The playlist this week is part of the genre series we are listening to this year. August 15 was National Acadian Day, so we are going to check out some Acadian music and a few tracks from French artists thrown in there. The term “Acadians” refers to immigrants from France in the early 1600s who settled in the colony of Acadia, in what are now the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island (Source: Government of Canada).

The Acadian people, pioneers and builders of the country, have celebrated Acadian Day on August 15 since 1881, the year in which the first national Acadian convention was held in Memramcook, New Brunswick. The National Acadian Day Act was passed by the Government of Canada in 2003.

National Acadian Day highlights the contribution of Acadians to the Canadian cultural fabric, recognizes their historical presence on the land, and celebrates their cultural specificity in all its diversity. (Source: Government of Canada)

Music and song have always been an important part of Acadian culture. The Acadians brought hundreds of old French songs, many of which were originally accompanied by dances, to each region of the Maritime provinces in which they settled. (Source: The Canadian Encyclopedia)

The music is pretty great, so enjoy!