Ox-Ploughing Chanters / European Competition

F A I R

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(Festival Animalier International de Rambouillet/Bergerie Nationale)

International Animal Festival in Rambouillet/National Research Breeding Station

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23-24 September 2006

Rambouillet, outside Paris, France

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The Alumni Association of the National Research Breeding Station (Bergerie Nationale) of Rambouillet holds an annual meeting called the FAIR (Festival Animalier International de Rambouillet) combining numerous events for the general public and meetings for specialists in many fields connected with animal-breeding and use. Past meetings have been devoted, for example, to the role of animals in learning, therapy and symbolics, followed by publication of the proceedings.

The 2006 FAIR meeting will have a special section devoted to the remarkable and fast-disappearing art of ox chants - singing to oxen while ploughing, a skill called “briolage” (among many other local terms) in French. A group combining former ploughmen, farmers, linguists and ethnographers in the Vendee region of France has already done extensive research and recording in this field, with many fine examples of ploughing songs available, and this is a homage to their contribution (see http://arexcpo.envendee.free.fr/).

The FAIR wishes to highlight the quality and surprising attraction of this ancient art of everyday work by inviting French and European specialists in ox-chanting to an international competition. We need to find ox chanters who still use or remember ploughing songs or people with quality archive recordings of them. Other traditions, such as songs for cattle drives or those sung to mules and horses, can also be of interest for the meeting.

Please help us to find representatives from your own area for this ground-breaking event. Help for their travel expenses and stay will be available. This is a unique opportunity to meet other people who practice or are interested in songs sung to animals at work.

Contact:

Cozette Griffin-Kremer

9 bd Voltaire

92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux

France

E-mail: griffin.kremer@wanadoo.fr