An
explanation of the terminology:
"Or" is gold, or yellow."proper" means that the
laurel branches are of a natural color, in this instance, green.
"slipped" is used in heraldry to indicate that the flower
has a stem; a "chief" means a horizontal division of the shield in its
upper part
"tierced" indicates that it is divided in three equal parts.
"mullet" refers to a five-pointed star.
"Argent" is silver, or white.
"Gules" applies to the color red.
"Azure" is the color blue.
"Vert" is French for green (but is referred to as "sinople"
in French heraldry).
The term "crest" refers specifically and exclusively to those
symbols found above the shield, resting on a wreath that reproduce the
principal colors of the shield. Thus the colors of the Association des
Babineau d'Acadie Inc. are gold and blue. The crest is usually,
but not always, depicted on a helmet which was a headgear worn to
protect the head of the warrior. The mantling was a veil placed
on the helmet to protect the knight or warrior from the rays of the
sun.
The symbolism:
The daisy - a "marguerite" in French, alludes to the
Christian name of the wife of the first Babineau settler,
Marie-Marguerite Granger, born around 1668, who married Nicolas
Babineau dit Deslauriers (ca 1653-1723), around 1689. His
surname, which translates literally as "laurels", is illustrated by
branches of laurels. Thus, both first ancestors are commemorated
on the shield. The founding family is further enhanced by the
fact that both the daisy and the laurel branches are joined together.
The pioneer couple appears on the 1693 census of Acadia at Pentagouët
(Castine, Maine). The couple later moved to the Dauphin River
(now the Annapolis River) at Port-Royal (now Annapolis Royal in Nova
Scotia).
The chief (top potion of the shield depicting the National flag of
the Acadians) is a first from the Canadian Heraldic Authority.
It reproduces the Acadian flag adopted by the second Acadian National
Convention held at Miscouche, Prince Edward Island, in 1884.
Msgr. Marcel-François Richard was its most ardent proponent and the
prototype of the flag, now preserved in the Musée Acadien of the
Université de Moncton, was sewn by Mrs. Alphée Belliveau, née Marie
Babineau. The gold star, called a mullet in English heraldry,
is the "Star of the Sea", a symbol of Hope, and a principal symbol of
Our Lady of the Assumption, patron saint of Acadia, chosen as such at
the first Acadian National Convention, at Memramcook, in 1881. The
helmet alludes to Nicolas Babineau dit Deslauriers' service as a
soldier under Jean-Vincent d'Abbadie, Baron de Saint-Castin. The
apples and windmill are taken from the coat of arms borne by the civic
community of Soudan, in the Vienne Department of France, where Joseph
Babineau, father to Nicolas, lived. His wife was Louise Bordage.
The motto:
S'UNIR POUR GRANDIR may be translated as United to grow. It
alludes, of course, to the principal symbols on the shield, the daisy
and the laurel branches since the union of Nicolas Babineau dit
Deslauriers and Marie-Marguerite Granger are the ancestors of a large
number of descendants regrouped in the Association. It also
recalls the motto of Acadia - L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Strength in
Unity) - also adopted in 1884 by the Acadian delegates in Miscouche.
The motto was chosen by members of the Association des Babineau
d'Acadie Inc., New Brunswick, Canada.
