Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day is upon us on June 24th, the national holiday celebrating French-Canadian and Québecois culture throughout Québec. French-Canadians also celebrate this holiday in other Canadian provinces and even in the United States.
These SJB festivities go the extra mile in Québec, with people donning extravagant blue-and-white face paint and decorative accessories. There are also plenty of creative costumes highlighting the colors and fleur-de-lys of their province’s flag.
The Flag of Québec
So, how can Franco-Americans recreate these iconic looks for ourselves on SJB? We may not have extravagant parades, but we can make our own blue-and-white looks for this holiday!
If I showed you a beer stein, most likely, you would know what culture is represented by it. You would look at it and gather from what you’ve seen in mainstream American culture what it is to celebrate German heritage.
You’ve at least heard of Oktoberfest celebrations, got news of the White House acknowledging German-American Day on October 6th every year, and have seen the traditional Bavarian dress worn at festivals.
I grew up in the Midwest hearing of Oktoberfest celebrations with people dancing in lederhosen and dirndl while balancing pints of German beer.
Having some German heritage, I admire these festivals’ dedication to keeping the German-American culture alive in the Midwest, especially when you consider the history of the German language taking a massive hit during times of war.
The language became lost to the German-Americans, so their descendants speak English but deeply love their culture.
Oui, allergy-free and vegan poutine is possible! Enjoy this Québécois classic of crispy fries, gravy, and cheese curds with a twist. So, if you’re looking for a way to enjoy poutine again due to dietary restrictions, check out this recipe!
Wondering how you can make poutine without meat and real cheese curds? You’ll find detailed instructions below the recipe card with a short history of poutine. Beyond that, you’ll find the full explanation behind this poutine recipe.
Every winter, several New France-inspired festivals in Canada bring in the crowds with their ice sculptures, parades, skating, and more. However, some activities won’t be taking place this coming year, but there’s a hidden aspect in plain sight that doesn’t get the recognition it deserves: les costumes!
If you’re thinking that most people attend these winter festivals wearing anything that will keep them warm, this is true on most counts. But there’s an intentional style about the textiles, textures, colors, and shapes of the winter clothing worn by performers, dancers, and attendees.
As I’ve covered in my previous piece about suggested traditional and cultural dress for Franco-Americans to join in on the festival fun, this is the more winter-focused compliment to that post. If you’re looking for the history of the capote and ceinture fléchée, these pieces were better explained in the mentioned post.
In understanding the traditional clothing and costumes of cultures and why I firmly believe they’re essential to acknowledge, it’s the fascination with how different cultures express how they see themselves in a visually artistic form.
The legendary tale of Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie, published in 1847, told the tragedy of the Expulsion of the Acadians through the brokenhearted Evangeline separated from her fiancé, Gabriel. Written as a poem, the story tells of her perseverance to reunite with Gabriel against all odds. She searches for him as far as she can go, picking up clues to his whereabouts along the way.
Even with another man asking her to marry him instead of the missing Gabriel, Evangeline remains faithful to her fiancé. The tale of Evangeline reignited a sense of pride in Acadians, where she is forever a symbol of their undying spirit.
La Sagouine started as a radio show about an older Acadian woman recounting her life and talking about the history and tragedy of Acadie. The unnamed character came to life when the show became a play, bringing in the representation of an older woman to the stage and becoming an icon of Acadie.
Compared to female characters in Western literature of the 19th century, Evangeline was portrayed much more positively. Meanwhile, La Sagouine has been a hit as a one-woman show for decades. This lively character has brought the often forgotten stories of older women front and center of the Acadian story.
We’ll uncover these well-rounded characters in both of these stories where Acadians have found inspiration, symbolism, and folklore. Not only to confide together about their history but to celebrate their strong sense of pride and community.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, the Industrial Revolution in New England opened the doors for women entering the workplace. Although, hiring these young women was done out of exploitation in the incredibly rough work environments of the mills.
Even so, French-Canadian immigrant women and their Franco-American daughters had never experienced the sense of liberation brought to them by working for their own income. To the women who had experienced rural life in Québec, the mill towns and cities of New England were booming with opportunities in comparison.
But these women, whether single or married, were often discouraged from becoming working women. The expectation of strictly staying at home was put on them by the teachings of the Catholic faith and male leaders in the French-Canadian and Franco-American community.
However, the many young and single “Mill Girls” had their own ideas of defining their womanhood through postponing marriage to gain what economic independence they could at that time. Whereas some married women wanted to bring in extra income when their husbands’ earnings weren’t enough to provide for their families.
With many distinct ethnic cultures in the United States, a flag is uniquely designed and chosen by organizations or clubs of a heritage and culture to represent themselves. This is also the case for Franco-Americans, where we have several flags that represent us.
In fact, there are more flags out there than you might think. For now, we’ll cover our two national flags and the more specific flags representing other groups within our Northeast American French culture.
So what’s the story behind all of these flags? Let’s dig deeper, starting with the definition of “Franco-American,” for anyone who may be unfamiliar with the term.
“Franco-American” is described as “an American of French or especially French-Canadian descent.” I covered this topic in an older post, but here’s the gist:
If you are an American with any French-Canadian ancestry, you are considered a Franco-American. Some definitions include ancestry from France, but it’s usually a matter of opinion. Of course, it also comes down to referring to yourself as a Franco-American.
Now that we’re clear about who a Franco-American is, let’s cover the main flags of Franco-America, New England, and the Northeast.
When it comes to lush fields of lavender, we often think of the vast purple pastures of southern France. The region of Provence is specifically where lavender fields call home and where the herb was introduced to France around 600 BC through trading.
The region provided the perfect climate for the herbal plant to thrive and become a recognizable visual of French culture.
But Provence isn’t the only region with these eye-catching fields. This herb is also found in Québec, serving as its own French symbol for the province. Although its history of lavender doesn’t stem as far back as its reign in Provence, it’s become a world of its own in Québec.
Cultures all over the world have a form of traditional dress or folk costume. Some of these cultures have retained this part of themselves, continuing to wear their garb daily. Others save this festive type of dress for special occasions, ceremonies, or cultural festivals.
Traditional dress and folk costume is pure artistic expression that connects people with the fabrics, patterns, and clothing created by the people of their culture or within their region of the world.
This clothing is a visual representation of the culture itself, as well as offering functionality depending on the main climate of the area. But the real treat is taking in the amazing colors, patterns, textures, and shapes.
The artistry and creativity of cultural clothing around the world blows me away. You don’t even have to go that far back in time to find these amazing creations because most traditional dress and folk costumes are based on historical dress primarily between the 1800s-1900s.
As I continue the journey down the Franco-American rabbit hole, something I’ve become more interested in has been the traditional folk music and the modern interpretations of our history, language, and culture.
Although I can’t pick up on all of the French in the songs yet, the music itself is enjoyable to tap my foot to and let my mind wander into a folksy Franco-American story. I can’t dance to save my life but when the steady rhythm of the podorythmieand smooth melodies intertwine to create an upbeat sound, I can imagine dancing along in a room full of other people dancing to the same songs.
This traditional folksy-style music creates so much vibrant energy, even if you’re listening to it alone. So when I recently discovered that Franco-American music is an actual genre, I jumped right in and frantically searched for more.
