Coat of arms
- Category: The Association
On November 2, 1996, the Association's Board of Directors adopted the coat of arms described below.
PER BEND GULES FIVE TURRETS OR IN SALTIRE AND AZURE A MuLLET OR, OVER ALL A BENDLET ARGENT.
The two partitions that make up the shield's field, reflect the historical experience of the Thériault family.
The upper right partition is red (gules). It is the colour of the French province of Poitou's coat of arms and features its five gold castles (five turrets or) placed in a cross pattern (in saltire). Red symbolizes courage and love of our ancestors, especially of our ancestor Jehan Terriot who left Poitou for the Acadian adventure. It symbolizes his courage to leave his homeland, to cross the ocean, to settle in a new land and to prosper for posterity. It symbolizes also the courage of those Acadians who came back after the 1755 Deportation or sought new lives in faraway places. Red symbolizes valour and boldness.
The lower left partition of the shield is blue (azure) to indicate the French origin of the original Acadians who were known eventually as French Neutrals. Blue symbolizes joy and allegiance and is a reminder of the peace and order sought by our ancestors in Acadia.
The narrow silver stripe (bendlet argent) which divides the shield diagonally (per bend) represents a shoulder belt. A gold stripe also appeared on Menou d'Aulnay's coat of arms, who was Acadia's governor in 1638 and Jehan Terriot's seigneur. The stripe cuts across the shield as a reminder of the tragic deportation of the Acadians starting in 1755.
The gold star (a mullet or) appears on the French flag adopted by Acadians in 1885. It recalls the important role played by the Thériault family in the original Acadia (Port-Royal, Grand-Pré, Beaubassin), then, after the deportation period, in the Maritimes, in Québec, in Louisiana and elsewhere in Canada and the USA.
Gold symbolizes the most precious values (spiritual values) of the Acadian people: their faith, work spirit, and commitment to a cause. Gold stands for steadfastness and strength.
Silver symbolizes the entrepreneurial spirit of our ancestor, his relative affluence and his success in cultivating the new Acadian soil. Silver stands for beauty and victory.
Motto: "D'hier à aujourd'hui pour demain" (From yesterday to today for tomorrow)
Emblazoning: Yvon Thériault
Heraldic designer-consultant: Luc-André Biron
