Katherine Bickford

Musée des Acadiens des Pubnico

The Acadians are the descendants of 17th and 18th-century French settlers who established themselves in parts of Acadia (French: Acadie), which encompassed present-day Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and parts of Quebec and Maine. These settlers hailed primarily from southwestern and southern France, historically known as Occitania. Some Acadians also have Indigenous ancestry, reflecting their coexistence with the native peoples of the region.

Acadia included the land east of New England and southeastern New France. It spanned the present-day Canadian Maritime Provinces and extended into parts of Maine and Quebec. The Acadian culture gradually evolved through cooperation with the Indigenous communities in the area.

Unfortunately, the Acadians faced a tumultuous fate. Under British pressure, Governor Charles Lawrence and the Council of Nova Scotia decided to expel them. This expulsion began in 1755 and is known as the “Grand Dérangement.” Approximately 10,000 to 18,000 Acadians were forcibly displaced, and many lost their lives during this tragic period.

The Acadian spirit endures in many parts of Nova Scotia.