Jasper has been bustling with French culture this month, in honour of les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie, an annual three-week festival celebrated in communities across the country.
Jasper鈥檚 festival鈥攚hich includes the raising of the Franco-Albertan flag, French storytelling and a sugar shack dinner and dance鈥攊s an annual opportunity for the local Francophonie to celebrate together, as well as share their language and culture with the English-speaking community.
But the festival is also more than that.
It鈥檚 a reminder of Jasper鈥檚 history鈥攐ne that is full of French explorers, fur traders and climbers: people who came to our park, bringing with them their language and culture.
We can see that history in our everyday lives.
It鈥檚 in the names of our mountains, lakes and canyons. There鈥檚 Roche Bonhomme, Lac Beauvert and Maligne Canyon. And it鈥檚 ever present in our schools, all three of which offer French programming and educate our youth about the history of our beloved park and town.
So, for the kids growing up in the park, there鈥檚 no question what these features were named after: Lac Beauvert for it鈥檚 beautiful green hue; Maligne Canyon for the wicked river rushing through it; and Roche Bonhomme for the old man the mountain resembles.
Through their language, and the culture that comes with it, our students are able to connect to our park and its history. And beyond that they are able to connect to the history of Alberta, which has French roots that go back 200 years, and they鈥檙e able to connect to history of French explorers and settlers who landed in Canada during the 15th century.
Similarly, our students are also connected to a growing community of Franco-Albertans and Franco-Canadians.
In Alberta alone there are nearly 37,000 students participating in French immersion programs and nearly 6,000 enrolled in Francophone schools.
It is through these students, in Jasper, in the province and in the rest of the country that French culture and language will live on throughout Canada.
Because of them, the community will remain vibrant, and that vibrance will be shared with the rest of us.
