Visite avec l'Association de la Memoire d'Outre-Mer au Musee de la Compagnie des Indes

When Mariette first invited me to join her on a visit to Port Louis, where the fortress houses the Museum of the French East India Trading Company, my first thoughts turned to the glamorous image of the Pirates of the Caribbean. As you can see from the photos, Port Louis does look a bit like a majestic movie scene, with old canons facing the ocean from either side of the port and ramparts extending the length of the beach. Inside, however, was a plethora of lessons on the history of the area, including Nantes, and how it has been experiencing the effects of globalization for centuries now.

The history of trade in western France is complex, dating back beyond the establishment of the first Compagnie des Indes under finance minister Colbert during the reign of Louis XIV. In the museum there are many oriental rugs and porcelain that show how this early trade system affected the aesthetics of both eastern and western cultures, as European clients' demands required new forms of decor, and the European's taste also developed to appreciate the original art form of the eastern cultures. Everything was interwoven early on- the discovery of tea and coffee lead to the discovery of the need for porcelain, since traditional European wooden and metal containers did not serve this purpose well. Economics, culture, and politics were all factors in this long period of trade; as the ban on eastern fabrics encouraged contraband, so too did the value of these rare fabrics rise, and the imitiation of them in the early mass-production factories influenced the form of the fabrics themselves. As much as early America was a part of this same trading system, I don't think we can truly appreciate how much this changed the world as Europe knew it. Despite the long voyages, the occasional shipwreck, and the restrictions on trade in Europe and abroad, the world was certainly becoming smaller- eastern delicacies became household objects in the upper class, tastes conformed to accept eastern and new world aesthetics, etc. And before the move of the Compagnie des Indes to Lorient, Nantes was at center stage in France, as the site where the majority of the merchandise was sold and then diffused into the rest of France.

Just as at home, however, this story of early global exchanges has its dark side, too. The association, being involved in reconstructing the history of the peoples abroad influenced by this era of early colonization, was especially interested in the exhibit on the involvement of the Compagnie des Indes in the slave trade. While most slaves were exported to the New World, it was sometimes French ships that carried them there and exchanged slaves for New World goods. France does not deny its part in this dark history, and it is the work of such associations as Memoire d'Outre-Mer to remind the public of how much Nantes and the rest of Europe owes to the hard labor of an oppressed people. A nation that is so conscientious of its heritage is also careful to reconstruct its ideas of the past truthfully.

A gauche/to the left: Memoire d'Outre-Mer


Et pour mes collègues francais!

J'ai eu la chance de rejoindre l'association Memoire d'Outre-Mer pour une visite au Musée de la Compagnie des Indes à Port-Louis. Là, j'ai appris beaucoup des choses sur l'histoire du commerce entre la France, l'Asie, et le Nouvel Monde autrefois. C'était intéressant de voir comment Nantes y était intégré aussi, étant le site du vente des merchandises pendant plusieurs années, avant que Lorient soit devenu le site principale des ventes plus tard. J'ai appris également énormement d'information sur la traite des nègres grâce à l'exposition du musée et les membres de Memoire d'Outre-Mer. C'est une association éxtrodinaire dont les membres viennent de tous les coins du monde; leurs expériences et origines diverses livrent une certaine dynamique à la groupe. C'était une plaisir de leur rencontrer, et j'espère continuer à m'informer sur l'histoire entre France et les territoires francophones grâce à leurs activités et leurs efforts.

Feeling Small, in a Good Way!/Un Weekend des Geantes

The Royal De Luxe is in town! Exactly what is the Royal De Luxe? It's certainly much more than puppet theatre, more than a concert, more than a street festival. This troupe, funded by the city of Nantes, travels the world to bring living Giants and their story to the streets. As you can see from this video, these larger-than-life marionettes are more human than I could imagine possible. They not only walk the streets with ease, they dance, they eat, they sleep, and they interact with each other. I was moved to watch la Pétite Geante (the little giant) awake in the arms of her uncle the Scéphandrier (the diver), who almost seemed to smile at her as she blinked her sleepy eyes. Nantes could not be more supportive of this unique art form that began here in - it seems the entire city was out to see them! I truly felt like a part of the fabric of this special place as we all ran together, following the giants wherever they went, right up until they debarked on the Loire to visit the rest of the area for the Estuaire festival, which is ongoing.

On a more somber note, this past saturday also marked the 65th anniversary of the D-Day disembarquements in Normandy. Mariette (president of the Nantes-Seattle-Jacksonville Sister City Association, my supervisor and constant companion), myself, and Pauline and Bob- two other members of the Sister-City Association- were invited to attend the ceremony at the American cemetary above Omaha beach in Colleville-sur-mer. While I have visited the military cemetaries of my grandfather and great-uncle in the States, it was truly moving to be at this site where men gave their lives only feet away from their final resting place. It was difficult to imagine that this site of peace and tranquility along the beautiful coastline was a battle scene, not too long ago. Local families in France adopt the graves of fallen soldiers whose family remain too far away to visit regularly (see photo). This day is remembered annually, and is continually a part of the memory of French society in many forms. Click here for remarks given by President Obama at this ceremony.

Et pour mes collègues francophones!

Je me trouvais très emue par le spectacle Royal De Luxe ce weekend passé. Il me semblait qu'en courant après les géantes parmi tous les Nantais que je faisait vraiment une partie de la tissue de votre ville magnifique. La qualité superieure de ce spectacle témoigne à la sensibilité nantaise sur la valeur de l'art dans la qualité de la vie. Je me trouve encerclée par la beauté naturelle et artistique partout à Nantes.

J'ai été également émue par la cérémonie de la 65ème Anniversaire du Jour J à la cimitière Américaine à Colleville. J'y était invitée par l'Ambassade des Etats-Unis à Paris, ainsi que la présidente de l'Association Nantes-Seattle-Jacksonville Mariette, et deux membres de la même association, Bob et Pauline. Les vétérans qui m'entouraient là étaient des vrais géants, des héros inconstatables de notre proche Histoire. Voir les fleurs et d'autres hommages des familles français posés sur les tombes des soldats américains m'a touché aussi. Nos histoires sont toujours liés grâce à ceux qui se souviennent toujours que les Américains et les Français ont lutté pour la même cause.

Cliquez ici pour les allocutions des chefs d'état qui assistaient à cette cérémonie.

A droite/Right: Myself, the honorable Consul Edward O'Brian of the American Consulate in Rennes, and the talented Bob Destiny, leader of a Gospel choir in Nantes and member of the AJSNJ

Bienvenue!/Welcome!

Bonjour from Nantes! Please allow me to introduce myself- I'm a senior at the University of Washington with a major in French Literature and a minor in Music. I am finishing my studies through my internship here in Nantes as the Seattle Young Ambassador. The two questions I most often get back home are, "Where is Nantes?" and "So exactly what does a young ambassador do?" (Here in Nantes, I get the same, except that they ask where Seattle is, hence my blog's title "You know Seattle too?") To answer your questions, Nantes is Seattle's sister city, and is located near the Atlantic just below the Brittany region. It's an absolutely stunning city, and I hope sharing my six months here will stir your interest in coming here yourself. As for my work, I work for both the Association Jumelage Nantes-Seattle-Jacksonville (the counterpart for the Seattle-Nantes Sister City Association) and the Conseil Nantais de la Jeunesse (the Nantes Youth Council). I will be assisting in projects that support the sister city relationship and inform the youth of it, such as the Quinzaine Americaine, a two-week festival taking place in early December that features lectures and concerts on everything that represents this unique connection. I'll also have the chance to propose some of my own projects, which I will keep you updated on as time goes on. Please feel free to leave your comments and questions here about absolutely anything!

Et pour mes collègues francophones !

Permettez-moi de me présenter- Je suis étudiante à l’Université de Washington à Seattle. Ma spécialisation est la littérature française et j’étudie également la musique. Je complète mes études en faisant un stage à Nantes comme la Jeune Ambassadeur de Seattle. Souvent on me demande, « Où se trouve Seattle ? » et « Que fais-tu comme Jeune Ambassadeur ? » En premier, Seattle est la ville jumelée de Nantes, et se trouve au Nord-Ouest des Etats-Unis. Je trouve ma ville très belle et intéressante, et j’espère que en la partageant avec vous que je vous pique la curiosité de la visiter. Quant à mon travail, je travaille en même temps pour l’Association Jumelage Nantes-Seattle-Jacksonville et le Conseil Nantais de la Jeunesse. J’assiste à des projets qui se concerne des rapports entre Nantes et sa ville jumelée, comme la Quinzaine Américaine, qui aura lieu au début de décembre. J’aurai aussi l’opportunité de proposer mes propres projets, dont je vous tiendrai au courant. Veuillez me poser des questions ou me laisser des commentaires sur n’importe quoi !