Since moving to Newfoundland, I have continually found myself in touch with a part of the province with historic linkages to France. I am Acadien and also have a particular relationship with France. What I am finding the most fascinating is how our views of “the other” are different as they are the same.
A mixture of trepidation and acceptance by necessity seems to be always present. When I first met my father in law, who I truly love, he first showed me a membership card to an Orange Lodge… and then one for another. He looked at me with a smile, and I understood that he understood. This has been my experience here.
I spend a good bit of time camping and touring the Port au Port peninsula and I find my experience similar in most aspects. I actually walked the trail that Émile Benoit would take to play fiddle in Cap St. George from his home in Mainland… a good hike.
Now I find myself in Twillingate, and I learned it was first named Tourlinguet because of its appearance to Tourlinguet on the Brest Peninsula in France. What follows are my images from Twillingate with an image from Google Maps. A bit random, but I made connections.
