Acadians of the Avon River
Acadians are descendants of early groups of French settlers, most of whom arrived in the Annapolis River area between 1632 and 1653. By 1670 most Acadians had been born here and by 1700, Acadians had developed their own distinct culture influenced by the Mi’kmaq, the environment, and their isolation from France, and they no longer considered themselves pure French. Control of the Acadian colonies switched between the French and English nine times during the Acadian period and the lives of Acadians were often affected by decisions made far from their homes. From 1730 on, Acadians were known as French Neutrals, who attempted to stay out of the frequent colonial conflicts.
As the population grew, Acadians spread from the Annapolis River area towards Les Mines (Minas Basin) and in the 1680s a group of Port Royal settlers decided to move to the Grand-Pré area, near the Avon River, then called the Pisiquid River, which means “meeting of the waters” in the Mi’kmaw language. The population spread along river banks and in the Avon River area they established the villages of Rivet, Foret, Babin, Landry, Thibodeau, and Vincent. From the 1690s until their deportation in 1755, there were hundreds of Acadians living in this area, including the Daignon, Godin, Doravon, Borillor, Girouard, Thibaudau, Breaux, Landry, Vincent, and Daigle families.
Acadians were generally successful farmers who worked together to produce enough food to sustain their communities and export surplus to French and British forts and to New England. Settlers brought from the western provinces of France in the 1600s knew how to reclaim land by dykes and create farmland from salt marshes. Acadians farmed reclaimed land which did not threaten fishing or hunting grounds of Mi’kmaq, who became their allies and family members. The dykes and the apple trees you see around this museum are a legacy of the Acadians who farmed and fished in this community over 250 years ago.
1713 to 1744, the Acadian “golden age”, was the most peaceful time for Acadians and the population grew with larger family sizes and average life expectancies better than in France, Canada, or New England. There was prosperity from export of agricultural products, and little conflict during this period. While there were about 2,500 Acadians in 1714, by 1744, the population rose to over 10,000 with just under half living in the Minas Basin area; however, the start of the Seven Years War in 1754 and New England’s interest in expanding to the rich farmlands of the Bay of Fundy area led British colonial administrators to change policy towards Acadians. Some Acadians responded by moving to French-held territories. Those who stayed attempted to remain neutral. They agreed to sign oaths of allegiance to the British, but not oaths that required them to fight against French or Mi’kmaq.
This was the excuse given to launch the 1755-1764 Grand Dérangement, Great Upheaval, or Expulsion of the Acadians, which displaced 10,000 to 18,000 Acadians and killed thousands through starvation, drowning, and disease. While most Acadian farms and orchards were burnt to discourage their return, in this area some buildings were left standing, and the first lands granted to the Planters were those that had been farmed by Acadians.
In October 1755, about 1,100 Acadians were deported from the Avon River area on four ships under devastating conditions. Many families, including the local Girouards and Thibaudaus, were separated with parents and children deported to different New England states. Many died before reaching shore and those who survived landed destitute with no belongings. Some Acadians remained behind, hidden by the Mi’kmaq. Those Acadians who hid and were later captured were imprisoned and were sometimes hired out to Planters to repair dykes or to farm. Some of those prisoners bore the name of Poitier, Suret, Broussard, Dugas, Girroir, Gallant, Léger, Robicheau, Johnson, Deveau, Bourque, Pelerin, Comeau and Brun. In the early 1760s, there were more Acadian prisoners at Fort Edward in Windsor than there were settlers there.
After the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1763, Acadians were permitted to return and re-establish in seven isolated regions of the province, but were not permitted to return to their earlier lands or communities. In 1765, when Acadians who had been jailed in Planter areas were about to emigrate to West Indies or France, Planters who relied on their labour for road work and farming petitioned the government to let them remain at least until ploughing was done, saying, “We find that without their further assistance many of us cannot continue our improvements, nor plough, nor sow our fields nor finish the dyking still required to secure our lands…”
Today just over 3% of Nova Scotia’s population is Acadian. Acadians whose first language is French make up the majority of the population in Clare, in sections of Argyle, in Isle Madame and Chéticamp. Acadians have worked to create an identity different from that of France or Quebec, and their culture today is bustling with energy and artistic creativity.
Dykes built by the Acadians in the early 1700s along the Avon River still protect the land from salt water inundation. As rising sea levels brought by unchallenged climate change threaten the lands around the Avon River, we draw inspiration from the strong co-operative efforts of these early settlers. Similar community and global co-operation in the face of climate change impact is needed today to continue to protect these lands.
As the population grew, Acadians spread from the Annapolis River area towards Les Mines (Minas Basin) and in the 1680s a group of Port Royal settlers decided to move to the Grand-Pré area, near the Avon River, then called the Pisiquid River, which means “meeting of the waters” in the Mi’kmaw language. The population spread along river banks and in the Avon River area they established the villages of Rivet, Foret, Babin, Landry, Thibodeau, and Vincent. From the 1690s until their deportation in 1755, there were hundreds of Acadians living in this area, including the Daignon, Godin, Doravon, Borillor, Girouard, Thibaudau, Breaux, Landry, Vincent, and Daigle families.
Acadians were generally successful farmers who worked together to produce enough food to sustain their communities and export surplus to French and British forts and to New England. Settlers brought from the western provinces of France in the 1600s knew how to reclaim land by dykes and create farmland from salt marshes. Acadians farmed reclaimed land which did not threaten fishing or hunting grounds of Mi’kmaq, who became their allies and family members. The dykes and the apple trees you see around this museum are a legacy of the Acadians who farmed and fished in this community over 250 years ago.
1713 to 1744, the Acadian “golden age”, was the most peaceful time for Acadians and the population grew with larger family sizes and average life expectancies better than in France, Canada, or New England. There was prosperity from export of agricultural products, and little conflict during this period. While there were about 2,500 Acadians in 1714, by 1744, the population rose to over 10,000 with just under half living in the Minas Basin area; however, the start of the Seven Years War in 1754 and New England’s interest in expanding to the rich farmlands of the Bay of Fundy area led British colonial administrators to change policy towards Acadians. Some Acadians responded by moving to French-held territories. Those who stayed attempted to remain neutral. They agreed to sign oaths of allegiance to the British, but not oaths that required them to fight against French or Mi’kmaq.
This was the excuse given to launch the 1755-1764 Grand Dérangement, Great Upheaval, or Expulsion of the Acadians, which displaced 10,000 to 18,000 Acadians and killed thousands through starvation, drowning, and disease. While most Acadian farms and orchards were burnt to discourage their return, in this area some buildings were left standing, and the first lands granted to the Planters were those that had been farmed by Acadians.
In October 1755, about 1,100 Acadians were deported from the Avon River area on four ships under devastating conditions. Many families, including the local Girouards and Thibaudaus, were separated with parents and children deported to different New England states. Many died before reaching shore and those who survived landed destitute with no belongings. Some Acadians remained behind, hidden by the Mi’kmaq. Those Acadians who hid and were later captured were imprisoned and were sometimes hired out to Planters to repair dykes or to farm. Some of those prisoners bore the name of Poitier, Suret, Broussard, Dugas, Girroir, Gallant, Léger, Robicheau, Johnson, Deveau, Bourque, Pelerin, Comeau and Brun. In the early 1760s, there were more Acadian prisoners at Fort Edward in Windsor than there were settlers there.
After the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1763, Acadians were permitted to return and re-establish in seven isolated regions of the province, but were not permitted to return to their earlier lands or communities. In 1765, when Acadians who had been jailed in Planter areas were about to emigrate to West Indies or France, Planters who relied on their labour for road work and farming petitioned the government to let them remain at least until ploughing was done, saying, “We find that without their further assistance many of us cannot continue our improvements, nor plough, nor sow our fields nor finish the dyking still required to secure our lands…”
Today just over 3% of Nova Scotia’s population is Acadian. Acadians whose first language is French make up the majority of the population in Clare, in sections of Argyle, in Isle Madame and Chéticamp. Acadians have worked to create an identity different from that of France or Quebec, and their culture today is bustling with energy and artistic creativity.
Dykes built by the Acadians in the early 1700s along the Avon River still protect the land from salt water inundation. As rising sea levels brought by unchallenged climate change threaten the lands around the Avon River, we draw inspiration from the strong co-operative efforts of these early settlers. Similar community and global co-operation in the face of climate change impact is needed today to continue to protect these lands.
