• Island cradled in the waves: Prince Edward Island
• Grand reunion makes festive time
• Exhibits in Port Allen celebrate Congrès Mondial 
• Congrès homecoming 
• Congres '99 kicks off, Carnival style
• A descendant helps to remember an Acadian freedom fighter
• Broussards relive past

             LAFAYETTE - Dancers re-enacted a turn-of-the-century Cajun
             wedding while genealogists typed at computer terminals to find the
             names of forgotten ancestors. Magicians entertained face-painted
             children so that friends and family members could catch up with
             one another's doings.

             Old ways and new ways met up this weekend at the Broussard
             family reunion, one of the first reunions of the Congrés Mondial
             Acadien.

             The Broussard reunion actually started on Friday, two days before
             the official kick-off of the Congrés.

             "Typical of the hard-headedness of Beausoleil," said J. Maxie
             Broussard, a reunion organizer, referring to the family's famous
             ancestor, the Acadian resistance leader Joseph "Beausoleil"
             Broussard. 

             "It's in the genes - we jumped the gun and started early."
             The Broussard event actually started early because Blackham
             Coliseum was available then to the almost 1,000 family members
             who turned out for the event.
             The Cajun wedding was the most elaborate event of the day,
             featuring singing, dancing and live music. It was performed by
             Renaissance Cadienne, a troupe dedicated to preserving historical
             Cajun dance. 

             "This year has really been our year," said Chris Trahan, a performer
             and the assistant director of the group.

             Less than two weeks ago, the all-volunteer group returned from an
             international folk dancing festival in Chéticamp, Nova Scotia. They
             visited the land where, in the 18th century, French-Acadians were
             forced out of their homes for deportation.

             The trip was "a life-changing experience, realizing the horror of
             what these people went through," said May Waggoner, the group's
             director.

             Renaissance Cadienne will perform during the Congrés at reunions
             for the Savoie, Trahan, LeBlanc and Comeaux families, said
             Waggoner, who is also a performer.
             The group, founded in 1990, specializes in 18th century Cajun
             dances such as the Bourrée and the Contre danse, which are in
             danger of being forgotten, according to group members. 

             For costumes, the members researched clothing and patterns from
             antique Sears Roebuck catalogues and consulted a textiles expert.
             "We check to see how these things were done," explained
             Waggoner.

             But troupe members want to keep things fun, and will purposely
             throw in anachronistic references - like a bit of Johnny Cash - to a
             song called "Allons a Lafayette."

             "It's should be fun," Trahan said. 
             "As my daughter says, we're not the 'folk police,'" said Waggoner
             with a laugh.
             After the wedding reenactment, members of the troupe taught
             audience members to Cajun dance. But not all of them needed
             teaching. 

             According to her friends, Corrine Broussard Murphey, 95, of Breaux
             Bridge, out-danced her partner. "He admitted it," said Murphey.

             People attending the event also participated in was researching
             their family genealogy. Genealogists Harvey Broussard and Mitch
             Conover searched computer databases with more 68,000 names to
             help attendees discover their roots. People could buy CD ROM's to
             take home with genealogy information from the Broussard family.

             The records are extensive, Conover explained, because Joseph
             "Beausoleil" Broussard, one of several brothers, was a
             grandfather to 40 grandchildren, 25 of whom were male. 

             "That's the key to our success," said Brent Broussard, an event
             organizer, of the computerized family trees. "People want to know
             their roots."

             The reunion was a happy time for most, but family members also
             took time to remember that Broussards have suffered to keep their
             families together.

             "We've enjoyed the reunion," said Jane Broussard Comeaux, 65, a
             retired school teacher from Breaux Bridge. "But it's kind of
             heart-wrenching, too, when you think of what happened to our
             ancestors." 

             While sometimes sad, the history of the Broussard family seems to
             have inspired loyalty on the part of those who came to the reunion.

             Brent Broussard said people from all over Canada and the United
             States attended the reunion, ticking off states such as New Jersey,
             Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, Montana, Arizona and Wyoming.

             "We have representation that's made me proud of what we've
             done," said Broussard.