Acadian Storytelling, a Tradition That is Alive and Well in Nova Scotia

COMEAUVILLE, NOVA SCOTIA--(Marketwired - June 24, 2014) - Department of Canadian Heritage

The Government of Canada has provided $7,000 through the Official Languages Support Program, Cooperation with the Community Sector, to support Maison la bouche rouverte (MBR).

Greg Kerr, Member of Parliament (West Nova), made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages.

MBR is using the funding to present the project Conter l'Acadie [telling stories of Acadia] from April 1 to August 31, 2014. The organization will work with researchers specialized in the oral tradition to identify stories from Acadian folklore. Workshops in writing and body movement will be offered to a dozen amateur storytellers so they can develop stories based on the material found by the researchers. A show will then be developed, for presentation in August 2014.

The stories will also be incorporated into the educational materials MBR uses in its introduction to storytelling workshops. The project will help to promote traditional Acadian heritage, foster the emergence of a new generation of storytellers and boost the number of French cultural activities in Clare.

Quick Facts

• Maison la bouche rouverte organizes the Festival de la parole de la Baie Sainte-Marie.
• Its main goals and objectives are to promote the oral heritage of Baie Sainte-Marie and to offer a new artistic discipline, storytelling, to area residents.
• During the year, it also organizes speaking and storytelling activities with a variety of partners, such as the Société acadienne de Clare and the Conseil des arts de la Baie.
• Maison la bouche rouverte was the 2012 winner of the Prix Éloize in the Support for Arts Production category.

Quotes

"Acadian culture is an integral part of the history and heritage of Nova Scotian communities. Our Government is proud to support the Conter l'Acadie storytelling project, which will bring greater awareness of Acadian folklore to the public and to future generations.

-The Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages

"Our two official languages are at the heart of our history and our identity as Canadians. Spreading Acadian culture through storytelling enriches our knowledge and contributes to the vitality of the Acadian and Francophone community of Nova Scotia."

-Greg Kerr, Member of Parliament (West Nova)

"Maison la bouche rouverte is very pleased to receive this funding for a project that will give the storytellers of our community researched and verified tales to add to their repertoires. We also hope that this will encourage them to continue to do research and contribute to the Acadian story bank."

-Jocelyne Comeau, President, Maison la bouche rouverte

Related Links

Maison la bouche rouverte

Official Languages Support Program

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