BRITAIN AND BRITTANY

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 June 1937, Page 3

BRITAIN AND BRITTANY

• CELTIC FESTIVALS PLANNED PARIS, April 27. Franco-British friendship and cooperation, which has been particularly active in European affairs this year, is expected to lend unusual importance to Brittany’s Celtic festivals, for which plans are now being made. Wales, Scotland and possibly Ireland are to send representatives' to join with Bretons in an international gathering at Perros-Guirec, Brittany, from July 24 to 28. An elaborate program *of Gaelic ceremonies, folk dancing and music has been prepared under the supervision of the French “Gorsedd” or Druidic organisation, and with the collaboration of the governmental authorities. France and Britain are usually consired as complete different nations, with only the well-known "Norman Conquest” as a link between them. Normandy, it is true, forms the most obvious tie between the two peoples. Geographically and climatically, and to a certain extent architecturally, the Norman countryside and villages resemble those of southeast England, and forms a sort of transitional region between the Latin land of France as a whole and the Nordic island < across the Channel. | But in a certain sense, Brittany | forms an even closer bond or bridge j between the French and British peo-| pies, as the very name of the districtl reveals. History is vague about the| origins of Brittany—" Little Britain.” it was long designated. It is known, however, that the region, which constitutes a peninsular point of the French hexagon, became almost en-i tirely depopulated of Romans andGauls about the fourth century A. D.l In the fifth century great numbers of I Britons came across the Channel, landed at various points along the coast,J and thus colonized the country anew.] It was these earliest of British colonists who gave the name Brittany to the region. 'These early Britains or Britons, as the inhabitants of England were called before the Anglo-Saxon invasion, remained almost completely segregated from tin* rest of France for a remarkably long time. They vigorously resisted numerous efforts to incorporate them into the Frankish kingdom, ami it was only in the sixteenth century that they became fully associated with the rest of France. This accounts for the fact that Brittany is still to-day the French region or province which has retained most clearly the mark of its original nationality. It is the only province—leaving aside Alsace, which is a special case —where there is. a. separatist movement ami traces of a- genuine consciousness of national entity. Even to-day Brittany remains to a startling ektent. an interesting example of what England might have been like had there been no Nordic invasion of the islands. A Celtic Bar' 1 ';-: College modelled after the institution already existing in Wale:;, was erg;mist'd in Brittany in ISS9. The main growth of the movement has come since the close of tlm war. ■ There are at present more than 2UO "bards" —poets, writers, artists and outstanding professional men of Brittany. . i

Il would be incorrect, however, to ((include from these facts that the, province of Brittany seeks separation from Prance. There are. it is true, a few active separatists in the Celtic organisation; but the overwhelming

majority of Bretons feel themselves Frenchmen —although without thereby ceasing to be Bretons too! . To-day the principal roles of the Druidic movement in Brittany are two; first, to preserve the picturesque customs, costumes, and language of old Brittany; and second, to serve as a unique linguistic and racial bond between France and Britain. 1000 YEARS’ INDEPENDENCE Tho millennium of Brittany’s independence is to be feted. Exactly 1000 years ago, Brittany, under the leadership of Duke Alain-Barbe Tote (which means Allan of the Twisted Beard), obtained its freedom. It was rescued from the Northmen, and the Vikings who had devastated the coast were expelled. Duke Allan’s exploits, his valor on the, field of battle, his competence as a peace-time administrator, friend of arts and crafts, will bo commemorated during a series of folk festivals to be held in Nantes, his capital, duriiig the present spring and summer. These ceremonies, colored by Breton traditions and folk customs, wilt begin in April and terminate in July.l They will include a medieval tournament, an international fishing contest, a, folklore fete, a parade evoking the guilds and corporations of Alain’s century; also Breton contests —dancing, poetry,, lace-making.

It is at this moment too that a renaissance of “Breton patriotism"—in the, cultural sense—is'evident throughout Brittany, thanks to the intelligent activity of "Cercles Celtiques,” the aim of which is to revive distinctive Breton customs, traditions, and festivals and the Breton language. So far, gratifying progress has been made, and next July an All Breton Congress will assemble in Perros-Guirec on the occasion of a Celtic “gorsedd” or poetry < ontest, ami make plans for future endeavour.

Prof. Edouard Guegiien, himself a Breton bard and an expert on Breton folklore, is the chieftain of the "Bretonizing" movement, which is absolutely non-political in character. It lias nothiing to do with religion.l politics, economics or philosophy; it' limits its activities to preserving or] resurrecting Breton folk-ways. : Its members are loyal citizens of France; they recall that 240,1)00 Bretons fell in battle during the World War. ami so they insist, with reason, that their allegiance to the French Republic does not preclude them from loving and serving, their "little motherland." Brittaity. They believe that the best, way of doing this is to revive the Breton language with all that this implies. They desire to resurrect Breton bagpipes. Breton lacemaking; Breton wrestling; they would increase the number of Breton male choruses. Breton bardic contests, and Breton folk festivals.