The Foundations of Acadia
By Richard Armstrong, Sara Beanlands
$5

Since the Deportation of the Acadians in 1755, traces of the once thriving settlements have been rapidly disappearing. In some cases entire village sites have been forgotten and their locations ignored. The foundations of Acadia is an attempt to relocate some of these lost villages in the Hants County area and to document what remains.

The Cajuns - Americanization of a People
By Shane K. Bernard
$30

The past sixty years have shaped and reshaped that group of French-speaking Louisiana people known as the Cajuns. During this period they have become much like other Americans and yet have remained strikingly distinct. The Cajuns: Americanization of a People explores six decades of Cajun history and analyzes the forces that impacted on Louisiana's Acadiana.

“The Day Acadian Angels Returned to Bayou Lafourche”
by Linda Broussard-Norcross
$10

Acadian angels return to Louisiana to inspire their Cajun friends with faith, hope and courage after Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. The profits from the sale of this children’s book will go to rural schools in the Gulf Region.

(click to enlarge)

Reproduction of the Queen’s Royal Proclamation
$5

Bilingual proclamation by Queen Elizabeth the Second, suitable for framing. 8.5 in. x 11 in.

Acadian Redemption T-Shirt
$15

White, 100% Cotton with book cover art on front and map on back. Available in Large size only.

Congrès Mondial Acadien-Louisiane 1999 Pin
$5

Package includes pin and two coupons - one for $1 off admission to the Zoo of Acadiana in Broussard, LA and another for one free lunch or dinner buffet at Grand Casino Coushatta’s Marketplace Buffet.

Redfish
$200

Beautiful one-of-a-kind hand-carved and painted redfish by Ivy Billiot of the United Houma Nation. Mr. Billiot, a self-taught artist, has been influenced by past Houma Indian carvers, and by his father Cyril Billiot, also a well-known carver, but he has gone on to refine his work in his own inimitable way. His pieces have been extensively collected and shown in galleries and museums in the US and Europe. 14”L x 6” H.

Speckled Trout
$200

Fine attention to detail characterizes this handsome Speckled Trout by Ivy Billiot. Hand-carved and painted, this one-of-a-kind Speckled Trout is an impressive 14” in length.

Mockingbird
$100

Hand-carved and painted one-of-a-kind Mockingbird by Ivy Billiot of the United Houma Nation. Mr. Billiot lives in the delta region of South Louisiana and has been carving since he was a small child. His work is exceptional for its lifelike realism and he is scrupulous about detail not only in carving, but also in painting his pieces. Now retired, he carves full-time. Mocking bird is 8”L x 5”H.

Bald Eagle
$100

This magestic eagle, one-of-a-kind, by Ivy Billiot demonstrates the exceptional attention to detail that Mr. Billiot is known for. Mr. Billiot, a quiet man and native French speaker, has said that as a Native American, he experienced a great deal of prejudice while growing up, but now he is proud to be sought out to demonstrate his skills at some of the finest folk festivals in the country. He work has also been shown in museums across the US as well as in France. The eagle is app. 6 ½” L. Sizes may vary slightly.

Cardinal
$65

Elegant lines and perfect finish describe this beautiful hand-carved cardinal by Roy Parfait of the United Houma Nation. Mr. Parfait grew up around the tradition of wood carving; his grandfather was a carver of wood. He uses local woods such as tupelo gum, willow and cypress, as well as other woods such as teak, mahogany, cherry and black walnut when he can get them Especially beautiful are his pieces made from “black cypress” which has turned a darker color from being submerged for long periods of time in the water of local bayous and swamps. The cardinal is a favorite, usually carved from mahogany, although woods may vary. He also makes rabbits, foxes, bears, beavers, geese, ducks and numerous other animals. He has demonstrated his craft at the Smithsonian’s Festival of American Folklife, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and has been invited twice to France demonstrate and sell his work. The one-of-a-kind cardinal is is 6” tall, although sizes may vary slightly.

Hand Carved Cypress Canoe
$65

Hand carved cypress canoe by Roy Parfait. This unique, one-of-a-kind piece was whittled with a penknife, then sanded by hand until smooth. The artist suggests that finishing the piece may be the most important step in the process. He dips his smaller pieces directly into the can of clear floor sealer. After letting the piece dry for a day, he seals it again. The result is a soft gloss that lets the natural beauty of the wood grain show through. The canoe is 15” in length. Sizes may vary slightly.

Palmetto Basket
$45

This Houma Indian palmetto basket with lid is approximately 10 inches in diameter. Palmetto weaving is a traditional Houma Indian craft which has been handed down through countless generations.

Cypress Mask
$195

These unique one-of-a-kind cypress mask wall pieces were hand-carved from native cypress by folk artist Rita Fontenot of Carencro, La. Ms. Fontenot, now deceased, was a self taught and unusually talented wood carver. These pieces represent an unusual deviation in her work, in that she was predominantly known for creating scale-model Cajun dwellings and furnishings from the 18-early 19th centuries. She demonstrated beautifully her intelligence and love of her Cajun culture and history by hand-crafting her pieces with the same tools that would have been used a hundred years ago by her forebears. The mask on the right utilizes native Spanish moss for hair. These pieces are impressively large, approximately 38” and 35” in length.

Zydeco Washboard Player
$65

This whimsical Zydeco washboard player was created by folk artist Elaine Bernard of Bunkie, La., using as its base a native cypress “knee”. A cypress knee is a distinctive structure in a root of a cypress tree. Their function is unknown, but they are generally seen in swamps and some believe that their purpose is to stabilize the tree which usually grows in water or swampy habitats, although harvesting the knees does not harm the tree. Elaine is a true folk artist, creating musicians, Santa Clauses, Catholic nuns and Mardi Gras figures from the cypress knees she and her husband Ralph collect in the woody marshy areas near their home. This Zydeco washboard player is app.17” tall, although sizes may vary slightly. Each piece is one of a kind and details may vary slightly as well.

Vermillion Bayou Sunset
$400

“Vermillion Bayou Sunset” by Mary Broussard Perrin, reflects the artist’s love of the wild places of South Louisiana. Perrin, a native of Lafayette, La., has work in the National Museum for Women in the Arts as well as the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, a branch of the Smithsonian. She is married to Warren Perrin. Acrylic, one-of-a-kind,20”H x 12”W.

Mardi Gras Chicken Runner
$35

A revered Mardi Gras tradition in certain locations in rural south Louisiana is the “Courir du Mardi Gras,” a celebration which dates back hundreds of years to the earliest days of the area’s settlement, and even further back than that to a European medieval tradition of ceremonial begging. Bands of Masked and costumed participants on horseback ride from house to house “begging” for ingredients for their communal gumbo. At each house, the riders dismount and proceed to dance and sing for live chickens, rice, onions and other donations to be used in the gumbo. Folk artist Elaine Bernard of Bunkie, La., captures this colorful tradition using cypress knees and bright primary colors. Each figure is unique, please allow us to pick for you. Approximate sizes range from 8 to 12”.

"Arnaudville Woman’s Club Cooks Again - Recipes Old and New"
$10

"Arnaudville Woman’s Club Cooks Again - Recipes Old and New" - Price is $10.

The book can be ordered by contacting:
Sis Laporte
P. O. Box 590
Arnaudville, LA 70512
(337) 754-5119
sislaporte@centurytel.net

"Cajuns and Their Acadian Ancestors: A Young Reader's History"
$18

"Cajuns and Their Acadian Ancestors: A Young Reader's History" traces the four-hundred-year history of this distinct American ethnic group. While written in a format comprehensible to junior-high and high-school students, it will prove appealing and informative as well to adult readers seeking a one-volume exploration of these remarkable people and their predecessors.