A father sends his daughter off to sea. The sailor in charge falls in love with her. She refuses his advances, afraid that her father will disapprove.

This performance was filmed during the book launch for AJB Johnston’s Storied Shores: St. Peter’s, Isle Madame, and Chapel Island in the 17th and 18th Centuries and Conference on History Based Tourism (Saint-Joseph-Du-Moine: les vielles chansons acadiennes, une foulerie et des danses carrées). This 2004 recording was a co-production of The Tompkins Institute (Cape Breton University) and Telile Community Television. Participants at this event took part in une foulerie or a french milling frolic.

Cécilia, 2004. Saint-Joseph-Du-Moine: les vielles chansons acadiennes, une foulerie et des danses carrées. Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University.

Fidele, with a companion, goes courting. He is turned down by the girl on the grounds that he has another love – only to find out, somewhat abruptly, that it is she who has other designs! He leaves in a hurry.

The singer is Hélène (née Martell) Landry of Petit De Grat.

Le Bonhomme Gautier. Hélène Landry. T-2097, Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University.

A man likes rum. He drinks too much, gets picked up by a policeman, and ends up in jail with all its discomforts.

It is presented here in a video recording by the well-known Acadian singer, Leo à Pat Aucoin. The performance was a part of the book launch for AJB Johnston’s Storied Shores: St. Peter’s, Isle Madame, and Chapel Island in the 17th and 18th Centuries and Conference on History Based Tourism (Saint-Joseph-Du-Moine: les vielles chansons acadiennes, une foulerie et des danses carrées). This 2004 recording was a co-production of The Tompkins Institute (Cape Breton University) and Telile Community Television.

C’est Une Bouteille De Rhum, 2004. Saint-Joseph-Du-Moine: les vielles chansons acadiennes, une foulerie et des danses carrées. Léo à Pat Aucoin. Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University.

A young man leaves his lover to go off to war for six years. He realistically worries that others will replace him. She thinks not.

Belle Nanon. Joseph A. Larade. T-1355, Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University.

The song says, “If I were a lark, I would fly to a ship’s mast.” It is romantic fantasy concerning the king’s daughter, and is reminiscent of the British ballad If I Were A Blackbird (which itself has Nova Scotian variants).

This performance is a part of a field recording of Le Festival Acadien, held in Petit-de-Grat from July 30 to August 3, 1980. It was collected for the Beaton Institute by Paula Webber, Alan Cash, Ken Simpson, and Heather MacDonald.

This annual event commemorates the arrival of the first ancestors of the Acadian people at Port Royal, Nova Scotia. The 1980 festival held special meaning as it was the 375th anniversary of the founding of Port Royal by Samuel de Champlain, thus marking the long existence of the Acadian culture in Nova Scotia.

Le Festival Acadien is an expression of a people’s pride in their heritage and culture and celebrates the past accomplishments of the hard working Acadian people. Through their music they relate the history of Acadie, and remember its heroic figures such as Evangeline and Gabriel.

Belle Alouette Grise, 1980. T-921. Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University.

Ave Maris Stella is a plainsong hymn to the Virgin Mary. Its origin is uncertain, but it can be dated back to at least the eighth century. Popular in the Middle Ages, it has been used by many composers as the basis of other compositions.

The hymn has been adopted as the anthem of the Acadian people, who were highly influenced by the Roman Catholic Church and had (and still have) a high degree of devotion to the Virgin Mary. It was adopted as the anthem during the Second Acadian National Convention, held in Prince Edward Island in 1884.

The hymn was sung in its original Latin version until French lyrics were finally composed in 1994. Out of respect for the original hymn, the first verse in the song remains in Latin.

This performance is a part of a field recording of Le Festival Acadien, held in Petit-de-Grat from July 30 to August 3, 1980. It was collected for the Beaton Institute by Paula Webber, Alan Cash, Ken Simpson, and Heather MacDonald.

This annual event commemorates the arrival of the first ancestors of the Acadian people at Port Royal, Nova Scotia. The 1980 festival held special meaning as it was the 375th anniversary of the founding of Port Royal by Samuel de Champlain, thus marking the long existence of the Acadian culture in Nova Scotia.

Le Festival Acadien is an expression of a people’s pride in their heritage and culture and celebrates the past accomplishments of the hard working Acadian people. Through their music they relate the history of Acadie, and remember its heroic figures such as Evangeline and Gabriel.

Ave Stella Maris, 1980. T-921. Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University.

The singer goes into the woods to pick berries and finds a lark nesting. He steps on her wing and breaks it, and an argument takes place between him and the bird.

This performance is a part of a field recording of Le Festival Acadien, held in Petit-de-Grat from July 30 to August 3, 1980. It was collected for the Beaton Institute by Paula Webber, Alan Cash, Ken Simpson, and Heather MacDonald.

This annual event commemorates the arrival of the first ancestors of the Acadian people at Port Royal, Nova Scotia. The 1980 festival held special meaning as it was the 375th anniversary of the founding of Port Royal by Samuel de Champlain, thus marking the long existence of the Acadian culture in Nova Scotia.

Le Festival Acadien is an expression of a people’s pride in their heritage and culture and celebrates the past accomplishments of the hard working Acadian people. Through their music they relate the history of Acadie, and remember its heroic figures such as Evangeline and Gabriel.

Au Chant De L’Alouette, 1980. T-921. Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University.