Which French president named 25 September as “Day of National Recognition for the Harkis”?

This week on The Sound Kitchen you'll hear the answer to the question about the Harkis in France. There's a wonderful listener essay by Bhashkar Paul on the theme “My Ordinary Hero”, “Music from Erwan” - and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy! 

Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll hear the winner's names announced and the week's quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you've grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.

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Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is [email protected]   If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. 

Another idea for your students: my beloved music teacher from St Edward's University in Austin, Texas, Br Gerald Muller, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. They are also a good way to help you improve your English - that's how I worked on my French, reading books which were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it's a good method for improving your language skills. To get Br. Gerald's free books, click here.

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This week's quiz: On 25 September, I asked you a question about the Harkis – the native Muslim Algerians who served as auxiliaries in the French Army during the Algerian War of Independence (1954 – 1962). Up to 200,000 Harkis fought for the French colonial power during the war, but only 42,000 Harkis were allowed to come to France and only some of those with their wives and children. Those left behind were brutally massacred by the Free Algerian military forces.

Amongst the Harkis who were allowed to come to France, the French government initially refused to recognise their right to stay in the country. The Harkis were interned in remote detainee camps and victimized by endemic racism.

Today, the 400,000-strong Harki community is one of France's poorest and most disadvantaged, with unemployment more than four times the national average.

It took until 2014 for the Harkis to be recognized by the French government. I asked you to send in the name of the French president who established 25 September as the “Day of National Recognition for the Harkis”, and I gave you a hint: it was the same president who acknowledged France's collaboration with Germany during World War Two in the exportation of French Jews to the death camps – something which the French government had denied until this very same president.

The answer is: Jacques Chirac. Chirac said in his speech in 2014: “France has not given the Harkis the place they were due, and today their wounds remain sore. It is time, it is high time, for the nation - and it is its moral duty - to recognise their sacrifice and their dignity."

The winners are: Dr. Deepa Bain, who's a member of the RFI Pariwer Bandhu SWL Club in Chhattisgarh, India, and RFI Listeners Club members Fr. Stephen Wara from Bamenda, Cameroon and Samuel Francis from St Catherine, Jamaica. Rounding out the list are RFI English listeners Abu Saleh from Rangpur, Bangladesh and Miss Dai Yun, from Maanshan City, China.

Congratulations winners!
Here's the music you heard on this week's programme: “We Shall Overcome” by Pete Seeger, performed by the MLK Ensemble and the Mama Foundation; “Symphony Bakhta”, based on a poem by Abdelkader El Khaldi which was set to music by Blaoui Houari. This orchestral version was performed by the Algerian National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Zahia Ziouani; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “Quodlibet” and “Aria” from the Goldberg Variations by Johann Sebastian Bach, arranged for jazz piano and orchestra by Terje Tønnesen and Bugge Wesseltoft, Bugge Wesseltoft on the piano, with the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra; “ 'Round Midnight” by Thelonius Monk and Cootie Williams, performed by Emmet Cohen on the piano and Joel Ross on the vibraphone.

Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]

This week's question ... You'll have to listen to the show to participate. You have until 15 November to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 20 November podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address in with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.

Send your answers to:
[email protected]
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
or
By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country's international access code, or “ + ”, then 33 6 31 12 96 82. Don't forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.

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