Tourism Victoria Lobsterpalooza 2008 brochure

St. Joseph du Moine It is one of the Cabot Trail’s best-kept secrets. The walls of Centre de la Mi-Careme are lined with brightly coloured hand made papiermache masks – each a quiet reminder of a centuries old tradition. These Acadian communities, strung along the shore on the west coast of Cape Breton, are some of the few places left in North America that continues to celebrate la Mi-Careme, a mid-Lenten festival. The masks are part of an ancient ritual, brought over from Europe and kept alive by the Acadians for the past 200 years. As masked celebrants move from home to home, they are fed a feast of delicious food and drink – items usually denied during a sixweek period leading up to Easter. This festival allowed French Acadian Catholics a break from the rigors of Lent. In earlier times, neighbours played host, inviting the traveling parade-goers into their home, providing sweet treats like fudge and taffy, while trying to guess the identities of the masked ones. Today, the treats have grown into feasts, with revelers partaking in traditional Acadian dishes – fricot, chicken stew, fish chowder – and of course – sweet fudge and taffy, and community-hosted concerts and entertainment. The weeklong fete has become a celebration of the spirit of the Acadian people. At Centre de la Mi-Careme, the medium to describe this tradition is the mask. There are about 500 of them, hung on the wall, some decorated with the tri-colour Acadian flag. When visiting the workshop, a guide will lead you through the steps to create these works of art. It can take a week before a mask is ready to wear or hang on the wall. The ancient tradition has come into the modern age with artisans developing small replica masks as jewelry. Check out the gift shop for these delightful creations. The creators of these modern day masks are also creating new traditions. Handcrafted hooked rugs are now sporting the likeness of the micareme masks. Visit the Memory Room within the Centre, where the earlier days of these communities are recalled through precious antiques, old photographs and artifacts. In early 2007, the master mask-makers at La Mi-Careme created a lobster head and claws that became the mascot of the Lobsterpalooza Festival. Centre de la Mi-Careme is located in St. Joseph du Moine, about 15 kilometers south of Cheticamp. An admission is charged. 28 w w w. l o b s t e r p a l o o z a . c a http://www.lobsterpalooza.ca

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Tourism Victoria Lobsterpalooza 2008 Brochure Welcome North Shore Margaree Celebrates Lobsterpalooza Grand Etang, St. Joseph du Moine & Chéticamp 101 Things To Do On The Cabot Trail Baddeck’s 100th Anniversary Lobsterpalooza Recommended Experiences for 2008 Ingonish...Nature’s Home St. Joseph du Moine Partners & Contact Information

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