Herménéglide Chiasson

Biography

PictureHerménéglide Chiasson - photo courtesy of writers fesitval.org

​Herménégilde Chiasson is an artist, poet, playwright, and film director and who has written five books of poetry and directed over fifteen films and twenty-five plays. Born in Saint Simon, New Brunswick on April 7, 1946, Chiasson is a well-educated man, earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1967 from the Université de Moncton, a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in 1972 from Mount Allison University, a Masters in Aesthetics in 1979 from the Université de Paris, and a Masters of Fine Arts in 1981 from the State University of New York. In 1983 he earned a Doctorate Degree from the Université Sorbonne-Paris and he holds Honorary Doctorates from the Université de Moncton (1999), Mount Allison University (2004), Laurentienne University (2008), McGill University (2011), and St. Thomas University (2013).

Aside from his writing career, Chiasson has held various positions in art galleries, worked with Radio-Canada from 1968 to 1995 as a director, playwright, journalist, and researcher, and was the 29th Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick from 2003 to 2009. Chiasson became the director of the Galerie d'art de l'Université de Moncton in 1974 and later the president of the Galerie Sans Nom in 1980. He has founded and chaired many art organizations in the Maritimes, including Éditions Pierce-Neige (1984), Aberneed Co-Operative (1985), Imago Workshop (1987), and Productions de Phare-Est (1988). Chiasson was the curator of the Marion McCain Exibit at Beaverbrook Art Gallery in 1994 and the president of the Association Acadienne des Artistes Professionnel du Nouveau Brunswick from 1993 to 1995.

​Chiasson’s books of poetry include: Mourir à Scoudouc (Éditions d’Acadie, 1974) and Rapport sur l’état de mes illusions (Éditions d’Acadie , 1976), and a co-authored work with Patrick Condon, titled Claude Roussel : sculpteur/sculptor (Éditions d’Acadie, 1985). Various single poems by Chiasson have been published in anthologies across Canada in both English and French. Chiasson has won many literary prizes for his poetry, theatre, and various works in both English and French. Some include his merit of the Prix France-Acadie (1986, 1992), Governor General’s Award in Poetry (Conversations, 2000), and receiving membership to the Order of New Brunswick (2004), the Royal Society of Canada (2010), Officer of the Order of Canada (2011), and Grand Officer of  the Order of Merit in French (2012). 
Additional Information:

Author's Wikipedia Page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herm%C3%A9n%C3%A9gilde_Chiasson

Intervue par Rendez-Vous (en français) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3LudYScGC8
Conférence de l’Histoire Litéraire da l’Acadie : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egAm7DB0nhE
Autoportrait d’Herménéglide Chiasson (en français) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4_GIbGAIz8
 
“Solstices” : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bICBmqsyL7g

Poem: "Achilles Before Besieged Shédiac"


on Sunday afternoon sitting in a car we
wait for someone there to call out numero deux
at Camille’s Fried Clams in the heart of Acadie
a spot where all deck-shoed tourists knew
our consciences were no more than deep-fried
to put out one’s tongue is enough for communion
then pay out money at the counter inside
and tray in hand and one with the lord be gone
 
we’ll come back to Moncton hearts heavy with vague news
I’ll take you into town but lack heart for the sight
of a dance like the wave a heat-squall brews
in mid-Africa, making a day out of night
suddenly I want to go backward in time’s race
when you sink in heavy dust the scarcely stirs
and I leave for a mythic and disarming place
life follows us with its low scarce-breathed whispers
 
there’s not anything great to see in this scene
along the way the place is worn and threadbare
but the light that falls upon it is such a green
it brings a generous burst of morning air
as day overwhelms us with a full largesse
upon the Beaumont road the dark will kill the sun
and the weight of history pall with its distress
like that plaque which tells us of the Expulsion
 
the Indian graves are still watching as the sun
sets over children’s swings in the provincial park
on the still stream I see the course re-run
of canoes ferrying history and mark
the way to Beauséjour where Monckton allowed
women to see their captured menfolk for a day
till in a judicious clothing exchange a crowd
of them made a last spectacular get-away
 
driving back through Memramcook and its college sold
for the second glory of French as a learned tongue
among blue spruce Father Lefebvre’s statue in the old
courtyard speaks for a world whose heart was once wrung
by the forge of conscience on an anvil beating
now in the tennis court’s asphalt the grass grows thin
the old Monument still whispers of past meeting
but its voice echoes the emptiness of a ruin
 
I flee nostalgia that would choke me or kill
by taking refuge inside a corner Metro
in the window an English notice there will
be a draw in aid of the maison-bureau
of the Congress of Acadians, and that inside
a computer can find you a job and more
my only escape from all this is outside
I go out behind me someone closes the door
 
the Trans-Canada is a line of high tension
scrap-iron cases containing embryos jar
as down the swift slide cascading demons slide on
toward their place of punishment. Dante’s not far
I am immobile waiting to find unity
in the whirlpool of souls but while I wait and rest
the blinding neons of a take-out suddenly
appear like ghosts in the middle of a forest
 
trying to buy ice cream I drive to Shédiac
but all the ads there were English so it did seem
Marcia asked whether there was a special knack
or if only the English could purchase ice cream
and was that why no French notice was writ down
the answer for ice cream signs was that there was no need
since French however was spoken in the whole town
bilingual in knowledge but quite English indeed
 
our car is caught in this schizophrenic village
it travels through signs as if on a mined trench
in the midst of a sleepy Acadian village
English on the outside inside secretly French
we speak of acts that should be strong and zealous
to oppose the constant sumbissionist label
that wants us to stay put in order to sell us
for the best price as if a language were saleable
 
we shall need all this running about, all this route
determined to speak, repeat and remake our days
to convince the world to make war against all doubt
in one’s own iron head defending always
the small dignity we know no more how to love
a caller is here and it would be a thing better told
to hide in a box expecting summer will move
while we wait to grow up, be strong, and be old


Published in Climates. (Gooselane Editions, 1996).
Used with Permission of the Author.

Critical Analysis: Hope for a Trapped Culture


Sheryl Doiron (Advanced Poetry Workshop) & Monica Grasse (ACPA Managing Editor) 

Herménégilde Chiasson depicts the entrapped lives of Acadians through his use of modern language, approachable imagery, and explanations of oppression within his poetry. To demonstrate the alienation felt by Acadians in their own country, Chiasson uses his poem “Achilles Before Besieged Shédiac” to identify what it means to be an Acadian in modern times.

The poem’s title places Shédiac as the city of Troy, an ancient city destroyed by the mythological warrior Achilles. After the city’s destruction, the Trojans were forced to leave their homeland and wander in search of a new place to call home. In modern context, this metaphor represents the Acadians’ expulsion from their settled lands, their dispersal across North America, and the loss of their land and culture. Even more so, the poem as a whole depicts the oppressed entrapment the Acadians have no other choice but to live in.

Chiasson presents the Acadians’ love for their land as a deep sadness; much like the Trojans, land was once held close to the hearts of Acadians, but now merely provides a constant reminder of their expulsion. In writing the Acadians in comparison to the Trojans, Chiasson instills in readers an understanding of destruction and loss. In a similar way, Chiasson introduces the struggle of the Acadians in conjunction with the plight of the native people who also lost the rights to their land in the same country: “The Indian graves are still watching as the sun/sets over children’s swings in the provincial park” (25-26). The expelled lost not only their land, but experienced insult added to injury as the land where they currently live is still not in their possession, but rather a tourist attraction mocking their history. Nonetheless, the Acadians will never forget the injustice they faced as they are haunted by its unforgettable outcome, even in death.

When attempting to flee the disturbing scene of original Acadian land now used for the profit of others, Chiasson has nowhere to go except to escape to a place which continually reminds him of the loss of language – and thus culture – felt by his people.  Much like the Trojans struggling to survive in their new land, the Acadians find themselves in towns dominated by the English language. In a town of French roots, English has a domineering presence, as the English leave no room for the natives of the land and make the Acadians feel as though they are still experiencing an expulsion of culture. Essentially, the only place the Acadians can adequately express themselves seems to be behind closed doors, where they cannot escape the oppressive culture they had no other choice but to enter by force.

After expulsion and entrapment in a new society, an internal entrapment is created as a battle of identity appears: “our car is caught in this schizophrenic village/…English on the outside inside secretly French” (65-68). While the Acadians privately understand their French identity, they are still forced to submit and conform to the society around them which makes no effort to recognize them or their heritage. The pride of the English culture keeps the oppressors stubborn, which is described by Chiasson as being “in one’s own iron head” and people who are “defending always” their language, rights, and culture over the original dwellers (76).

Chiasson practically depicts the oppression of language through the plethora of English sinage, but near the end of the poem, uses the diminution of religious rights and culture as the most insulting form of expulsion. In returning to the beginning of the poem, the trip to “Camille’s Fried Clams” for a Sunday treat demonstrates the degradation of Acadian religion (3): “to put out one’s tongue is enough for communion/then pay out money at the counter inside/and tray in hand and one with the lord begone” (6-8). This metaphor concerns Acadians in context with the church, historically, upon their return to the region. After coming back, the Acadians discovered other people living on the lands they called home and were unable to earn their living. This created a level of poverty that often left them unable to pay alms to the church, which forced them to stand at the back rather than sit with the congregation. Ironically, the faithfulness of visiting “Camille’s Fried Clams” (3) sticks its tongue out at the church’s supposed helping hand by making the Acadian Sunday ritual an excursion for clams, instead of the historical English ritual of going to church. Although trapped in a new, English dominated land, the Acadians do find a subtle way to refuse the English culture and create a personal definition for themselves despite their entrapment.

Chiasson’s final lines leave readers with images of the strong will of the Acadians and their attempts to make the most of the world they are forced to live in. The oppression of the French is staged in front of the Trojan war to explain the grave effects the injustice has on the Acadians. Although the poem outlines the unfair advantages the English are privileged with while the Acadians are only given a trapped oppression, Chiasson instills hope for the Acadian culture by encouraging the French to be “determined to speak, repeat and remake our days/to convince the world to make war against all doubt” (74-75) and not let the “iron head” keep them in a cultural “box” (76, 79).  As dignity for culture has, is, and will be pursued, the Acadians will strengthen their cultural presence for current and future generations.
 

Works Cited (for analysis):

 “Achilles Before Beseiged Shédiac.” Climates. Trans. Jo-Anne Elder & Fred Cogswell. Fredericton: Gooselane Editions, 1996. 41-43. Print.

Bibliography


Primary Sources: Poetry

Chiasson, Herménéglide. Actions. Montréal : Éditions Trait d’union, 2000. Print.

---. Béatitudes. Sudbury : Éditions Prise de parole, 2007. Print.

---. Climates. Trans. Jo-Anne Elder & Fred Cogswell. Fredericton: Gooselane Editions, 1996. Print.

---. Conversations. Trans. Jo-Anne Elder & Fred Cogswell. Fredericton: Gooselane Editions, 2001. Print.

---. Émergences. Ottawa : L’interligne, 2003. Print.

---. Existences. Trois-Rivières/Moncton : Écrits des Forges/Éditions Perce-Neige, 1991. Print.

---. Légendes. Québec : Éditions J’ai VU, 2000. Print.

---. Miniatures. Moncton : Éditions Perce-Neige, 1995. Print.

---. Mourir à Scoudouc. Moncton : Éditions d’Acadie, 1974. Print.

---. L’oiseau tatoué. Montréal : Éditions de La Courte Échelle, 2003. Print.

---. Parcours. Moncton : Éditions Perce-Neige, 2005. Print.

---. Prophéties. Ed. Michel Henry. Moncton : Poésie, 1986. Print.

---. Rapport sur l’état de mes illustrations. Moncton : Éditions d’Acadie, 1976. Print.

---. Répertoire. Trois-Rivières/Chaillé-sous-les-Ormeaux (France) : Écrits des Forges/Le Dé bleu, 2003. Print.

---. Vous. Moncton : Éditions d’Acadie, 1991. Print.

---. Vermeer (toutes les photos du film). Moncton/Trois-Rivières : Éditions Perce-Neige/Écrits des Forges, 1992. Print.

Primary Sources : Works Published in Anthologies

Chiasson, Herménéglide. “L’Acadie ou le territoire ambigu.” Liaison 136 (2007) : 9-10. Print.

---.  “Ah ! la vie d’artiste… en Acadie.” Ven’d’est 29 (1989): 21-22. Print.

---. “Anecdotes et énigmes.” L’exposition d’Art Atlantique. Fredericton: Gooselane Editions, 1994. 32-50. Print.

---. “L’aspect poétique dans l’œuvre de Roméo Savoie.” Roméo Savoie. Peintures/Paintings (1964- 2004). Moncton : Galerie d’art Louise-et-Reuben-Cohen de l’Université de Moncton, 2006. 15-22. Print.

---. “L’Association internationale des études acadiennes: une importante structure de rayonnement.” Dir. Marie-Linda Lord. L’émergence et la reconnaissance des études acadiennes. À la rencontre de Soi et de l’Autre. Moncton: Association internationale des études acadiennes, 2005. 16-19. Print.

---. “Le cinéma acadien du “Je” au “Nous”.” Égalité 48 (2003) : 47-58. Print.

---. “Considérations identitaires et culturelles sur l’Acadie modern.” Études canadiennes/Canadian Studies 58 (2005): 11-20. Print.

---. “La dynamique de l’art acadien.” Éloizes 7.2 (1986): 11-15. Print.

---. “Écrire pour dire.” Éloizes 31 (2002) : 19-23. Print.

---. “Entretien avec Roméo Savoie.” Éloizes 7.2 (1986): 19-27. Print.

---. “Le festif en Acadie.” Port Acadie 8-9 (2005, 2006): 15-21. Print.

---. “Gérald LeBlanc, 1945-2005. Entre New York et Paris: Moncton.” Spirale 205 (2005) : 21-22. Print.

---. “Iconographie de l’Acadie.” Dir. Madeleine Frédéric et Serge Jaumain. Regards croisés sur l’histoire et la littérature acadiennes. Bruxelles : P.I.E. Peter Lang, 2006. 15-32. Print.

---. “Imaginer l’écriture.” Éloizes 24  (1997) : 71-74. Print.

---. “Images et identité.” Nouvelles Études francophones 29.1 (2009): 74-86. Print.

---. “JE est un autre.” Égalité 35 (1994) : 99-111.

---. “Les lignes dans la peinture de Roméo Savoie.” Vie des Arts 15.101 (1980- 1981) : 66-68. Print. 

---. “Je n’ai pas lu La métamorphose de Franz Kafka.” Nuit blanche 82 (2001): 8-10. Print.

---. “Moncton-Toronto.” Possibles 5.1 (1980) : 19-24. Print.

---. “Mourir est un jeu d’enfant.” Francophonies d’Amérique 10 (2000) : 18-31. Print.

---. “Oublier Évangéline.” Dir. Simon Langlois et Jocelyn Létourneau. Aspects de la nouvelle francophonie canadienne. Québec :
Les Presses de l’Université Laval, 2004. 147-63. Print.

---. “Parcours artistiques d’une Acadie à l’ère de la mondialisation.” Égalité 48 (2003): 72-79. Print.

---. “Le penseur impur.” Liaison 101 (1999) : 12. Print.

---. “Rappel sur scène. Naissance et évolution de la dramaturgie acadienne.” Arts Atlantic 66 (1999) : 48-50. Print.

---. “Regardez, c’est leur histoire.” Le Perroquet 7 (1993): 20-23, 32. Print.

---. “Un repos possible au déchirement.” Nuit blanche 85 (2001-2002): 46-49. Print.

---. “Le rôle de l’artiste dans la communauté acadienne.” Revue de l’Université de Moncton 27.1 (1994): 317-30. Print.

---. “Savoie, Bourque, Gallant, trois étapes vers une culturalité autonome.” Vie des Arts 29.106 (1984) : 39-41. Print.

---. “Sur l’art acadien.” Possibles 5.1 (1980) : 83-86. Print.

---. “Table ronde sur l’identité et la création culturelles en Acadie.” Revue de l’Université de Moncton 27.2 (1994): 207-27. Print.

---. “Le théâtre de Rick Burns.” Arts Atlantic 67 (2000) : 50-53. Print.

---. “Toutes les photos….” Dir. Robert Dickson, Annette Ribordy et Micheline Tremblay. Toutes les photos finissent-elles par se ressembler ? Actes du forum sur la situation des arts au Canada français. Sudbury : Éditions Prise de parole/Institut franco-ontarien, 1999. 84-91. Print.

---. “Trajectoire et nostalgie.” Neue Romania 29 (2004): 39-63. Print.

---. “Traversées.” Tangence 58 (1998) : 77-92. Print.

---. “Trente identités sur un nombre illimité.” Dir. Jocelyn Létourneau. La question identitaire au Canada francophone. Sainte-Foy : Presses de l’Université Laval, 1994. 267-89. Print.

---. “Urbanités.” Francophonies d’Amérique 22 (2006): 225-30. Print.

---. “Visions de Gérald.” Revue de l’Université de Moncton 38.1 (2007): 7-31. Print.
 
Primary Sources : Essays and Academic

Chiasson, Herménéglide. Brunante. Montréal : XYZ éditeur, 2000. Print.

---. Dans la chaleur de l’amitié. Memramcook : Les éditions Karo, 2009. Print.

Chiasson, Herménéglide & Patrick Condon Laurette. Claude Roussel: sculpteur. Moncton : Éditions d’Acadie, 1987. Print.

Chiasson, Herménéglide & Pierre Raphaël Pelletier. Pour une culture de l’injure. Ottawa : Le Nordir, 1999. Print.
 
Primary Sources: Theater

Chiasson, Herménéglide. Aliénor. Sudbury: Éditions Prise de parole, 1998. Print.

---. Atarelle et les Pakmaniens. Ed.  Michel Henry. Moncton : “Théâtre,” 1986. Print

---. Laurie ou la vie de galerie. Sudbury/Tracadie-Sheila : Éditions Prise de parole/La Grande Marée, 2002. Print.

---. Le Christ est apparu au Gun Club. Sudbury: Éditions Prise de parole, 2005. Print.

---. L’Exile d’Alexa. Moncton: Éditions Perce-neige, 1994. Print.          
 
For an extensive list of primary sources (including works of art, prefaces, film, translated texts, and works published in anthologies) and secondary sources, please see: [https://www.erudit.org/revue/vi/2009/v35/n1/038572ar.pdf]

(Provided with permission of bibliographer Christian Blanchard, Université de Moncton).
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