Ar Redadeg
Encyclopedia
Ar Redadeg is a relay race
modelled on the Basque Korrika
. It takes place around Brittany
over three days and three nights from Naoned (Nantes) to Karaez (Carhaix). Its aim is to raise funds each year to finance a project promoting the Breton language
.
While the Korrika has taken place every two years since 1980, this is the first Redadeg to be organised. It started on April 30, 2008. The runners covered some 600 km (372.8 mi) at an average speed of 9 km (5.6 mi) per hour.
The route for Ar Redadeg was planned so it would go through the five Breton départements: Penn-ar-Bed (Finistère
), Aodoù-an-Arvor (Côtes-d'Armor
), Mor-Bihan (Morbihan
, the only one to have been given a Breton name in French), Il-ha-Gwilen (Ille-et-Vilaine
) and Liger-Atlantel (Loire-Atlantique
). Note that the latter is not included in the region of Brittany, as defined by the French authorities, even though it is historically a part of Brittany. Starting the race in Naoned (Nantes), the préfecture
of Liger-Atlantel is therefore highly significant.
At the end of every kilometre, runners would pass each other a baton containing a message to be read in Karaez at the end of the race. One fund-raising method in this event is payment by each runner of 100 euros for the privilege of bearing the baton over a kilometre.
The funds raised in the 2008 edition of the race will benefit the Diwan
Schools, through which the French Ministry of Education curriculum is taught using the Breton language. The itinerary went through as many towns and cities as possible where Diwan schools are operating.
French governments have traditionally refused to give official status to any of the many languages spoken in France such as Alsatian
, Basque
, Breton
, Catalan
, Corsican
, Dutch
(West Flemish
) and Occitan, to mention only the better known continental ones . Instead, some acknowledgement was given to some of these languages (such as Breton) under the form of bilingual road signs
and some teaching of regional languages on a voluntary basis . In spite of its linguistic and cultural diversity, and appeals made by linguistic minorities for granting of official status for their languages, France only lists French as its official language, while United Kingdom
, for example, has granted official status to French
(as an official language of Jersey
) and Welsh
(in Wales
), along with Scottish Gaelic (in Scotland
).
The existence of schools such as Diwan plays an essential role in the efforts made to pass the Breton language on to new generations, but the lack of an official status for the language they promote weakens their position.
Relay race
During a relay race, members of a team take turns running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating parts of a circuit or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games...
modelled on the Basque Korrika
Korrika
The Korrika, or Running, is an exhibition race held bi-annually in the Basque Country in order to celebrate and support the Basque language....
. It takes place around Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
over three days and three nights from Naoned (Nantes) to Karaez (Carhaix). Its aim is to raise funds each year to finance a project promoting the Breton language
Breton language
Breton is a Celtic language spoken in Brittany , France. Breton is a Brythonic language, descended from the Celtic British language brought from Great Britain to Armorica by migrating Britons during the Early Middle Ages. Like the other Brythonic languages, Welsh and Cornish, it is classified as...
.
While the Korrika has taken place every two years since 1980, this is the first Redadeg to be organised. It started on April 30, 2008. The runners covered some 600 km (372.8 mi) at an average speed of 9 km (5.6 mi) per hour.
The route for Ar Redadeg was planned so it would go through the five Breton départements: Penn-ar-Bed (Finistère
Finistère
Finistère is a département of France, in the extreme west of Brittany.-History:The name Finistère derives from the Latin Finis Terræ, meaning end of the earth, and may be compared with Land's End on the opposite side of the English Channel...
), Aodoù-an-Arvor (Côtes-d'Armor
Côtes-d'Armor
Côtes-d'Armor is a department in the north of Brittany, in northwestern France.-History:Côtes-du-Nord was one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Brittany. Its name was changed in 1990 to...
), Mor-Bihan (Morbihan
Morbihan
Morbihan is a department in Brittany, situated in the northwest of France. It is named after the Morbihan , the enclosed sea that is the principal feature of the coastline.-History:...
, the only one to have been given a Breton name in French), Il-ha-Gwilen (Ille-et-Vilaine
Ille-et-Vilaine
Ille-et-Vilaine is a department of France, located in the region of Brittany in the northwest of the country.- History :Ille-et-Vilaine is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
) and Liger-Atlantel (Loire-Atlantique
Loire-Atlantique
Loire-Atlantique is a department on the west coast of France named after the Loire River and the Atlantic Ocean.-History:...
). Note that the latter is not included in the region of Brittany, as defined by the French authorities, even though it is historically a part of Brittany. Starting the race in Naoned (Nantes), the préfecture
Préfecture
A prefecture in France can refer to :*the Chef-lieu de département, the town in which the administration of a department is located;*the Chef-lieu de région, the town in which the administration of a region is located;...
of Liger-Atlantel is therefore highly significant.
At the end of every kilometre, runners would pass each other a baton containing a message to be read in Karaez at the end of the race. One fund-raising method in this event is payment by each runner of 100 euros for the privilege of bearing the baton over a kilometre.
The funds raised in the 2008 edition of the race will benefit the Diwan
Diwan (school)
Diwan is a federation of Breton language-medium schools in Brittany .-Concept:The Diwan concept, which allows children to learn French and Breton through immersion was inspired by the Gaelscoileanna movement in Ireland, Ikastolak movement in the Basque Country and the Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin...
Schools, through which the French Ministry of Education curriculum is taught using the Breton language. The itinerary went through as many towns and cities as possible where Diwan schools are operating.
French governments have traditionally refused to give official status to any of the many languages spoken in France such as Alsatian
Alsatian language
Alsatian is a Low Alemannic German dialect spoken in most of Alsace, a region in eastern France which has passed between French and German control many times.-Language family:...
, Basque
Basque language
Basque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...
, Breton
Breton language
Breton is a Celtic language spoken in Brittany , France. Breton is a Brythonic language, descended from the Celtic British language brought from Great Britain to Armorica by migrating Britons during the Early Middle Ages. Like the other Brythonic languages, Welsh and Cornish, it is classified as...
, Catalan
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
, Corsican
Corsican language
Corsican is a Italo-Dalmatian Romance language spoken and written on the islands of Corsica and northern Sardinia . Corsican is the traditional native language of the Corsican people, and was long the vernacular language alongside the Italian, official language in Corsica until 1859, which was...
, Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
(West Flemish
West Flemish
West Flemish , , , Fransch vlaemsch in French Flemish) is a group of dialects or regional language related to Dutch spoken in parts of the Netherlands, Belgium, and France....
) and Occitan, to mention only the better known continental ones . Instead, some acknowledgement was given to some of these languages (such as Breton) under the form of bilingual road signs
Bilingual sign
A bilingual sign is the representation on a panel of texts in more than one language...
and some teaching of regional languages on a voluntary basis . In spite of its linguistic and cultural diversity, and appeals made by linguistic minorities for granting of official status for their languages, France only lists French as its official language, while United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, for example, has granted official status to French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
(as an official language of Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
) and Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
(in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
), along with Scottish Gaelic (in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
).
The existence of schools such as Diwan plays an essential role in the efforts made to pass the Breton language on to new generations, but the lack of an official status for the language they promote weakens their position.
In other countries
- the KorrikaKorrikaThe Korrika, or Running, is an exhibition race held bi-annually in the Basque Country in order to celebrate and support the Basque language....
in the Basque Country - the CorrellenguaCorrellenguaThe Correllengua is a campaign that's held annually in the Catalan Countries. Created in 1993 by cultural Catalan association Coordinadora d'Associacions per la Llengua Catalana , it has the aim of promoting the use of Catalan language...
in CataloniaCataloniaCatalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an... - RithRithRith is a relay race organised in support of the Irish language. It was held for the first time in 2010 and coincided with Seachtain na Gaeilge, the Week of the Irish Language...
in IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...