Acadiana Flag History And Flag Company Inc

By Stephan Farrel


The area of Louisiana, now known as Acadiana, comprised about 22 parishes. It forms a triangle from Lake Charles at the west to Grand Isle at the east, with Pointe Coupee at the apex. The Acadians were the largest group to settle in this area from 1765 to 1785. Although other nationalities were there, the Acadian culture was dominant in many places. When bits and pieces of these other cultures were added to the Acadians, a variation of the Acadian culture was created. These people and this culture became known as Cajun ... a derivation of the word Acadian.

Lafayette, Louisiana - the heartbeat of Acadiana - is where you can truly feel the pulse of Cajun Country. This cultural oasis on the bayou blends contemporary sophistication of a cosmopolitan city with a unique heritage and culture hard to find anywhere this side of Europe.

The Acadian banner was set up at the second Acadian Convention in 1884 at Miscouche, Prince Edward Island. Father Marcel-Francois Richard planned it and conveyed it with him to the occasion. Like the banner of France, it is blue, white, and red. The gold star at the upper left is the Stella Maris, there to look for the direction of the Virgin Mary, benefactor holy person of the Acadians. This banner represents Acadians around the world.

Dr. Thomas Arceneaux, Dean of Agriculture at the University of Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette (1941-1973), outlined a comparable banner in 1965 to respect the 200th commemoration of the entry of Acadians in Louisiana. Like the Acadian banner, it is blue, white and red and has the gold star to speak to the Virgin Mary, benefactor holy person of the Acadians.

The star also symbolizes the active participation of the Acadians in the American Revolution. The gold castle on the red field represents and honours Spain, the country that controlled Louisiana at the time of the Acadian migration there. The silver fleur-de-lis on the blue field represents their French heritage.

Soon after 1974, this banner has formally recognized the Acadians who relocated to Louisiana. Flag Company Inc decided to assist with the history development by providing special decals and banners to make it easy to build a bit of history right at home.




About the Author: