8 August 2019, Thursday
We are on the road once more, driving to Cape Breton Highlands National Park. It is not a very long way from the Normaway Inn. As we drive through the town of Cheticamp we see an information sign at Tres Pignons, a museum with a concentration on Acadian life in the Cheticamp area and on the Acadian tradition of fine rug making here in Cheticamp. After the expulsion in the mid 1700’s, when Acadians began to trickle back to Nova Scotia, a community was established in this isolated area. The people farmed and fished for their living. They had very little contact with the outside world. They raised sheep and used the wool for clothing or for making rugs. Self-sufficiency was a must and nothing was wasted. Neighbor helped neighbor. Their Catholic faith was maintained, but for decades they had no priests. The residents led their own church services. Because of their isolation they were able to maintain their language and their culture. A wagon ride to the nearest town of Inverness, 50 km to the south, could take 13 ½ hours. The young man working at Tres Pignons was raised in this area. He points out that he can understand French speakers from France better than people from Quebec. Acadian French is very close to the language as it was spoken in the mid 18thcentury. Not until 1947 when the road to the national park opened did Cheticamp have much connection with the outside world.
Cheticamp’s tradition of hooking beautiful wool rugs was discovered by the outside world in the early 1900’s. Lillian Burke, an art instructor from Washington and a friend of Alexander Graham Bell and his family, was instrumental in teaching local craftspeople to work to high standards in producing their rugs. Cheticamp rugs became famous around the world.
From the town, we drive on to the Cape Breton Highlands National Park where we stop at the office to explore and to see if there are any trails I might be able to hobble on crutches. Then we move on to the campground. The campsites are very close together, but at least our site is shaded and cool.