[unedited footage of Acadian interviews, cookery, and festival]

Date1979

Viewing NotesUnedited footage including interviews with Acadians, focusing on their daily lives, customs, food, music and dance. Original footage is 1/2-inch open reel videotape. From donor's notes: This video was done in 1979 intending to document how Christmas was celebrated on Prince Edward Island at the turn of the century. The first part of the video are interviews conducted in the Rumford, Me. area by Dr. Edward Martin (founder of Acadian heritage Society), who asked selected Acadian individuals what their Christmas celebrations were like prior to their migration to the U.S. The discussion involves foods, traditions, music, religion, and family involvement. The second part of the video documents how the Acadian Society made 'poutine' for their annual festival called the 'Fiddle Festival,' a celebration of Acadian music, foods and merryment. Poutine is a traditional Acadian food looked at with much fondness. You see that attitude reflected in the chefs preparing the poutine in the video. The last part of the video documents one of the fiddle festivals. Many of the musicians were Society members and self-taught. The step dancers were also self-taught. The festivals were always organized to include family participation.