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News Release2001-27 The National Library of Canada Celebrates an Acadian HeroineOttawa, December 4, 2001 - Roch Carrier, National Librarian, today announced the opening of a new exhibition, Evangeline’s Odyssey, in Exhibition Room A of the National Library of Canada. Based on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s epic poem A Tale of Acadie, this is the story of Evangeline, a woman who spent her life searching for her husband, Gabriel. Set during the time of the deportation and forced exile of the Acadians, the tale of Evangeline has moved from literature to a legend which many hold to be true. The exhibition was originally created and mounted at the Université de Moncton’s Musée acadien in 1997 to mark the 150th anniversary of the publication of Longfellow’s poem. The National Library of Canada gratefully acknowledges the assistance of the museum in bringing this wonderful exhibit to Ottawa. Through the extensive use of artifacts, the exhibition shows how the popular myth of Evangeline seized society. Her story and her image have been used in films, music, hundreds of books and in a wide variety of commercial products, from motor oil to ginger ale. Many of these items are on display. "Although it is an American poem, it is very much a Canadian story that takes us from New Brunswick to New Orleans," says Mr. Carrier. "Through this exhibit, we can see that the Acadian culture is very much alive. Evangeline’s Odyssey is a tribute to its enduring values." The exhibition is open to the public seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. at the National Library of Canada, 395 Wellington Street. It will close on Sunday, April 7, 2002. Admission is free. - 30 - Information: Pauline M. Portelance |