Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines

Articles & Quotes

 
Belinda Murguia returns to our magazine with an article about Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha:

In July of 2004, I wrote my first article about a spiritual encounter with Blessed Kateri at the shrine of St. Francis Xavier Mission in Kahnawake. In retrospect, as I contemplate that blessed moment of praying before her tomb, little did I know the extraordinary influence she would have in my life.

Louise-Andrée Éthier aka Sundance Aquero Sharp writes about a subject that is often controversial, but needs to be told:

This month my writing is an impression based on criticism....fury....anger and challenge. If you are of mixed ancestry, you will know what I mean. You will know what it is to live under the flag of hate and racism. You will also know how it feels to be under attack by one's own relatives and other people of kind: the Metis. It appears that if one is Metis there is reason to suffer unusual criticism. ...

Suzanne Boivin Sommerville returns as one of our popular authors with an interesting article. She writes in the first paragraph:

For years now, I have been studying the actual surviving documents that preserve factual details about our French, Canadian, and Indian ancestors. I have also read hundreds of articles and books, studies allegedly based on factual details. More often than not, I have found that historians (and novelists) tend to misunderstand the society of New France, particularly those writing in English. They may cite specific facts or secondary source studies, but then they present interpretations I know to be unrelated to reality.

Henri-Vincent Gosselin continues his series about his ancestor Eustache Lambert:

"Your primary objective will be to make a garden out of the wilderness of New France," a Jesuit priest in Paris was describing the perils of the mission that he hoped a young man would agree to undertake.
"In attempting to achieve this, you will assist the Jesuit Fathers to instill order and discipline among the Indians by converting and civilizing the natives, and by calling them to a knowledge of Christ and the Catholic Church."
Since Eustache Lambert could neither read nor write, ordination to the priesthood was out of the question for him. He felt a calling to travel to New France (now the Canadian Province) to help civilize the Natives. However, the institution of the donnés seemed most appealing.

Diane Szabo sends us Part 7 of The French-Canadian Textile Worker - 1938-1939 New Hampshire Federal Writer's Project #1801 - As told to reporter, Louis Henri Charles Paré by Philippe Lemay
The first paragraph opens with:

Where did we meet the girls we married? Why right here in Manchester. No, we weren't in love before we left Canada. We were too young to think of such things when we came to the States. Very few had known in childhood the girls they were going to marry; so many of us, you see, came from different parishes and villages.

Jim Carten sends us two articles again this month in his "Jim's Tidbits". The first A Dying Breed begins with:

Let's call them Pierre and André. Two old boys who have paid their dues to society, done some hard times, had some good times and now are using up the remainder of their allotted time by just being there. Out in this area, Pierre & André will cruise the dirt roads of their youth a few times a week.

This is brought to you courtesy of the tailgate's immediate owner, a short-bed Ford Pickup and its owner, sponsor, driver, pit crew and gas man, me. I'm Jim, the one who is trying to put down what my p/u's tailgate would relate if it had the where with all to do it...

Louise Dubrule writes about Our Lady of Gaudalupe:

Long before Pope John Paul II graced Our Lady of Guadalupe with a new title, the people of Mexico held a great devotion to her.
The story begins in 1531 when a humble Indian named Juan Diego was making his way to Mexico City. As he approached a hill called Tepayacac, he heard singing and then a voice that called him by name. He was startled to see a Lady of great grandeur with garments shining like jewels. ...

Fr. Owen Taggart continues his series of articles on the City of Springfield, Massachusetts. Here is what he writes:

The aspect of Springfield society we will examine in this article is trade between the residents of Springfield and the native peoples of the region. By the time John Pynchon took his father's place as the merchant-patron of Springfield, in 1652, the Wôbanaki, including the Pocumtuck, Nonotuck, Agawam, Woronoco and Sokoki, were trading large amounts of beaver pelts for English cloth, tools, clothing, and other items, including sometimes guns and ammunition.

M. l'abbé Owen Taggart continue la série de ses articles à propos de la ville de Springfield, Massachusetts. Voici ce qu'il écrit:

Springfield est une communauté économique qui tolère une certaine diversité, où l'habilileté et le désir de travailler pour gagner une vie meilleure anime les habitants. Les marchands-bourgeois tels que John Pynchon ne sont pas des patriarches dont les efforts sont dirigé vers l'établissment d'un patrimoine pour leurs enfants, mais des patrons qui sont responsables à ceux qui leur offrent un bienfait, et en reçoivent un bienfait en retour.
Dans cet article, nous proposons d'examiner un autre aspect de la société de Springfield et de la vallée du Connecticut en amont de la ville: la traîte entre les colons et les peuplades indigènes de la région.

Jacques Dunant continue la série d'articles au sujet de Pierre Boucher:

Le premier seigneur de Boucherville fut Pierre Boucher, fils de Gaspard et de Nicole Lemaire, il prit le titre de Sieur de Grosbois. Le fils aîné du premier seigneur porta le même prénom que son père, soit Pierre. Son père lui accorde le titre : Sieur de Boucherville qu'il ajoute à son nom. Il ne fut pas facile pour Pierre Boucher de Boucherville de se faire un nom alors que son père vivait encore et prenait toute la place. Il naquit dans les circonstances tragiques du siège de Trois-Rivières en août 1653.

Jacques Dunant continues his series about Pierre Boucher:

The first Seignior of Boucherville was Pierre Boucher, (1) son of Gaspard and Nicole Lemaire, he choose the name sieur de Grosbois. The eldest child of the first Seignior received the same surname as his father Pierre. His father gave him the title sieur de Boucherville to add to his name. It was not easy for Pierre Boucher de Boucherville (1-1) to assert himself since his father lived a very long life and held many responsibilities. Pierre was born during an Iroquois attack on the fort of Trois-Rivières in August 1653.

Rita Roy Drouin writes about her experiences in her Winnebago:

Back on track and so good to be home after a week of life in a Winnebago on the road. The province of Quebec is vast and the scenery in Gaspe was quite impressive. No deep fried shrimps for me. None to be had anywhere that we were at. Cooked some lobster, not my favourite but it was good. The old Rocher Perce was great to see but my favourite place was in Baie des Chaleurs where there was less wind and more heat and more shells as well for the children to pick up. Going for a boat ride around the famous rock and the bird sanctuary, Bonne Aventure Island was an experience ...

Françoise Paradis, who wrote to us earlier about a new edition of "Evangeline" by Longfellow, now sends us this message:

I wanted to let you know that my new publication is about to be released. If you liked the Evangeline book, you will really like this very sweet coloring book.
The illustrations and text were mostly prepared by students in the gifted and talented program at Biddeford Middle School. My role was simply to tweek it a little, color the cover, and work with the publisher to produce a delightful, high quality coloring book that tells the story of the deportation for young children to understand.

Charleen Touchette sends us Chapter Two of her book: It Stops with Me

In 1954, Woonsocket was still one of the strongest and most intact strongholds of Franco-American culture in the United States. Generations of mixed blood immigrants left hunger and persecution in French Canada and trudged down to New England to work in the mills in the 1800s. Tired of religious and cultural discrimination in Québec Province, they sought a country where they could speak their language freely and raise their children without subjugation.

As they left "La Belle Province", they repeated, "Je me souviens", so often, over so many generations that it became the motto on provincial license plates with the "fleur de lis". "Je me souviens" means "I will never forget".

Les Religieuses de Jésus-Marie de Sillery ont produit un CD dernièrement, un magnifique CD sur la vie de Dina Bélanger. C'est un véritable ravissement que d'écouter ces voix pures et mélodieuses qui nous révèlent la vie de cette jeune sainte encore méconnue de beaucoup d'entre nous.

I reviewed Paul Bunnell's revised edition of French and Native North American Marriages 1600-1800.

It can serve as an excellent resource for those who are searching their Native American roots.

Through one of those multiple email listings, I received a commentary that might fit into our magazine.

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend by the name of ...

A message in the Acadian-Cajun List by Lucie LeBlanc directs the reader to two new documents on her website. One of which is "Acadians on the St. John River 1755-1760" by Stephen A. White.

In the mid-eighteenth century there were a few small Acadian settlements along the Saint John River in what is now New Brunswick. Almost all of the inhabitants of these settlements belonged to a half dozen extended families: Alexandre Le Borgne de Bélisle and his sons-in-law Pierre and François Robichaud making up one, on the lower part of the river, and the Bergerons, D'Amours', Dugas', Godins, Parts, and Roys being the others, living higher up, near the present site of Fredericton...

Thursday last a Sloop arrived here in four Days from Annapolis Royal, and by her we have Advice, that on the 26th of June past, three of his Majesty’s Ships of War, the Success, the Mermaid, and Syrene, with some of the Transports with Soldiers, came down the Bay, and sailed for St. John’s River; and that the Vulture Sloop of War, with some other Vessels, having on board the French Garrison of Beausejour, had sailed for Louisbourg, to deliver them there, according to Capitulation...

We must come together with one heart,
one mind, one love and one determination

Editor: Norm Léveillée