Travel messes with our minds. It jostles us out of complacency and predisposes us to take risks. So I challenged myself to go “all in” when our local Alliance Française group hosted a marching band from central France. It was a happy reawakening of a spirit so many have lost in recent years of both pandemic lockdowns and cultural divisions – once again experiencing the deep appreciation of tradition, community and the value of our unique cultural histories, wherever we live.
The Gueules Seches, a concert/band orchestra from Limoges, is no throwback. My new friends are people of all ages who love music – to play their instruments, make people happy, celebrate life. They work, go to school or are retired and get together in their off-hours to practice, jam and give concerts. It’s quite a commitment!
The organization’s origin comes from the traditional music of Limoges and its southwest central France region; they honor their history as well by wearing specially designed traditional costumes. Today they entertain with a varied repertoire, from old-time regional tunes to contemporary jazz, and have a musical school to develop younger talent. Forming in 1922 when some old friends reunited to bring music and joy to the streets of Limoges as it was recovering from the hardships of World War I, the group named themselves from the nickname of French soldiers who were facially disfigured during combat, in honor of their service.
This year is their 100th anniversary and as part of a packed schedule of concerts, about 40+ members of the 60+-member group came to the U.S., most for the first time, some with spouses and children. They traveled efficiently – each with a large suitcase, an instrument and a costume, including a top hat that collapsed to fit neatly inside baggage. Starting in Washington, DC and ending in Atlanta, they spent three days in Charlotte, NC as part of its remarkable Sister Cities program, culminating with a rocking Bastille Day evening on July 14 – like our July 4th, it marks the anniversary of French independence. By the end of the concert, we were all dancing in the aisles and marching in our own mini-parade!
For many of us, however, what was most extraordinary was the opportunity to “think global” again. Before the pandemic, this was normal for many of us who traveled often. We’d lost that temporarily in our hunkered-down habits. Having these guests in our homes gave the chance to sit and talk together over breakfast, and sharing perspectives in animated dinner parties, answering questions about our history and everyday life as we drove our guests to events around the city. It was truly a global reset from our myopia. After long, activity-filled days, we sat up late at night, practicing our French and English on each other, learning about each other’s families, exchanging insights about the world, breaking down stereotypes. (No, not all Americans eat cheese from a tube!!)
I also was very struck by their itinerary and they sights they chose to visit in the US – in DC (at the U.S. Capitol inside statuary hall that was defiled on January 6, 2021, as well as the Martin Luther King and Vietnam Veterans memorials, Arlington Cemetery and JFK’s grave, the White House and the Mall of museums), in Richmond VA (a bus drive along Monument Avenue where the Confederate statues have been taken down and the beautiful historical homes persist with gracious interiors) and in Atlanta, in many ways all things MLK. (If you’re on Facebook, check out their page in addition to their own website – full of photos, videos and commentary about their various tours during this centennial year.)
At a time when our nation is so divided, it is refreshing to see life from the values of Europeans, both our critics and our champions, who want to learn about us up close. Some of their questions about recent events relating to politics, race and the environment were difficult to explain and impossible to defend, quite honestly…
I first experienced “the ways others see us” when I was an exchange student to Norway one summer during high school. Barry Goldwater was running for president. This week the symmetry between 1964 and 2022 was so real in our conversations – our nation was then in a political upheaval and I, a mere teenager going abroad, inevitably to be quizzed and challenged. I wasn’t prepared for this probing, but it did open my eyes in a life-changing way and for which I am so grateful. It’s essential that we learn to understand how view the United States, appreciate what we have in common and create cross-cultural understanding – simply put – for a better world.
At a time when Europe is also suffering from wildfires, inflation, climate change/extreme heat, partisan divisions, immigration resistance and much more, we are more connected than we realize. This is what a global view underscores, and the timing for the Gueules Seches’ visit couldn’t have been better.
The good-byes were bittersweet, but our newly formed WhatsApp group didn’t stop sharing reflections and photos when their bus pulled away. We have more in common than we thought. Music, yes; love of culture, yes; but perhaps greater, similar challenges and the desire for mutual understanding. With my perspectives once again stretched, I’m reanimated by the chance to “think global” again. A bientôt, mes amis!
