Members of the Compagnie La Vérendrye gathered in Winnipeg on Monday to celebrate 30 years of this living history group that promotes the heritage of New France in Western Canada.
On July 1, 1994, at La Vérendrye Park in the Saint-Boniface district, the group’s first gunshots rang out.
This is where the thirtieth anniversary celebrations took place. Dressed in period costumes, the Company’s soldiers set up camp. They provided historical interpretation, displayed period objects and demonstrated flintlock and cannon firing.
1700 with the exploration of [Pierre Gaultier] de La Vérendrye”,”text”:”We have always celebrated our pivotal years. It is important to commemorate the anniversary of the Company, but also the arrival of the first French in the West in the 1700s with the exploration of [Pierre Gaultier] from La Verendrye”}}”>We have always celebrated our pivotal years. It is important to commemorate the anniversary of the Company, but also the arrival of the first French in the West in the 1700s with the exploration of [Pierre Gaultier] from La Verendrye
underlines Michel Loiselle, captain of the company and chairman of its board of directors.
Although the weather conditions, with rain, were not cooperative, he says that with all the energy put into organizing this event, the group did not want to cancel the commemoration. Even if the weather is bad, we are not made of candy
he philosophizes.
Michel Loiselle is also one of the military history enthusiasts who left a historical reconstruction organization of the English forces to found a French-speaking equivalent.
For Louis Gagné, alias Sergeant Lafosse, time passes, but the passion does not fade. It feels like last year we were celebrating our 20th and 10th anniversaries. It goes by fast. But it’s something we love to do.
he testifies.
In a press release, the Compagnie de La Vérendrye states: to be the oldest French-speaking military reenactment group in Canada
.
The passion for historical reenactment is passed on to new generations. Julien Beaudette-Loiselle has been part of the group for 13 years, while Tatianna Balcaen joined the Company 5 years ago.
One of the things that’s fun to do is to be able to share that side of the story with the public and with friends and family.
Julien emphasizes.
I’m having fun, we’re shooting guns, we’re eating good homemade bread, we’re talking about history.
Tatianna added.
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The Compagnie de la Vérendrye is part of the cultural exhibition of the French-Canadian pavilion at Folkrorama. (Archive photo)
Photo : Radio-Canada / Mathilde Gautier
The Compagnie de La Vérendrye is notably present each year at the Festival du Voyageur, at Folklorama and at the Festival des sucres de Saint-Pierre-Jolys.
The importance of reconciliation
Over three decades, the Compagnie de La Vérendrye has learned a lot about the history of French explorers in the West, firstly, but also about the impact of this exploration on indigenous communities.
Its captain Michel Loiselle has thought a lot about the question.
France as a colonial force also took the native captives of these allies and sold them in Montreal. So La Vérendrye, we are still doing a lot of research on that
he emphasizes. There is a whole other side of slavery that needs to be explored and that will be the Company’s goal in the coming years.
.
The company hopes to bring changes to La Vérendrye Park, along Taché Avenue in Saint-Boniface. We will try to give the park a new look and make physical changes with the aim of reconciliation.
Mr. Loiselle maintains.
Consultations are being conducted within the French-speaking community, but also with representatives of the Métis and First Nations, to this end.
With information from Mohamed-Amin Kehel
