Acadian Mi-Carême: Masks and Merrymaking.

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

Acadians have a rich folk tradition little known in the rest of Canada. Mi-Carême has its roots in France, so it is not surprising that it flourished—and still continues—in those parts of eastern Canada with a French heritage, namely the Magdalen Islands, the North Shore of Quebec, parts of New Brunswick, and a few isolated villages in Cape Breton and Nova Scotia.

Mi-Carême is the name of both an event and the main player in that event. From the mid-1800s to mid-1900s, Mi-Carême was a one-day reprieve from the abstinence practised during Lent. It was an occasion for the men of the village to disguise themselves in cast-off clothing, the objective being to appear as ugly and frightening as possible. Then, carrying big sticks and noisemakers, they travelled from house to house, receiving refreshments and distributing candy to children. The lead figure in Mi-Carême was the Mi-Carême, a mysterious figure, more frightening than the other masqueraders, who also had the role of bogeyman. This figure appeared with a sack in which to carry away children who misbehaved.

The event has continued to evolve. Since the 1970s, approximately, it has become an activity for schoolchildren or a week-long folk festival.

Mi-Carême was reminiscent of mumming in Newfoundland and has elements of Halloween (masks, costumes) and Christmas (giving treats). In some places children left their caps on the woodpile in anticipation of receiving candy, a practice with clear parallels to the Christmas stocking tradition.

As well, the Mi-Carême had another role, that of replacement for the stork: In the guise of an old woman, the Mi-Carême was credited with bringing both human and animal babies.

As a study of a folk tradition, the work pulls together information on its practice in several different geographic areas. In style, it is an easy-to-read academic work of ethnology, with good documentation of the extensive research. The absence of an index is a glaring omission. The book is strengthened by the inclusion of nine clear maps and approximately 35 informal photos of costumed mummers. The full text of an 1888 newspaper article on the topic and numerous first-person quotes from local residents are exceptionally interesting and add considerable value.