Figure 1.--This colorized magic latern slide shows Breton children in folk costunes, although the boy looks to be weaing a Fauntleroy outfit more than a Breton folk costume. We are not sure when the photograph was taken, probably the early-1920s. |
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We have at this time only limited information about ethnic diversity within France itself. There was considerable diversity between France before the Revolution (1789), but succeeding French governments have adopted policies that sought to reduce the importance of regional cultures and languages. The French people are the descendants of Neolithic stone age people. In modern times Gauls and Romans populated what is now modern France. This means western Celtic and Italic peoples, as well as Bretons, Aquitanians, Ligurians, and Germanic invaders. The Germanic invaders included Franks, the Visigoths, the Suebi, the Saxons, the Allemanni and the Burgundians. French people are the descendants of Gauls and Romans, western European Celtic and Italic peoples, as well as Bretons, Aquitanians, Ligurians, and Germanic people arriving at the beginning of the Frankish Empire such as the Franks, the Visigoths, the Suebi, the Saxons, the Allemanni and the Burgundians. The dominant group was the Franks. And the 'France' etymologically derives from the word Francia--the territory of the Franks. A later Germanic groups was the Vikings wjo became known as the Normans and gave their name to Normandy Where they settled (9th century). All of this played into the ethnic diversity of the French, but were largely territorially based. These groups were still prominent until the 20th century.
In Alsace, many of the modern generation can not longwr speak Alsatian, especialy in Strasbourg and big cities. A reader tells us, "In the 1950s my Granparents spoke both French and Alsatian fluently and German was taught in school. Many people in this generation had some difficulty learning French.
In the Basque region many persons including the children can still speak this difficult language, the origins of are not fully inderstood. The Basque still observe many traditions. The Basques are very proud of their origins and on Sunday it is still common to see some people wearing traditional garments. Unlike the situation accross the border in Spain, the French Basques have not turrned to terrorism, perhaps because the population is smaller and the French Basque's were never suppresed as were the Spanish Basque's under Franco.
Brittany is a region of northwestern France, the most westerly extension of France. Brittany has a fascinating history explaining the tenacity by which the region has clung to its language and customs, including their destinctive dress. Only in the 20th century has Brittany been fully integrated into France. At the turn of the 20th century, Breton culture was much stronger than is the case today. The first postcard pictured here was made about 1903. The children, a boy and a girl, are dressed in almost identical outfits. In Brittany it was the custom for boys to wear dresses in their early years. Breton before World War II was still widely spoken. Today a majority of people in Britanty can no longer speak Breton.
Flanders is a region now divided between Belgium and France. French Flanders, is a region in the far Northwest of France along the Atlantic coast. It is located east of Dunkirk, a city with an old Dutch name, Duinkerken. The official Gallicized name is Dunkerque. In "La Flandre Flamingante" there are about 20,000 inhabitants who still speak Flemish, a Dutch dialect. In 1984 a Parti Fédéraliste Flamand has been established to promote Dutch culture. There are a few theater groups that perform plays in Dutch, in cities and villages with names like Hazebrouck, Hondschoote and Steenvoorde. General de Gaulle, who was born in Lille (Rijssel), is said to be of Flemish decent.
The Romani people recognize divisions among themselves based in part on territorial, cultural and dialectal differences and self-designation. One of these are the Manush in the French-speaking areas of Western Europe. Tghe French have several terms: Manouches and Tsiganes. Romanichels and Gitans are alsonused, but pejorative. Bohémiens was once used, but is now considered outdated. Another term is Gens du Voyage (Travellers), but seems to mean Gypsy rather than a different group as in Ireland. The French police (National Gendarmerie) tends to use the term Minorités Ethniques Non-Sédentarisées (MENS--Travelling Ethnic Minorities). Perhaps French uniquely in Europe, municipal autjorities are required by law to provide Romani travellers land where they can set up a camp. An estimated 0.4 million Gypsys live in France as part of established communities. France's affluence has attracted Romni from other countris, mostly Eastern Europe (Bulgaria and Romania). Estimates vary as to the numbers involved. They are mostly found in illegal camps. French authorities have been known to conduct roundups and deportations which have been critizied by civil libertarians.
Jews first reached France during the Roman era. There has been a ontinuing Jewish presence in France since that time.
With the coming of Christianity, the Jewish community went through periods of both toleration and persecution
depending on the policies of both the Church and the ruling monarch. The secularization of the French Revolution
brought an era of toleration and emancipation. Even so there was a strong anti-Semetic element within France. even into
the 20th century. Jews in the 19th and 20th century played a major role in French intelectual and commercial life. France's Jewish population was devestated by the Holocaust, but unlike many other countries occupied by the NAZIs, many French Jews survived.
Normans are the French translation of Northmen or the Vikings. The fierce boat people that emerged from Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. They invaded northern France, even sailiong up the Seine and attacking Paris. They established themselves in Normandy. As a result, there developed important cultural differences between Normandy and much of the rest of France. They were theoretically vassaks of the French monarchy, but in real terms were often more powerful than the king. William Duke of Normandy invaded England and after defearing King Haroild at Hastings (1066), seized the crown. The French roots of the English monary subsequently led to an English claim on the French crown and the Hundred Years War. Whem France began settling New France, Noemans played an important role.
France is a land of minorities and the most important was Provence in southern France. A reader writes, "I lived near Orange on the Rhone River and I can tell you that those "Occitans" who spoke Oc ( distinct from Oïl or Parisian French) are still fighting to save their culture. Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Orange, Nimes, Arles, Toulouse, Bordeaux are parts of Occitanie. The Romans played a greater role in southern France than any other area. It was here that Moorish invaders from Spain were stopped by Charles Martel at Poitiersin (738). There was no further major effort to cross the Pyranees. Charles' son, Carolus Magnus or Charlemagne, became Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (800). The aim of European rulers until Hitler was the reunification of
Europe as it was under Charlemagne. To fight against that hegemony. Austrians, French, English, Italians, Prussianns, and Spaniards were constantluy at war for or against the Emperor. Even Americans fought against the Germans during the World War I as they were tryong to dominate Europe.
HBC does not have details on ethnic dress in the Pyrenees. Presumably they are strongly influenced by Basque customs and dress. The children pictured here wear berets with jackets and knee-length pants wtth white stockings.
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