• The grand finale
• Melançon name made a mark on Acadiana
• On final evening, 'tout le monde et Cajun' 
• Acadian Congress Closes
• Cajundome concert closes Congrès Mondial 
• Distant Descendants of the Acadians Get Together in Louisiana

             OPELOUSAS - There may be only a letter and a cédille of a
             difference between 
             them, but in the twist between Melançon and Melanson is the tale
             of Acadiana.

             Both branches of Les Famille de Melancon, Melanson were in town
             Saturday as they took their turn in the spotlight generated by the
             Congrès Mondial Acadien, the World Acadian Congress.

             "The priests put in the cédille," the squiggle under the "c" in
             Melançon, Diane Melanson said. "They were always making the
             names more French."

             Priests were France's chief population record-keepers during the
             French colonial period in the Americas.

             Diane, of south New Brunswick, Canada, attended the family
             reunion at the Jambilee Building with her son, Jean-Michel, and her
             sister, Lorette Melancon. 

             "But in our case," added reunion coordinator Lynwood Melançon of
             Henderson, "there is an historical significance to the cédille. Our
             ancestors Pierre and Paul help found the settlement of Grand
             Prairie in Nova Scotia. Most of the Cajuns are descended from
             Pierre, while most of the Canadians are descended from Paul."

             Paul Melanson's branch of the family nested outside of the large
             population centers of Nova Scotia. Pierre and his people lived
             within the settlement of Grand Prairie.

             Consequently, when British soldiers rounded up the French of Nova
             Scotia in 1755 and expelled a culture, the Melançons became
             Cajuns while the Melansons fled through the woods to New
             Brunswick.

             "They were helped by the Miq'mac indians," said Diane of her
             ancestors. 
             "Otherwise they probably would have perished or been caught by
             the British."

             A shared love of genealogy was responsible for the Melançon
             reunion Saturday. 
             Lynwood Melançon began to fully indulge his hobby of family ties
             research about four years ago. He met his relative Caroline Turner
             Ogle on the Internet. Caroline, whose mother, Jeanette, was a
             Melançon, has been actively pursuing genealogy research for a
             number of years.

             When Congrès Mondial Acadien requested that families sponsor
             reunions as part of a Franco heritage celebration, Lynwood and
             Caroline agreed to organize the Melançons.

             "We wrote letters and e-mailed all over the world," said Caroline,
             an award-winning print designer who serves as president of Les
             Famille de Melancon. She also produces the family newsletter.

             "We talked long distance on the phone sometimes for two hours.
             It's a trait of Cajuns," she laughed. "Once you get them on the
             phone, you can't get them off."
             Before the reunion, the family newsletter had 125 subscribers.

             "About 500 people showed up today," Caroline said, "so we're
             going to have to send out a lot more newsletters. All of them came
             with information about family members that we will enter into the
             database. 

             "It's been hard work, but very exciting. I'm meeting family members
             for the first time, people I'll stay in touch with for the rest of my life."

             Other than contacting the relatives and planning the event, as
             sponsors of the reunion Lynwood, Caroline and other family
             members had to put together a program of activities. They had
             bands, good food, crafts demonstrations, lectures, a family Mass,
             and get-acquainted time scheduled for Saturday. 

             On Sunday, the family had tickets to a big music celebration in
             Lafayette. By all accounts, the Melançons and the Melansons were
             having fun.

             "I first went to Nova Scotia in 1990," said Duffonis "Pete"
             Melançon from Lumbertown, Miss., "and I was surprised how
             much the people are like they are 
             here. We should have one of these every year."

             Profits from the event, organizers said, will be well used. "We
             would have been happy to break even," Lynwood said, "but it
             looks like we're going to have a profit. We want to put that money
             into French Immersion classes to help preserve our heritage and
             culture."