Does anybody out there understand Breton, or Breton politics and culture? (a more fluent francophone

[ritaxis]

I have blundered into Breton videos on you tube from following links from a song we dance to at class ("Changerais-tu," which is actually in French, which ought to make it comprehensible -- to me, because I do remember some French -- except that it makes no sense in any language).

The one I have just watched appears to be at a giant demonstration.  There is siome French commentary but it just says the video is perfect. There are many banners and signs. The musicians appear to call themselves the Breton Ramones, and play a bunch of electric and traditional instruments, but the vocalist is a little old lady in a respectable suit.  There is a contingent of Great Highland pipers, which I already know is normal, because they caught on in Brittany after World War One (oh dear, everything is connected).

No, wait, I expanded the commentary and I am in over my head in the French too. (I apparently remember less than I think)

One comment says: "vive la Bretagne et comme tu parle de tolérance vive tous les punk du monde :-) moi je suis pas breton vécu la bas 5 ans mi en couple avec une bretonne que j aime et repartis en arieges et aller savoir peut être continuer notre route dans cet belle France voire la belle et vieille Europe et re habiter en Bretagne que j ai beaucoup aimer et ha ma copine qui lui manque"

which is, I am afraid, more of the you tube nationalistic pikachu behavior I have come to dread, only with added punk utopianism and also "I am not Breton but I wish I was" (is there a name for this phenomenon? it seems common enough to warrant one)

another says:"putain, çà c'est bon !!! breizh izel !!!! allez loran : tire sur le manche !!!!" comme dit louise ebrel !!!" Louise Ebrel is, I think, the name of the little old lady in the respectable suit. Aside from the fact that only part of that is in French, it doesn't help with my understanding.

Oh, and there's a really cute little kid with an amazing floppy mohawk, too. Not a faux hawk, it's long.

edit: forgot the links.
The one that I'm talking about here

Another one with Les Ramoneurs de Menhir 

Comments

[bohemiancoast.livejournal.com]

I cannot help with the politics, except to note that there's a huge thread of slightly politicised Celtic punk folk rock throughout continental Europe which is as bemusing to me as it is to you. We dance at a Irish folk festival with bands of this kind in Germany -- and we have never, ever been able to persuade our genial German hosts that there is a distinction between English and Irish folk rock music.

Steven may know more and I've pointed him at this point.

One thing on politics though. It's really not at all clear, as we move fitfully towards a federal Europe, what shape and size the states would be in such a federation. So it's not surprising that there's a bunch of nationalism and separatism going on in all the Celtic areas. This one does look like about 80% party though.

On the song I can help somewhat more, because we have a cracking version of it by Bernard Loffet -- called Chanj Tu. Spotify link http://open.spotify.com/track/46qWtrmB0I3tv47z9vO6Xu

And despite the lyrics being sort of Breton/French nonsense mashup, they're pretty comprehensible as folk songs go -- see http://www.celticlyricscorner.net/mackenzietalitha/changerais.htm for an example. We certainly read them as 'Ok Madeleine, I have lots of sheep, will you change your mind and go out with me... ok perhaps not *quite* so many sheep...'

Oh yes, and now I have a very bad earworm. Again.

[ritaxis.livejournal.com]

Oh, I understand the words of "Changerais-tu," it's just thees not much sense there. I was tracking down a video because I rarely can remember the names of the music we dance to so when I do it's a great excitement to find the lyrics and a video and sing along. But while I was at it, I ran into the Breton Ramones. . .

[malwen.livejournal.com]

Pretty sure this is a demo calling for the reunification of Brittany. In 1956 the French instituted their current regional structure, but the new Brittany region received only 4 of the 5 Breton departements, with Loire Atlantique (including former capital Nantes) going into Pays de la Loire. Nantes is the biggest city in northwest France and a nice city with a relatively big and influential chunk of Breton culture. Excluding it was always going to cause trouble. As would including it.

[ritaxis.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[khiemtran.livejournal.com]

nationalistic pikachu behavior

?

[ritaxis.livejournal.com]

You know how Pikachu talks? It says "Pikachu! Pikachu! Pikachu!" Well, You tube nationalists are very like that, when they comment on song videos. They devolve into saying their national name over and over. For example, an actual quote from a comment on a (so far as I could tell, not especially nationalistic) Macedonian tune:

"MACEDONIA IS NOT GREEK - "Tugjino Jabano" - Macedonian Song from Florina, Greece (Lerin, Aegean Macedonia) - Τοπικό τραγούδι από τη ΦΛΩΡΙΝΑ - Народна песна од ЛЕРИН - MACEDONIA IS NOT GREEK - SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL FOR MORE SONGS COMING SOON...

Macedonia Macedonia Macedonia Macedonia Macedonia Macedonia Macedonia Macedonia Macedonia Macedonia Macedonia Macedonia Macedonia Macedonia Macedonia Macedonia
Macedonia Macedonia Macedonia Macedonia Macedonia Macedonia Macedonia Macedonia"

on another song in the same playlist, some poor confused fellow was insisting that macedonians are not "Greek, Bulgarian, or Slavic" -- in fact they are all of these things --

[khiemtran.livejournal.com]

Ah, I see! Thanks! I was trying to picture squeaky voiced nationalists straining their bodies as they tried to cast Electro Ball...

[del-c.livejournal.com]

I thought it was a reference to people "choosing" a nationality to start a fight with another nationality! "Macedonia, I choose you!"