Shaken by the negative reactions to the choice of Mélissa Lavergne, but seeing in her a musician who “opens horizons”, the management of the Nuits d’Afrique festival announced that its 36e edition would stand without a spokesperson.
Updated yesterday at 6:57 p.m.
The decision was communicated by a “clarification” made public Friday afternoon at the end of a crazy day marked by the accumulation of negative comments, the decision of Mélissa Lavergne to withdraw from the project and the withdrawal of the publication of the festival announcement on his Instagram page.
“Mélissa was already there, playing percussion at the very beginning of the Festival. She is a child of Nuits d’Afrique, said Lamine Touré, president and founder of Productions Nuits d’Afrique in his clarification. I don’t see its color. I see a musician with heart, who is part of the great community of world music artists in Montreal. »
Further, he adds: “I understand people who have seen a lack of sensitivity in our choice, but we are all pursuing the same goal: that of a more inclusive and open world. »
It all started on Wednesday when Nuits d’Afrique announced on social networks, photo in support, that Mélissa Lavergne, multi-percussionist and co-host of the show Beautiful and Bum at Télé-Québec, would be the spokesperson for this 36e editing. This announcement preceded by six days the press conference of May 31 scheduled to give the details of the programming.
Very quickly, the negative comments of people furious by the choice of a white woman as spokesperson accumulated by tens. ” Ashamed. “, “But noooooooo”, “It is sure that it is a joke”, “Really deplorable”, “What in the apartheid”, “Nights of South Africa from 1948 to 1991”, “It is unacceptable “, “It is truly deplorable”, we could read. Others sent tomato emoji to leaders.
Joined by The Press Friday morning, Mélissa Lavergne said she was “very sensitive” to the criticisms expressed and had informed the festival management that she was withdrawing while wishing to continue to collaborate with Nuits d’Afrique.
“The mission of Nuits d’Afrique, and this is why I accepted the mandate, is really one of communion, encounters, crossbreeding, inclusion on both sides. So that’s what made me feel legitimate to accept the mandate, she told us. That said, in the light of all the grumbling it arouses, I am very obviously sensitive to this and I verbalized to Nuits d’Afrique my decision to withdraw. I think it’s the right thing to do to honor this anger I’m hearing. Afterwards, I have the deep desire to collaborate with Nuits d’Afrique. I think it would be a mistake to take me out of the discussion. On the other hand, it brings me to a reflection, namely how to take part in the conversation without it being offensive. »
PHOTO FROM AFRICA NIGHTS INSTAGRAM PAGE
Some of the comments expressed on the Nuits d’Afrique Instagram page
Mme Lavergne also believes that this announcement “in fragments” where the light was projected “on a white personality only”, explained the ambient outcry.
A predictable controversy
“It’s not about Mélissa, it’s about the Afro-descendant communities who are still underrepresented, even when it comes to their own heritage,” indignant artist and activist Ricardo Lamour in an interview. with The Press.
” After [le meurtre de George] Floyd, after SLĀV, after the St. John’s Day parade, after the 375e from Montreal […] there are questions that arise as to why other profiles were not considered”, he lists. According to him, this is a symptom of a “disconnection” among the leaders of the festival.
For columnist Vanessa Destiné, the controversy was highly predictable. “It was written in the sky, it’s ridiculous and infuriating,” she wrote in a short-lived Instagram post. She also refers to other scandals related to diversity that have caused a lot of ink to flow in recent years. “For real, it’s [extrêmement] draining. »
“Wisely spokesperson”
In 2021, the singer Corneille was the spokesperson. Host and cultural journalist Myriam Fehmiu had been in 2019 and 2020.
Invited to comment on the news, Myriam Fehmiu wrote to us this: “I understand that this type of appointment can offend, even shock some people. This grumbling demonstrates, in my opinion, that Afro-descendant people still feel too little heard, seen, represented and considered. Now, we must also see the impressive track record of Mélissa Lavergne, who has travelled, I believe even lived in Africa, and learned her art from great African musicians with full respect for their culture and [de leurs] traditions. As soon as her appointment was announced, I wrote to Mélissa to congratulate her and I believe that she could very wisely be the spokesperson for an event around music not only African, but also Caribbean and Latin, and which aims to bring cultures together through the universal language of music. And what we need most right now is to build bridges between us. »
For his part, Corneille was “not available for this interview”, we were told.
Nuits d’Afrique deleted its Instagram post in the middle of the day. The festival, which will take place from July 12 to 24, will host among others Tiken Jah Fakoly, Moktar Gania & Gnawa Soul as well as Femi Kuti and the Positive Force.