The well-known Acadian folklorist and historian Georges Arsenault will give
\nan illustrated talk on two ancient and popular Acadian winter celebrations.
\nThe first is known as Chandeleur (Candlemas) and takes place on February 2.
\nThe second, called Mi-Car\u00eame, is celebrated a few weeks later in the middle
\nof Lent.
\nGeorges Arsenault has researched the origins of these joyful traditions and
\nhow they were observed in Acadian communities in Eastern Canada. Published
\nby Acorn Press and translated by Sally Ross, the English titles of his two
\nbooks on these winter festivities are: Acadian Traditions on Candlemas Day:
\nCandles, Pancakes, and House Visits and Acadian Mi-Car\u00eame: Masks and
\nMerrymaking.
\nCandlemas Day was at one time an important religious and social festivity.
\nPancakes were the symbolic food of choice. In many Acadian villages, young
\nmen went from door-to-door collecting food either for a communal feast or to
\ngive to the poor. To celebrate Mid-Lent, people visited each other’s homes
\ndressed up in masks and costumes, as they still do in the Ch\u00e9ticamp region
\nof Cape Breton. In some villages, a scary woman called the Mi-Car\u00eame
\ndistributed candies to good little children. In his presentation, Arsenault
\nwill trace the evolution of these traditions, highlight modern-day
\ncelebrations, and look at the role they still play in Acadian culture.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Georges Arsenault’s latest edition to the Acadian Traditions series Most English-speaking people just associate the 2nd of February, or Groundhog Day, with superstitions related to the weather. In Acadian communities, however, it was known as Candlemas Day and at one time was an important religious and social festivity. Pancakes were the symbolic food of choice. In many villages, young Acadians went from door-to-door collecting food for a communal feast or to give to the poor. This book by Georges Arsenault enables us to discover a festivity rich in traditions and a significant part of the cultural heritage of Acadians everywhere.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":52337,"template":"","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":""},"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[12776],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-64407","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","5":"product_language-eng-fr","6":"product_subjects-history-fr","7":"product_subjects-canada-fr","8":"product_subjects-general-canada-fr","9":"product_reading_range-14-fr","10":"product_reading_range-15-fr","11":"product_reading_range-16-fr","12":"product_reading_range-17-fr","13":"product_reading_range-18-fr","14":"product_reading_range-13-fr","15":"product_interest_range-14-fr","16":"product_interest_range-13-fr","17":"product_interest_range-15-fr","18":"product_interest_range-16-fr","19":"product_interest_range-17-fr","20":"product_interest_range-18-fr","21":"product_grade_range-seventh-grade-fr","22":"product_grade_range-eighth-grade-fr","23":"product_grade_range-ninth-grade-fr","24":"product_grade_range-tenth-grade-fr","25":"product_grade_range-eleventh-grade-fr","26":"product_grade_range-twelfth-grade-fr","27":"product_curriculumsubject-english-curriculum-subjects-fr","28":"product_edi_priority_areas-races-et-ethnies","29":"biblio_share_tag-history-canada-general-fr","30":"product_cat-abc-fr-2","31":"product_shipping_class-abc-test-fr","32":"entry","34":"first","35":"instock","36":"taxable","37":"shipping-taxable","38":"purchasable","39":"product-type-simple"},"yoast_head":"\n