Commemoration of deportation of Acadians gets historic re-enactment

La Déportation - de Renée Forestall

By Georges Arsenault – On September 5, the Société Promotion Grand-Pré and the Friends of Grand-Pré hope to welcome at least  418 participants for the historical re-enactment of the assembling of the Acadians in the old church on September 5, 1755.

Over 200 people have registered already, including a bus load of people from Caraquet, New Brunswick, and another bus load from Isle Madame, Cape Breton.

The re-enactment will take place in a friendlier atmosphere that in 1755, since the 300 soldiers from New England will not be present.

In 1755, only Acadian men and boys aged 10 or over were summoned to the church by Lieutenant-Colonel John Winslow. However, the organizers of the re-enactment would like people of all ages and all backgrounds to participate in this living history lesson that has a scientific purpose. With the help of  418 people (the number of Acadians who were in the church on September 5, 1755), archeologists and historians will be able to visualize and measure the footprint of the old church Saint-Charles-es-Mines. The re-enactment will be documented by the photographer François Gaudet, from the vantage point of a one-hundred foot crane.

Participants are asked to arrive at Grand-Pré National Historic Site between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in order to pick up their registration kit. Admission to the historic site is free on September 5.  The re-enactment ceremony will take place in a symbolic location in the park and will start at 2:15 p.m. with an outline of the historical context by historian Georges Arsenault. Archaeologist Jonathan Fowler will explain the importance of the re-enactment from the point of view of archaeological research. He will then ask the participants to “squeeze together” to create the footprint or floor space of the old Acadian church. Robert Deveaux, fiddler and guide at the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site, will play period hymns and songs. At 3 o’clock, as was done in 1755, Lieutenant-Colonel Winslow (played by James Quinlan) and his interpreter will read the Order of Deportation.

The commemorative walk from the memorial church to the Old Wharf in Horton Landing (2 km) will start at 3:20 p.m. and will be led by Jean Gaudet, president of the Acadian Odyssey Commission. There will be brief testimonials by Acadians who were living in Grand-Pré in 1755.

Participants are encouraged to wear Acadian costumes, but it is not necessary. Anyone who does not have a period costume and who is looking for inspiration, can check the photos posted on the web site of the Société Promotion Grand-Pré: www.grand-pre.com.

To facilitate the organization of this re-enactment, the Société Promotion Grand-Pré and the Friends of Grand-Pré would prefer that people register in advance by writing to 5sept1755@grand-pre.com or by leaving a message at (902) 542-4040.

This commemorative and educational activity will enable people of all ages to live a unique and memorable experience.