French and Spanish are spoken in this location in downtown Shawinigan. The accents mix. The questions are flying. Welcome to the human library of Shawinigan.
” I am team cold ! » Little Salomé only has one Shawinigan winter under her belt, but she has already found her camp. “Secondary school, I thought it was going to be difficult, but no,” then says the little Colombian native.
Surrounded by her family, she presents herself as one of these “human books” in the “human library” exhibition set up by the Shawinigan New Arrivals Welcome Service (SANA). Their portraits and stories will tour the city’s public places over the next year.
Added to this traveling exhibition is another project to display photos of participants, this time on a city bus, with the aim of putting “a face on immigration,” explains the director of the local organization, Marie-Claude Brûlé.
Thus, Salomé’s parents, Grimaldo and Caterine, settled in the town of 50,000 souls initially for work, because they were hired there as beneficiary attendants.
“Snow, for me, is hard,” says Caterine during this launch evening, in hesitant, but very understandable French. “The reception is very good for immigrants. People understand the difficulties. »
Someone comes and sits next to this little family and speaks to them in Spanish. Grimaldo smiles, appreciates the outstretched hand. “When we arrived, I didn’t know anyone,” he confides. These meetings allow him not only to demystify his journey, but also to create his own network of friends.
The birth of communities
Orel Tchouoyomgo valiantly wears the pioneer hat. This year he founded the group of Cameroonians of Shawinigan. There are more than sixty in the municipality, according to his estimate. The computer scientist tries by all means to find his place in Mauricie.
“I like being able to share,” he says to explain his participation in the curious human exhibit. “I know you have to reach out to people. »
He also only has one year of experience in Shawinigan territory, but he defies prejudice by already knowing how to skate. “In winter, you have to go out. You don’t have to stay at home. »
The Shawinigan SANA is in its ninth year of awareness campaigns for welcoming new arrivals. This year’s slogan is “We all smile in the same language”.
This report is supported by the Local Journalism Initiative, funded by the Government of Canada.