’down the Plains’

Rhea Côté Robbins was brought up bilingually in a Franco-American neighborhood in Waterville, Maine known as ’down the Plains.’ Her maman came from Wallagrass, a town in the northern part of the state and her father was from Waterville. Tracing the family tree back, on both sides of her parents, she found that in Québec their people settled in close proximity to each other, and on a further search into their origins in France, she discovered that in the 1600s they lived within ten miles or less of each other. At least three of the branches of the original settlers came over on the same boat to New France. She has spent many years researching the origins and visiting the hometowns of these people in Canada and France. Her lifeline has an instant international perspective and connection. Côté Robbins was the winner of the Maine Chapbook Award for her work of creative nonfiction entitled, Wednesday’s Child. The book, taught in university courses, is in its fourth printing. She also edited a book of translations of Franco-American women writers who were writing in the early part of this century, titled, Canuck and Other Stories. She is currently working on a third installment of the memoirs titled, If These Walls Could Talk. She has work included in two anthologies Voyages: A Maine Franco-American and Acadian Reader published by Tillbury House and French Connections: A Gathering of Franco-American Poets published by Louisiana Literature Press. She has written extensively for many other publications as well as editing a bilingual, socio-cultural journal and ’ezine. She lives on the Penobscot River in Maine.