Certain regions of Canada observe National Acadian Day annually on August 15 to honour the Acadian people and culture. During the first National Convention of the Acadians, held in Memramcook, New Brunswick, in 1881, the Acadian leaders were charged with determining the date of this commemoration, which is also the feast of the Assumption of Mary. Acadians, originally from France, were the first Europeans to establish permanently in Canada.
The background of National Acadian Day
National Acadian Day commemorates the history and culture of the Acadian people of Canada. When France founded Nova Scotia in Port Royal in 1605 as the first permanent settlement in North America, thousands of Acadians were forced to abandon their homes and relocate due to the Great Upheaval, which occurred between 1755 and 1763. Others never returned to the Acadian region, although many eventually did.
National Acadian Day was established in 1881 at the first National Convention of the Acadians in Memramcook, New Brunswick, when the Acadian leaders were tasked with choosing a date for the commemoration that coincided with the feast day of the Assumption of Mary. Those who wanted Acadians to celebrate Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, which has been a national day of French Canadians since 1834 and a national holiday of Quebec since 1977, on June 24 and those who wanted the celebration to occur on August 15 debated the date at the convention.
During this time period, a substantial number of Acadian leaders were traditionalists who desired the preservation of pre-revolutionary France’s values and customs. This did not prevent the Acadians from embracing a tricolour flag three years later at the Miscouche convention. Abbot Marcel-Francois Richard, who supported August 15, is believed to have influenced the outcome with his statement before the conference. By January 1938, the Vatican had endorsed the choice of a declaration by the Acadian convention. Through the efforts of the Canadian Parliament, National Acadian Day became a national holiday in 2003.
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Plan to travel to Acadia.
Acadians hold festivals to honour both their centuries-old traditions and contemporary arts and culture. Plan a trip to Canada to attend one of the many festivals held year-round in Acadian and Francophone communities throughout the province.
Explore Acadian history
Acadia, a French colony in North America, may be unfamiliar to you. Now that you’ve heard of them, it’s time to educate yourself on their culture and history!
Listen to Acadian music
Good music has the ability to embed itself in our souls. This is something that unites us all. Listen to Acadian music or look up Acadian artists on Google.
5 ACADIA FACTS THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND
Port Royal was founded in 1605 as the first metropolis of Acadia.
In 1566, Bolognino Zaltieri dubbed a region far to the northeast of modern-day Nova Scotia and New Brunswick “Arcadia.”
It is believed that the term ‘Quoddy,’ which means open sloop-rigged vessel, inspired the name Acadia.
The abundance of cod in Acadia attracted European merchants and fishermen to its shores.
Chiac is a prevalent Acadian dialect throughout the region.
NATIONAL ACADIAN DAY DATES
Year | Date | Day |
---|---|---|
2023 | August 15 | Tuesday |
2024 | August 15 | Thursday |
2025 | August 15 | Friday |
2026 | August 15 | Saturday |
2027 | August 15 | Sunday |