Collective celebrations have always served to break the rhythm of working life by relying on family events, religious or agricultural festivals or periodic commercial events such as the fairs of the Latière in the Double and the Madeleine des Brandes in the Landais.
These ancient practices of sociability evolved from the middle of the 19th century. The festive meals during agricultural work changed in nature and scope with the mechanization of agriculture. The evening gatherings of the inhabitants of a hamlet in winter for the tedious small jobs were progressively deserted from 1850 onwards in favor of inns, cabarets, cafés or balls which multiplied even in the villages. In the same way, village festivals evolved into republican or patronal festivals and benefited from technical innovations: village games were enriched with fireworks, funfairs and merry-go-rounds, collective dances led by a musician or by local brass bands were replaced by popular balls with orchestra from the 1920’s.
Illustrations:
– Postcard La Servilhota, dances and musician at the chabrette in Périgord, ca. 1900. SHAP 24
– Photo of the procession of July 14, 1899 in Mussidan going to the foot of the statue of General Beaupuy, Mussidanese hero of the Republic. Photo by André Rigaillaud ©Private collection
-Photograph of a festival procession in Mussidan in the 1920s. 2014.9.27 Chica Collection © Musée André Voulgre
-Photograph of a wooden horse carousel in Périgueux in 1899. Photo by Jean Laroussarie © Private Collection
– Postcard of a float for the carnival in Mussidan in the 1920s. 0.1412 Chica Collection © Musée André Voulgre
– Photograph of an accordionist in the Isle valley in the 1980s. Photo by Pierre Broussouloux © Musée André Voulgre
– Photograph of the village hall-dancing with refreshment bar in Saint-Astier in the 1920s (© Private collection in Hervé Mercier, Saint-Astier, 1900-1950, tome 2, La vie Astérienne, Imprimerie IOTA, 2015)
– Photo-card of a group of musicians at a dance in Bourgnac in the 1930s © Collection Escarment
– Postcard of Amédée Lacour’s plane during an aerial demonstration over Mussidan during the festival of former colonial servicemen a few minutes before his accident on October 20, 1912. Chica Collection © André Voulgre Museum
– Photograph of rowing regattas organized on the Isle River in Mussidan around 1900. 2016.5.1 © André Voulgre Museum
– Postcard of the summer fair of La Latière in the Double around 1900 ©Henri Brives Collection
