A few days ago, on his Facebook profile, guitarist Soïg Sibéril said he wanted to reintroduce his interpretation of “Song of the Partisan” to his repertoire. This is because the person concerned, like a large part of the central Breton cultural community, was shocked by the result of the far right in the European elections. “I was completely frightened by this score, and then by this surprise dissolution,” he says. The musician is today one of the sixty signatories, all leading musicians and singers, who are calling not to give in to the sirens of the far right. Among these artists are Annie Ebrel, Erik Marchand, Gurvant Le Gac, Heikki Bourgault, Hoëla Barbedette, Jean-Pierre Quéré, Loeiza Beauvir, Marthe Vassallo, Nanda Le Troadec, Rozenn Talec, Yann Le Corre, Youenn Lange, etc.
“Our little stone in the building”
It is not strictly speaking a political text, but rather the feelings of artists who express their dismay and their emotion in the face of the current situation. “It was Erik Marchand who was the first to suggest reacting, and we quickly agreed with his suggestion,” explains Yann Le Boulanger, bell ringer and former president of the Dañs Tro association in Poullaouen. We quickly agreed on an approach towards our Central Brittany, and this received a very good reception from the artists. We don’t often express ourselves in this format, but we have the feeling of contributing our little stone to the building. The more there are, the higher the rampart will be,” he says.
“Citizens of the world”
These “singers, fest-noz bell ringers, entertainers of local festivals, ferments of social bond and living together, professional musicians recognized beyond our small region”, are launching an appeal. In this period when political orientations, so far from those that we experience within the gavottes and in the dro, try to make us believe that turning in on ourselves is the solution to our problems, we turn to you to reflect », They say, calling on voters to “take into account the impact that a far-right majority could have on the balance of our territory and those around us. Stay in this land of citizens of the world that is Central Brittany, that is Brittany as a whole,” they conclude.
“Blah blah” according to RN Patrick Le Fur
A position that the regional councilor, National Rally candidate in the sixth constituency, Patrick Le Fur, describes as “bla bla”. For him, these are simply “outdated views of navel-gazing people who only see their own backyard”. He adds that he is part of the culture commission at the regional council, and “has always made it a point of honor to defend Breton culture”. “I have respect for their work but they would be much better off keeping their political opinions to themselves,” he said.
No doubt sensing such criticism, the artists took the lead in recognizing the absence of “political legitimacy, even if many of us are or have been elected in municipalities and supported by republican political movements. If you have sometimes had the pleasure of dancing or dreaming to our words and our music, give us your attention to listen to our call: as we sing in Poullaouen, in the vote song: “When you go to vote, choose your ticket carefully” , they insist.
The Cultural Council of Brittany too
These central Breton artists are not the only ones to be moved by the score of the far right. In a column published this Monday, the members of the Cultural Council of Brittany (consultative assembly created in 2009 by the Regional Council of Brittany), also say they are “worried about democracy, and reaffirm their commitment to the values which are at the heart of our Breton identity, associative, humanist, and from popular education”.
