Félibrige

The Félibrige (in Occitan: lou Felibrige according to the Standard mistralienne or lo Felibritge according to the traditional standard) is a founded literary association in 1854 by Frederic Mistral and 6 other poets provençaux to ensure the defense of the traditional regional cultures and the safeguard of the language Occitan E or Langue of oc.

Development

Its action applied to the Provençal initially and extended very quickly to the unit from the Parlers from oc, as of the end of the XIXe century.

Félibrige was founded the May 21st 1854 with the castle of Make-Ségugne (common Châteauneuf-with-Gadagne, Vaucluse), under the patronage of Sainte Estelle, by seven young poets: Frederic Mistral, Joseph Roumanille, Theodore Aubanel, Brownish Jean, Paul Giéra, Anselme Mathieu and Alphonse Tavan.

The extension of Félibrige out of Provence was ensured by writers such as Michel Camélat and Simin Palay (Gascogne and Béarn), Albert Arnavielle, Justin Bessou and Achille Mir (Languedoc), Arsène Vermenouze (Auvergne), Joseph Roux (the Limousin), Charles Maurras and much of others…

Félibrige became today an defense organization and of promotion of the language and culture of oc. He fights for the recognition of cultural diversity in France but also for the whole world. Félibrige is also the only organization present on the 32 departments of language of oc, jointly with the Institut of Studies Occitanes (IEO).

Organization

Regional sections of Félibrige its called maintenances (in occitan: mantenènço normalizes of it mistralienne or mantenenças in traditional standard).

The president carries the title of capoulié (in standard mistralienne) or capolier (in traditional standard). Jacques Mouttet is current the capoulié of Félibrige, 14th successor of Frederic Mistral to the head of the movement, after Joseph Roumanille, Felix Gras, Pierre Devoluy, Valère Bernard, Joseph Fallen, Marius Jouveau, Frederic Mistral nephew, Charles Rostaing, Elie Bachas, Rene Jouveau, Paul Roux, Paul Pons and Pierre Fabre.

The congress (general meeting) of Félibrige is held in turn in a city different of Occitanie, at the time of the festival of Sainte Estelle (or of a close date). It is in general the occasion of beautiful public festivities in the town of reception.

Names of Félibrige and its members

The name Félibrige is derived from the word félibre (into of Provence: felibre , according to the standard mistralienne or the traditional standard), term given to the honor by Mistral to designate a member of Félibrige. A woman is called felibress (into of Provence: felibresso according to the standard mistralienne or felibressa according to the traditional standard).

Félibrige is a proper name which indicates a precise organization. It is advisable to write it with a F capital, and not with a F lower-case as certain dictionaries do it.

The word comes from a popular error: a canticle sung " Li revelacioun of sant Antòni" tell the seven pains of the Virgin Mary. One of these pains was to have lost his/her son who was with the temple " emé Li Sefer, free of the lèi" (= with Sefers = rollers, in Hebrew) books of the law.

As the song was transmitted orally, and that nobody so to speak, did not know the word " Sefer" , people cut out the words as follows:

" emé Li set felibre of the lèi" = with the seven " félibres" law.

The word félibre , born from a misunderstanding, was decorated of mystery and prestige. Because what could be these seven félibres, if not of large wise?

In addition, the name of félibre contained the free word which means at the same time " livre" and " libre" into of Provence, which one can interpret by the spirit even of Félibrige: to acquire the freedom through the culture, and in particular of the literature.

Another etymology presents the word félibre as derived from bottom Latin fellibris , “infant” (poets being infants of the Muses).

Graphic standards within Félibrige

The two graphic standards mainly used for the modern language of oc are the C-W communication known as mistralienne or modern and the C-W communication known as alibertine or occitane or traditional.

Concerning Félibrige, this one adopted as of its foundation, in 1854, the standard mistralienne , conceived by Joseph Roumanille and developed by Frederic Mistral, from where his name. However, at the beginning of XXème century, another graphic standard was proposed which was adopted by an increasing part of Félibrige during the XXe century (in particular as from the years 1960, in Languedoc). Today, the félibres of the Maintenance of Provence of Félibrige continue in their great majority to use the standard mistralienne (what amounts saying that in Provence, those which use the traditional standard are found in other cultural organizations that Félibrige) while at the same time in other maintenances, it is the standard alibertine (name of Louis Alibert) which is mainly employed.

Nevertheless even if Félibrige accepts in its center these two linguistic standards, he is morally agent of the standard mistralienne with regard to his management and his development.

See too

Coupo Santo

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