I grew up in a unilingual francophone family, so you can guess that the issue of protecting the French language in Quebec is something I take seriously. Nothing very original, it has always aroused passions in this corner of America where people persist in wanting to exist in French in an English-speaking sea. We only have to see the critics when the young people of Star Academy choose too many English songs.
Posted at 7:15 a.m.
It seems to me that this puts us in a good position to understand the importance of the survival of indigenous languages, which were almost eradicated in this country. I was therefore dismayed when I read rapper Samian’s Facebook post about the Festival international de la chanson de Granby, which had invited him and asked him to respect a quota of French-language songs, even though his most recent album, Nikamois almost entirely in Anishinaabemowin.
I spoke with Samian, who essentially repeated to me what he said in the last few days, but also with the Festival international de la chanson de Granby, where I was told that they preferred not to pursue this discussion. in the media. I was also told that if the festival was already thinking about the place of Aboriginal artists in its programming, this incident only accelerated it.
I want to dwell on the reaction that this news arouses. There are some for whom a francophone song festival is dedicated to francophone song, period, and aboriginal people just have to take part in other festivals if they want to sing in their languages. Anglophone or strictly Aboriginal festivals? I wonder.
It even seems that, for some of those most worried about the survival of French in Quebec, the aboriginal question is becoming a new multiculturalist Trojan horse against Quebec, especially when they are told that French is a Colonial too. I admit that it hurts to hear when you’re from Quebec, but from an aboriginal point of view, it’s absolutely true. English or French were for them languages of assimilation which could have made the culture of the 11 Native Nations of Quebec disappear and which a new generation is in the process of saving. Speaking out and taking control of their destiny must go through safeguarding their language. As a francophone, I can only understand. Even that I would have liked to learn Innu to read Joséphine Bacon in the text.
Samian is right on this point: the Anishinaabemowin language in no way threatens French, it is rather it that is threatened.
Fifteen years ago, he explains to me, it was placed in the “foreign language” section in the quotas on the radio, whereas it has been spoken for centuries by a people in this territory – Samian is from the Abitibiwinni First Nation – long before we set foot there, Franco or Anglo.
I discovered Samian with the song peace of the brave in collaboration with Loco Locass on his album Facing yourselfreleased in 2007. My favorite moment when I hear it is to yell mackawisiak in the small part of the chorus which is in the language of Samian and which I must surely pronounce all quaver, like when, as a child, I repeated haphazardly, by ear, the words of songs in English. Through the music, this language that I had never heard at least entered my ears.
But I fully recognize the capital importance of festivals and francophone song contests such as the Francouvertes, the Francos, Coup de coeur francophone, etc. The one in Granby, founded in 1969, is one of the largest and oldest. These events are essential to the discovery, dissemination and survival of French-speaking artists, even more so in a world where platforms vampirize income and where English dominates.
My friend, journalist Marie-Christine Blais, who has covered these festivals for a long time, reminds me that the defense of French is in the DNA of these events, and often even in their title. That’s what they were founded for.
But the situation has changed. Because 50 years ago, there were no Algonquin or Innu singers. There is indeed a reflection to be made when more and more Aboriginal artists sing in their language.
Marie-Christine Blais, journalist
It would be the height if, to protect the French, we do not know how to welcome them. There is certainly a way to reconsider the unique status of Indigenous languages in Quebec in Francophone events without distorting their mission. Especially since we have in common this fear of seeing our language disappear.
We should feel so challenged and be united. And we are more and more, believes Samian, who has really seen progress in recent years. I believe it too. With his album in my ears, and walking through this neighborhood of my childhood where Montcalm and Wolfe streets will always run parallel, I’m happy when I arrive at Atateken street – which means “brother and sister” in Mohawk – because I don’t miss its old name at all, Amherst Street.