Life After Île Ste-Croix

Before the French sailed through the Digby Gut and followed the river to found what they named Port-Royale, they endured a winter on the other side of the Bay of Fundy on an island in the St. Croix River.

“Fifteen years ago, the National Film Board of Canada released a DVD (remember them?) of the film Life After Île Ste-Croix produced by Ronald Rudin, and directed by Leo Aristimuño.

The film, and the book that accompanied it, Remembering and Forgetting in Acadie, explored the construction of commemorative events marking the 400th anniversary in 2004 of the first effort by France to create a permanent settlement in North America.

Even though this settlement, on an island that sits on the international border between New Brunswick and Maine, survived only one winter, it has been remembered in various ways. For some Acadians, it marked the beginning of a French-speaking experience in Atlantic Canada.

“…most importantly, the quadricentenary provided an opportunity for the Peskotomuhkati/ Passamaquoddy First Nation to tell its own story. Long viewed by governments as an American tribe, 2004 allowed the Peskotomuhkati to draw attention to their presence in Canada, where they were not recognized.”

The foregoing “text” copyright Ronald Rudin. Thanks to The Acadiensis Blog for posting this story.

Watch Life After Ile Ste-Croix here