By Juliana L’Heureux

 Women carry Franco-American culture from one generation to another.  Mothers (mammas), grandmothers (memers) and religious nuns are the conduits of the culture.  In fact, Franco-Americans are almost a matriarchal society.  Women are very important to the culture because they are role models for their families.  In past generations, they worked on farms and at mill jobs. They raised large families while practicing strict Roman Catholic religious rituals.  As a result, most Franco-Americans revere their mothers and grandmothers like spiritual icons. 
 Regardless of their esteemed status, Franco-American women were silent cultural heroes.  Perhaps it was the result of cultural modesty, but their stories were lost as each generation died away.
 Thankfully, Franco-American women are now recognized at the University of Maine with interactive technology.  The Franco-American Women’s Institute in Maine and throughout the US is now a web page on the Internet.  In conjunction with the Institute, an interactive course will be offered in the fall.
 “Anyone in the world will be able to participate in the Franco-American studies program”, says coordinator Rhea Cote Robbins.  “Students can attend the classes in Orono or link up with us on the Internet,” she says.
 This is the first time Franco-Americans are able to study the culture on line.
 One purpose of the Franco-American institute and subsequent interactive course is to bring forth the hundreds of special stories about how women have preserved the culture and how they are contributing to the future.  In fact, the idea to form the Institute came out of ordinary journal writing, says Cote-Robbins. 
 Cote-Robbins wanted to assemble and query the diverse Franco-American women who come from academic and professional backgrounds.  “How do we survey the Quebecois, the Acadians, the Metis and all the Mixed Bloods?,” she asked.  One way is to conduct an interactive college course to collect more data. 
 At the Franco-American Institute, stories are collected and archived in a way to capture and record the Franco-American women’s experiences.  For example, knitting an afghan is a cultural practice.  At the Institute, women can write about how they learned to knit, what patterns they knit and even why they continue to knit. 
 Collecting cooking recipes are another cultural contribution.  Although most popular recipes are handed down from one generation to another, the Institute will provide a repository for these family heirlooms.  In fact, all lost arts will be recorded along with a registry of the names of women who contribute to the Institute’s repository. 
 Birthing stores and practices are very interesting as are cultural health and healing practices.
 “We created a place where women will become visible after generations of being invisible and vocal about their history after generations of silence”, says Cote-Robbins.
 In the upcoming interactive course on Franco-American women’s studies, Cote-Robbins will continue to examine diversity within the culture.  “We hope women will join to help us grow our collections of stories,” she says. 
 For more information about the Franco-American Women’s Institute, call or write to Rhea Cote Robbins Director, the Franco-American Women’s Institute, 641 South Maine Street, Brewer, Maine 04412-2516 or Telephone/FAX: 207-989-7059
Emails:  Rhea_Cote@umit.maine.edu; RJCR@aol.com