Bouthillier-Labrie Collection
Listening to the oral traditions of Acadia and Quebec. The largest digitized collection of French-speaking oral heritage in North America.
The oral surveys conducted by Robert Bouthillier and Vivian Labrie in the 1970s invite us to discover the immense richness of songs, stories, music, and other contributions to the oral traditions of French speakers in America.
The Challenge
Preserving An Oral Heritage In Danger Of Disappearing
In the 1970s, rapid modernization threatened to erase centuries of French-language oral traditions. Without immediate action, thousands of songs, tales, and stories passed down from generation to generation were in danger of disappearing forever with their last bearers.
Collective memory under threat
Urbanization and modern media were rapidly replacing traditional gatherings where ancestral songs and stories were passed down.
Aging bearers of tradition
The last holders of this traditional oral knowledge were disappearing without their repertoire being documented or preserved.
Isolation of communities
The scattered French-speaking communities were losing touch with their common cultural roots, fragmenting their collective heritage.
Lack of accessible archives
There was no organized system for collecting, preserving, and sharing this intangible heritage with future generations.
The Solution
Saving And Sharing Living Memory
The Bouthillier-Labrie Collection represents a pioneering effort to preserve Francophone oral heritage. Thanks to a rigorous methodology and an approach that respects communities, more than 3,650 recordings have been collected, preserved, and made accessible to all.
Rigorous ethnographic collection
Field surveys conducted with tape recorders, detailed documentation of contexts and informants, respect for local traditions.
Digitization and preservation
3,650 high-quality digitized sound recordings, complete metadata for each document, preservation in accordance with archival standards.
Multidimensional exploration
Search by recording, artist, music genre, or geographic location for intuitive navigation through the collection.
Free and open access
Web platform accessible to all, downloading permitted for research and educational purposes, dissemination of global Francophone heritage.
The Research
Documenting The Richness Of Oral Traditions
Ethnographic surveys conducted between 1971 and 1979 revealed the extraordinary diversity and vitality of French-speaking oral traditions, from the Acadian Peninsula to Quebec communities, creating a unique sound map of our cultural heritage.
Major discoveries
191 informants interviewed, covering five distinct regions of Quebec and Acadia, revealing unique regional variations of traditional songs.
Innovative methodology
Respectful ethnographic approach, recordings in the informants' natural environment, documentation of performance contexts.
Transmission networks
Identification of oral transmission family lines, mapping of inter-community influences, analysis of local adaptations.
Academic impact
Foundation of the Folklore Archives at Laval University, training of generations of ethnologists, international reference in Francophone studies.
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