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historyThe history of this land is marked by many episodes that show the strong will of its people to keep their independency as well as their attachment to their cultural identity and political autonomy; this sentiment allowed the enrichment of local culture while preserving the bond with the languages (French and franco-provençal) and civilization of the forefathers. On January the 20th 1948, the concern for the safeguard of this legacy drove Mr. Paul Cpntoz and Colonel Octave Bérard to create the “Comité des Traditions Valdôtaines” (Committee for local traditions). On January the 12th 1949, the cultural commission of the society, whose main organisers were Mrs Anais Ronc Désaymonet and Mr. Paul Contoz, promoted the creation of a choir: “Traditions Valdôtaines” . Mr. Louis Vuillermoz wrote the first charter of the choir and the team started its journey. This choir has been the first group in the Aosta Valley to adopt an exclusively regional and traditional identity, with a clear purpose and program: preserve and spread our rich repertoire of popular songs, dancing and music in French and patois. As Mr. Albin Chatrian wrote in 1963, our songs express “the sentiment of a people proud of his freedom, his traditions and his particularism; a hard-  working
people, a little suspicious, sometimes mockers. Our songs have the
same freshness and purity of mountain fountains, the same strength
of alpine rocks.”The dancing repertoire has been introduced for the first time in 1957 by the teacher Mrs Ebe Crétaz, who staged a choreographic interpretation of popular steps known all over the Alps (the Scottish, the Quadrille, the Cirque Circassien, the Bougnettes, The Dansa pa, etc…) In the sixties some original instruments were introduced in the program in order to give rhythm to accordion music: the “Fléau” and the “Boeus”. In 1982 the choir of “Traditions Valdôtaines” became a folkloristic group, having as its main activities the stage of local dancing, accordion and “Fléau” music and choral songs. |
