In Montpellier, New Caledonians share “a moment of contemplation” | EUROtoday

Sunday, May 19, within the afternoon, round fifty New Caledonians or their relations responded to the decision from an affiliation referred to as La Case calédonienne, situated in Montpellier (Hérault). They ended up in a home within the northern districts of the town, not removed from the colleges. A want to share “a moment of contemplation, of listening”And “support each other” – because the affiliation had specified within the invitation posted the earlier days on social networks – whereas their households, remaining on the archipelago, are confronted with chaos, with the riots which have damaged out since Monday May 13.

The climate was summery, and everybody was in a position to do as ” in the country “ : we take out the mats and unroll them on the grass, we sit down and discuss, we get information. Some take out the guitar, we sing, whereas younger youngsters hit the ball on the rackets and the ladies get busy within the kitchen or on the outside grill.

They are Kanak, but additionally Caldoches, Wallisiens, Réunionnais, French from mainland France. Brief, “like on our island, everyone has their place”, specifies the president of the affiliation which manages the place, Lydia Galuola, a Kanak who desires so as to add that she nonetheless had a Scottish ancestor. The home, or moderately the “Caledonian hut”, is spacious however in poor situation. In reality, this place deserves its identify: it’s the solely construction of this kind in France to belong to the federal government of New Caledonia.

Community of 400 individuals

Not all younger individuals know the historical past of the place, however Fafa is aware of it just like the again of his hand. This lady, French who by no means set foot in New Caledonia, lived in France for greater than twenty years with a Kanak from Ouvéa, who has since died. “New Caledonia acquired this building to make it a place where young Caledonians gathered at the end of their year of military service. Then she obviously changed her vocation and focused on monitoring students”she says.

Before persevering with: “The home was then entrusted to an affiliation, the AEC, the Caledonian pupil affiliation, which was in reality run solely by the Caldoches then, in 1984, the affiliation grew to become the AETK, the Okay of Kanak changing the C. It was then the spearhead of the Kanak in France. But for the reason that 2000s, now we have returned to one thing extra impartial, the affiliation has reworked into AETC, the scholars' affiliation of the Caledonian territory. »

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