Protest sparks creation of heritage museum

by Dunstan Prial

A hypothetical lawsuit has changed the life of a local attorney.

Warren Perrin said he drafted the lawsuit against the British government as a way combining his professional life with his interest in the history of his ancestors.

A Cajun, Perrin is seeking an apology from the Britsih government for exiling his ancestors--Acadians--from Canada in the 1750s. He is also requesting that the order of exile which allowed for the displacement be lifted.

Perrin never guessed that the lawsuit would lead to international speaking engagements, the creation of a foundation for the preservation of Cajun culture, and a museum in his hometown in Erath.

"The lawsuit began as a hobby and has created a number of worthwhile spinoffs," he said.

Since forwarding the lawsuit to the Queen of England in 1990, Perrin has spoken before international audiences in France and Canada on human rights violations.

The suit has also led to seminars on international human rights issues.

Perrin is now chair of the Acadian Heritage and Culture Foundation Inc., a non-profit organization that includes Gov. Edwin Edwards, U.S. Senators John Breaux and J. Bennett Johnston and numberous historians well as a number of Canadian officials.

The Acadian Heritage Museum opened in downtown Erath in February.

Perrin's goal is to keep the Cajun heritage alive among the youth of Acadiana.

"It's been really rewarding to see local students become interested, " he said. "It's been our dream to get the kids interested in their culture and heritage because, by definition, if they don't become interested, we'll lose our culture."

The museum, located at 203 S. Broadway in Erath, has several children's exhibits, and much of the help in running it comes from local volunteers like Robert Vincent, a student at Erath High.

The exhibits are broken up into three areas--the pre-exile years of Acadians in Canada, the Louisiana years, and a room dedicated to the history of Erath.

All of the exhibits were donated, including a priceless hand-drawn map of the Louisiana Purchase dated from the early 19th Century.

Maps, historical documents, and antiques were provided by historians and locals interested in Perrin's efforts. The museum is open to the public free of charge.

In addition to all of the above, Perrin is currently at work on an oral-video history of Acadiana.