OPENING DAY - August 1, 1999
More than 400 people gather on the
front lawn of
Southdown Plantation in Houma on
Sunday for a special
Mass in French, celebrated in honor
of the Acadian world reunion and festival that started Sunday.
Photos by Jennifer
Zdon/The Times-Picayune
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The Rev. Roch Naquin of Isle de
Jean Charles in Terrebonne Parish
and the Rev. Eloi Arsenault of Prince
Edward Island, Canada, conduct the
French Mass which took place Sunday
morning at Southdown Plantation.
Photo by CINDY SKOP/THE COURIER.
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Tabitha Avet, 5, kicks off the festival
with a song Sunday at Main Street in downtown Houma. The celebration
featured traditional South Louisiana food, zydeco music and dancing and
Mardi Gras throws from a float. |
Earl Eschete plays the violin with
Eschete Family Ties Band at the Mardi GrasPromenade on Main Street in downtown
Houma Sunday to start the Acadian festival.
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Jean Gaudet, leader of a group of French
- speaking residents of New Brunswick, Canada, is greeted by, from left,
Louisiana Lt. Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, Canadian Minister of International
Cooperation Diane Marlean, and Slidell Mayor Sam Caruso. Advocate |
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French and American flags are raised
proudly by those attended the opening ceremonies of the Congrès
Mondial Acadien '99. From left, Lindsey Porshe, Carroll Dugas, Irene Pitre,
Ruby Dugas and Leland Crochet celebrate the start of the two-week-long
event honoring south Louisiana's Acadian roots.
Photo by BRETT POWERS/THE COURIER. |
Yvonne Theriault-LeBlanc waves an
Acadian flag during the opening ceremonies of the Congrès Mondial
Acadien in Houma on Sunday evening. Theriault-LeBlanc is from St.
Martin, Nova Scotia.
Advocate staff photo by Jeff Adkins |
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Lightning and ominous clouds loom
over opening
day as a crowd stays behind outside
the Civic
Center waiting for the storm to
pass.
Photo by CINDY SKOP/THE COURIER.
Claudia Dumestre of New Orleans and
her partner of about fifteen years, Daniel Breaux of Houma, swing each
other around the pavement outside the Civic Center to the sounds of Couche-Couche
on Sunday evening as the Congrès Mondial Acadian opening ceremonies
get under way.
Photo by CINDY SKOP/THE COURIER. |
John Joe Sark, captain of the Grand
Council for the Mi'kmaq tribe and its spiritual leader, waves an eagle
feather and some healing smoke over the crowd Sunday night at the Houma-Terrebonne
Civic Center.
Photo by CINDY SKOP/THE COURIER. |
The Bayou Eagles, a ceremonial dance
team representating the United Houma Nation, performs during Congrès
Mondial Acadien opening ceremonies Sunday at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic
Center.
Photo by CINDY SKOP/THE COURIER.
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CMA Photo Gallery
