayak, boat and walking tours Maine made vendors, delicious food and drink. • Additional lectures, concerts & events sponsored by local organizations. 13 Le Forum From MARTHA’S MEMOIRS Mémère Cyr

by Martha Cyr Genest Van Buren, ME When my Mother was married, she clear around and sit her in bed with her feet left her home in Cyr Plantation to live in resting on a foot stool. She was banked with she have written some of those lovely tales; town with my Father’s parents. What a good pillows and two homemade chairs, making a “Le Conte de la Rose”, “L jument Blanche” devoted wife and mother our dear Mother back rest. This made her very comfortable and so many stories, which would start was. To take care of Grandmother, one and would ease her back. Sometimes one like this: “C’est pour vous dire, qu’une had to really love nursing, as the dear lady of us would bring a small pig or chicken fois,” (this is to tell you, that once upon was so crippled, she could not even lift a for her to see. Other times the men would a time) and we would all be so quiet, that finger, her legs were bent at the knees. She bring a small animal in her room. Late one could hear a pin fall. What a lovely was helpless in every way, she could not afternoon she could see through the dining baby sitter she was. She would always even chase a fly from her face. She kept room window from her room and watch finish her stories by a beautiful ballad. the best sense of humor through all this. for the men and the team of horses coming As soon as one of us could read, and What a saintly Gramma she was to back from the fields near the river with a I mean read, as in our home, children were suffer in silence, not even ask for someone load of potatoes, hay or oats. There was not taught before they went to t school. We all to give her water when she was thirsty. much on the farm that Mémère would have could read when very young. I think we She would wait until Mother was through reacted to all these modern conveniences. should thank our dear grandparents, aunts with her household work or had fed the She would not have wanted to use them. I and uncles for the education we had when small children. I can still hear Mémère remember one year when the altar for the very young. Also for Mémère, who every Cyr say: “Alice, do not give me any dinner, Corpus Christie Procession was up our way, night after the story hour, would have one you are so busy making “plogues”, you we tried to have her brought to the front of us read her a few chapters from one have a child in your arms all day. Give window to watch the Blessed Sacrament o the prizes we had won at the Convent the school children and the men their din- go by, she said; “No, let me stay here, if school. They too contained many stories ner, (dinner was the noon meal in those God had wanted me in front, he would have and legends, what treasures these were. days) and just give me a little square of given me the power to did it by myself.” Many times some students would cheese, that will keep me until supper time. Mémère’s handicap did not prevent come to our house and ask her for a lock All she could do was hold her rosary, her from having the best sense of humor. of hair to make into a little tree or some after one of us had put the cross between Her smile and her lovely voice made us all piece of jewelry. She had long silver hair her right hand thumb and first finger and feel good. What a repertory of lovely folk and all her teeth. Studetns could come to then twine it in the other hand so she could songs and lullabies she would sing for us, speak to her to find out about how things pull the beads, which she did many times especially during the winter months. We were done on the farm. She had a small a day. I will always remember, right after would all sit in her room, quiet as mice, cutter in her chest with other souvenirs. She breakfast she would say, “Come and give me while she continued one of her lovely explained how the straw was grown. This my Rosary and I will hear Mass and pray for stories about giants, witches or legends of little gadget was used to cut the straw in four you all”. We children would never go and long ago. Years after when we had story parts,then it was braided for hats. Almost bother her then. It was the same after the books and Mother Goose rhymes, I always everything we needed was done on the farm. noon meal, my Grandfather or my Father wondered if our Mémère had lived, would We were so privileged to have Mémère would run her over on the other side of the Cyr, we used to run to her room any time we bed facing the wall and then she would pray had a question to ask or a quarrel to settle. again and probably sleep a while. Later in the afternoon, when my Mother had work to do, and the baby was awake, Mémre would say “Alice bring me the baby and put him in my back and I will rock him to sleep.” She could wiggle a little so the spring would bounce and the baby would go to sleep. In those days people in small towns did not have store bought beds, mattresses and springs, we had straw filled “paillasses” for mattresses. Our Mémère had a home- made mattress filled with warp and cotton batting, she also had a spring as I can remem- ber. Before supper somebody would turn her Marguerite Cyr near her home 14 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2015 N.D.L.R. Ceci est le treizième installment de poupée pour les plus grandes. Waterbury L’exilé par Alice Gélinas. Voir la Frisé avait toujours l’intention d’aller prochaine édition de Le Forum pour plus.) vivre à Sherbrooke. Il était à sa retraite, et il disait: “Ici, à Watervury, il n’y a rien à faire pour les gens âgés”. Waterbury En allant visiter sa famille à Sher- brooke, il avait eu l’occasion de voir les L’exilé Clubs de L’Âge d’Or, là où se tenaient les par gens d’un certain âge. Alice Gélinas Il avait deux soeurs et trois frères en Waterbury, CT Canada, et il était éligible à la pension. L’avantage aussi du plan de santé En 1971, Paul s’est acheté un terrain pour tout le monde: soins médicaux payés. pour se bâtir une maison neuve. Nicole m’a Avec sa pension des États Unis et celle de la fait visiter leur emplacement. C’était au bout Rubber Shop, à l’entendre parler, il vivrait y avait une petite épicerie et une pharmacie de Steele Avenue dans Wollcott. Le lot n’était comme un roi à Sherbrooke. pas trop loin. pas défriché. Il y avait du travail à faire, Il allait à tous les clubs, fit parti des Plus tard, Irène et Fernand se sont mais leur projet a abouti et il a bâti sa mai- voyages organisés pour les gens de son âge. installeés dans le coin. Ça me faisait de la son avec trois chambres à coucher, un grand Il aimait bien cela, sauf qu’il s’ennuyait de compagnie. salon et une grande cuisine, plus une grande sa petite famille. Il venait pour les premières Nicole et les filles sont venues tout salle de jeux et un garage à deux places. communions, graduations, etc. arranger pour moi. J’étais encore capable C’était une maison magnifique! Il Il arrivait en autobus. de prendre de longues marches dans le parc y avait un bassin dans la cour arrière et en La maladie l’a rejoint, lui aussi. Il Beecher Road et Meriden Road. hiver, ça devenait une patinoire. Tous les fut opéré pour un cancer d’intestin et il a J’allais à la messe avec Irène et Fer- enfants du voisinage étaient nand. On jouait aux cartes. bienvenus. Rosa et Alex sont déménages Plus tard, ils ont eu eux aussi dans le voisinage, une piscine. dans le sous-sol de leur fille: Ils désiraient beau- Lise. coup un autre enfant, car Émile me sortait. Il la famille leur semblait m’amenait manger quelque incomplète. Nicole devint part, et ensuite, on allait au enceinte, mais elle ne Lake Compounce entendre se sentait pas aussi bien Slim Coxx et ses musiciens. qu’aux deux premières. Tout allait bien jusqu’à La température, très ce que je tombe malade: cri- chaude de cet été là, la ses d’angine et aussi, j’étais rendait malade. Elle avait sujette à des maux de ventre. des faiblesses, ce qui m’in- Nicole venait me voir tous les quiétait. Je lui ai acheté un soirs. Les filles venaient sou- air conditionné. La gros- Slim Coxx et ses musiciens vent coucher avec moi. sesse semblait interminable. J’ai été opérée pour la Le 22 Octobre, Lori Danielle vint dû porter un sac sur le côté. Plus tard, il eut vésicle. Pour me rétablir, je suis allée chez au monde. Elle était aussi mignonne une attaque de coeur. Nicole et Paul sont Nicole pour revenir ensuite chez moi. Pen- que ses soeurs et elle avait les ch- allés le voir à l’hôpital. Je suis restée avec dant ma convalescence, Irène est venue et eveux bruns foncés. J’étais avec Mi- les petites, même si elles étaient capables elle m’aidait pour mon déjeuner et j’ai eu chelle et Lynn lorsque Paul a appelé. de se débrouiller. une aide-infirmière qui venait deux fois par Lynn avait huit ans. Je suis demeurée Par la suite, durant leurs vacances, ils semaine. avec la famille une autre semaine, contente allaient le chercher, et ils le ramenaient à Je traînais de la patte. Nicole et Paul, et soulagée que tout se soit si bien passé. Sherbrooke trois semaines plus tard. après s’en être parlé, m’ont proposé de me La tante Évelyne et oncle Marcel Lorsqu’il s’ennuyait, il appelait Ni- faire unh petit appartement dans leur salle Lafrenière furent les parrains. cole. Elle s’est mise à attendre ses appels de jeu. Ils ont fait des dépenses pour faire Avec trois filles, la famille était com- téléphoniques et si parfois il retardait, elle installer une chambre de bain, et des fils plétée. devenait inquiète. électriques pour le poêle et le frigidaire. Je suis allée aider Nicole aussi souvent Moi, j’ai appliqué pour un logement Un samedi, le 29 Novembre 1986, que j’ai pu. Frisé, aussi, venait. Nous étions subeventionné par le gouvernement en rai- un camion est venu chercher mon mobilier. heureux. son de mon âge. Michelle et Bob qui avaient couché chez Il y avait eu un délai de six ans entre Nicole m’en a trouvé un, situé à Ham- moi, m’ont amenée à la résidence de Nicole michelle et Lorie, celle-ci est devenue une ilton Park House sur la East Main Street. Il (suite page 16) 15 Le Forum (Waterbury L’exilé suite de page 15) ressemblait à Émile comme deux gouttes tout: 4,060$. à Wolcott. J’étais tellement contente d’être d’eau. Tant qu’à elle, elle avait reçu une Je n’ai pas d’assurance et l’argent avec du monde. Je n’étais pas prête à vivre bonne éducation, mieux qu’Émile aurait pu passe vite quand on est malade. Par pré- toute seule. Je me sentais perdue, et la lui donner. Une vraie demoiselle, et belle caution, il me fallait mettre mes affaires en solitude me faisait peur. Là, je savais que à part ça! ordre et surtout épargner du trouble à Nicole. j’aurais de l’attention. La famille demeurait une priorité pour Nicole travaillait à des emplis mal Nicole avait posé des rideaux. C’était nous. Tant que mon sang se mêle à leur sang; rémunérés. À Waterbury Motor Inn’ Motel tout installé. Michelle et Bob ont installé des avait dit papa. Office, lorsqu’il y eut un hold-up, elle a été tapis, et après que tout fut rangé, c’était un Nos oncles et nos tantes qui restaient, obligé de donner tout l’argent au cambrio- bel appartement. c’était important. Nous étions allés voir leur. Les policiers sont venus sur les lieux Nicole et Paul ne voulaient pas que je oncle Jacques, à Rivière du Loup. Il était et la nouvelle a fait la manchette dans les paie, mais je ne voulais pas être là pour rien. dans un hôpital, paralysé, assis sur sa chaise, journaux. Elle a été bien chanceuse de s’en Je suis un peu comme papa. Papa insistait corageux et fier. Il a fait un gros effort et il tirer sans avoir été blessée. pour donner une partie de sa pension là où s’est levé debout pour nous montrer qu’il en C’était un travail dangereux et ça il demeurait, car sans cela, il ne se sentait était encore capable. m’inquiétait. pas chez lui. Il se trouvait bien à cet androit. Ger- Elle a pensé retourner à l’école. Elle Nicole a toujours été là pour nous main, son fils, allait le voir à tous les jours. s’est rendue à Porter Institute, pour obtenir deux: Frisé et moi. Elle ne nous refusait Germain était devenu quelqu’un de très les informations: combien ça pourrait lui jamais rien: le docteur, l’hôpital et tout. important à Rivière du Loup. Il dirigeait côuter pour retourner au Collège et se trou- Émile m’a donnée une radio et il a une équipe de télévision. On s’est senti fiers ver un bon travail après. fait mettre un téléphone à la tête de mon d’être de sa parenté. On se disait: “Les Gé- Vu son âge, tout le monde trouvait que lit, en cas de besoin. J’en avais déjà un sur linas, on sort pas d’en dessous d’une bûche!” c’était fou de recommencer l’école. Pour ma table. Il venait me voir régulièrement, Dans les années 1979, on a fait notre cette raison, elle ne voulait pas demander une couple de fois par semaine. Un frère pèlerinage au Grand-Quatre. On voulait d’argent à Paul. bien spécial! revoir la maison de tante Angéline, dont Elle est venue m’en parler. Elle avait Ses cheveux étaient devenus du plus nous gardions le souvenir. La maison était la quarante ans. Je l’ai entièrement appuyée beau gris argent. Les petits, dont nous dernière au bout du rang. On ‘sest arrêtéelà dans sa démarche, et je lui ai dit que je avions pris soin lorsqu’ils étaient plus et nous sommes débarqués de l’auto. m’occuperais des paiements. jeunes: Émile et Rosélia nous dépassaient On regardait la maison qui avait J’ai dit à Paul qu’on ne lui avait pas de quelques pouces de hauteur. représentée, quand nous étions jeunes, l’abri fait apprendre un bon métier. Elle avait été Un jour, je lisais le “Allô Police”. et la protection à la mort de notre mère. coiffeuse, mais avec trois enfants, ça ne mar- Dans ce journal, il y avait une rubrique pour Un beau jeune homme vint à notre chait plus. Elle était obligée de travailler à ceux et celles qui étaient à la recherche de rencontre. On lui expliqua le but de notre la maison, même le soir, parfois. Coupes de leurs parents biologiques. J’aperçus une excursion dans le passé, et d’une affaire cheveux, teintures, permanentes à la maison. petit paragraphe qui disait à peu près ceci: à l’autre, le jeune homme qui se nommait La lotion forte lui avait donné de l’exzéma “S’il vous plaît, maman et papa, si vous Claude Lafrenière, me demanda si je con- aux mains. pensez que je suis votre fille, communi- naissais sa grand-mère: Adrienne Gélinas? En Avril 1987, elle a gradué Secrétaire quez avec moi. Je suis née à l’hôpital de la C’était ma tante! exécutive. Miséricorde à Montréal et j’ai été placée à Nous étions de la même famille! J’ai fait encadré son diplôme et j’en l’hôpital St-Joseph à Trois-Rivières. Mon Avant de m’en venir rester chez Ni- suis bien fière. Les gens venaient voir pour père a payé ma pension. Je n’en sais pas cole, Rosa m’a dit que M. Frigon de Wood- vérifier. plus à votre sujet, sauf qu’à mes dernières tick Memorial Funeral Home vendait des Le premier mai, elle travaillait déjà recherches, il m’a été dit que le nom de mon préarrangements funéraires. On se faisait pour le président de la Chambre de Com- père était Émile”. Je me suis dit: “Peut-être tous vieux et on s’est dit que l’on n’avait merce à Naugatuck. que c’est d’Émile qu’il s’agit”. Je lui ai fait plus de temps à perdre et que ça pouvait être Lynn et Michelle avaient eu leurs parvenir l’article. une bonne idée d’en parler avec M. Frigon. graduations, et elles ont obtenu un emploi. J’ai communiqué avec le journal en Rosa et Alex sont allés en premier, Toutes les deux avaient un ami régulier. question, et une correspondance s’en suiv- ensuite Irène et Fernand et enfin moi. J’ai Elles venaient me voir chaque fois it. On organisa un rendez-vous à la vieille demandé à Nicole de m’y conduire. J’ai qu’elles revenaient de leur ouvrage. église du Cap-de-la-Madeleine. réglé à l’avance tous les détails et j’ai payé. Lori avait grandi et elle venait m’aider Je n’ai pas pu y aller, je relevais de Je me suis sentie soulagé, et Nicole serait assez souvent car je ne me sentais pas bien. maladie. Rosa accompagnait Émile. Par déchargé d’un poids, s’il m’arrivait quelque Si je pleurais, elle me prenait dans ses bras. la suite, elle me raconta à quel point, ce chose. Tout le monde était merveilleux avec moi. fut touchant. Émile a dit: “C’est elle”. J’ai pensé à papa qui disait: “Il y un Nicole venait s’asseoir et jaser pen- Il a passé à travers le monde et elle s’est temps dans la vie où il faut être sérieux et dant des heures avec son tricot. J’aimais approchée. Émile, aussi, marchait à sa ren- envisage ce qui peut arriver”. l’avoir près de moi. contre, et il l’a prise dans ses bras. Elle l’a Irène, Fernand et moi, on s’est acheté Je traversais une longue série de mal- amené chez elle pour lui présenter ses deux un emplacement à Hall Saint’s Cemetery et adie. Quand ce n’était pas une affaire, c’en enfants: un garçon et une fille. Le garçon nous avons commandé nos monuments avec était une autre. Ce fut un temps bien dur. nos noms déjà marqués. Ça m’a coûté en (suite page 17) 16 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2015 (Waterbury L’exilé suite de page 16) Nicole m’a amenée d’urgence, et elle m’a attendue. C’était ma glande thyroïde. On m’en a enlevé la moitié. Quatre mois plus tard, Émile m’a conduit chez le docteur Audet. J’avais du mal et je faisais de la fièvre. Là, j’ai subi une opération: un segment d’intestin me fut enlevé. J’ai été chanceuse malgré tout, de ne pas avoir la même chose que Frisé a eu quelques années auparavant. J’ai commencé lentement à monter la côte. J’avais moins peur de rester seule. La petite famille respirait enfin! Émile nous avait fait peur en Mai 1982. Il avait eu une attaque de coeur. Une opération s’en suivit avec cinq pontages. Irène et Fernand l’ont remplacé com- me sacristain à l’église Ste-Anne, jusqu’à ce qu’il revienne, mais il n’a pas pu retourner Lorie, Nicole, Lynn, Paul et Michelle travailler. 9 Octobre 1987 Je trouvais cela tellement effrayant: que j’ai aimé véritablement) avait fait de bancs. Aux premières notes de musique, les cette grande coupure dans la poitrine et la nous des amis. demoiselles d’honneur, Lorie, Gene, Micky jambe, là où le chirurgien avait passé par les J’avais des cassettes que j’avais enreg- et Michelle, sont apparues. veines pour aller au coeur. istré moi-même avec de vieux chants appris Puis, ce fut la mariée et son père. Il se sentait assez bien pour se prome- à l’oreille et qui dataient de l’époque de mes Nicole les accompagnaient. Lynn était ner dans les alentours. Il m’a prêté un grand parents, d’autres qui étaient à la mode du magnifique! Sa robe à longue traîne, était portrait de famille, qu j’ai suspendu à mon temps de ntore jeuness. Je les écoutais avec garnie de perles. Paul, à son côté, paraissait mur, en me disant de le garder, s’il lui arriv- lui. Il s’en souvenait et ça nous rappelait le bien. Le marié attendait à l’autel avec son ait de partir avant moi. Ce fut son cadeau bon vieux temps, témoin. Il était lui aussi très élégant. d’adieu. Un par un, ses pontages se sont Paul prit la main de Lynn pour la écroulés. Quelle souffrance! Quand sur un air de valse, tu déposer dans la main de Robert, qui a levé Lynn était fiancée, et elle allait se m’avais fait danser son voile pour l’embrasser. J’avais la gorge marier. Elle avait rencontré Robert Rinaldi Et quand cet air de valse, me serrée, c’était plus fort que moi, c’était à son travail, à l’hôpital Ste-Mary. fait maintenant pleurer l’émotion! Après le mariage, le prêtre les a pre- C’était un très bon gars. Il travaillait Tu m’avais dit: je t’aime, et comme agent de sécurité. esentés à l’assemblée. Il sont descendus Tout le monde se réjouisait pour eux. moi, je t’avais cru pour serrer la main de leurs parents. Ils Je n’aurais jamais pensé qu’il vallait autant Car sur cet air de valse, on s’est souriaient. La messe terminée, ils ont reçu de préparatifs pour un mariage. Ils prépara- souvent revu. les voeux de bonheur de tous les invités, et ient un mariage somptueux et ils voulaient ils ont pris des photos. que tout fut parfait. Il m’a demandé une cassette pour Je suis allée les embrasser, leur sou- Elle a eu un beau “shower”. apporter à Sherbrooke. haitant d’être heureux. Quelqu’un est venu Nicole et Paul sont allés chercher Le 9 Octobre 1987, Lynn allait épous- me reconduire à la maison, on se remémorait Frisé, car, depuis son opération, elle ne er Robert Rinaldi. l’événement en revivant chaque moment. voulait plus qu’il voyage seul, en autobus. La journée du mariage, Frisé et moi, Tout le monde est retourné travailler. Les deux semaines qui ont précédé assis dans la cuisine de Nicole, fascinés, Frisé était dans sa dernière semaine le mariage, il a aidé Nicole aux travaux on regardait ce qui se passerait: un spec- de vacance. Émile l’a amené chez lui pour ménager. Il a lavé les vitres et exécuté toutes tacle inoubliable, la beauté des demoiselles une visite. Rosa et Alex, aussi. sorte de “radoux”. d’honneur, le photographe, Paul en toxédo, Il allait au Franco quelques heures, Moi, je faisais le dîner, et nous man- Nicole revêtue d’une robe splendide et la puis il revenait. Ayant trop de loisirs, il de- gions ensemble, Frisé et moi. Nous avions limousine à la porte. On avait jamais vu scendait chez moi et on jouait aux cartes, en des souvenirs communs, et nous parlions de cela. On trouvait tout très beau! attendant le retour de Nicole. Elle préparait tous nos amis et connaissances qu’on allait À l’église St-Pius, J’ai avancé la un gros souper. visiter, jadis en Canada. Il n’y avait plus grande allée avec Frisé et le placier: Bob Le temps passait vite. aucune rancoeur entre nous. Le temps, qui Cyr, l’ami de Michelle. La famille et les Un samedi matin, ce fut son départ. efface tout, (et je ne peux haïr une personne amis prenaient chacun sa place dans les (suite page 18) 17 Le Forum (Waterbury L’exilé suite de page 17) grands brûlés. Il y eut une veillée funéraire de cinq à Nicole et Paul allaient le reconduire à À deux heures dix minutes de la nuit, neuf heures du soir. Nicole et Paul sont allés Sherbrooke. c’est l’hôpital qui appelait Nicole poue chercher Athanase à la station d’autobus. Il Il est descendu dans mon appartement lui dire qu’il avait subit des brûlures au tenait à assister aux funérailles. La photo de et il m’a tendu les bras en me disant: “Est-ce troisième degré sur le trois-quarts de la sur- Frisé était sur sa tombe. Athanase pleurait. que je peux t’embrasser?” face de son corps. Il n’y avait pas d’espoir Rosa m’a dit que Nicole l’avait dans Je suis allée vers lui, je l’ai serré con- de le sauver et les responsable de l’hôpital ses bras, lui entourant les épaules pour le tre moi et je lui ai donné, de bon coeur, un ont demandé à Nicole de lui apporter le consoler. baiser, en lui disant au revoir. réconfort dont il avait besoin. Elle leur a Je suis allée au salon, mais je n’étais Ce fut un moment rempli d’émotion dit qu’elle ne voulait pas qu’il souffre et ils pals restée jusqu’à la fermeture. Bob Cyr et de tendresse pour nous deux. Il a dit: ”Je se sont entendus pour qu’il ait ce qu’il lui m’avait ramenée chez moi. reviendrai au mariage de Michelle”. Puis, fallait pour adoucir ces souffrances. J’ai envoyé des fleurs. il est sorti dehors et il a embrassé toute la À six heures du matin, l’hôpital a rap- La famille de Paul, les Pelletier sont famille. Michelle a dit: “Grand-Pa, Grand- pelé. Il était entré dans le coma. Nicole leur tous venus ainsi que des amis en grand ma est ici!” a demandé si elle avait une chance d’arriver nombre. Mes soeurs et leurs maris, neveux Il a répndu: “Nous nous sommes déjà à temps pour le revoir avant qu’il meure. La et nièces y étaient, sauf Émile qui était à dit au revoir”. réponse fut” “Probablement pas”. l’hôpital. Ce fut trois belles semaines pour Elle s’est tenue assise toute la nuit près Son service fut chanté à St-Pius à moi. Nous avons causé ensemble, si j’ai pu du téléphone. Au matin, elle est descendue Wolcott. faire ma part afin qu’il passe des moments chez moi avec les filles pour me dire que Je me souviens de la petite neige fine agréables pendant le jour où il aurait pu se son père allait mourir et qu’il ne lui restait qui tombait. sentir seul. On ne regrette jamais d’avoir que peu de temps. Nous pleurions tous, en La fin de Frisé! fait plaisir à quelqu’un. pensant à l’horreur de mourir si gravement Ses restes sont placés là où j’irai le Les nouveaux mariés sont revenus de brûlé. Quelle douleur! rejoindre le moment venu à All Saint’s leur voyage de noce et nous étions contents À neuf heures quarante-cinq de Cemetery sur mon emplacement. de les revoir. l’avant-midi, Athanase, son frère a annoncé La famille de Paul se sont cotisés pour Dans l’intervalle, Michelle, qui avait sa mort. Le docteur René Lefebvre a signé offrir une corbeille de fruits. Plusieurs ont toujours partagé la même chambre que Lori, l’acte de décès. C’était le 14 février et le 16, payé des messes. avait hâte de prendre la place de Lynn. la maison funéraire Kane et Fitterly a pris le Après l’enterrement, il y eut un buffet, Elle l’avait arrangé à sa manière et corps en charge. et les convives, par leurs présences, appor- c’était autrement, mais bien jolie. Lorsque Nicole a appelé Frigon de Woodtick taient chaleur et consolation à la famille. Lynn a revu son ancienne chambre, elle s’est Memorial Funeral Home pour leur demand- Puis, chacun est parti. écriée: “Qu’est-ce qui est arrivé à ma cham- er de rapatrier les restes de son père. Elle Athanase prenait l’autobus pour New- bre?” On aurait dit qu’elle venait tout juste désirait qu’il soit enterré par ici. York et ensuite Montréal. Nicole a préparé de réaliser qu’elle avait perdu quelque chose. Enguête de la police, autopsie, passer un bon souper, lui a fait un lunch avec un Je les aimais mes filles! au douane, cela prit onze jours. Dans une thermos à café. Michelle, à son tour, annonça la date pareille attente, tout revient à la mémoire. Elle lui était reconnaissante d’être de son mariage: le 6 Mai 1988. Elle comp- D’après l’enquête de la police de venu, et moi, j’étais contente de l’avoir tait les jours, et au fil du temps, nous avons Sherbrooke et avec le rapport de l’atopsie, ils revu: un vrai gentilhomme. Nicole aimait passé un merveilleux Noël. nont conclu à un accident dans sa baignoire. beaucoup Athanase. J’ai aimé voir la famille réunie autour L’eau bouillante du bain avait coul´´du pla- Dans les circonstances, Nicole s’est la table. Nous avons eu de beaux cadeaux. fond dans l’appartement du bas. montrée à la hauteur. Elles est demeurée Michelle et Bob ont échangé leurs ba- Nicole était dévastée et elle disait: “Il forte malgré la tension. gues de fiançailles, elle a eu un gros diamant est la seule personne qui sait: mon propre Une nuit, elle est descendue chez moi. dans le doigt. Ils parlaient de commencer père, et moi je ne saurai jamais ce qui est Elle s’est assise et elle a éclaté en sanglots, les préparatifs. J’étais heureux pour eux, réeallement arrivé”. S’était-il évanoui? et c’était comme si elle ne pouvait plus s’ar- mais pour moi, ça voulait dire que je ne les Avait-il eu un choc électrique? S’il avait été rêter. Je pleurais avec elle. Elle m’a amenée verrais pas aussi souvent. conscient, il serait sorti du bain! plusieurs fois au cimetière. Je n’oublierai L’hiver m’a toujours semblé trop Avait-il été poussé? Frisé n’entrait jamais ses paroles après l’enterrement de long. Nous avions rejoint Février, les jours plus dans le bain depuis son opération. Il Frisé: “Mon père et ma mère reposeront rallongeaient, le printemps allait arrivé. se lavait à l’éponge. Dans son appartement, ensemble à All St. Cemetery”. Un dimanche, Nicole reçut un appel il y avait un gars qui dormait sur le divan. Elle lui a fait poser une plaque près de de Gemma, la soeur de Frisé, il avait eu un Il a été amené à l’hôpital, mais il était ivre. mon monument. accident! Athanase a dit que Frisé le gardait à coucher, C’était quarante et un ans plus tard. Le voisin de Frisé l’avait immédiate- chaque fois qu’il avait des arguments avec sa J’ai vu dans une boîte de photos, une carte ment avertie, disait-elle et il lui avait dit que femme. Quel mystère! La question restera qui m’était adressée et que je n’ai jamais l’ambulance était sur place. toujours sans réponse. Athanase a dit aussi reçu. Je me demande pourquoi, il ne l’avait Il a été amené à l’hôpital, puis trans- qu’à l’hôpital, il n’avait trouvé aucune trace pas mise à la poste. féré à l’Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal à l’unité des de boisson dans le sang de Frisé. (suite page 19) 18 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2015 the assumption that the audience is familiar The 15th Annual April in Paris at with the original short story, for the three central characters are not introduced to the Cinestudio, Hartford audience. Rather, the short film replicates the spirit of the original short story, com- By Albert J. Marceau, Newington, CT plete with the tragic ending of the fall of Madeleine Usher, and it is shot in a dream- like manner with the superimposition of The fifteenth annual French film Vadim, France and Italy, 1968, 98 min.; La images, and the use of sets that sometimes festival, April in Paris, was shown at Cine- cité des enfants perdus by Marc Caro and resemble a Cubist painting. Like his other studio on the campus of Trinity College in Jean-Pierre Jeunet, France, Germany and performances of previous years, Patrick Hartford, Conn., from Sunday, March 30 to Spain, 1995, 112 min.; and Mars et Avril by Miller of the Hartt School of Music, Uni- Saturday, April 5, 2014. The theme of the Martin Villeneuve, Canada, 2012, 90 min. versity of Hartford, gave an excellent per- festival was “Fantasy/Fantaisie,” and the ten The two introductory silent films are formance on the piano for the silent films. films were: La chute de la maison Usher, based upon the classic short story by Edgar Orphée by Jean Cocteau (1950) is a directed by Jean Epstein, France, 1928, 68 Allen Poe of the same name, “The Fall of reflection of France after World War Two, minutes, plus another silent film,The Fall of the House of Usher.” Unlike the short story, for the poet, Orpheus, played by Jean-Alfred the House of Usher directed by James Sibely which has three characters, the Narrator, Villain-Marais, is torn between the World of Watson and Melville Webber, 1928, U.S.A., the friend of the Narrator, Roderick Usher the Dead, which is socially structured like 12 min.; Orphée by Jean Cocteau, France, and his sister, Madeleine Usher, the version France under the German Occupation, and 1950, 95 min.; Alphaville by Jean-Luc by Jean Epstein has the same three central the World of the Living, which is socially Godard, France, 1965, 99 min.; Yeelen by characters, but Roderick and Madeleine structured like France after the war. In the Souleymane Cissé, Mali, Burkina Faso and Usher are changed to husband and wife. World of the Dead, Orpheus is in love with France, 1987, 105 min.; Le chat du rabbin by Also unlike the original short story, there Death, played by Maria Casares, while in Joanne Sfar and Antoine Delesvaux, France, is a happy resolve at the end of Epstein’s the World of the Living, he is in love with 2011, 89 min.; Holy Motors by Léos Carax, film. The 12-minute short by Watson and Eurydice, played by Marie Dea. The clear France, 2012, 116 min.; Barbarella by Roger Webber was produced and directed with (Continued on page 24)

(Waterbury L’exilé suite de page 18) s’habiller et aider Michelle à revêtir une robe Durant la cérémonie, il y eut un Dans le temps, cela aurait fait une très élaborée. Je ne peux décrire toute cette moment émouvant: le prêtre a évoqué la différence! beauté. J’étais éblouie! Rubans, perles, mémoire des deux disparus: le grand-père de Mais l’important était que nous avions pierres, longue traîne, voile... Michelle et l’oncle du marié. En entendant fait la paix entre nous. Il a été un grand-père Le photographe est venu à la maison. ces paroles, les larmes me sont montées merveilleux. Il a choyé nos filles et leur a Nicole et Paul étaient parfaits. aux yeux. Frisé absent! Il aurait tellement fait de beaux cadeaux. Intérieurement, j’ai pensé à Frisé qui aimé y être. Le prêtre a présenté Michelle La photo de leur grand-père est sur n’était pas là pour regarder avec moi. et Bob à l’assistance et ils sont descendus mon bureau. Le limousine est arrivée et nous som- pour embrasser leurs parents. Rayonnants À peu près en même temps, Robert mes rendus à St-Pius Church ici à Wolcott. de joie, ils acceptaient les félicitations des Cyr, le fiancé de Michelle a perdu son oncle. Cette fois, j’étais accompagnée par le mari invités. La file était longue. Sa famille était eux ausssi plongée dans le de Lynn: Bob Rinaldi. Je me suis retrouvée Je les ai embrassés en leur adressant deuil. Tous les deux faisaient l’expérience à la même place que sept mois auparavant. mes voeux les plus chers. Ils étaient heu- de la perte d’un être cher. La famille est les invités ont pris leurs reux! J’éprouvais moi aussi un grand cha- places, et aux accords de l’orgue, Nicole Nicole et Paul m’ont ramenée à la grin, en pensant à Nicole. s’avança au bras de Bob, et elle prit place maison. Plus tard, j’aurai tout le temps pour J’ai vu à quel point la mort de son père près de moi. les regarder sur le vidéo. l’affligeait, et j’ai compris que les enfants Puis, une à une, dans un mélange de Le couple a quitté pour leur voyage aiment toujours leurs deux parents. grâce et de beauté, les demoiselles d’hon- de noce à Poconos. La vie continuait, et à la maison, les neur ont défilé. Le cortège se suivait et ce Lynn et Michelle était partie! prépartifs de Michelle allaient bon train. fut Lynn: la première demoiselle d’honneur. J’étais seule chez moi. Tout était C’était bien différent de Lynn qui Tout le monde étais si beau! Ensuite... calme. Je regardais la TV. s’était mariée à l’automne. Pour Michelle, tous les yeux se sont tournés vers celle qui Nicole toujours pressée, venait quand c’était un mariage de printemps: différent s’avançait, souriante au bras de son père. même me jaser en partant pour le travail et style de robe, différentes couleurs, différente Comme elle était belle! Paul était fier de le soir en revenant. réception. sa fille. Lorie venait prendre une tasse de thé Elle a eu un shower elle aussi. Elle Le marié attendait avec son témoin: et je la tirais aux cartes. continuait à compter les jours. Tout devait Bruce, son frère. J’aimais mes filles! être prêt à temps! Paul a donné la main de Michelle à Une autre page se tournait. Le 6 mai 1988 est arrivé. Bob, puis il l’embrassa et il est venu rejoin- Les toilette étaient ici. Je les regardais dre Nicole. Leur seconde fille se mariait!

19 Le Forum

Jim Bishop, Yvon Labbé & Peter Archambault (11/30/1994) Some of Peter’s many works of art. Some of which appeared in Le Forum. In particular, his beau & belle frog characters.

20 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2015 More of Peter’s work...

(See more of Peter’s work on pages 22 & 23) 21 Le Forum More of Peter’s work...

22 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2015 More of Peter’s work...

Visit our website for more of Peter’s drawings: http://francoamericanarchives.org/archives/galleries/ beau-frog/?nggpage=6 Merci Peter....RIP! 23 Le Forum (The 15th Annual April in Paris at Cinestudio, and part of it was produced in France, it and the live chicken spontaneously ignites Hartford continued from page 19) is effectively a Malian film, based upon a on fire. In the same scene, while Soma is reference to Occupied France is the use legend of the Bambara people, and the dia- praying to Mari, and calling upon the god to of radio messages that are quotes of po- logue is in the Bambara and Fula languages. burn bushes, dry lakes, and destroy villages, etry, or apparently meaningless sentences, The title “Yeelen” means “brightness” or so he can find his son, a dead tree also spon- and the messages are heard at times by “light” in Bambara. Also the original flyer taneously ignites on fire. Through much Orpheus or Eurydice while listening to a for the film described the film as set in the of the film, we the audience can see two car-radio. Unlike the tragic Greek myth, 13th Century, but one character is shown servants of Soma carrying a large log with- Death agrees to die, and let Orpheus and with a matchlock firearm, which dates no out bark, a kolonkalanni pylon, that seems Eurydice return to the World of the Living. earlier than the 15th Century. The movie to direct the men in the direction towards Alphaville by Jean-Luc Godard (1965) was included in the festival because of the Niankoro. Meanwhile in at least one scene, is a classic of Nouvelle Vague, for it is a role of fantasy, for the film portrays a society Niankoro can see the location of his father mixture of film noir, Cold War spy-thriller, rooted in an animist religion. The film opens by scrying into a bowl of water provided by and sci-fi flick, set in the futuristic city of with a description of fire, as where the sky his mother. The mother, named Mah and Alphaville, which is run by a dictator who and the earth meet, and as a union of heat played by Soumba Traore, advises Niankoro has outlawed poetry and love. The central and light, the last word being the title of the to go to his uncle, named Djigui or Bofing, character, Lemmy Caution, played by Eddie film. Then there is a description of three played by Ismaila Sarr, for protection. One Constantine, is sent to Alphaville to assas- aspects of the Mali religion that are present of the more memorable moments of witch- sinate the dictator, Professor von Braun, in the film. The first aspect is the quest for craft in the film occurs when Soma casts a played by Howard Vernon, and to destroy greater “komo,” or “divine knowledge,” and spell that causes a dog to walk backwards. the computer he built, named I saw Yeelen when it was Alpha 60, which is only heard shown on Tues. April 1, 2014, as a disturbingly scratchy voice- and about 25 years earlier when over, and often with a visual clip it was first shown at Cinestudio. of an electric fan. The other goal It is a difficult film to understand, of Lemmy Caution is to save a produced from a non-European fellow agent, Henry Dickson, culture, with many cultural clues played by Akim Tamiroff, and and references that are lost on as the film goes along, he saves an American audience. In my the daughter of Prof. von Braun, research about the film, and long Natacha von Braun, played by after the discussion that was con- Anna Karina. (Note the standard ducted by Dr. Sonia Lee during plotline of the man saving the the festival, I found references woman, in contrast to Barbarella to Djigui to mean “twin,” which as noted later.) Although poetry is would make Soma the Evil Twin outlawed in Alphaville, Jean-Luc wanting to kill Niankoro, and Bof- Patrick Miller speaks with his colleague, Ira Braus, after his Godard ironically has Alpha 60 performance on piano to the silent film La Chute de la maison ing the Good Twin, who protects speak many lines of poetry written Usher that opened the April in Paris Film Festival on Sun. March Niankoro. Also, the motives of by the Argentine poet Jorge Luis 30, 2014. Both are pianists, and both are professors at the Hartt Soma are not fully explored in Borges. The film ends on a posi- School of Music, University of Hartford. Yeelen, for there are other legends tive note, with proof that Alpha 60 of the birth of Niankoro that are has been destroyed, when Natacha von Braun the seventh and last initiation rite for “komo” not mentioned in the film, legends about expresses her love for Lemmy Caution at the is called a “kôré,” and if one completes the the prophecy that Niankoro would some- end of the film with the line: “Je vous aime.” initiation rite, then one can have a carved day kill his father Soma. This last legend During the discussion of Alphaville board called a “kôré wing,” which is the could be compared with the Greek myths on Mon. March 31, 2014, Prof. Jean-Marc second aspect in the Mali religion that is of Cronus and his son Zeus, or King Laius Kehres remarked on the lack of special portrayed in the film. The third aspect is a and his son Oedipus, for in both, the father effects in the film, in particular, that Alpha “kolonkalanni pylon,” which is used to find learns of a prophecy that the son would kill 60 is just a voice-over, often portrayed as lost things. The central character, Niankoro, the father, so the father tries to kill the son, an ordinary electric fan. No-one answered played by Issiaka Kane, possesses some but in doing so, enables a series of events his rhetorical question of how a sci-fi movie magical powers, and who is apparently on that cause the prophecy to be fulfilled. An could be made without special effects, but a quest for greater magical knowledge, a African audience would likely be familiar the answer that I now offer for the other- “komo,” while his father, called either Soma with the unmentioned legends of Niankoro worldly feel to the film is from the culmina- or Djigui, played by Niamoto Sanogo, is a in Yeelen, so Souleymane Cissé would tion of the quirky storyline, the good acting, shaman who is jealous of his son’s magical not need to mention them in his film. As the unusual editing style and the unusual powers, and who wants to stop his son on such, Yeelen is a well-made film from a visual framing by as directed by Godard. his “komo.” In the second scene of the foreign culture that deserves greater study. Although Yeelen by Souleymane Cissé film, Soma prays to the god Mari to find his Le chat du rabbin by Joanne Sfar (1987), was part of the French film festival, son, and he sacrifices a chicken to the god, (Continued on page 25) 24 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2015 (The 15th Annual April in Paris at Cinestudio, a cave by the old man/beast/satyr, where he film, Oscar plays the accordion, leading Hartford continued from page 24) becomes completely naked. (Forty years a group of accordionists marching and and Antoine Delesvaux (2011), is the only ago, this movie would be rated “X” because somewhat dancing in an empty church, the animated film in the festival. The film is of this scene alone.) But Beauty conquers song “Come With Me Now.” The song is set in Algeria in the 1920s, and the central the Beast, for she gets him sleep in a corner by a South African band called Kongos, character is a cat who is the favorite pet in the cave, without doing anything sexual. and it charted at number one in the U.S. on of a rabbi and his daughter. After he eats I cannot remember how the scene ends, but Billboard’s Alternative Songs Chart in 2014. the family parrot, the cat can speak, and in the next assignment, Oscar plays a father Barbarella by Roger Vadim (1968) is he questions everything, from religion to who is driving his car to pick-up his teenage definitely the product of the 1960s, whether politics, within a society that is a mix of daughter who is at a party. The following France or the United States, for the central Jewish, Arab, and French cultures. Nev- real-life situations become increasingly bi- character is Barbarella, played by Jane Fon- ertheless, since the cat knows he is owned zarre, and by the ninth and last assignment, da, a sexually liberated heroine, who is sent by a Jewish family, he declares to the rabbi, Oscar again plays a father at the end of his by the President of the Earth to rescue Dr. that he would like to become Jewish and long day, who is assigned to perform with Duran Duran, the inventor of the Positron have a bar mitzvah, which is one of the his wife and daughter in an apartment, but Ray, a weapon that cannot fall into the wrong subplots of the film. It is a fun film with his wife and daughter are chimpanzees. hands. (Note the reversal of the typical some serious points on social conventions, storyline, for a woman is sent to rescue a as asked by a thoroughly curious cat. man.) The movie is entertaining visually, Holy Motors by Léos Carax (2012) from the cheese-cake sci-fi suits worn by is one of the strangest and rather dire films Jane Fonda to the sometimes stunning sets of the festival, for the central character, that must have been inspired by comic books named Oscar and played by Denis Lavant, like those of Buck Rogers. Another fun is an actor without a stage, but is assigned point of the film is to see the great French a series of bizarre roles in several wildly pantomimist, Marcel Marceau (1923-2007) different real-like situations. He is driven to act against stereotype in his role as the to each real-life situation in a limousine by a talkative Dr. Ping. (Marcel Marceau is the driver named Céline, played by Edith Scob, stage name of Marcel Mangel, so he is not and her costume is the same as the one she related to your author.) Although the film is wore in her role as Christiane Genéssier, a French production, and Roger Vadim was the wife to the evil Dr. Genéssier in the film a French citizen, and he was Jane Fonda’s Les Yeux sans visage (1960). Scob’s role husband at the time of the production of the as Christiane Genéssier is referenced at the film, nearly all of the dialogue is in English. end of Holy Motors after she parks the lim- As for the cultural impact of the film, readers ousine in a garage, and she puts on a mask who remember MTV in the early 1980s, similar to those worn by the victims of Dr. when it broadcast music and not just real- Genéssier in Les Yeux sans visage. Hence, ity-television shows, should remember the there may be other references to other films English rock band Duran Duran, who took throughout the various roles by Oscar in their name from the character in Barbarella. Holy Motors. In his first real-life situation, Martin Villeneuve, the director and writer La cité des enfants perdus by Marc Oscar leaves the limousine dressed as an of the film Mars et Avril, talks about how Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet (1995) was old woman, who then begs for money on he made his film before an audience at shown in the afternoon of Sat. April 5, 2014 the street. Once this role is over, he returns Cinestudio, at the close of the April in Paris at Cinestudio, and it was the only film in the to the limousine, Céline drives him to the Film Festival, on Sat. April 5, 2014. festival shown from a print, not a digital next assignment, where he performs some I did not see Holy Motors during the image as were the nine other films in the dirty-dancing with a woman, both wearing festival on Thursday, April 3, 2014, so I festival. (Cinestudio is one of a few movie motion-capture suits. (I doubt this scene is have no idea how the film was analyzed theatres in the U.S. that still have film pro- a reference to the American film from 1987, by the undergraduates and other patrons, jectors.) The title alone is ominous, and it is Dirty Dancing, but the phrase is a good and but I had seen it several months earlier at set in a nightmarish world, on the coast of an polite description of what happens in the Cinestudio, and James Hanley of Cinestudio unnamed port city, possibly in the late 19th scene.) After the assignment is over, he remarked to me that Carax referenced the Century or even in the early 20th Century. is driven to the next assignment to portray movie Blow-Up in the third assignment of The sets resemble a future that could have a crippled and violent old man, who is Oscar as the old man/beast/satyr. Blow-Up been envisioned by the French sci-fi nov- blind in one eye, and who kidnaps a model was directed by Michelangelo Antonioni, elist, Jules Verne (1828-1905), and the set during a photo-shoot. During a scuffle, 1966, and it is about a photographer who and costume designs would be called today Oscar as the violent old man, or possibly as discovers that he may have unintentionally “Steampunk.” The hero is a carnival strong- a beast or satyr, bites a finger off the hand photographed a murder, after he enlarges the man and sailor named One, played by Ron of an assistant to the photographer, and the photos that he took of a model in a public Perlman, and the villain is an evil scientist photographer himself never stops shooting park. Carax’s film has had some impact on named Krank, played by Daniel Emilfork. the event. The beautiful model is taken to American culture, for in the middle of the (Continued on page 26) 25 Le Forum (The 15th Annual April in Paris at Cinestudio, booth. (When was the last time you saw a limits of your own reality.” So, is science Hartford continued from page 25) telephone booth?) This turn in the storyline based upon empirical data, or is science the The plot centers on Krank, who kidnaps is not clear to me, and it is not clear as to veneer of philosophical relativism, where children from the streets of the unnamed port why such transporters could be created by one can create a new reality through one’s city, and he experiments on them in order to a society still dependent on spaceships for own imagination? Can one’s imagination steal their dreams, because he is trying to interplanetary travel, for it is clearly men- produce empirical reality? If science is phil- restore his own mind’s ability to dream. The tioned in the film that there is a mission of osophical relativism, how is it different than means Krank is able to kidnap the children is “Marsonautes,” (apparently the name given religion? Although these themes are found through a network of family members who to astronauts who travel to Mars), who are in literature, the two themes of empirical can be concisely described as an assortment in the process of traveling from the Moon science versus imagination and philosoph- of freaks from a freak show, as well as a cult to Mars by spaceship. Maybe the “Mar- ical relativism, and their two conflicting of weird bio-engineered men. One becomes sonautes” will ultimately save Avril and points of view make the film confusing to involved with rescuing the children after his return her to Earth, who knows? The last understand at times. Also, the conflicting adopted little brother, Denree, played by Jo- point reiterates the title of the film,Mars et points of view may reflect Martin Ville- seph Lucien, is kidnapped by Krank’s hench- Avril, which is a play on the words in French neuve’s own creative process, the science men. In the end, the children are rescued, for the months of March and April, as well of raising money to create the film, and then and the evil-doers are punished, or dead. as the planet Mars and the character Avril, or the film itself as one’s own created reality. It is good film, somewhat disturbing like a maybe an oblique reference to Arthur Spaak, Martin Villeneuve spoke about his mild nightmare, with some quirky humor. the young suitor, a Mars, courting his Avril. film,Mars et Avril, after it was shown on the Mars et Avril is written and directed It is clear that Martin Villeneuve’s evening of Sat. April 5, 2014 at Cinestudio. by Martin Villeneuve (2012), and it is set Mars et Avril, is the product of a post-Cath- He spoke about the mixing of fashion styles in a futuristic Montreal, when humans are olic, or a post-faith society, which has in his film, and the use of futuristic items, about to land and explore the planet Mars. been increasingly evident in the Province like the strange musical instruments, while The plot of the film is a love-triangle, for an of Quebec for the past couple decades. using hardline telephones that were made elderly jazz musician, Jacob Obus, played While Jacob Obus, Arthur Spaak, and Avril in the 1950s as props. He called the style by Jacques Languriand, and the young man are sullied in the emotional stickiness of a “future retro.” Unlike the pure fantasy of his who builds his musical instruments, Arthur love triangle, Eugene Spaak is the voice of film, he spoke about the realities of the cost Spaak, played by Paul Ahmarani, are in reason in the film, and he tells Jacob Obus of making a film, and how he saved money love with the same woman, Avril, played how science has triumphed over traditional by using the green screen, and computer by Caroline Dhavernas, who is a photogra- faith, while on a bullet train outside of the generated imagery (CGI). He also spoke pher. Jacob Obus and his band of elderly futuristic Montreal: “Whether you like it about empirical things, such as money, and jazz musicians with poofy haircuts and or not, science is the new religion.” This how he raised it by selling the strange mu- pastel-colored clothes, do not play ordinary point of view would not be a problem as a sical instruments as works of art, with the jazz instruments, such as the saxophone, or theme in the film, religion versus scientific selling point that the artwork appeared in the clarinet, but futuristic jazz instruments, materialism, but Martin Villeneuve also a film. His film may be the product of his that are a cross between wind and string added philosophical relativism to his film, imagination, and a great deal of CGI, but instruments, or wind and keyboard instru- as expressed by Eugene Spaak to Jacob he was certainly pragmatic in how he made ments that are constructed into the forms Obus in the next sentence: “You create the dollars and cents in order to create his film. of women, such as Avril, who is a model for Arthur Spaak. (Here is the beginning of the love triangle.) A fourth character is Eugene Spaak, played by Robert Lepage, who is the father of Arthur Spaak, and who is an inventor, a cosmologist, and all- around genius, who had been transformed sometime before the beginning of the film by the miracle of science to be more of a hologram than a real flesh and blood man. (To be exact, the character Eugene Spaak is the computer generated image of two actors, the body of Jean Asselin and the head of Robert Lepage.) A wrinkle in the love triangle occurs somewhere in the last third of the movie, or sometime earlier in the storyline since the film does not have a clear linear construction, when Avril accidently transports herself from a walkway in the futuristic Montreal to somewhere on Mars, via a transporter that looks like a telephone

26 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2015 Celebrating the French Canadian Experience By Denise R. Larson

The next two years, 2016 and 2017, colony outnumbered women approximately are big ones for French-Canadian-American two to one, so he arranged for hundreds of culture in the Northeast. The Franco-Ameri- young, unmarried women to come from can Women’s Institute (FAWI) will be twen- France to Quebec with the understanding ty years old in 2016. The Franco-American that they would wed an eligible bachelor, Centre, which began as the University of settle down, and raise a family. Part of Tal- Maine Office of Franco-American Affairs on’s plan was to establish a larger presence in 1972, will celebrate its 45th anniversary in New France and strengthen his country’s in 2017. These two cultural associations claim to the land and its valuable resources. would probably not exist were it not for the The immigration program was amaz- really big event that happened in 1617 — the ingly effective. About nine hundred young arrival in Quebec of a French family that Frenchwomen who were brave and adven- would settle permanently in New France, turous or destitute and lonely — or maybe transforming an isolated fur-trading post a mix of those circumstances — sailed to into a community, which was the fervent Quebec, found a mate, and started a family. desire of Samuel de Champlain, the founder In 1671 alone there were seven hundred of Quebec. The Héberts, whose five mem- births. The women were called filles du Intendant Jean Talon took a personal bers (Louis Hebert, his wife, Marie Rollet, roi in deference to the king of France, who interest in the first census of Canada, which and their three children) were but the first approved both the plan and the payment of was completed in 1666. Image courtesy of of many who braved the rough Atlantic to a dowry of household goods to most of the Wikimedia Commons. start a home and a new life in a new land. women who participated. La Society des Noting the 400th anniversary (2017) Filles du Roi et Soldats du Carignan, Inc., on the campus of the University of Maine of the landing of the Hébert family is par- offers lists of les filles and the soldiers who in Orono allows hands-on research in its alleled by the 350th anniversary (2016) of married them: http://www.fillesduroi.org. collections at the resource library in Cross- the first official census taken in Canada, Immigration to New France tapered land Hall; telephone 207-581-3789; website: which was completed in 1666. Nearly off after 1700, so the eighty-some years of http://www.umaine.edu/francoamerican/. fifty years after the arrival of the Hébert active population growth was the founda- family from Paris, there were more than tion of the peopling of French Canada and five hundred families living in and around the millions of descendants who spread Denise Rajotte Larson is a Franca- Quebec, Montreal, and Trois Rivieres. The across the continent and world. For those dian (French-Canadian Acadian Amer- total enumerated population was 3,215. descendants who want to know more about ican) who recently moved to the Bangor Thanks to an interesting immigration Canadian censuses, Library and Archives area and is exploring her northern Maine program supported by Intendant Talon, Canada has compiled a listing of extant roots. She is the author of Companions who had ordered the first census and even Canadian census returns and offers some of Champlain: Founding Families of personally did some of the enumerating, the indexes and finding aids on its website: Quebec, 1608-1635 (Clearfield Compa- population of Canada expanded quickly. http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/Pages/ ny, Baltimore) and writes about history Talon had been concerned that men in the census.aspx. The Franco-American Centre and genealogy for several publications.

The Adrien Lanthier Ringuette Library

http://umaine.edu/francoamerican/franco-american-centre-reference-room/ 27 Le Forum BOOKS/ LIVRES...

sion à la Franco-Amérique et n'a de cesse d'en explorer les contrées avec sa petite fourgonnette transformée en campeur. Au cours des dernières années, il a raconté sur son blogue plusieurs de ses voyages. Ce géographe d'origine américaine, mais Québécois d'adoption et de coeur, offre ici le meilleur de ses pérégrinations en huit itinéraires qui sont autant de rencontres avec sa connaissance de la langue de Molière, des Acadiens, des francophones du Canada il est recruté par l'Université Laval où il et des États-Unis, des Cadiens, des Créoles enseignera la géographie durant de nom- et, bien sûr, quelques Québécois croisés breuses années. C'est à partir de Québec, sur son chemin.«Dans sa petite maison en à la fin des années 1970, qu'il a commencé bois rond, Charlot Pashia a sorti son violon à explorer la plupart des îles de l'Archipel Voyages et Rencontres et m'a joué des airs de chez lui qui étaient francophone d'Amérique. À la retraite aussi, sans qu'il le sache, ceux du Québec, depuis 2003, sa cadence n'a pas diminué. en Franco-Amérique de l'Acadie et de la Louisiane. Son épouse, par Dean Louder Anna, m'a offert de l'eau fraîche puisée à http://www.youscribe.com/catalogue/ la pompe, car il n'y avait pas encore d'eau livres/loisirs-et-hobbies/voyages-guides/ Publié par editions-du-septentrion courante dans la maison.»Dean Louder est rencontres-et-voyages-en-franco-amer- né en Utah. Après avoir obtenu son doctorat ique-2523699 Dean Louder voue une véritable pas- de l'Université de Washington et grâce à l’espace, la société et la politique se com- et en Ontario, des espaces qui s’étendent le plexifient. La volonté indépendantiste du long des frontières du Québec, justement là Québec est mise en veilleuse. L’Acadie où la francité est un fait de société, donc une n’est toujours pas une réalité politique. Les force politique et économique incontestable. Franco-Américains de la Nouvelle-Angle- Il est plus que temps de dévoiler terre n’ont pas de structure institutionnelle cette magnifique face cachée de l’An- pour les encadrer. La place de la Louisiane glo-America, soit la Franco-Amérique ! s’amenuise. En même temps, le vecteur Dean Louder a pris sa retraite en 2003, haïtien prend de l’importance au fur et après avoir été professeur au Département à mesure que l’axe Port-au-Prince - Mi- de géographie de l’Université Laval. Il ami - New York - Montréal se constitue. est membre de l’Ordre des francophones Par ailleurs, les francophones des pays du d’Amérique. Éric Waddell est professeur Tiers Monde déferlent sur les grandes villes associé à ce même département de géogra- canadiennes... et américaines. Les Francos phie et professeur honoraire à la School of d’Amérique - quel autre nom donner à cette Geosciences, University of Sydney (Austra- Franco-Amérique famille si bigarrée ? - vivent de nouvelles lie). Deux importants ouvrages ont précédé réalités et font face à de nouveaux défis. celui-ci : Du continent perdu à l’archipel Dean Louder et Les études et les témoignages réunis retrouvé : le Québec et l’Amérique française ici rappellent la richesse et le dynamisme de (PUL, 1983 et 2007) et Vision et visages de Éric Waddell la présence franco partout sur ce continent. la Franco-Amérique (Septentrion, 2001). Parfois, ce sont des endroits où la francité se limite à un fait d’histoire. Ailleurs, ce sont de Autrefois, les Canadiens, au sens originel simples lieux de mémoire où les gens se sou- du terme, ont été partout en Amérique. Ils viennent de leur « héritage français, cana- l’ont nommée, habitée, chantée et écrite. dien ou canadien-français », sans nécessaire- Leurs traces subsistent toujours, même si ment le faire en français, et où les sociétés la dimension continentale de leur civil- historiques et généalogiques prolifèrent. isation a été oubliée par nombre d’entre Enfin, il y a ces lieux où vivre en français eux. Aujourd’hui, avec la mondialisation, est une lutte quotidienne, comme en Acadie http://www.amazon.ca/Franco-Amérique-Dean-Louder/dp/2894485336 28 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2015 Franco-Americans of BOOKS/ Maine (Images of America) by Dyke Hendrickson LIVRES... (Author) Nearly one-third of Maine residents have French blood and are known as Fran- The Franco-Americans of Lewiston-Auburn co-Americans. Many trace their heritage to French Canadian families who came south by Mary Rice-DeFosse (Author), from Quebec in the late 19th and early 20th James Myall (Author) centuries to work in the mills of growing communities such as Auburn, Augusta, Biddeford, Brunswick, Lewiston, Saco, Franco-Americans brought their Sanford, Westbrook, Winslow, and Water- proud cultural legacy to Lewiston-Auburn ville. Other Franco-Americans, known as beginning in the mid-nineteenth century. Acadians, have rural roots in the St. John As their population grew, religious leaders Valley in northernmost Maine. Those of became community leaders, building an French heritage have added a unique and independent parish and a support system, vibrant accent to every community in which as well as providing child care. The Sisters they have lived, and they are known as a of Charity cared for the sick and orphaned cohesive ethnic group with a strong belief and ran the first bilingual school in Maine. in family, church, work, education, the arts, Franco-Americans grappled with their own their language, and their community. Today questions of patriotism, identity and culture, they hold posts in every facet of Maine assimilating as Americans while preserving life, from hourly both their French and French Canadian worker to the U.S. backgrounds. Authors Mary Rice-DeFosse Congress. These and James Myall explore the challenges, hardworking peo- accomplishments and enduring bonds of ple have a notable the Franco-Americans in Lewiston-Auburn. history and have been a major http://www.amazon.com/The-Franco-Americans-Lewiston-Au- force in Maine's burn-American-Heritage/dp/1626194602 development.

The book is published by The History Press and available on Amazon. com and elsewhere. http://www.amazon.com/ St. Bruno Parish Van Buren, Maine 1838-1900 Marriage, Baptismal and Death Records

Includes Priest’s Notes by Gary R. Levesque

New genealogy book now available. St. Bruno Parish (Van Bu- ren, Maine) registers’ marriages, baptisms, death records and priests’ notes from October 1838 to October 1900. The book is 300 pages Make check or money order payable to and to keep the cost down, it will be printed locally and only when Gary Levesque, P.O. Box 493 I have a request for a copy. Cost: $30.00 plus shipping & handling. Van Buren, ME 04785 Send me a private message for more information or are interested in ordering one. Thank you. Email: [email protected] 29 Le Forum BOOKS/ POÉSIE/ POÉSIE/ LIVRES... POETRY POETRY Fr. Santerre and His Two Translators Gave Their Signatures at a Book-signing in St. Joseph’s Shrine Museum, Lowell, Mass.

By Albert J. Marceau, Newington, CT On Sat. Feb. 8, 2014, Fr. Richard Santerre Ph.D., held a book-signing of his 435-page history, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Par- ish and the Franco-Americans of Lowell, Massachusetts, 1868-1968, in the museum of the Shrine of St. Joseph the Worker in Lowell. Over 200 people purchased his book on the day of the signing. He originally published the book in French in 1993. The La guerre second edition was translated into English by Claire Quintal, Ph.D., and Fr. Lucien La guerre c’est un calvaire Sawyer, O.M.I., and his translators were L’enfer sur la terre. also available for their signatures at the book-signing. The second edition is not sim- Y a rien d’ bon a la guerre ply a translation of the first edition, for Fr. Toute est noir a la guerre Santerre added a 19-page name index, and a La guerre n’a pas de gloire 35-page epilogue which covers the history of La guerre c’est la misère the parish and the Franco-American commu- Fr. Richard Santerre smiles at the nity in Lowell an additional 35 years after the photographer, Albert Marceau, during a Y a pas d’guerre sanitaire first edition of the book, from 1969 to 2004. lull at the book-signing event for his book Y a pas d’bonne guerre Fr. Santerre’s book is only available on St-Jean-Baptiste Parish in Lowell, Ceux qui gagne la guerre through the gift shop at the Shrine of St. held in the museum at St. Joseph Shrine Se batte pas dans la guerre Joseph the Worker in Lowell, and the in Lowell on Sat. Feb. 8, 2014. Over C’est toujours l’humanité qui perd la phone number of the gift shop is (978)- 200 people purchased his book, and Fr. guerre 459-9522, ext. 4, and the website of the Santerre and his two translators were happy shrine is: http://www.stjosephshrine.org/. to sign their copies of his parish history. Y nous font accroire Q’c’est une guerre sanitaire Une belle p’tite guerre humanitaire Une guerre soi-dite necessaire. “R’gardez ailleurs, y a rien a voir, Pi adorer nos chers militaires.”

by Don Levesque

(Don is a Vietnam Veteran)

http://levesque- muse.blogspot.com/

Dr. Claire Quintal signing my copy of Fr. Fr. Lucien Sawyer O.M.I. about to sign Santerre’s book. Photo by Marceau. my copy of Fr. Santerre’s book. Photo by Marceau. 30 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2015 Échos

POÉSIE/ Le concert est fini, mais nous entendons les dernières notes dans la nuit.

POETRY Écoutons aux échos de cette chanson,

Aux échos du feu d’artifice, Un Rêve Aux échos du passé. un rêve je suis Écoutons: nos aïeux nous parlent de leurs voyages des pays étrangers. tombé dans un rêve, tu m’embrasses, face à face. Nous sommes leurs enfants. Nous restons sur ton lit, ton visage et tes yeux bleus Nous sommes leurs échos. . .cos. . .cos. je les vois je te vois je ferme les yeux et je me réveille --Maureen Perry, 2015 tu m’embrasses Glancing down at your Son, lovingly tu me dis,«je t’ai rêvé» I hoped your gaze in my direction, might stray.

by Stephen-Paul On Saint Valentine, you held a long stem rose Placed there by a husband, or a lonely lover. And the yellow ribbon on the maple tree, bowed AVE MARIA © Lucie Therrien Was it tied for the return of a son, a soldier? In June, a prayer book was wedged in Jesus' hand "Je vous salue Marie pleine de grâce" A rosary hung from your slender wrists You are omnipresent, polyglot. Perhaps in memory of a relative, a deceased man I've seen you globally Madonna Taken from his folded arms in a casket. Hailed you nine times, in novenas. April's torrential rains and floods grew mold I've touched the Holy Water in Lourde's grotto On your veil and gown, buried among the folds. Trickling from the crystal spring and fountain But Autumn, with its splendid red and gold You created for Bernadette Soubirous Framed you perfectly - a sight to behold! When you appeared in the Pyrnée mountains I strayed from you once, out of resentment In a small chapel near the border of Italy Having nearly perished in a violent accident. Pilgrims of Notre Dame de Laghet, France Why didn't you intercede for me? Hang drawings of victims you saved in accidents I didn't deserve such violent punishment. From the sixteen hundreds, to our century. Lucille (Lucie) Therrien

I stop my car to pray and meditate F.A.M.E. A humble borough in New Mexico On the way back from my evening swim 5 Junkins Ave., #106 Harbors El Santuario de Chimayo. At the church of Mary Immaculate Portsmouth, NH 03801 In this red sand desert, your presence is palpable Where you and your Child stand outside - so quiet. Tel: (603) 430-9524 People fervently flock for a miracle. http://www.LucieT.com Your statue constantly changes hues and on FACEBOOK My favorite place to visit you is on Summer hill Like Monet's paintings of the cathedral in Rouen Where I rest beside you, on a wooden bench, still. With pastel shades of mauve, pink, ivories and blues Surrounded by foliage and day lilies Varying at dawn, dusk, mornings and afternoons. I burden you with my concerns and worries. When I pick up my paint brush next For inspiration, you will be my first subject People place offerings at your bare feet From my many photos, you, I will sketch Clinging to their faith with fervent devotion. Then hang my art in a vernissage,* next to this poem. A fresh bottle of water appeared daily for weeks A petition to quench human thirst, and for world peace. "Ave Maria" is poem included in Lucie Therrien's Book & CD set called "Dual Citizen - Deux Citoyennetes". I've photographed you in the pale of Winter The song is included on the CD in the book, with Gounod's Ave Maria in Crowned with flowers, as a Mother, in May the background. This is Lucie's 15th CD. Her website is http://www.LucieT.com for more info or her concert agenda." 31 Le Forum gone POÉSIE/ Some in childbed,

POETRY the others The priest

Treadmill just wore out is due

© 5/11/15 Donna A. for another visit Hébert (inspired by my family genealogy) The priest Next year's twins

came every year will be her last I am not a cow to command You can't breed me they do their duty Her husband every year The eunuch's revenge will marry for the milk again and the heifer, Her husband, ------slaughter me Donna Hébert though happy for a Fiddle instructor: Smith & Amherst when I Colleges new farmhand 413-658-4276 • Email • Website: no longer Teaching, Fiddling Demystified publishing, and months of blog calve or BANDS anxiety-free sex, -- Panache Quartet - with Andrea give milk Beaton, Jane Rothfield & Véronique Plasse was saddened -- Mist Covered Mountains - Trio with Molly Hebert-Wilson & Max Cohen by her death -- Groovemama - Great Groove My grandmother Band coaches at Old Songs & Philly Folk at thirty-five Fests had seventeen -- Duo with Max Cohen - concerts, workshops with guitarist & singer Max pregnancies Cohen His second wife -- Chanterelle - Franco-American The other fiddle & songs with Josée Vachon has six mothers in my line of their own now, http://fiddlingdemystified.com/ averaged a dozen his first family children each grown and One had twenty-two

Only one lived past sixty

Most perished before fifty

32 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2015 Coin des jeunes...

Jaune/Yellow Rouge/Red Rose Vert/Green

SUDOKU:

Complète la http://fiddlingdemystified.com/ grille en remplis- sant les cases vides avec les chiffres de 1 à 9, de manière à ce qu’un chiffre ne se répète jamais dans une même ligne, colonne ou carré. (Solution voir page 34).

(Solution voir page 34) (Suite page 34). 33 Le Forum

Coin desjeunes...

Retrouve dans la grille tous les mots de la liste, sachant qu’ils peuvent s’écrire dans tous les sens, même en diagonale et à l’envers. Une lettre peut faire partie de plusieurs mots. Raye chaque mot trouvé dans la liste et dans la grille. Il te reste 6 lettres avec lequelles tu formeras un dernier mot en les relevant dans le sens normal de la lecture.

(Sudoku Solution de page 33)

34 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2015 FRENCH STORIES AND SONGS

for CHILDREN

ages 4 to 10

with Tante Louise

Louise Tanguay-Ricker is a certified K-12 French Teacher, a musician and storyteller. She brings her multiple talents to life in a fun and engaging way that gets children speaking and singing in French within minutes! She has brought children to sing French songs in many local venues, has been featured on Channel 6 “Schools That Shine” and in the Portland Herald Franco- American Blog. She frequently presents her work at various Franco-American conferences within the University of Maine system. She has published essays on her life as a Franco-American and designed the initial elementary school curriculum for the Maine French Heritage Language Program. Her love for children shines through everything she does. Alors… à bientôt tout l’monde! Reasonable rates to fit your budget. Will travel between Bangor and Portland.

Phone: (207) 322-3892 Email: [email protected]

35 Le Forum Dear Pierre; I’d like to first start by thanking you Lettres/ for taking the time to write to Le Forum and Letters to also thank you for sharing your father’s experience with language. The following language law was in the Handbook for Teacher’s (1959) in the Dear Le Forum; St. John Valley in Northern Maine. Because Thank you for another intersting copy of this law we had what we call, “Silent of Le Forum. All the articles are interesting, playgrounds”. but what jumped out to me was on the Poetry page - “I will not speak French in school”. As School Union #127 is located My father, Clarence Girard, was a first in an area where French predominates, generation child born of French Canadian each teacher has an added responsibility immigrants from Ste Ursule, Maskinonge, in making sure that English is used at all Québec to Chippewa Falls, Wisonsin. His times at school. father, Joseph Girard, did not allow anyone The children in Madawaska, French- to speak English in the family home in ville and St. Agatha are Americans and, as Chippewa Falls. Subsequently, when my such, are citizens of a country where English father started grade school, Notre Dame Minnesota. We are covering a periond from is the official language. These children have Parish in Chippewa Falls, eh and his siblings 1534 Canada up to present day Minnesota. been blessed in that they can speak French only spoke Canadian French. School was As one of the presenters, I have used the “I fluently. It is our hope that by introducing taught by the School Sisters of Notre Dame. will not speak French in school” article and the teaching of French in the elementary In spite of this, only English was allowed information that was shared in the Books/ school they may learn to speak French more to be spoken in school. My father said that Livres section featuring Mr. Paradis and correctly and may be able to read and write whenever he spoke French in school he felt Mr. Richard. it too. However, the primary function of the wrath of the nun’s ruler on his knuckles. During my last visit to Québec in Sep- each teacher is to teach the children how to I imagine he was also required to write many tember of 2014 I heard from folks there that speak, read and write as fluently in English. times, “I will not speak French in school”. they were surprised to learn from me about All teachers should be aware of this and He and his siblings would then return how great the Canadian French influence should constantly be on the alert to advance home from school practicing their new lan- is in the Midwest area. So much so that the children in the quality and amount of guage. If their father heard them, they were I was asked to write an article about it for English which they use. in trouble again, only in reverse. If they were the French newspaper in Gatineau, Québec. Any teacher violates her trust, both le- to speak English to each other during a meal Unlike the New England area of the U.S., all gally and morally, who allows herself or any they were sent away fromt he table unable to our earliest towns and cities were founded pupil to revert to French in the classroom. finish eating. If they were walking around by French Canadians. They were the first Any teacher violates her trust when she the house and let slip an English word they non-native people to visit this area. We have encourages children to speak anything but immediately had to get down on all fours and more communities with French names than English at recess, around the playground, kiss the floor. This lasted until my father was we do with English names. before or after school or even away from a teenager. If he had a visiting friend, Ger- I am glad to see the upsurge in interest the school. man, Norwegian or another nationality that in French Canadian heritage in our area. We Let no child approach you in French. didn’t speak French, he had better not speak even have a class available to learn Cana- If he has difficulty in making you under- English to him in the house or he would have dian-French (Royal French) for those who stand; help him by suggesting words, but do to get down and kiss the floor tight in front want to speak like their parents, grandpar- not revert to the French yourself to make it of his friend. Very embarrasing! ents and our French neighbors to the north. easier for him. If you do, you are not help- We (The French-American Heritage Keep up the good work! ing, you are penalizing him for he will feel Foundation-Minnesota) at the behest of that there is no need to work hard to learn the Minneapolis Public Schools have been Pierre Girard English because he can always revert to his asked to produce 4 session course on the Minneapolis, MN French when he has difficulty. French Canadian impact on the State of Always be aware of your responsi- bility. Make the children proud of their Dear Le Forum; Dear Le Forum; heritage and make them realize how many I would like to receive Le Forum, I advantages they enjoy when they can master was born in Edmundston, N.B. Canada to I greatly enjoy reading Le Forum. not one but two languages. French parents. My parents are now gone You are doing a wonderful job. and I’m losing my “French” and I’m scared. I appreciate your hard work. We welcome news, happenings from I don’t want to lose my French Heritage. your area! Thank You! Carroll Michaud Esther Barbieri Shreveport, LA Perry, ME 36 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2015 L’IMMIGRÉ Lettres/ Quand je suis parti du Canada, pour m’en aller aux États, Letters J’avais une vieille valise, mais il n’y avait pas beaucoup de vêtements, Et j’avais une vieille chemise, il n’y avait pas grand argent dedans.

Dans mon chemin j’ai rencontré, un de mes meilleurs associés, Il m’a dit, mon cher camarade, tu t’en vas donc aux États, Dear Le Forum; Tu vas manger de la misère, retournez-vous au Canada.

Enclosed is a copy of an old Moi, je suis resté fort bien surpris, je suis resté le coeur saisi, French-Canadian folk song that I loved to Mais j’ai dit tout bas à ma femme, continuons notre chemin, hear my father sing at parties. He dictated Dieu nous y sera reconnaissant, il sauf gardera notre destin. it to me and I gave it a rough translation. He did not even know the title of the song On a bien été deux ans passés, sans pouvoir y retourner, On n’a pas mangé grand misère, mais on a beaucoup travaillé, because his dad sang it before him. I gave Au soir au claire de la lune, le matin avant le grand levé. it the name “l’Immigré”. I even made an amateurish attempt at singing it on “You Mes enfants pour être habitants, il faut être fort et travaillant, Tube”. I will try again later being more Il ne faut pas qu’en dormitoire, ça nous prenne sur les champs, careful of my diction. Nous épave dans la mémoire, nous périrons dans peu de temps. What I would like to know, are there any of your readers who are familiar with Quand nous étions au Canada, mes enfants me disaient Papa, this song and who composed it? If so, I On y entend sonner les cloches, le matin pour nous réveiller, would appreciate getting an email from them Icic, on n’entend pas les cloches, le matin pour nous appeler. at: [email protected]. Mes enfants, il faut que je vous dise, la vie est pleine de surprises, “Merci mille fois!” and enclosed you Aujourd’hui on s’est établi, mais quelque part dans notre esprit, will find a check to renew my subscription. Il y a ces petits ennuis, et on se dit, «Oui, je m’en souviens.» Keep up the excellent work. I really enjoy your magazine and read the hard copy from THE IMMIGRANT cover to cover. When I left Canada, to go live in the States, Très amicalement, I had an old suitcase, but it contained little clothes, An I had an old shirt, but with little money in the pockets. Xavier de la Prade Petaluma, CA On my way, I met one of my best friends, He told me; “My dear friend, you are going to the States! You are going to suffer much, find your way back to Canada.” Dear Le Forum; Me, I was very surprised, my heart was downtrodden, I would like to give praise and many But I said in a low voice to my wife, let’s continue on our way, thanks to our Editor, Lisa Desjardins Mi- The Lord will show us the way, He will safe guard our journey. chaud. She has helped volunteers to find We were there for a good two years without the possibility of returning, our ancestors and most of all the personal We did not suffer much, but we surely toiled a great deal, friendships she has with us all. Last year In the morning from the break of day, to the evenings in the moonlight. for me was medically difficult with a lot of anxiety and depression she has been such My children, to be farmers, you have to be strong and resourceful, a God send to me to give me strength and You must not daydream while working in the fields, courage to get through 2014. For our dreams will be chip wrecked; and in little time, lose our way. This year I was blessed with having a 50th Wedding Anniversary party at Pat’s When we lived in Canada, my children used to call me Papa, Pizza. Having Lisa there was a blessing and One would hear the church bells ring to wake us in the mornings, Here, we do not hear the church bells calling us at break of day. the joy of her giving me a Blessing from the Pope for my Anniversary was so spiritual My children, I have to tell you that life is full of surprises, to me. Lisa also obtained a congratulations Today, we are established, but hidden in our memories, letter from the Governor, which I treasure. When hardships arise, we repeat, “Yes, I remember!” I am looking forward to our Fort Kent “Oui, je m’en souviens!” trip for overnight to attend a concert. It will be a joy to hear French music. Lisa orga- *This is a translation of a song my Dad used to sing. Neither he nor I knew the title nized this, the band is “La Racolte”. because he learned it from his father. You may find me trying to sing this song on “YouTube” I was unable to be at my great-grand- if you print in my name: Xavier de la Prade. I would be elated to learn the real title and (Continued on page 39) the composer’s name someday. 37 Le Forum Franco-American Families FECTEAU of Maine Pierre Filteau (Feuiltaut & Fecteau), born 1641 in France, died in 1699 in PQ, son of par Bob Chenard, Robert Feuiltaut and Marguerite Brochet of the town of St. Georges-de-Montaigu, depart- Waterville, Maine ment of Vendée, ancient province of Poitou, France, married at Québec city on 22 February 1666 to "Fille-du-Roi" Gilette Savard, born in 1651 in France, died 1703 in PQ, daughter of François Savard and Jeanne Maron of the parish of St. Aspais, in the city of Melun, Les Familles Fecteau department of Seine-et-Marne,ancient province of Brie, France. St.Georges-de-Montaigu Welcome to my column. Over the is located 17 miles south-southeast of the city of Nantes. years Le Forum has published numerous families. Copies of these may still be avail- 1 Pierre 22 Jun 1666 Gilette Savard Québec city 2 2 Nicolas 1m. 27 Apr 1699 Suzanne Maurier St.Jean, I.O. able by writing to the Franco-American " 2m. 19 Jul 1700 Françoise Mailloux Beaumont 3 Center. Listings such as this one are never Gabriel 23 Nov 1712 Marguerite LeRoy Beaumont 4 complete. However, it does provide you with Pierre 27 Feb 1713 Marie Roy contract Gaschet 5 Jean-Baptiste 22 Sep 1721 M.-Françoise Roy Beaumont 6 my most recent and complete file of mar- 3 Pierre 20 Oct 1749 Marguerite Noël St.Pierre, I.O. 7 riages tied to the original French ancestor. 4 Antoine 26 Sep 1740 M.-Josette Méthot Québec city(ND) 8 How to use the family listings: The left-hand 5 Charles 29 Jul 1743 M.-Madeleine Gagnon St.Nicolas 9 Louis 30 Sep 1749 M.-Anne Huard Levis 10 column lists the first name (and middle name 6 François 24 Nov 1750 M.-Démérise Guay Beaumont 11 or initial, if any) of the direct descendants of Jean-Baptiste 07 Oct 1760 M.-Marguerite Guay Beaumont 12 the ancestor identified as number 1 (or A, in 7 Pierre 1m. 05 Aug 1783 Angélique Pouliotte St.Charles " 2m. 10 Feb 1795 M.-Anne Buteau Berthier 13 some cases). The next column gives the date 8 Antoine 23 Sep 1771 M.-Josette Ledoux St.Denis 14 of marriage, then the spouce (maiden name 9 Charles 17 Nov 1766 M.-Marguerite Loignon St.Nicolas 15 if female) followed by the town in which the 10 Jean-Baptiste 13 Jan 1772 M.-Anne Lebrun Ste.Marie, Beauce 16 François 19 Jan 1779 Marie Marcoux Ste.Marie 17 marriage took place. There are two columns 11 François 19 Oct 1772 M.-Louise Charest Lauzon 18 of numbers. The one on the left side of the 12 Alexandre1m. 30 Mar 1788 Elisabeth Couture Beaumont 20 page, e.g., #2, is the child of #2 in the right " 2m. 04 Feb 1811 M.-Louise Bussière St.Henri " 3m. 30 Oct 1826 Adélaïde Blais St.Henri 21 column of numbers. His parents are thus Joseph 09 Feb 1795 Charlotte Roy Beaumont 22 #1 in the left column of numbers. Also, it 13 Grégoire 16 Sep 1812 Françoise Dagneau-Lapr. St.Henri 23 should be noted that all the persons in the 14 Antoine 17 Oct 1803 Angélique Guértin St.Antoine 24 15 Augustin 22 Feb 1802 M.-Josette Croteau St.Nicolas 25 first column of names under the same num- Julien 13 Feb 1809 Angélique Demers St.Nicolas 26 ber are siblings (brothers & sisters). There 16 Pierre 19 Jan 1796 M.-Josette Rancourt St.François, Beauce 27 may be other siblings, but only those who Augustin 24 Oct 1809 M.-Josette Jacques Ste.Marie 29 Jean-François 09 Feb 1819 Louise Fontaine Ste.Marie 30 had descendants that married in Maine are 17 François 17 Jan 1804 M.-Marguerite Grenier Ste.Marie 31 listed in order to keep this listing limited in Louis 06 Oct 1807 Marie Lessard Ste.Marie 32 size. The listing can be used up or down - to 18 Jean-Baptiste 21 Aug 1798 M.-Anne Turgeon Québec(ND) 33 20 Joseph 15 Jan 1816 Victoire Bilodeau St.Henri 34 find parents or descendants. The best way 21 Majorique 09 Nov 1847 M.-Arch. Paquet-Lavallée St.Anselme 35 to see if your ancestors are listed here is to 22 Hubert 1m. 26 Feb 1827 Angèle Roy Beaumont 36 look for your mother’s or grandmother’s " 2m. 07 Feb 1848 Judith Pageau St.Isidore Jean-Baptiste 02 Oct 1827 M.-Louise Fortin St.Henri 37 maiden name. Once you are sure you have 23 Michel 14 Feb 1854 Sophie Lecours Ange-Gardien 38 the right couple, take note of the number 24 Raphaël 19 Oct 1847 Angélique Bourgeois St.Antoine-s-Rich. 24A in the left column under which their names 25 Constant1m. 28 Jul 1829 Marie Martineau St.Nicolas " 2m. 15 Oct 1833 Christine Demers St.Nicolas 39 appear. Then, find the same number in the Augustin 03 Jul 1838 Julie Gingras St.Nicolas 40 right-most column above. For example, if 26 Julien 14 Feb 1832 Basilice Demers St.Nicolas 41 it’s #57C, simply look for #57C on the right Augustin 07 Aug 1832 Julienne Lambert St.Nicolas 42 27 Pierre 1m. 18 Jan 1820 M.-Louise Grenier Ste.Marie(to Biddeford) above. Repeat the process for each genera- " 2m. 31 Aug 1847 Marguerite Marcoux St.Elzéar 27A tion until you get back to the first family in Joseph 30 Sep 1823 Josette Lessard St.François 46 the list. The numbers with alpha suffixes 29 Joseph 23 Jan 1844 M.-Marguerite Ferland Ste.Marie 47 Jean-Baptiste 13 Jan 1846 Anastasie Bisson Ste.Marie 48 (e.g. 57C) are used mainly for couple who 30 Jean-Baptiste 07 Nov 1848 Josette Binet St.Elzéar 52 married in Maine. Marriages that took place 31 François 25 Jan 1842 Josette Verreau Ste.Marie 56 in Canada normally have no suffixes with the Thomas 13 Jan 1846 Hélène Vachon-Pomerleau Ste.Marie 59 rare exception of small letters, e.g., “13a.” 32 Louis 1m. 20 Oct 1835 Hélène Gagné Ste.Marie 60 " 2m. 26 Oct 1847 Justine Laplante St.Elzéar 61 If there are gross errors or missing families, 33 Jean-Baptiste 23 May 1826 Euphrosine Montpas Beaumont 62 my sincere appologies. I have taken utmost [dit St-Hilaire] care to be as accurate as possible. Please 34 Marcellin 29 Jan 1856 Philomène Canac-Marquis St.Anselme, Dorch. 63 write to the FORUM staff with your correc- 35 Émilien 15 Nov 1873 Célina Charland Coaticook 64 tions and/or additions with your supporting François 18 Oct 1885 M.-Délima Couture St.Samuel 35A data. I provide this column freely with the 36 Hubert 22 Oct 1850 Marie Gagné St.Isidore 65 purpose of encouraging Franco-Americans Ferdinand 06 Feb 1854 Esther Goulet St.Isidore 36A to research their personal genealogy and to 37 Joseph 18 Jan 1858 Léocadie Bernier St.Charles 67 take pride in their rich heritage. (See the fall issue of Le Forum for more...) 38 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2015

1 Pierre 22 Jun 1666 Gilette Savard Québec city 2 This coming August 5-9, 2015, in Québec City, the seventh largest gathering of families Gagnon-Belzile to celebrate 2 Nicolas 1m. 27 Apr 1699 Suzanne Maurier St.Jean, I.O. " 2m. 19 Jul 1700 Françoise Mailloux Beaumont 3 the 375th anniversary of the establishment of Gagnon brothers and their sister in Nouvelle-France (New France). All Gabriel 23 Nov 1712 Marguerite LeRoy Beaumont 4 information is available in both languages on the festival's website: Pierre 27 Feb 1713 Marie Roy contract Gaschet 5 Jean-Baptiste 22 Sep 1721 M.-Françoise Roy Beaumont 6 3 Pierre 20 Oct 1749 Marguerite Noël St.Pierre, I.O. 7 http://www.famillegagnonbelzile375ans.org/. 4 Antoine 26 Sep 1740 M.-Josette Méthot Québec city(ND) 8 5 Charles 29 Jul 1743 M.-Madeleine Gagnon St.Nicolas 9 Louis 30 Sep 1749 M.-Anne Huard Levis 10 6 François 24 Nov 1750 M.-Démérise Guay Beaumont 11 Note that the invitation to this gathering is for anyone who may be interested in some way to this great family. Jean-Baptiste 07 Oct 1760 M.-Marguerite Guay Beaumont 12 7 Pierre 1m. 05 Aug 1783 Angélique Pouliotte St.Charles " 2m. 10 Feb 1795 M.-Anne Buteau Berthier 13 Les Familles Gagnon and Belzile Website http://www.famillegagnonbelzile375ans.org/. 8 Antoine 23 Sep 1771 M.-Josette Ledoux St.Denis 14 9 Charles 17 Nov 1766 M.-Marguerite Loignon St.Nicolas 15 10 Jean-Baptiste 13 Jan 1772 M.-Anne Lebrun Ste.Marie, Beauce 16 Contacts François 19 Jan 1779 Marie Marcoux Ste.Marie 17 11 François 19 Oct 1772 M.-Louise Charest Lauzon 18 12 Alexandre1m. 30 Mar 1788 Elisabeth Couture Beaumont 20 Gilles Gagnon. [email protected] " 2m. 04 Feb 1811 M.-Louise Bussière St.Henri " 3m. 30 Oct 1826 Adélaïde Blais St.Henri 21 Claude Belzile [email protected] Joseph 09 Feb 1795 Charlotte Roy Beaumont 22 13 Grégoire 16 Sep 1812 Françoise Dagneau-Lapr. St.Henri 23 Les Familles Gagnon et Belzile Inc. [email protected] 14 Antoine 17 Oct 1803 Angélique Guértin St.Antoine 24 blessings on us. 15 Augustin 22 Feb 1802 M.-Josette Croteau St.Nicolas 25 (Continued from page 37) Julien 13 Feb 1809 Angélique Demers St.Nicolas 26 Thank you Lisa for being such a kind, 16 Pierre 19 Jan 1796 M.-Josette Rancourt St.François, Beauce 27 considerate, generous and loving friend, that Augustin 24 Oct 1809 M.-Josette Jacques Ste.Marie 29 gives so much to others to help us. Jean-François 09 Feb 1819 Louise Fontaine Ste.Marie 30 17 François 17 Jan 1804 M.-Marguerite Grenier Ste.Marie 31 daughter’s first birthday because I fell at I have told Lisa, I feel like you are my Lucienne Elise Louis 06 Oct 1807 Marie Lessard Ste.Marie 32 the airport and broke my wrist in 3 places. adopted daughter. Cloutier 18 Jean-Baptiste 21 Aug 1798 M.-Anne Turgeon Québec(ND) 33 Lisa my God shed blessings of joy and 20 Joseph 15 Jan 1816 Victoire Bilodeau St.Henri 34 So, this year after Christmas I started to 1909-2015 21 Majorique 09 Nov 1847 M.-Arch. Paquet-Lavallée St.Anselme 35 feel better and told my daughter to make good health in you future. Than you from 22 Hubert 1m. 26 Feb 1827 Angèle Roy Beaumont 36 arrangements for May to celebrate Kiyomi’s the bottom of my heart for your friendship. " 2m. 07 Feb 1848 Judith Pageau St.Isidore You are an amazing woman, Lisa Desjardins Jean-Baptiste 02 Oct 1827 M.-Louise Fortin St.Henri 37 2nd birthday. 23 Michel 14 Feb 1854 Sophie Lecours Ange-Gardien 38 In March I asked Lisa if it was pos- Michaud. 24 Raphaël 19 Oct 1847 Angélique Bourgeois St.Antoine-s-Rich. 24A sible for me to record French songs I have You are a precious friend and I am 25 Constant1m. 28 Jul 1829 Marie Martineau St.Nicolas happy you are in my life. " 2m. 15 Oct 1833 Christine Demers St.Nicolas 39 learned since parochial school in Winslow, OLD TOWN - Lucienne Elise Clouti- Augustin 03 Jul 1838 Julie Gingras St.Nicolas 40 we had Ursuline nuns. Lisa told me that it er, 105, a resident of Treat & Webster Island 26 Julien 14 Feb 1832 Basilice Demers St.Nicolas 41 would mean more to Kiyomi if she could see With Love and Appreciation, aka French Island, passed away peacefully Augustin 07 Aug 1832 Julienne Lambert St.Nicolas 42 Diane Bourque Tinkham 27 Pierre 1m. 18 Jan 1820 M.-Louise Grenier Ste.Marie(to Biddeford) me sing. So I agreed to do a DVD. at home May 13, 2015 with her family " 2m. 31 Aug 1847 Marguerite Marcoux St.Elzéar 27A I can assure you, Kiyomi Elizabeth Old Town, ME by her side. Lucienne was born on June Joseph 30 Sep 1823 Josette Lessard St.François 46 was so happy to see her Grand Mémère talk 29 Joseph 23 Jan 1844 M.-Marguerite Ferland Ste.Marie 47 24, 1909 in St. Cyprien, Québec, Canada. Jean-Baptiste 13 Jan 1846 Anastasie Bisson Ste.Marie 48 to her and sing. She was so happy to see me (To see more at: http://obituaries. 30 Jean-Baptiste 07 Nov 1848 Josette Binet St.Elzéar 52 on a big screen. I felt one of the best gifts bangordailynews.com/obituaries/bdnmaine/ 31 François 25 Jan 1842 Josette Verreau Ste.Marie 56 I could do for Kiyomi is give her a special obituary.aspx?n=lucienne-elise-clout- Thomas 13 Jan 1846 Hélène Vachon-Pomerleau Ste.Marie 59 memory gift of me singing French songs. 32 Louis 1m. 20 Oct 1835 Hélène Gagné Ste.Marie 60 ier&pid=174871631&fhid=10701#st- She loves to have someone sing to her. I " 2m. 26 Oct 1847 Justine Laplante St.Elzéar 61 hash.5tVCYWYi.dpuf) 33 Jean-Baptiste 23 May 1826 Euphrosine Montpas Beaumont 62 can assure you my trip to California was [dit St-Hilaire] such a joy to attend Kiyomi’s 2nd birthday, Lucienne appeared in Le Forum, Vol. 34 Marcellin 29 Jan 1856 Philomène Canac-Marquis St.Anselme, Dorch. 63 have Mother’s Day with 3 generations of 37 #1, Spring 2014 edition. “The State of 35 Émilien 15 Nov 1873 Célina Charland Coaticook 64 Mom’s and also celebrate my 75th birthday Franco-Americans”, by Margaret Nagle. François 18 Oct 1885 M.-Délima Couture St.Samuel 35A with all my girls, daughter Lesley Angelina, The article touches upon Lucienne’s life and 36 Hubert 22 Oct 1850 Marie Gagné St.Isidore 65 Granddaughter Erica Leigh and my precious she is accompanied by her great-great-great Ferdinand 06 Feb 1854 Esther Goulet St.Isidore 36A great grand daughter, she is giving us added niece, Jordyn Lee. To read the article see 37 Joseph 18 Jan 1858 Léocadie Bernier St.Charles 67 love and joy in our elderly years. Ron and pages 10-12: http://umaine.edu/francoamer- I are so thankful for God to shed loving ican/files/2014/05/LF_Vol_37_No_1_a.pdf 39 Université du Maine Non-Profit Org. Le FORUM U.S. Postage Centre Franco-Américain PAID Orono, ME 04469-5719 Orono, Maine Permit No. 8 États-Unis Change Service Requested

THE FRANCO AMERICAN CENTRE LE CENTRE FRANCO AMÉRICAlN DE OF THE l’UNIVERSITÉ DU MAINE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE Le Bureau des Affaires franco-américains de l’Université The University of Maine Office of Franco American Affairs du Maine fut fondé en 1972 par des étudiants et des bénévoles de was founded in 1972 by Franco American students and community la communauté franco-américaine. Cela devint par conséquent le volunteers. It subsequently became the Franco American Centre. Centre Franco-Américain. From the onset, its purpose has been to introduce and inte- Dès le départ, son but fut d’introduire et d’intégrer le Fait grate the Maine and Regional Franco American Fact in post-sec- Franco-Américain du Maine et de la Région dans la formation ondary academe and in particular the University of Maine. académique post-secondaire et en particulier à l’Université du Given the quasi total absence of a base of knowledge within Maine. the University about this nearly one-half of the population of the Étant donné l’absence presque totale d’une base de connais- State of Maine, this effort has sought to develop ways and means sance à l’intérieur même de l’Université, le Centre Franco-Améric- of making this population, its identity, its contributions and its ain s’efforce d’essayer de développer des moyens pour rendre cette history visible on and off campus through seminars, workshops, population, son identité, ses contributions et son histoire visible sur conferences and media efforts — print and electronic. et en-dehors du campus à travers des séminaires, des ateliers, des The results sought have been the redressing of historical conférences et des efforts médiatiques — imprimé et électronique. neglect and ignorance by returning to Franco Americans their his- Le résultat espéré est le redressement de la négligence et de tory, their language and access to full and healthy self realizations. l’ignorance historique en retournant aux Franco-Américains leur Further, changes within the University’s working, in its structure histoire, leur langue et l’accès à un accomplissement personnel sain and curriculum are sought in order that those who follow may et complet. De plus, des changements à l’intérieur de l’académie, experience cultural equity, have access to a culturally authentic dans sa structure et son curriculum sont nécessaires afin que ceux qui base of knowledge dealing with French American identity and the nous suivent puisse vivre l’expérience d’une justice culturelle, avoir accès à une base de connaissances culturellement authentique qui contribution of this ethnic group to this society. MISSION miroite l’identité et la contribution de ce groupe ethnique à la société. • To be an advocate of the Franco-American Fact at the OBJECTIFS: 1 – D’être l’avocat du Fait Fran- University of Maine, in the State of Maine and in the region, and co-Américain à l’Université du Maine, dans l’État du Maine et • To provide vehicles for the effective and cognitive dans la région. expression of a collective, authentic, diversified and effective 2 – D’offrir des véhicules d’expression affective et cognitive voice for Franco-Americans, and d’une voix franco-américaine effective, collective, authentique et • To stimulate the development of academic and non-ac- diversifiée. ademic program offerings at the University of Maine and in the 3 – De stimuler le développement des offres de programmes state relevant to the history and life experience of this ethnic group académiques et non-académiques à l’Université du Maine et dans and l’État du Maine, relatant l’histoire et l’expérience de la vie de ce • To assist and support Franco-Americans in the actual- groupe ethnique. ization of their language and culture in the advancement of 4 – D’assister et de supporter les Franco-Américains dans careers, personal growth and their creative contribution to society, l’actualisation de leur langue et de leur culture dans l’avancement and de leurs carrières, de l’accomplissement de leur personne et de leur • To assist and provide support in the creation and imple- contribution créative à la société. mentation of a concept of pluralism which values, validates 5 – D’assister et d’offrir du support dans la création et l’im- and reflects affectively and cognitively the Multicultural Fact in plémentation d’un concept de pluralisme qui value, valide et reflète Maine and elsewhere in North America, and effectivement et cognitivement le fait dans le Maine et ailleurs en • To assist in the generation and dissemination of knowl- Amérique du Nord. edge about a major Maine resource — the rich cultural and 6 – D’assister dans la création et la publication de la con- naissance à propos d’une ressource importante du Maine — la language diversity of its people. riche diversité