About the Author

William (Bill) D. Gerrior is from a large family of nine children. He resides in Halifax, having roots in the small Acadian village of Larry’s River in Guysborough Co. on his father’s side and in the small Acadian Village of Pulamon, Isle Madame, Cape Breton on his mother’s side (Fougère). Bill is married to Audrey Gray, of Halifax, having two children: Steve and Suzanne, both of whom are proud Acadian descendants carrying on the Acadian traditions, using their own special talents.
The author has given a series of well received workshops on his Master Chart genealogy methodology used in this book, including a session at Grand Pré National Park during Acadian Days, 2001, as well as a follow up workshops at the West Pubnico Acadian Museum, for the families in the Pubnico region and also for a number of other Acadian families in the south, central and northern part of the province, as part of the preparation of all Acadian families in Nova Scotia for the CMA 2004 (Congrès mondial acadien 2004 or World Congress of Acadians 2004).

The author, being a member of the Board of Directors for the CMA 2004 in Nova Scotia, is very much interested in promoting the international links of all Acadian families, an objective which has been part of the mission statement of the World Congress of Acadians since its origin – i.e. to build international links for all Acadian families.

Bill conceptualized the idea of the First Maritime Province, Family Reunion of the Girouard, Giroir, Gerrior Girroir… which was organized in 1985 and was Chairman of the first International Reunion of this family which was organized in 1990, at St. Francis Xavier University, Nova Scotia (four years before the First Congrès mondial acadien in 1994). He also participated as Vice-President of the International Girouard Family Organization with headquarters in New Brunswick in preparing the Girouard, Gerroir, Girroir… family reunion for the First Congrés mondial acadien, 1994. At the second Congrès mondial acadien, 1999, in Louisiana. Bill presented a genealogy workshop providing all the Girouards, Giroir Gerrior …. with information regarding their international links and identity as a family.

As a former principal with the Halifax Regional School Board, now retired, Bill has received recognition during his eighteen year administrative career from the former Minister of Education and Acadian Affairs, Guy LeBlanc, for his leadership in the province in the field of culture and heritage in education. He has also received recognition from the Prime Minister of Canada, Jean Chrétien, for his work in this field.

The author is also a musician who is now combining his talent in music with his desire to learn to speak French in an enjoyable and relaxed way via his rich Acadian/Cajun roots in music. It also helps that his daughter, Suzanne, is a high school French teacher. In the last five years, he has been a member of the French musical group, Héritage, a six-member group of teachers who perform for schools to help motivate students to learn the French language and the culture. The group, Héritage, also has performed for adult audiences: for the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, Honorable Myra Freeman at Government House and his Honour Mr. Lawrence A. Freeman; a special group of the Francophone Fest; Acadian Days at Grand Pré; Le Grou Tyme Annual Acadian Festival, Halifax, NS; “French for the Future” National Conference; the Nova Scotia Language Teachers Association; the Education Ministers of Canada Conference and many other special events. Bill also keeps up the family tradition of music, playing with the Gerrior family including his brothers and sisters and son, Steve. His son has produced a cassette (with his grandfather, aunts and cousins, entitled "Acadia, Rhythm ‘ N ‘ Roots" in English for assimilated Acadians, who although they have lost their French language due to the assimilation process, are still very proud of their culture and want to know more about their Acadian roots and routes via music. This cassette has original material concerning the Acadians of yesterday and of today. It looks at the past and the future of Acadians in the lyrics of these originals songs.-all part of the cultural awakenings in Bill’s family.

In conclusion, the international genealogy links, the Acadian music tradition, as well as the French language aspect of our Acadian culture have been part of the awakenings that Bill has experienced over the past twenty years of his life to present day and for sure will also shape his future, as well as the many thousands, globally who have been or who will be affected by his research and writing.

Thus the title of his book, "Acadian Awakenings," refers to an awakening to our international links in genealogy, history, heritage and culture.