Cheticamp: History and Acadian Traditions

Denyse Guilbeault-Chong was General Librarian at Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario.

Father Anselme Chiasson has seen his dream come true with the publication of this collection of more than six hundred recordings of songs, tales, legends. The book about the village of his birth took more than thirty years to complete. Chiasson is known for his books on Acadian folklore. In 1962, he was awarded the Champlain Prize from Le Conseil de la vie française en Amérique and also one from The Literary and Scientific Association of Cultural Affairs for the Province of Quebec.

The original version of the book Chéticamp: histoire et traditions acadiennes was first published in 1961. This English edition published recently has an additional section covering briefly the evolution of Chéticamp from 1961 to 1982.

Chéticamp is located on the west coast of Cape Breton. In the course of his research, the author was “able to penetrate most deeply the study of the oral traditional history of this small transplanted fragment of Acadia. He reveals his discoveries of Acadia and its people, from the foundation of Acadia (1604) and its saddening history of deportation (1755, 1758) to the progress since 1961. With their brotherly love and courage, and strengthened by faith, the Chéticantins surmounted their sufferings and struggles. The feelings of the people are depicted throughout this marvelous work: “The sea has been rocking the Chéticantins for two centuries ... the people carry within their hearts ... nostalgia that is expressed in their songs, their speech, and their customs. Like the sea, they are simple, yet great. There is depth in their vision, nobility in their hearts, dignity in their manners.”

Whether it beabout digging a well, making shoes or soap, hunting, fishing, or about transportation, economy, education, tragedies, legends, songs ..., Chéticamp is well written and enjoyable to read. Historians, folklorists, genealogists, linguists, potential tourists and anyone interested in Acadia will appreciate this richly documented resource.