August 2006 - Interview with Marie Angela Bellefeur

Translator (Innu-Aimun): Rose Gregoire
Interviewer: Franziska von Rosen
Place: Sheshatshiu, Labrador

Franziska von Rosen: Would you please ask her to identify herself and tell a bit about her background?

Rose Gregoire: She says her name is Angile Bellefleur. She says she was brought up in Saint Augustine and she was about ten years old when they were brought into La Romaine, [Quebec]. She remembers going out to the bush after that. One of her uncles went back to Saint Augustine, but her father did not return. Her father stayed in La Romaine.

FvR: Can you ask her either while in the bush or in the community whether she had any experience with drum dancing?

RG: She says that after they moved when she was around ten years old and got to La Romaine, she experienced and saw drum dancing. In La Romaine people danced together.

FvR: Can she describe what she saw?

RG: She saw the circle dance and the women usually get up first. Then the men would get up and each would move in behind a woman. Very much like they do it here.

FvR: Can she explain why the women get up first?

RG: She can recall dances where the men did get up first. When a woman entered the dance area the men would be so happy to see a woman dance that they would remove their hats. They danced more often then, than now.

FvR: Can she tell how she feels when she is dancing?

RG: She enjoys it. She does not want to lose the dance. Her mother and dad used to dance.

FvR: What goes through her mind as she dances?

RG: When she is dancing she thinks about the elders, particularly old ladies that she knew and saw them dance. She hopes that this kind of dancing will continue with the people.

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This project was made possible with the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage through Canadian Culture Online

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