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The Father Jean Mandé Sigogne Memorial Lectures

OFFICIAL OPENING CEREMONIES OF SIGOGNE 200^th IN CLARE

Year 1999 marked the bicentenary of the arrival of Father Jean Mandé Sigogne in south-western Nova Scotia. This brave missionary spent the last 45 years (1799-1844) of his life serving the Acadians of this area. During this time, he became reknowned as a providential preacher, a builder, an educator and an advocate of their civil rights.

Cutting of the ribbon at the official opening of the exhibit on Father Jean M. Sigogne. From left to right: Dr. Gérald C. Boudreau, chairman of the Committee, Mr. Jean Melanson, warden of the Clare Municipality, Mrs. Doreen Surette-Boucher, responsible for the exhibit, employed by the Centre acadien at l'Université Sainte-Anne, et Prof. Neil Boucher, director of the Centre acadien.

To celebrate this bicentenary, the Sigogne 200th Committee planned a number of activities, one being a series of public lectures on Sigogne and on his work. It aimed at making better known many aspects of this historique figure who has greatly touched upon Acadian ancestry. All lectures were in French and took place in the amphitheatre B34A, Bernardin-J.-Comeau Building, Université Sainte-Anne, Pointe-de-l'Église (NS), at 7 p.m. Admission was free and the public was cordially invited to attend.

The first of these lectures, entitled An Unknown Hero from day to day, was given by Dr. Gérald C. Boudreau, on Tuesday, January 26, 1999.

The official opening of an exhibit on Sigogne immediately followed this talk. Situated in the Gallery père-Léger-Comeau (Université Sainte-Anne), this exhibit was sponsored by the Centre acadien of Université Sainte-Anne and achieved by Ms. Doreen Surette-Boucher. The exhibit made public throughout 1999 many unique artefacts and rare documents produced and used by Sigogne during his lifetime.

The evening concluded with the unveiling ceremony of a painting of Sigogne by the Acadian artist Father Maurice LeBlanc, cjm. There is no known painting in existence nor any photo of Sigogne. LeBlanc's unique painting of Sigogne has been commissioned thanks to a grant by the Nova Scotia Arts Council.

A reception followed.

Other lectures in the year were :

Father Sigogne's documents : a mirror on the life of Acadian ancestors, February 24, 1999, by Dr. Neil Boucher;

Father Sigogne's relationship with the Acadians of Yarmouth County , March 24, 1999, by Father Maurice LeBlanc, cjm;

Sigogne, the spiritual father of the Mi'kmaqs , April 28, 1999, by Mr. Raymond LeBlanc;

Sigogne, a tested pastor in temporal affairs, September 29, 1999, by Mr. Gérard d'Entremont.

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