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Mother Tongues

Drysdale, Helena
Publisher:  Picador
Date Written:  11/10/2002
Year Published:  2002  
Pages:  250pp   ISBN:  0330372815
Resource Type:  Book

Helena Drysdale and her husband Richard rented out their house and embarked on an epic tour across Europe in their customized camper van, the Mob. With them went their two small daughters, Tallulah and Xanthe. They had few plans, but they did have a goal: to probe the secrets of western Europes indigenous tribes. Over seven seasons Helena Drysdale and her family travelled from the Mediterranean to the Arctic, from the Atlantic to the Aegean, exploring the roots of the cultures inhabiting Europe's ambiguous fringes.

Abstract: 


Over eighteen months Helena Drysdale and her family rattled over the roads and motorways of Europe in their mobile home. Their journey took them to the heart of tribal Europe: to the Frisian Islands, Samiland, the Basque country; to Macedonia, Corsica and Provence. Curious and sympathetic, Drysdale sought out Europe's indigenous tribes and took stock of their place in our modern world, analysing the vital link between language and identity and capturing beautifully many of the voices and cultures that are already fading away.


Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Prologue
Searching for the Sautso Canyon Norway
ONE
Prouvenco, ma Patrio Provence
TWO
War-torn Borderlands Alsace
THREE
The Aland Islands Finland
FOUR
Samiland Finland, Norway and Sweden
FIVE
The First Word
SIX
Friesland Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands
SEVEN
Flemish v Walloon Belgium
EIGHT
Who is Bernardo Atxaga? Basque Country
NINE
A Time of Inconvenience, at an Inconvenient Time Catalonia
TEN
Vendetta Corsica
ELEVEN
Bandit Country Sardinia
TWELVE

Macedoine Greece and FYROM
THIRTEEN
South Tyrol and the Ladin Italy
FOURTEEN
The World Bitch Brittany
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