St. Martinville cultural pasport events highlight month of reflection

St. Matinville — The Cultural Heritage Center, the African American Museum and the Acadian Memorial are gearing up for a month full of events.

Brenda Comeaux Trahan, curator director of the Acadian Memorial, said it is the hope of the St. Martinville museum community to “awaken more tourist and locals to our area through a month long programming about our culture.”

She said the events are made possible through Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu’s Louisiana Passport Events program with grant funds from the World Cultural Economy Forum.

There will be a film shown daily at 3 p.m. at the St. Martinville Cultural Heritage Center on South New Market Street, which is in conjunction with the African American Museum’s “Sha-ckles of Memory” exhibit.

Danielle Fontenette, curator director of the African American museum, said the film, with a run time of 52 minutes, “aids in the understanding of the organization of the slave trade and the hardships endured.”

Historic tours of St. Martinville began Saturday and will be offered Friday with city tours offered from  10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and cemetery tours offered from 3 to 6 p.m.

Those interested in the tour are asked to meet at the Acadian Memorial on South New Market Street in St. Martinville.

Trahan said the tour is provided by James Akers, who she said has a passion for history that has driven him to be the curator of the Petit Paris Museum and the Acadian House Museum.

There will be a workshop at 10 a.m. and a lecture at 6 p.m. Tuesday on Cajuns and their Acadian Ancestors by Dr. Shane Bernard at the Acadian Memorial.

Trahan said the lecture and workshop are geared toward teacher and students but is also open to the public.

On Wednesday there will be a presentation and exhibit called Le Poitou, terre d’histoire, terre Acadian at 6 p.m. at the Acadian Memorial that will cover the Acadians who were deported to the Poitou region of France along with paintings of the area by Claude Massed Daigle of Poitier, France.

“His presentation and exhibit will explain the plight of the Acadians who were forced out of their homes in Nova Scotia and how some of these people took refuge in the Poitou region,” Trahan said.

“This event promises to enlighten its attendees about the history of the Acadians and the hardships they braved and survived. His exhibit will be combined with local artists.”

The “Shackles of Me-mory” exhibit, opening officially at 6 p.m. Friday, has been permanently donated to the city by the Shackles of Memories Alliance in Nantes, France.

“The exhibit consists of eight panels that are concerned with the themes such as ‘Europe and the triangular trade,’ ‘Africa and slavery,’ and ‘From passive resistance to the abolition of the slave trade,’” Fontenette said.

“The people of St. Martinville, the surrounding area and the larger global community will be able to participate in this event and further cultural awareness locally and globally about the slave trade and its consequences.”

Events continue throughout the month in St. Martinville.