This Tuesday, September 6, France Culture has devoted a whole hour to endangered languages and cultures. Broadcast available here.

The program kicks off with a long interview with anthropologist Wade Davis on his book The Wayfinders: why ancient wisdom matters in the modern world, mentioned here last June. The researcher/traveller sent out a vibrant plea for the cultures and lifestyles of indigenous populations around the world.

The rest of the program focused on the languages of the French Overseas, as part of the “Année des Outre-Mer”, this year in France, and made a place of honor to overseas Creoles and indigenous languages as well as the New Caledonian Kanak languages and Amer-Indian languages of French Guiana.

Guests to the program included Xavier North, Delegate-General to the French language and the languages of France (DGLFLF, Ministry of Culture); linguist and Sorosoro Scientific Board member Michel Launey; and Sorosoro director Rozenn Milin.

The program evolved around the key notion of mother tongue; an opportunity for Xavier North to introduce France’s regulations in this respect, for Michel Launey to report on his experience in various French Overseas areas, and for Rozenn Milin to present parts of a filming session led recently in New Caledonia – featuring Marie-Adèle Jorédié, founder of the BB-lecture program in Xârâcùù language, here teaching children the basics of reading in their own language.

Our website will soon be hosting videos produced in Xârâcùù, and among these, the BB-lecture sessions and an interview with Marie-Adèle on her relation to her own language.