‘Masks and merrymaking’
Acadian Mi-Carême tradition brings joy, laughter and mockery
Mi-Carême may have died out in most parts of the world, but many Acadian residents in Abram-Village continue to keep the medieval, middle-ofLent tradition alive.
Mysterious and scary figures of Mi-Carême came out last weekend to entertain guests at the Village Musical Acadian. Guest speaker at the MiCarême event, Georges Arsenault, is an Acadian historian and folklorist, who has written a book on the ancient tradition, “Acadian Mi-Carême: Masks and Merrymaking.” His book traces the roots and role the tradition still plays in Acadian culture.
“I practised this real tradition when I was young in Abram-Village. Families that had small kids would have one Mi-Carême, and they would dress up and come to the door early in the evening and bring treats for the children. It was special.
“During the middle of Lent, the 40 days before Easter, you couldn’t eat candies or dance. It was traditionally a sombre season, marked by abstaining. But when Mi-Carême arrived, it was a contrast and bit of a party, especially for the little kids.
“The children would get a treat like fudge, cookies or apples that were brought by the Mi-Carême. But the character was kind of the bogeyman at the same time. Children were told if you don’t behave the Mi-Carême will come and get you,” explained Arsenault. Mi-Carême was celebrated in many small towns and villages with Roman Catholic roots, and it offered a break from the church’s fasting period.
“Another Mi-Carême tradition I practised as a boy, with three or more children, was going from door to door in the village while dressed in disguise to see if anyone could identify us. When we got into a house the residents would look at our hands and encourage us to talk to guess our identity. “We would change our voice and pretend we could stepdance to avoid being identified. It was all just for fun, and sometimes we would get a treat.
“But the family tradition phased out around the ‘60s in Abram-Village when Lent became more relaxed and you could go out dancing and have fun. Although some families still keep this tradition alive around the Tignish area,” he said.
Guests at the event attempted to guess the face under the mask during the musical break.
The event included instrumental bands Les Palou’des, Les Éloizes, 112 Accords, singers Jeannita Bernard, Caroline Bernard and Rémi Arsenault, along with their two boys, and group singers Gary Gallant, Hélène Bergeron, Peter and Albert Arsenault.