The New Acadia Project is a publicly-supported effort to discover and study the home sites and unmarked graves of the first Acadian settlement in south Louisiana. These settlers established what is known today as Acadiana- homeland of the Cajuns.

Ray and Brenda Trahan and Warren and Mary Perrin will give a presentation on the New Acadia Project Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 2 pm at the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT), located at 645 University Parkway in Natchitoches. These two couples are co-founders of the effort that has raised and donated nearly $300,000 to the University of Louisiana-Lafayette whose archeological department is leading the historical search.

The New Acadia Project is combining archeology survey and historical research with public outreach and community engagement in a collaborative effort to discover and investigate the lost colony of Nouvelle Acadie. Public archaeology is providing unique historical and cultural information on Acadian settlements in Louisiana and creating new opportunities for heritage conversation and com memorization. The New Arcadia Project is also promoting development of regional and state-wide cultural economy.

Since May, 2014 over 2 dozen previously unknown archeological sites have been discovered along the Teche Ridge at locations where historical documents in disrate the Acadian emigres established their colony of Nouvelle Acadie. Eight of these sites have now produced artists dating from the 1700s.

Financial support is needed to continue the search. You can support the New Acadia Project through donations to the non-profit Acadian Heritage and Culture Foundation at the Acadian Museum (337-233-5832; acadianmuseum.com) or by donating to the New Acadia Project Fund at the UL Lafayette Foundation (337-482-0700; ullafayettefoundation.org). For more information visit http://www.facebook.com/NewAcadiaProject and the Louisiana Public Archaeology Lab web site at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, or email rees@louisiana.edu.