Maritimes, Part 4

We are touring the western coast line of Nova Scotia, along the Bay of Fundy.  With my family being of Cajun descent, I was especially interested in the area of Nova Scotia, since this is the birthplace of the Cajun culture.  I have heard all the varied stories of how and where the Cajun culture was formed.  Taking this trip was very educational in regard to learning how the Cajun culture was developed and prosecuted by the British.

At Grand Pre', the original site of the Cajun settlement, the culture thrived for many years.  The Cajuns were originally French citizens that resettled in Nova Scotia.  The Cajuns thrived my learning how to dike off land that was covered by water during the huge tidal changes of the Bay of Fundy.  The dikes would block the salt water tides from flooding the land.  Ingenuous check valves were developed by the Cajuns to keep the salt water out but allowed rain water to drain.  After three years the salt in the soil would evaporate and the Cajuns would plant crops in this fertile land.  They thrived and prospered.