[StBernard] Islenos reaffirm their heritage on All Saints Day

[Westley Annis]

Islenos reaffirm their heritage on All Saints Day
Hurricane Katrina scattered community 
Thursday, November 02, 2006
By Kim Gritter

For more than 200 years the Islenos, colonists from the Canary Islands who
settled in eastern St. Bernard Parish in the late 1700s, have honored the
dead by gathering on All Saints Day at St. Bernard Catholic Church and
Cemetery. 

But this year, perhaps more than ever, the gathering of members of the Los
Islenos Heritage and Cultural Society, many dressed in colorful native
costume, took on additional significance. Hurricane Katrina forced last
year's event to be canceled. 

"It's almost as if their heritage means even more to them now since it has
been threatened so by Katrina," said Dorothy "Dot" Benge, president of the
Los Islenos Heritage and Cultural Society. "It's made it a little more
difficult to preserve." 

St. Bernard Parish was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, leaving
virtually every home and business damaged, including historical landmarks
such as the Islenos Museum Complex in St. Bernard village, which honors the
Canarian culture. 

Benge said many of the society's members are scattered across the
metropolitan area and Baton Rouge. Several older members of the group have
died in recent months from what Benge thinks is a direct result of the
mental and physical stresses caused by Katrina. 

"Of course, All Saints Day is a way of honoring the saints," she said. "But
this year it's also a way for us to honor our recently deceased ancestors,
as well." 

All Saints Day, a holy day of obligation for Catholics, is traditionally
celebrated by the faithful making pilgrimages to the graves of deceased
loved ones to reminisce and perhaps pluck a few weeds, splash on a fresh
coat of paint and leave some fresh flowers. 

The day has been observed in St. Bernard since the founding of the St.
Bernard Catholic Cemetery and Church in 1787, parish historian William
Hyland said. Hyland said the cemetery is the final resting place of the
Canarian colonists who founded St. Bernard Parish in the late 18th century,
as well as many of the area's prominent Creole-French sugar planters and
their families. 

Many members of the family of Confederate Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, who was
born in St. Bernard, as well as Nicholas Olivier, a veteran of the American
Revolution, and many veterans of the Battle of New Orleans are also buried
at the cemetery, Hyland said. 


This year's Mass at the cemetery was celebrated by the Rev. Danny Digal of
Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church in Chalmette, along with Deacon
Rodrigo Fonseca, who both also presided over Masses on Wednesday at Prompt
Succor and St. Bernard Memorial Funeral Home and Gardens. 

"It's a source of healing for people," Digal said. "It's been such a long
tradition in St. Bernard Parish and it's important this year that we
continued that tradition." 

Digal and Fonseca also blessed many of the more than 1,000 graves at the
cemetery, 90 percent of which are crypts of Islenos, Hyland said. 

Following the services at St. Bernard Catholic Cemetery, the Islenos society
sponsored a reception in the church parking area, across from the cemetery.
Benge said Wednesday's event was financed with money from an $8,000 grant
the society recently received from the Canarian government to help preserve
the group's heritage. 

. . . . . . . 

Kim Gritter can be reached by phone at (504) 826-3792, by e-mail at
kgritter at timespicayune.com or by fax at (504) 826-3790.