Dialogue with a black Gaelic

By

Maguy Sulpice	Luca Terreni

It's a hot night in Paris and I have walked almost all through the centre. In the "Qhartier Latin" I chose one of the three thousand café. I want to enjoy the show is about to begin. I sit, I ask for a coffee and I watch at TV. The final match soccer World Cup France 98 has just begun France Vs Brazil. A girl is sitting next to me; she looks very concerned with the match. She's black, she must be Brazilian, I immediately think. The temptation is too strong and I have to ask where she comes from.

Are you Brazilian?

No, I'm not. I'm from France.

Well, you don't really looks like a Gaelic!

Yes it's true, but if France was just composed of Gaelic, it will be a small country. France is composed by other people like Corsica, Basque, descendant from Africa in West Indies, Tahitian in Pacific...

How many different people are in the team?

Oh I don't know exactly but there's from Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyana, from Algeria, Armenia, Ghana, and from the mainland France.

In Italy we find quite strange the composition of the French team!

The team is exactly as the image of France. French players with different cultural background compose it.

France is a melting pot of population and regions with their own regional language and their own historical group likes descendant from Africa in West Indies, Celtic in Brittany....

Which language do you speak?

I'm talking Creole and French. French is the official language but there's a lot of region with their own regional language as Alsace with Alsacien language and German as well, but also Basque or Breton, Corsica...

So you have got your own language?

Yes we have, but unfortunately France doesn't recognise the minority languages. The President Jacques Chirac refused to ratify the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages because of his incompatibility with the Constitution. According to the 2nd article "the language of the Republic is French". On behalf of the French unity, the constitution can not be changed but since the presidency of Jacques Chirac it has been changed four times. On the other hand France defends the multilinguism against English supremacy in the world. French credibility will take more seriously, if she decides to respect the cultural, linguistic diversity in his own territory.

In this Charter, it's mentioned all the minority languages in the mainland but these ones overseas are not mentioned like Creole. France ignores totally this language, but it is spoken by all the local population and by the Caribbean countries (Creole is the official language of Haiti), it is written, it is sang but we're not allowed to teach Creole as Breton or Corse.

Are not these languages and cultures going to disappear?

I don't think so. This language is used in the daily life, it is so important in the Creole culture. This is our identity exactly the same as for Corsica or Catalan.

This culture diversity gives France his wealth.

What's the reaction of the people towards Jacques Chirac decision?

Many people were disappointed and couldn't understand why France continues to deny while the reality is completely different. In all these regions people speak their own language and French as well. There's not a threat for French language because regional population only speaks these languages, there is no risk then for French to be challenged by minority languages.

In Brittany there have been examples of terrorist acts, like bombs in public institutions. The refusal to recognise regional identities and languages leads to violence and riots.

Where do you think this situation would lead?

There's a problem of misunderstanding from the authorities. People ask for real change but often authorities do not listen or see the reality. They wait until there's too much water in the jar. At this time there's strikes or much more. It seems that the government help from Paris is never spontaneous, but comes only as reaction to people protest. It is also to be added that whenever this help comes, is always assistance one. Usually they solve the problem just for one region even if they know that there are others in the same situation.

It seems that behind the language recognition problem are hidden bigger political interests and fears. I refer to the fear that France has according to the linguistic recognition that could break French unity. I do believe that on this point Paris is totally wrong.

In my region the social situation is critic. Unemployment is 2 times higher than France is. In Guyana, schools are poorly equipped, many places are unhealthy. 'Ariane Space' is located in Guyana and guarantee billions of Francs. The base space is the only place in French Guyana well developed, and the only one who is cured and equipped. 99% of the administrative sector direction is in the hands of French people from the mainland. Most of the times these administrators have no idea of the local reality. This brings to a situation of great difference between the applied law and the reality this law has to be applied to.

Possibilities of social development for young people is very restricted; this has to be added to the existing reality of social and intellectual prejudice and discrimination by some French people in the motherland. If the prejudices are existing this means that there is a clean distinction between French and French from overseas. Why France does not leave the administration in the hands of someone who is at least aware of the local situation? It sounds a little bit too protective in relation to the mainland interests.

What should France do to avoid this situation?

France should accept that France-State is a body composed by different limbs, which need each other without discrimination. It shouldn't deny that there are territories overseas. Not just thinking about us for nuclear tests or as a tourist destination. People want to have the same chance as people in the mainland. If not there is no need to keep with a 'preservation' policy.

In many region people feel disadvantaged. This is the case of Corsica, where people manifest their dissatisfaction with terrorist attempts. In New Caledonia some years ago the situation was similar as a civil war. People came to this situation because they are not treated as Human Beings with the same rights and responsibilities.

France does not need to be afraid for her unity. As far as I know no one declares that he or she does not want to talk French anymore; people want to keep both languages, the local one and the national one and the same chance for everyone.

She has not finished her sentence when the referee whistles the end of the match. France has won World Cup. Two of the three goals have been scored by someone that like Maguy is French but with her also shares a different culture and language from the mainland. France has then won also because of its manifest diversity and there is nothing wrong with that. The minorities, cultural, linguistic, ethnic has helped the nation to win and everyone is satisfied. In this moment everyone is French no matter what.

I have to leave. I ask to this Creole-French girl how to say "See you" in Creole.

She says "An lot soleil".

I think it sounds like a mixture of language I hear a little bit of French and English, various just like the French team.

You don't have to look Gaelic to be French, I think while standing up, but at least you can choose whether you want to feel French or not. While leaving I answer to her 'goodbye': "An lot soleil" to you too.