Photo: Cocanha.net
Despite efforts by the French government to suppress regional languages and cultures during the French Revolution, working-class communities continued to speak Occitan. In the 1960s, French artists, musicians, and writers began rediscovering traditional regional music, leading to a renewed interest in Occitan. Occitan is a Romance language with influences from Catalan and Italian. However, the government still often views regional cultures and languages as exotic or unimportant. The resurgence of Occitan music coincided with the fight against racism and the rise of the anti-immigrant party Front National. Occitan musicians and their fans actively participated in anti-fascist protests and used their music as a means of expressing unity and resistance against marginalization. While the stigma surrounding regional languages has diminished in recent years, France has yet to ratify the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. Funding for Occitan projects remains limited, and most initiatives are self-funded. The celebration of la Sardinade des Feignants, an annual street party organized by Massilia Sound System, where the band performs in Occitan and invites friends to join them on stage, reflects the band's mission of promoting Occitan culture for everyone, rather than closing ranks or excluding other cultures.
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