SouthShoreNow.ca

By PAULA LEVY

 COUNTY - Instead of getting paid for his work this summer with a Louisiana delegation, David Corkum, Second Peninsula, asked for a donation.

 Mr. Corkum, who was involved in the reunions of the Guidry, Labine and Pettipas families in Lunenburg, was part of the South Shore 2004 committee which organized events surrounding the 400th anniversary of Samuel de Champlain.

 "One of our objectives that we set very early in South Shore 2004 was to have an awakening of our Acadian heritage," said Mr. Corkum, noting the area's Acadian heritage is not well-known.

 Mr. Corkum obliged when he was asked to give a presentation to the Guidry family on the local area. But when they wanted to pay him for his services, he declined.

 "I was very interested to meet with these people and to show them where their ancestors walked," said Mr. Corkum. "They asked me what I would like to be paid for doing the presentation and taking them on guided tours."

David Corkum holds a five-volume book set donated to French students of South Shore Regional School Board. Paula Levy photo

 Mr. Corkum said he replied that his interest in the Acadian history in Lunenburg County goes beyond the 2004 celebrations. He said instead of receiving payment, he requested historical and genealogical information for the people of the area so they may be able to better acquaint themselves with Acadian history.

 "We want … people to be aware of this very powerful history and how in debt we are to the Acadians that were here," he added.

 Their first contribution was "Histoire du Cap-Sable de l'An Mil au Trait&È; de Paris (1763)" written by Father Clarence J. d'Entremont. The title of the five-volume account of Acadian history translates into "History of Cape Sable from the Year One Thousand to the Treaty of Paris (1763)." The detailed history also recounts the experience of deported Acadians in Louisiana and their trip back to their homeland.

 Mr. Corkum in turn gave the educational resource for use by French students of Lunenburg County. He formally made the presentation at a South Shore Regional School Board meeting on October 13.

 As well, he noted that the South Shore Genealogical Society also received a book, "La Verdure de Mirligueche" by Mark Labine. The 163-page book contains genealogical information about the Guidry/Labine family of Lunenburg. Mr. Corkum gave the book to the society about a month ago.