Martin’s `magnificent obsession’ with Acadian project gets support

WASHINGTON — Several years ago, John Martin became concerned that the culture of his ancestors might pass unrecorded into history as succeeding generations of Maine’s Acadian community in northern Maine succumbed to the social pressures that homogenized ethnic communities in many other regions of the country.

As speaker of the Maine House of Representatives for the past 15 years, Martin is the state’s most prominent political figure of Anglo-French descent.

Two centuries ago, his ancestors endured the forced exodus from their homeland in Canada’s Maritime Provinces, which was detailed in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s epic poem, “Evangeline.”

At a Senate hearing here Wednesday, Martin urged Congress to pass legislation that would establish an advisory panel within the Department of Interior that would promote Acadian cultural and education programs.

The bill, sponsored by Maine Sens. William S. Cohen and George J. Mitchell, also would also authorize the National Park Service to acquire up to 20 acres for an Acadian cultural center.

The state Legislature last year authorized $150,000 for that purpose.

Cohen called the Acadian cultural project Martin’s “magnificent obsession.”

Mitchell said it was regrettable that, for most Americans, their only knowledge of the Acadian exodus is from the Longfellow poem and the better-known “Cajun” community that settled in Louisiana.

In all, Martin said, 18,000 French residents of the Maritime Provinces were uprooted from their homes after England defeated France in the long war for control of North America. Most were placed on boats and were dumped in other colonies along the Atlantic Coast. Many died in shipwrecks. Some walked all the way back to Canada, only to be deported again, Martin said.

Over a period of decades, soldiers from English war ships looted and burned Acadian farms along the lower reaches of the St. John River, driving the French-speaking farmers farther and farther north until they reached their current settlements on a stretch of the river beyond the reach of the British ships.

There, Martin said, the Franco community was tolerated as a cultural oddity. Even into the 20th century, publications referred to Maine Acadians as a dim-witted population of “Latin” racial origin that was slow to learn new methods.

Martin said he raised those past incidents of discrimination to “make a point.”

“The people of the St. John Valley have long been proud of their ancestry, despite the longstanding criticism and prejudice we have endured from our neighbors,” the House speaker said.

Cohen described the region’s Acadian residents as among the most fair, open and honest people in the state.

“Once a facet of (their) history is lost, it cannot be retrieved, and we are diminished as a consequence,” he said.

The testimony of the Maine politicians appeared to score points with Sen. Dale Bumpers, D-Ark., who was chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, National Parks and Forests.

He repeatedly prodded the Mainers to tell him more of the history of the Acadian exodus.

“This is the most interesting testimony I’ve heard before this committee in a long time,” said Bumpers. “Cajuns are Democrats, aren’t they?” he joked. “We’ll pass this bill right out of here.”