Gabriel Sagard
Encyclopedia
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1614–1636) was a Catholic priest and missionary of the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
Récollets
Recollets
The Récollets were a French branch of the Roman Catholic order, the Franciscans , which developed out of a reform movement that began in the 15th century in Spain and established itself in France in Tulle in 1585, at Nevers in 1592, at Limoges in 1596 and in Paris in 1603...
order who is notable for his writings on New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
and the Hurons (or, Wendat). Sagard's origins, and the dates of his birth and death are obscure. Some historians say he was christened Théodat; others believe that Théodat was his religious name.
Sagard arrived in New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
28 June 1623. He joined four members of his order who had been there since 1615. In August, Sagard travelled to a Huron village on the southern shore of Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
, where he began his missionary work and study of the Huron language. In July 1624 at Quebec
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, he was ordered by his superior to return to Paris, France. Some time around 1636, Sagard left the Recollect order. He may have died while living with the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
s.
Sagard is remembered for his writings on New France and the Hurons-Wyandot people, Le grand voyage au pays des Hurons(Paris, 1632). His L'histoire du Canada (1636) included a revised and expanded Le grand voyage and Dictionnaire de la langue huronne (Dictionary of the Huron Language). An English translation of Le grand voyage by historian George M. Wrong was published by the Champlain Society in 1939 as Sagard's long journey to the country of the Hurons. It is available online at the Champlain Society website. An authoritative edition of the dictionary of the Huron language http://www.evolpub.com/ALR/ALRSupplement.html#ALRS2 was edited by John Steckley
John Steckley
Dr. John L. Steckley is a Canadian scholar specializing in Native American Studies and the indigenous languages of the Americas.Steckley has a Ph.D. in education from the University of Toronto. He has taught at Humber College in Toronto, Ontario since 1983....
and published in 2009.
The geographic township of Sagard
Sagard, Quebec
Sagard is an unorganized territory and hamlet in the Capitale-Nationale region of Quebec, Canada, part of the Charlevoix-Est Regional County Municipality...
in Quebec, Canada, was named in his honour.
External links
- Sagard's Dictionary of Huron - The earliest and one of the most complete dictionaries of the Huron language
- "Gabriel Sagard", Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
- Champlain Society Digital Collection