Acadian Heritage Day Proclaimed at Lafourche Parish Council Meeting

Lafourche Parish President Archie Chaisson declared August 15 “Acadian Heritage Day” at the recent Lafourche Parish Council meeting.

Acadian Heritage Day Proclamation: Read by Parish President Chaisson “WHEREAS Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou- Lafourche Parish is an unapologetically Cajun Destination and is comprised of many different ethnicities that make a unique “cultural gumbo” not found anywhere else in the world; and

 

WHEREAS Lafourche Parish is connected to the Acadian Regions of Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada through Acadian ancestral and historical ties and acknowledges the significant contributions made by the Acadians to our parish and region; and

 

WHEREAS in 1881 at the National Acadian Convention in Memramcook, New Brunswick, the decision to adopt a national day was made and in 2003 the National Acadian Day Act was passed by the Government of Canada; and

 

WHEREAS on August 15th each year, National Acadian Day has been observed in Canada to recognize the distinct nationality, history, and cultural significance of the Acadians; and

WHEREAS the State of Louisiana has observed Acadian Day on the Friday after Thanksgiving to commemorate the Acadian people and recognize that much of the early economic and political development of Louisiana is directly attributed to the industry of the Acadian people, through cultivation of the land, utilization of natural resources, and the interest of the Acadian people in political self-determination and American democracy; and

 

WHEREAS in 2022, the Lafourche Parish Tourist Commission (Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism) formed a working partnership with the Acadian Regions of Nova

Scotia and the Congres Mondial Acadien titled “From Acadian to Cajun – Two Countries, One Culture” and is continuing that partnership in 2024 by attending the Congres Mondial Acadien with the purpose of promoting tourism and increasing awareness of our shared cultural connections, including food, music, history, and ancestry; and

 

WHEREAS we understand the ongoing need to preserve, promote, and celebrate our own Acadian and Cajun heritage in Lafourche Parish and to educate the public about our diverse and distinct culture

 

NOW, THEREFORE, I Archie Chaisson, III, President of Lafourche Parish, do hereby proclaim August 15, 2024: Acadian Heritage Day”

Ian Wallace was present to accept the proclamation, “On behalf of Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou, our President and CEO Cody Gray who could not be with us tonight, myself, and our Board of Directors, we just want to thank you again for recognizing Acadian Heritage Day in Lafourche Parish.” He spoke about the Acadian to Cajun partnership, “We are looking forward to heading up to Nova Scotia again to celebrate the Congres Mondial Acadien, which is the world’s largest gathering of the Acadian people…we are going to be up there representing Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou, promoting our Cajun culture, and our Acadian ancestry. Again, on behalf of Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou, thank you very much for recognizing August 15 as Acadian Heritage Day.”