Greetings from the Maritimes

Acadia Flag

Acadien colors on a windmill

In northeastern New Brunswick, a long way from our busy modern lives, near Caraquet, early August finds little Gaspe and us in an Acadia village. The mosaic of diverse landscapes that make up this sparsely populated region have one thing in common--- the sea. Here in Riviere-du-Nord there is a truly picturesque historical settlement we visited called the Village Historique Acadien. It has been a step back in time and a great starting point for us before we head south down the coastline of the Acadia Peninsula through timeless seeming fishing villages and little ports that draw many summer travelers. Motorcyclists, bicyclists, and RVs seem to appear everywhere on the road. Originating from France in the 17th century, Acadiens today live in Canada’s Maritime provinces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia. They make up over 30% of New Brunswick’s population. As Canada’s first French settlers, their history has essentially been marked by their deportation between 1755 and 1763 from Nova Scotia and southern New Brunswick because they refused to give up their cultural ways and accept British possession. Acadiens as a people were determined to survive after their expulsion and sought to maintain the attachment to their language and culture. 

Even an occasional lobster trap shows Acadien pride

Today this historical village has thirty- nine buildings of wood and stone structures which make up the landscape of days gone by. Acadiens are a proud people who boast their heritage everywhere as seen through the colors of red, white, and blue. At the village we enjoyed a codfish meal of authentic Acadien food at a table shared together with a nice family from Montreal. Below are some photos we took which personifies the pastoral life of their ancrestors long ago. Enjoy!

We started the day exploring Acadia farm life

Kids strolling through the village greeted us with smiles and hellos in French

Our first covered bridge with a sign that says, "$20.00 fine if driving faster than a walk"

Spinning wool and weaving is done in the winter. Carding wool and dying with plant colors.

The simple life is the good life. Loved the vegetable gardens

Chicken stew for a noontime meal smelled so good

Acadien carpenter makes buckets, furniture and even brooms from spruce

Pumping water from a well is harder than it looks

Who wouldn't love a kitchen like this cooking over an open fire

Blacksmith will make your tools , pots,pans, nails, and more

Spruce branches make great brooms in old Acadia

Dying wool with plant fibers for weaving blankets

Hiking 3 miles in the village for six hours

 

Catching the sunset at Camp Caraquet, New Brunswick