The Two Traditions: The Art of Storytelling Amongst French Newfoundlanders

Edith Fowke is professor emeritus at York University and author of
Canadian Folklore: Perspectives on Canadian Culture.

Gerald Thomas, professor and former head of Memorial University’s
Department of Folklore, is also a professor of French, founder of the
Centre d’Йtudes Franco-Terreneuviennes, and a collector. He begins
this book with a history of the French in Newfoundland, describing the
settlement and conditions along the French Shore (the southeastern coast
of the island), which is illustrated with maps. He goes on to analyze
“the two traditions”—the earlier public tradition of storytelling
at the vielles (which has almost died out) and the private or family
tradition (which survives)—comparing their styles and repertoires. His
aim here is to show the role folk tales played in people’s lives.

Thomas then discusses two storytellers in the family tradition (Blanche
Ozon and Angela Kerfont), and one in the public tradition (Emile
Benoоt). One chapter expands on the performance and style of family
storytellers: it tends to be bilingual; to use formulas, macaronic
speech, Anglicisms, and Gallicisms; and to be characterized by
interchanges with the audience.

Emile Benoоt is portrayed as both a man and a storyteller, with
discussion of his stylistic features and narrative devices. The public
storytellers tell very long stories (especially Marchen), use the
conventions of folk tales, and give more dramatic performances. Thomas
notes that French culture survived in Newfoundland because of geographic
isolation; despite increased English influence, the 1970s saw the French
Newfoundlanders taking renewed pride in their language and origins. The
last half of the book consists of 21 tales from Benoоt, with analysis,
tale types, and motifs.

Folklorists will welcome such a thorough analysis of folk tales.
Ordinary readers may find the text a bit too academic.