Passadoc Gazette – No 119

Hebdo 119

Wolf... who are you?

 

The wolf... The oldest traces of its existence are recorded on the American continent and are dated some 2 million years ago.

As time passes, we find it all over Eurasia; It is part of the history of men who tame catching young cubs, and thus prepare the current breeds of dogs.

He has various fortunes:
– Deified in Egypt: Anubis, « white jackal » who knows all about embalming techniques.
– Sheep in Rome: Luperca Breastfeeding Romus and Romulus.
– Nurse love also at Rudyard Kipling: Raksha collects Mowgli (The Book of the jungle).
– It is White Croc with Jack London and son of a half-chienne mother and a wolf father; He hates men until...

In ancient Greece, those who slaughter certain wolves (the dangerous ones obviously!) receive bonuses; thus begins the folklore of the ferocious beast.

In Europe, in the Middle Ages, wolf is not considered a cruel and bloody animal. But because of repeated famines, the barns are empty and the game is scarce in the forests; wolves come to find food in villages and become thieves of chickens, scavengers of domestic animals weakened, etc.

It really appears antipathetic from the Renaissance: it is then the image of evil and its case will not settle with:
– Charles Perrault and The Little Red Riding Hood,
– Jean de La Fontaine and Wolf and lamb,
-...and ignoble Gevaudan beast.

He then became the big bad wolf whose parents threatened the children: If you are not wise (variant If you don't finish your soup, The wolf will come and eat you! ... educational and reassuring, isn't he!

Iinexorable hunting is started... In addition to this, deforestation and urbanization are added: in 1937, the wolf was completely eradicated in France... to return in 1992! He arrives from Italy and settles in the Mercatour! To XXIe There would remain only 300,000 people in the world, mainly in the large wilderness, the mountainous mountains of Europe and Asia. A backup program reintegrated them into North America.

Individuals were recorded in Occitania; packs extend their territories to the region, as reported by predator-affected breeders. And the polemics are born:

The wolf is a hunter who only kills for food! with some reason the advocates of wolves.

Yes... but then why these sheep « only » Shrunk found near a single eaten carcass? Scientists call « Surplus slaughter » The domesticated sheep have lost the reflex of the escape and panicked, and are in any sense agitating.
If he hunts the deer in the forest, the wolf will attack only one individual... because others spread as quickly as they can!

From the wolf come many expressions, such as:
A cold wolf,
"Screaming with wolves,
– Known as the white wolf,
– Tail leu leu
–  ……

Some rhymes: « Let's walk in the woods, while the wolf is not« ... and some songs (A. Vidalie – L. Bessières):

                    ♪♪♪♫♫♪
Wolves, oh-oh, oh-oh,
The wolves were far from Paris,
In Croatia, Germany,
Wolves were far from Paris
I loved your laugh, charming Elvire.
Wolves were far from Paris
                    ♫♫♪♪♫♫♪

– Where is our wolf?

Patience! There he is, close to Roquebrune!

Jeanne Monin
Research on about ten different sites.

Photo A. Abbe
Just a few steps from my farm, a wolf just ate a goat.
 
For several months, we know that wolves have reached the sea on the coast of the Moors (Var).
 
On several occasions, wolves have been filmed by infrared cameras that trigger at night when an animal passes through their shooting range.
 
Wolves attack sheep, goats and wild boars. They have a method of shredding carcasses that is their signature. They attack the marcassins and the young because they would not have the upper hand against adult boar. It turns out that too many wild boars do a lot of damage in crops. From there to think wolves can be useful, there's only one step I won't take.
 
Wolves can occasionally attack humans but the subject is taboo...
 
André Abbe
 

Marie-Odile Beraud
By experience, dogs also attack herds. Sheep and lambs had this sad fate in the neighborhood where you live; It was labradors that their owners saw coming back with blood on them, and warned the cops...

The flock was my brother's so I know what I'm talking about. I'm not a wolf, maybe I'm a wolf. « Assholes who should end up eating wolves » because I think there is room for them too, as for bears in the Pyrenees ....

 

Maryse Laugier
I won't get into the debate. « wolves – wild boars »...but the statue is beautiful!

Alain Cathala
In Isère wolves approach homes and do not hesitate to attack humans...

 

Patrice Gulder
The proliferation of wild boar, and even piggies, is also the risky result of the manipulations of hunters who crossed pigs and wild boars for a better reproductive rate...

 

Marguerite Ughetto
In the Drôme, farmers and foresters dreamed of it, wolves did it!
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  • The Echoes of the Week
    The patecq
    Debates prohibited
    May Day!
    1900: heading for China

  • Exhibitions and Conferences

  • The Library of Passadoc

  • Participate in La Gazette!

The patecq

Those passionate about Provençal traditions and especially Varoese must know this right of condominium which allows a number of families to make use of a rural area...

This is the patecq which allowed its beneficiaries to trample wheat or chickpeas on a threshing area. This right is not recognized by new owners who are anxious not to owe anything to anyone at home. There have been trials that they have generally lost. The right to co-ownership remains, it seems.

At Rayol (Var), there is a large circular space with a magnificent sea view, called Patek. The « k » in place of « cq » was chosen – I suppose – to give the place more prestige.

Don't miss going there.

André Abbe
Photo A. Abbe

Jean-Jacques Murat
Estrani que lo TDF (1869-1886), a son entrada « pategue, patec, paeigoul », oblida de mencionar aquesta nocion de drech d

Gisèle Penat-Lorde
Reminding me of having certainly read in the library of Draguignan's law school, or elsewhere, while I was confronted with the usurpation of various rights of passage (old drailles – another specificity of the customary law of Provence, the drail of transhumance, or road ofcarrary, is a way encumbered by an easement of passage for the benefit of the owners and drivers of transhumant herds – almost as problematic as with a patecq and source of major legal problems) and other pataquès of the kind, some twenty years ago, an article dealing with patecqs, in which reference was made to a book « the patecqs in Provence » written by Mr Doublat, notary and shepherd, associate professor of law at Aix-en-Provence, I did some research.

I found the existence of this publication The patecqs in Provence, but published by Me Corinne Doublat, notary in Lorgues. Brief written during his law/notarial studies. Information.
 
I think that perhaps there were some confusions and errors about this work mentioned in this already ancient article, with however an indisputable relationship of the alleged author, with Mr. Corinne Doublat. It is possible, therefore, that this small, very useful work may still be available.
 
Also published in the Bulletin of the Society of Scientific and Archaeological Studies of Draguignan and the Department of Var/1999-2000Volume XL, pp. 123-135.
 

For example :
– There are some 21 patecqs on the communes of the Garde-Freinet and the Plan of the Tower,
– 5 patecqs in the commune of Mayons, only in two small communes of Varoese 26 patecqs,
– One can easily imagine the number of patecqs not recognized not only in the Var but throughout Provence; Perhaps also elsewhere throughout the national territory.

When we know the value of land today, it is therefore important to take a close interest in this matter, in order to know its rights and obligations and avoid unnecessary and costly litigation, even if it is an outmoded survival of ancestral rural and agricultural use.
 
François Nardou
In countries of Aquitaine Oc, Garon, they say « Lo Sol » (Loul) to designate the threshing area.
And sometimes we find places called « Pàtus del Sol » (Pâtus del Sol) « Place », or « Area » Of threshing area » (repetition due to « Pàtus » means any plot...).
A Pàtus can be common to residents when they form a « Vezinal »(Community of Vein/neighbours) « Beziss » with the « Z/J » in the Aquitaine Basin).
 

Debates prohibited

Five mayors of the Pyrénées Orientales met before the Administrative Tribunal for daring to allow debates to take place in Catalan during the Municipal Council. Translation into French was ensured but this was not enough.
 
It is not permitted to speak in the language of the country to speak of the country's problems. Incomprehensible!
 
Laura Bauràs, President of the Parliament of the Generality of Catalonia, came to support the mayors in court.
 
In the neighbouring provinces of Lleida and Girona, Catalan is an official language... A little linguistic harmony between the two sides of the state border would be welcome. France and Spain are both members of the European Union.
 

André Abbe

Annie Bonnafoux
Art. 2 of the Constitution: the language of the Republic is French.
The municipality is the smallest division of the Republic. We must therefore use French in the breasts of the institutions of the Republic.

The parallel should not be with Spain. A regional identity can be defended, but it cannot replace the rules that govern a country and that impose on all citizens.

May Day!

The happiness of the First May is a little like the wish of the New Year of the First January: we are not sure that it will work, but it cannot harm!
 
Glane here and there :
Originally from Japan, the muguet arrived in France in the Middle Ages. This « valley lilies » has the reputation of bringing happiness: the more bells on the muguet strand, the more luck smiles at its beneficiary. The most superstitious will even say that only the muguet strands that possess thirteen flowers truly bring happiness!
 
In the Drôme, on the side of Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux, it is said that « Catherine de Medici would have come in 1560 with her son Charles IX » then ten years old. A forced visit because « la reine-mère et son fils devaient se rendre à Avignon mais on leur a refusé l’accès à la ville », sur un fond de tensions entre les catholiques et les protestants.
Le propriétaire de l’établissement à l’époque [l’hôtel particulier l’Esplan], le chevalier Louis de Girard de Maison Forte, honoré d’accueillir un personnage royal « offre un brin de muguet à Catherine de Médicis. Elle le ramène à la cour et Charles IX décide d’instaurer cette tradition, d’offrir aux dames un brin de muguet le premier mai« .
 
Histoire similaire :
Selon la tradition, offrir du muguet le 1er mai remonterait au XVIe siècle.
À la Renaissance, Charles IX aurait lancé cette mode après avoir reçu de la part du chevalier Louis de Girard, un brin lors d’un premier mai.
 
Il faut attendre 1941 pour que le Premier Mai soit férié*. Philippe Pétain déclare ce jour Fête du travail et jour de la concorde sociale avec l’espoir de rallier les ouvriers au gouvernement de Vichy. Pas gagné !
 
Cela dit, il ne faut pas oublier que « en 1886, plus précisément dans l’état de New-York, chaque 1er mai avait lieu un bouleversement général de la classe ouvrière du fait du renouvellement des contrats de travail pour une durée d’un an« .
Et le 1er mai 1886, des milliers d’ouvriers défilent dans tout le pays pour cette seule revendication. À Chicago, quelque quarante mille ouvriers sont en grève.
Le 3 mai, un affrontement entre briseurs de grève et grévistes fait malheureusement 4 morts. Un meeting est organisé le lendemain. À la fin de la manifestation, une bombe éclate. Trois ans plus tard, il « est déclaré qu’il sera organisé une grande manifestation internationale à date fixe, de manière que, dans tous les pays et dans toutes les villes, le jour convenu, les travailleurs mettent les pouvoirs publics en demeure de réduire légalement à huit heures la journée de travail.« 
 
* Le jour devint férié, chômé et payé en 1947.
 
Text: Jeanne Monin – Photos : Collection personnelle de Marie-Odile Beraud

1900 : Cap sur la Chine

Lointain souvenir d’un éphémère territoire français dont la capitale était Fort Bayard (ne pas confondre avec l’île Fort Boyard !)
 
Qui est donc ce beau soldat de la “Colo” (armée coloniale), aujourd’hui appelée “troupes de marine” ?
Vers 1900, ce jeune homme originaire du Var est parti faire son service militaire en Chine. Cette photo est remarquablement conservée 120 ans après.
Chapeau au photographe A. Nang !
 
Le territoire de Kouang-Tchéou-Wan (1 300 km2) a été prêté à la France en 1898. Rattaché administrativement à l’Indochine, il se trouvait sur la péninsule Leizhou (Chine du Sud). Il a été restitué à la Chine en 1945. La France voulait concurrencer la Grande Bretagne qui possédait Hong Kong et le Portugal avec Macao, mais le manque d’argent a fait capoter le projet.
 
Aujourd’hui Fort Bayard s’appelle Zanjiang, un des plus grands ports de guerre chinois.

 

Ce soldat devait être un parent proche. En effet, la famille nous avait fait cadeau de la photo qui devait coûter très cher à l’époque.
Mon père François Abbe (né en 1906) m’avait dit qu’il s’agissait de Louis Brinès, né au Puget-sur-Argens, cousin germain de sa mère Marie Gautier. Mais le petit-fils de Louis, Jean-Marie, à qui j’avais montré la photo ne l’a pas reconnu.
 
André Abbe
  • Writing Passadoc – Participants included:
    André Abbe
    Marie-Odile Beraud
    Annie Bonnafoux
    Alain Cathala
    Patrice Gulder
    Maryse Laugier
    Jeanne Monin
    Jean-Jacques Murat
    François Nardou
    Gisèle Peinat-Laborde
    Marguerie Ughetto

  • Layout
    Jeanne Monin

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