Old Mines French: This version of French language was born in the US
Have you heard of the US state Missouri? Yes, the one where finger-smacking barbecue was born and tornadoes come and go, almost left and right. In Missouri, one of the famous places is St. Louis, a city right through which the Mississippi River flows. Now, if you go for a drive on the highway, say 60 miles southeast of the city, there is a sign on the side of the road that says, “you’ve arrived in Old Mines.” Wait, what is it? It is an area that is home to a community of French settlers.
More than 300 years ago (around 1720), French settlers including the famous explorer Philippe Francois Renault arrived in the present-day Old Mines and stayed back. Why? Because here they saw something they hadn’t seen before – mines full of rich mineral deposits. Eventually, they made the area their home and called it Old Mines. The French settlers of Old Mines also developed their own form of French language and called it Old Mines French.
Old Mines French: The language of French settlers in the USA
This language drew influences from Spanish, English, and other Native American languages, but had its own dialect and set of words. It was further nicknamed as Pawpaw French after a native fruit-bearing tree called Pawpaw. Old Miners (as they call themselves) completely stayed on their own for over 200 years. At home, at school, at the St. Joachim’s church, everywhere they spoke only Old Mines French.
However, at the turn of the 20th century, things started changing. The US government depleted the mines, schools began teaching in English only (due to the 1888 Missouri State Mandate) and the priests too started letting go of Old Mines French. By 1922, Highway 21 was being built to connect the town directly to St. Louis, leading to further assimilation of Old Miners, their language and their traditions.
Saving the language from extinction
Realising that their language and heritage were at stake, a local named Merx founded the Old Mines Area Historical Society with a handful of young volunteers. From 1930s to 1970s, all they did was keep documenting whatever they could of their disappearing language and folktales, all the while trying to engage the elders. However, apprehending to lose touch with their roots, they too refused to talk. Meanwhile, the Society also set up a few log cabins with 19th century Old Mines designs. There’s also an annual fete that happens every fall where Old Miners gather to celebrate their traditions and reconnect with their dialect, music, dance and local food, not to forget storytelling rituals that continue till date.
But guess what? All these efforts were also not enough to save Old Mines French. This is when Dennis Stroughmatt, an outsider hailing from Indiana stepped up. While studying in Southeastern Missouri State University in the early 1990s, he became extremely curious about Old Mines and their unique French dialect. He started his research and soon ended up in Old Mines among the French who didn’t speak authentic French, but something they made on their own. In fact, Stroughmatt stayed back in Old Mines for months with the locals with the sole intention of learning Old Mines French. He realised that much of it was anglicised. For instance, game in French is “partie” but in Old Mines French it is “guime.” Similarly, skillet is “esquilette” unlike the usual French “poele” while “violin” that he enjoyed playing with the locals was called “bouillon” and not “violon.” Not only that, he discovered certain grammatical differences, such as different conjugations for irregular verbs. What’s interesting is that, for the first time ever, the Old Miners felt connected with an outsider and vice versa, so much so that Stroughmatt was learning their French hands-on, that too through songs!
Later, it was because of his efforts that the world, especially France and other French speaking regions across the world, got to know and appreciate Old Mines French. It was as if Old Mines French was being advocated worldwide by a non-Old Miner and how! In fact, by 1997, Stroughmatt became the global musical ambassador for Pawpaw French. He even performs every year at their autumnal fete and returns whenever he can. And when he is not advocating for the language, he is seen teaching at Wabash Valley College nearby where he has even founded an Old Mines French Society and teaches a class of it twice every week. How great is that!
Storytelling and Old Mines French
Just like Stroughmatt, another outsider named Brian Hawkins, now an artist, illustrator, and lecturer based at the University of Kansas, had stumbled upon Old Mines French right after completing his graduation in 2011. How? By examining ragtime, a cultural phenomenon with deep Missouri-French ties. Fascinated, he too ended up in Old Mines and started interacting with the locals. Needless to say, his journey was much easier in comparison to Stroughmatt. Soon, Hawkins made audio visuals of Old Mines senior residents and urged them to recite their folktales in their own language. And thus, not just as a language and as a medium of music, Old Mines French found its place in storytelling. What’s interesting is that, Hawkins even ended up making a full-length animation movie using the language. Currently, he is working on a documentary about Old Miners and their socio-cultural heritage.
Bonus fact: Old Miners are marking 2023 as the 300th year of their arrival in the region and have already begun with the celebrations with the onset of the New Year.