March is Francophonie Month and the number of native French-speakers living in Nunavut is growing.
The Franco-Centre in Iqaluit, under the umbrella of the Association des francophones de Nunavut (AFN), exists to service this community, and held its biggest event of the year: the drag-themed Cabaret Night on Feb. 24.
“It’s always a very successful night, always sold out,” said Felicie Wingerter, the AFN’s programming manager. “I think this was the greatest success [so far].”
Aside from cabaret, the AFN and its location at the Franco-Centre are busy year-round with various programming.
“The Franco-Centre,” explains Wingerter, “is a community cultural centre to [host] events, mostly in French, but because it’s in Iqaluit, I try to be inclusive… everyone is welcome here. We are the only place in Iqaluit [with] a permanent stage and lights set.”
It’s typically here that the AFN — and other organizations wanting to rent the space for its stage and liquor licence — will host its many cultural events. However, “under the association, we have many services, like [a] radio [station], TV [station] and a newspaper,” Wingerter noted.
The AFN was created in 1981, when it was still the L’Association Francophone de Frobisher Bay before the renaming of Iqaluit.
“For over 40 years of its history,” reads the website in French, “it was essentially made up of nomads who came, went, and those who followed these arrivals and departures. Some things stayed the same, some things evolved, but for the whole period? [The AFN] was above all for those migrants who, in their own way, breathed life into the AFN with their energy, perseverance, and to keep pushing the limits of what is possible.”
According to Wingerter, who runs the operation with a staff of 10 full-time employees, the AFN and the Franco-Centre were originally established as a place for francophones to congregate with others in the francophone community and watch hockey in their native language.
Today, the facility runs cultural events similar to the Legion, and the AFN itself offers a full range of programs for and beyond the francophone community. You don’t have to be a member to buy a ticket to an event, but members receive a discounted price. Tickets for the range of events run $25-35, and as the AFN has non-profit status, all the revenue goes back into the organization. The AFN also receives funding from the Government of Nunavut and Heritage Canada.
Along with the sheer number of unique cultural events and programs available, the stated mission of the AFN is to “work towards the affirmation and flourishing of French culture in Nunavut.” This includes a vision of a francophone part to the territory as “strong, proud, open, and dynamic.”
The AFN has put together a host of special events, including for the first time a showing of the Banff Film Festival in French and English to kick off Francophonie Month on March 9.
“It’s hard for people to get out this time of year, but we hope people will make the effort to come join us. We are including everyone to come out, especially non-French speakers. You are very welcome,” Wingerter said.
Event list for March
March 9, 1 p.m.: The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour in Iqaluit (English)
March 9 7 p.m.: Tournée mondiale du Festival du film de montagne du Banff Centre (Francais)
March 10: L’amour te reviendra — puppet show
March 23: Francophone banquet
March 27: School show with FloFranco (one of two spokespersons of the Rendez-vous de la francophonie)
March 30: Comedy show — Tournée Juste pour rire with Micheline Marchildon (the other spokeperson of the Rendez-vous de la francophonie)