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The greeting at the Halifax Airport got me excited as I had come to Nova Scotia to look at the places that my Acadian and Mi’kmaq ancestors had lived.

We had nearly ten days of exploring the truly beautiful province of Nova Scotia – call “Acadia” or “Acadie” back when my ancestors lived there. The origins of the name “Acadia” are a bit confusing but apparently an analogy was made with the ancient beauty and bountiful area of ancient Arcadia – noted in old Greek and Roman writings. Nonetheless, this is how it was referred to by the French, and the early settlers identified themselves as “Acadian” in English, “Acadien” in French, and “Cajun” in the later generations forced to Louisiana.

The history of the region – the eastern provinces of what is now Canada but later developed into Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and island around that region – were the earliest European/French settlements. Of course, Indigenous peoples flourished in the region – Abenacki, Mi’kmaq and more – were plentiful and lived in relative peace as the water separated them and they lived from the bounty of the sea, the land, and moving around their territories. I’m a descendant of Mi’kmaq people that were near/around Port Royal, now known as Annapolis Royal. The Dauphin River – now the Annapolis River – was the best location initially after earlier difficulties in other locations. And the history of the region with the arrival of the French became embroiled in the conflicts and politics of the French/English conflicts back in Europe over centuries. Unfortunately, the conflicts, politics and personalities of the region were grounded in what was happening in Europe as well as the personality dynamics of the various leaders over time. For more detailed explanations of what was happening, read the marvelous compilation by John Mack Faragher, A Great and Noble Scheme: The Tragic Story of the Expulsion of the French Acadians from Their American Homeland. The dynamics of the history offered in this book, the end notes and bibliography included, provide plenty of context for the troubles of the early French settlers and their eventual tragedy of the “Grand Derangement” or expulsion. More on that later ….

Our first couple of days were in Halifax and the southern areas of the province – Peggys Cove, Lunenberg, and further west into West Pubnico. All the while enjoying the lovely weather (although a hurricane was coming) and searching out the locations dominated in the early days by the settlements of Acadians. I can go on and on about the friendly people, excellent seafood and Acadian rappie or rapure pie (a tasty mixture of grated potatoes, onion and chicken in a delicious broth, wrapped in a pastry crust and often served in a cruet or small bowl and baked). Yummy!

Rappie or Rapure Pie – Chicken, onions, potato in a broth, wrapped in a crust

The place where we began to truly find the Acadian culture was Pubnico – in the southwestern area of Nova Scotia. A museum, cultural center, gardens and store offered context, very kind and knowledgeable women who shared about the Acadians that had lived and still live in the area. 

Here at the Museum and Living History Center, there was also a genealogy research facility with books and materials (music!) of the Acadian ancestors. I obtained an Acadian flag, a book of genealogy information and enjoyed the gardens of the items that an average Acadian family would have grown near their homes – herbs, beans, onions, potatoes, and more. And edible flowers and fruit trees – the Acadians had seeds from France that they brought with them. Apple orchards, mostly on the northern coast were plentiful and foods with fish and soups predominated with fruits in season.

From Halifax, we traveled directly up through the center of the province to the large national park – Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site. My first experience of Mi’kmaq culture where the displays offered information about the people, and I got a language book to learn some phrases. It would have been nice to camp or hike here as it was so beautiful and full of history. 

Then on to Annapolis Royal and the Annapolis River region on the north of the province. We stayed in this area for a number of days because my ancestors largely were from this area – all up and down the river. In their times is was called Port Royal and the river was the Dauphin, and the Acadian and Mi’kmaq presence was very obvious and celebrated by the descendants in the area.

Chief Membertou was a friend to the early Acadians and his people helped to teach these new French people about the local environment and how to survive.

The interior of the square fort with buildings for soldiers, cooking, eating and storage.

A recreation of an Acadian home with its nearby garden and outdoor bread cooking dome.

Traveling up and down and all over the Dauphin/Annapolis River, I was blessed to have a map that the Annapolis Royal Historical Society had provided, giving the locations of where the farms of my ancestors and their Acadian neighbors had lived! North and south of the river, I could find the likely approximate locations of the former farms and apple trees were often the clues. Weeping willows were also clues to home sites and potential burial places, maybe even the small churches of the region.

The fort on the south side of the river, with Annapolis Royal’s soldier garrison and buildings dating back to the 1700s, was also the site of the original burial locations of my earliest Acadian ancestors.

The oldest construction on the site of the original fort – looking north toward the Dauphin River.

The marker, recently placed, honoring the burial sites of many of the earliest Acadians, just on the western edge of the Annapolis fort (Fort Anne).

While the area around Port Royal/Annapolis Royal was FULL of information and research sources for me, the people we met and the information obtained was amazing. We met Mi’kmaw people, historians and the docents at the Annapolis Historical Society’s O’Dowd House where I was assisted with maps and books, and so much information that my head nearly exploded!!

As I could go on and on and on about the people that I met – the Acadian Cultural Center, operated by cousins, on the former lands of my Savoie ancestors and how they have built an amazing place for people to gather; the university of Sainte-Anne at Church Point and the resources there for the only location to learn Acadian French, with a nice museum; the Acadian Facebook communities from which I gathered information to plan this amazing trip; the mapannapolis Facebook site and its work in identifying those in the Fort Anne burial grounds (when I was there, near the Acadian marker shown above, there was an archeology group studying a nearby grave!). There are SO many pictures that I haven’t posted and, in fear of boring everyone, I’ll work at writing more about some of our adventures.

Thank you to the people of Nova Scotia, including Cape Breton – I haven’t even touched on the beauty there and the Fort at Louisburg …. for another day!