Page 49 - Leo Aucoin, Acadian Traditional Singer

ISSUE : Issue 63

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1993/6/1

used to go at Ashby or the Carpenters Hall. It all de? pended on who was playing. We used to go for the best. In those days there was no guitar, there were just fiddlers . (One of the questions I'm asking is, were you just having your entertainment with Acadians. and just hav? ing it in French?) Yes, when we had parties, we had to do pretty near all French, be? cause if there was another one, or something like that that they couldn't under? stand English--you know when.... We didn't know any song in English. See. it was' pretty hard. (But when you went to Nelgah Beach..,.) Oh, that was different. That was dancing. You ask a girl for dancing, "Will you please, will you dance with me?" That was different. See, there was no party for us there. (And you didn't sing French there.) Oh, no, no. I never sang when there was a dance. We only sang when we had a party in the house. We had a relative at South Bar here. And we used to go down maybe once a month. She was from down home, and her husband was from Cheticamp--Simon LeBlanc. And we used to go there, maybe, once a month. Sometimes me and my friend--she was very interested in my friend--she used to make something they used to make down home, like a raisin pudding. And we used to go there for supper. And then after Leo singing a drinking song. Photos by Daniel Aucoin. that the rest used to come. If I had a girl friend or she had a girl friend, and then Joseph Larade with his violin. He used to sing and chord too. I used to sing too. Alone. (And you didn't need it to be a special holiday. You just gathered about once a month.) Oh, yeah, we used to go there, maybe on a Sunday, or something like that. Or visit her on a day of the week, maybe Wednesday or Thursday, And then we'd ask her if we could make a party on a certain date. Oh, she was hap? py, "Yes. Come on!" Sometimes maybe twice a month. Not very often. But once a month Jacques-Cartier Motel kitchenette units available / telephones in all rooms P. O. Box 555, Sydney, N. S. Bi P 6H4 (902) 539-4375 or 539-4378 or 539-4379 SYDNEY - GIiACE BAY HIGHWAY FRANCAIS 2 Kilometres de I'Aeroport ENGLISH ATTENTION FISHERMEN - CONTRACTORS Need something you can't find? Come in and see us! • MARINE SUPPLIES • • Hydraulic Haulers, Hydraulic Control Valves, Hydraulic Pumps & Motors on the Shelf • Complete Line Hydraulic Hose; Fittings & Adaptors (Cat, John Deere, Komatzu, etc.) • Piston Packing; Seals; 0-Rings; Wipers; Back-Up Rings to 7" • Hydraulic Repairs to Pumps, Valves, Motors, Cyl? inders • Machine Shop Services • After-Hour Service "Stocking up to 6" Industrial Hose • Stainless Steel, Galvanized, Plated Hardware (Screws, Bolts, Lags) • All This & More at Competitive Prices & Rates • " W' 're the Best-Kept Secret on the Island!" • MILLER INDUSTRIAL SALES 803 Grand Lake Road, Sydney • 562-0631

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