The Acadian flag, also known as the flag of Acadia or the starred tricolour, features three vertical stripes of blue, white, and red, with the star of the Virgin Mary placed in the blue stripe. This flag was adopted as one of the Acadian symbols during the second National Convention of the Acadians in Miscouche, Prince Edward Island in 1884. The star and the colors of the flag are now widely used in the logos of various associations and groups related to Acadians and their language.
During the late 19th and early 20th century, francophone Canadians, including Acadians, desired to establish their own identity on the national stage. This desire was driven by demographic, cultural, and political developments associated with the Acadian Renaissance. The project of affirming the history, culture, and characteristics of the Acadian people was established during the first National Convention of the Acadians in Memramcook in 1881, where Acadian nationalists, thinkers, members of the clergy and the elite gathered. It was during this convention that the Acadian national holiday, the feast of the Assumption on 15 August, was chosen, and the need for a national anthem and flag was raised.
Father Marcel-François Richard, a born-and-bred Acadian and a champion of education and agriculture, proposed the design for the Acadian flag during the second National Convention in Miscouche. He suggested adding a yellow star in the papal color to the blue stripe of the French tricolour to represent devotion to Mary. The delegates enthusiastically supported the proposal, and the flag was unveiled that same night by Father Richard.
The Acadian flag faced opposition in the early 20th century, as some Acadians identified with the Carillon Sacré-Cœur, the national flag of French Canadians. In the 1960s, young Acadians challenged the flag’s religious symbolism and called for its modernization, but these efforts ultimately strengthened the flag’s place in Acadian identity.
The Acadian flag has become a widely recognized symbol and is used by various groups and institutions, such as the Université de Moncton, the newspaper L’Étoile, and the comic book superhero Acadieman. Its use has influenced other symbols, such as the Cajun flag.
The flag’s enduring popularity and significance are evident in its widespread use and incorporation into the logos of various Acadian organizations.
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