Neither nostalgia, nor looking back, the Festival of Cornouaille addresses Breton culture with an air of celebration. This region, is, however no museum; and just to show this, there has been a recent publication of a computer science dictionnary in Breton. In fact 500000 people still speak Breton today out of aBreton population of 2,5. It is mostly elderly people living in the countryside. Twenty years ago, the resurge of young Breton speaking people wasn't assured.
« My parents speak in Breton. I understand it, but I don't speak it. » explainsAnna-Vari Chapalain. There's a silence. « I must confess, asan adolescent, when I worked in a restaurant, I found it a bit silly, country bumpkin like. »
« Then klicked. I took lessons, and two months later I could speak it. »
Along with other young people of her generation, she helped with the creation in 1977 of the DIWAN schools. « Growth » in Breton.
The seed has grown. Firstly, primary schools, then until the fifth year, and finally sixth form. 1800 children are, however taught in Breton every school year. 4000 actaully, if we include movements set up by private schools and by the national education curriculmn.
In order to win the fight, we have to fight. Come over financial difficulties. The fight has proved to be worth it. As proof : a German car manufacturer has just brought out an advertin Breton in Ouest France (a daily French newspaper).
Patrice MOYON,
Ouest-France
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Jean Le Goff sharpens his knives. The former farmer brings back to life a job that had disappeared : here shown, that of grinder. |
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Young people in tarditional costume in Pont Abbé. From left to right, a costume from 1940, then 1930,1900 and finallu 1850. |
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As carried out years ago in farms, a lady from the Argol region spins wool. |
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