Quebec is at once a North American society and the main French-speaking society on the continent. Montreal, the vibrant cosmopolitan metropolis of Quebec, is the second largest francophone city after Paris. History made Quebec a place where cultures meet, where people from all over the world experience America, but from a little distance and through a different eye. Often described as a crossroads between Europe and America, Quebec is home to a people who are connected to the strong cultural currents of the United States, France, and Britain all at the same time.
Quebecers have cultural activities which, on the whole, are fairly different from those of the 350 million English-speaking citizens of Canada and the United States who surround them, and those of France, the country from which they have been disconnected since the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1763.
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1.1 Visual Arts |
Main article: Visual arts of Quebec
A mostly rural society for a very long time, Quebec is home to many traditions of craft art. One of the most famous is the making of stained glass windows. The most famous Quebec artist who worked with stained glass is probably Marcelle Ferron.
Les Automatistes stand out among Quebec's contributions to the Visual Arts on a global stage. Prominent among the members was Jean-Paul Riopelle whose paintings have become world-famous.
Main article: Architecture of Quebec
Main article: Literature of Quebec
The literature of Quebec begins under the French regime with the many poems written by the early Canadiens of New France. It was, however, during the late 19th century that a novel was first published by a Quebecer.
Main article: Comic strips of Quebec
More than the simple comic books sold in North America, les BDs (short for bandes dessinées and pronounced "bey-dey"), as they are called in French, combine both graphic design and literature. Though the majority of those produced are aimed at children, they are generally considered more dignified entertainment and there are many notable exceptions aimed at an older reading audience.
Main article: Cinema of Quebec
The history of cinema in Québec started on June 27, 1896, when the French Louis Minier inaugurated the first movie projection in North America in a Montreal theatre room. However, it would have to wait until the 1960s before a genuine Quebec cinema industry would emerge.
Main article: Theatre of Quebec
Main article: Dance of Quebec
Main article: Circus of Quebec
Le Cirque du Soleil is a circus troupe renowned for its artistic productions with rich musical scores. Some of the most well-known productions are Varekai, Dralion, Alegria and O, which is performed on a water platform. It is one of the world's few circuses without animal performers. Other troupes that have made it on the international scene are the Cirque Éloize and Cirque ÉOS.
Main article: Music of Quebec
Being a modern cosmopolitan society, all types of music can be found in Quebec today. What is specific to Quebec though are traditional songs, a unique variety of celtic music, legions of excellent jazz musicians, a culture of classical music, and a love of foreign rhythms that can be observed every Sunday on the Mont Royal in Montreal.
In a further example of the dichotomy between Quebec and Canada, Quebec francophone artists can develop immense followings within Quebec and go on to sell as many, and sometimes more, albums as their anglophone counterparts. However, despite the scale of their success within Quebec, they still remain virtually unknown outside of the province. When they are known in English Canada, it is because they are also known in the United States and Europe.
The major newspapers in Quebec include La Presse (Montreal), Le Journal de Montréal (Montreal), Le Soleil (Quebec City) and the English-language The Gazette (Montreal). Le Devoir (Montreal) is also considered influential despite its small circulation. There are also several free papers including "alternative weeklies" and daily micro-presses available in cafes and the Montreal Metro.
The most watched TV network in Quebec is TVA, a little ahead of public broadcaster Radio-Canada according to recent statistics. Quebec has a wide range of specialized French-language TV channels; most major North American broadcasters are also available. Quebec television networks produce a good proportion of their content locally.
Quebecers gave themselves various cultural institutions throughout their history. A good number of the current ones were established fairly recently in the wake of the Quiet Revolution. Among the key institutions, the Archives nationales du Québec (Quebec National Archives) created in 1920, the Conservatoire de musique et d'art dramatique du Québec network of 9 Academies created in 1942, the Bibliothèque nationale du Québec (Quebec National Library) created in 1967, the public broadcaster Télé-Québec created in 1968 and the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (Quebec Council of Arts and Letters) created in 1992.
Quebec has a rich heritage of culture and history which can be explored through a network of museums. Some of the most visited ones are the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal, the Musée de la civilisation and the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec.
Quebec's culture and know-how is transmitted by a generation and transformed by the next through its educational institutions. Many of Quebec's artists have been educated in universities' arts faculties and specialized art schools. Notable schools include the Conservatoire de musique et d'art dramatique du Québec, the École nationale de théâtre du Canada, the École nationale de l'humour and the École nationale de cirque.
Quebec society rewards its most celebrated signers, musicians, authors, actors, directors, dancers, etc. every year. Some of the most known ones are:
Quebec's lifestyle resembles that of the majority of Western societies in many regards. There are however a few notable variations in trends and habits. The level of unmarried cohabiting couples is one of the highest in the world and the highest in North America.
Quebec has a civil union system available to opposite-sex couples and, since June 24, 2002, to same-sex couples.
Also, on March 19, 2004, Quebec became the third province in Canada to legally perform same-sex marriage, following a court challenge brought by Michael Hendricks and René Leboeuf.
Traditional family structures took a severe hit after the turmoil of the Quiet Revolution in the 1960s. More so than in the rest of North America, the traditional family model was abandoned. Quebec has a high number of single-parent families and a high rate of divorce.
In 2001, the fertility rate of Quebec was at 1.474 per thousand, one of the lowest in the Western world. Many Quebec couples choose to have only one child, or none at all.
Quebec has become a more secular society since the 1960s. Although about 90% of the population claims to be Roman Catholic, only a minority regularly attends services or pays the "tithe" which the faithful are in theory supposed to give to the church for its upkeep. As a result, much of the province's Catholic Church architecture is in peril, the old parishes not having enough funds for necessary upkeep. Church influence is strongest in rural regions and weakest in the Montreal area.
All major religions are represented, to some degree, in Quebec.
The small convenience store called a dépanneur is sometimes considered an institution in urban Quebec.
Humour has long been a distinguishing feature of Canadian culture, but it is especially revered as a part of Quebec life. It stretches beyond the normal realms of creative arts and extends itself into daily life. It is even welcomed in places where humour is not normally found.
For instance, prior to the modern independent political movement, many citizens of Québec decided to express their dissatisfaction with federal elections by forming the Rhinoceros Party of Canada. Founded in 1963, the party fielded humourous candidates in many ridings with a satirical platform. They added colour to many otherwise drab elections for more than two decades.
Le poisson d'avril (April Fools) is an old French tradition dating back to 1564. In Quebec, it was taken very seriously by the whole society.
The Catholic Church dominated Quebec life for over a century until the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s scaled back its influence on the social and cultural life of Quebec. One notable remnant of this entrenched presence is that Quebec francophone curses and expletives are nearly entirely composed of religious references and vocabulary.
Main article: Cuisine of Quebec
As in European countries like Italy or France, where cooking is considered one of the fine arts, fine dining is a passion among the well-to-do of Quebec society. While Montreal has the greatest concentration of haute cuisine restaurants in Canada, even small communities proudly boast of famous inns where the chef has an international reputation.
Though there are scores of fast food establishments all over the province, the pace of a meal is much slower here than elsewhere in North America. Even simple fare is usually savored in a leisurely manner and in the company of friends or family. The idea here is that preparing a good meal must never be hurried and to consume it at speed is a sacrilege.
On a more down to earth level, poutine is noted as a distinctly Quebecois food. Consisting of French fries covered with cheese curds and hot gravy (light as opposed to the dark gravy which is usually associated with fries), this concoction is well-loved among the populace and is now beginning to be found outside of Quebec, in the rest of Canada and even in some parts of Northeastern USA.
The Temps des sucres (Sugar Season) is one of the oldest of the still living culinary traditions of Quebec. During the spring, Quebecers spend a day at a cabane à sucre (sugar shack) where they are served a breakfast of eggs, beans, ham, bacon (among other things) all of which are then covered in maple syrup. Associated activities are a horse-drawn sleigh ride in the woods and tire sur neige, maple syrup dribbled over snow and eaten as a treat.
Sporting activities are increasingly popular in Quebec. As Quebec is snow-bound for several months of the year, typically from November to March, it is no surprise that many winter activities have taken root and, in a few cases, even originated here.
Ice hockey is the sport of choice in Quebec. It lives in the hearts and minds of Quebecers thanks to the rich legacy of the Montreal Canadiens. The rules of the game were set up by students at McGill University in 1875. There are many junior hockey teams, and you would be hard-pressed to find even the smallest community without a rink available for organized play.
Cross-country skiing is very easily accessible due to the abundance of snow and an unending supply of open fields. With the Laurentian Mountains close at hand, the best downhill skiing in Canada east of the Rockies is to be found in Quebec as well.
The snowmobile, invented in Quebec by Joseph-Armand Bombardier, is a popular hobby, though its reputation has been marred by several deaths each year due to its unregulated use.
Another popular diversion is ice-fishing. Rivers freeze over quickly come wintertime and as soon as the ice is solid enough to walk upon, one can find dozens of tiny homemade shacks dotting the frozen surface.
Quebec is home to many professional sports teams and events, the majority of which call Montreal home.
Le Carnaval de Québec is held every winter in Quebec City and is famous for its world-class ice sculpture competition, sledding at the feet of Chateau Frontenac and its mascot, Le Bonhomme Carnaval. Not as bawdy as the Brazilian version, though arising from the same Christian tradition of partying before Lent, it is generally a celebration of winter. Recently, there has even been a hotel made entirely of ice available for lodging.
During the summer season, Montreal is kept busy by a wide variety of festivals, which has given the city its reputation for being one of the festival capitals of North America.
The Montreal Jazz Festival, or Festival International du Jazz, is held annually in Montreal during the summer season and attracts artists from around the world and is typically attended by hundreds of thousands of people who are attracted by the electric atmosphere. The city's downtown core is closed to traffic for two weeks as outdoor shows are free to the public on many stages.
The Fireworks Festival is an annual fireworks competition held at La Ronde (in Montreal), an amusement park built on the artificial island used for Expo 67. The competition takes the form of a series of weekly fireworks shows lasting most of the summer. The fireworks are accompanied by music broadcast over a local radio station. Spectators can pay for seats inside La Ronde, which gives a good view of the underwater explosions, but tens of thousands of people watch the fireworks for free from nearby locations. Because of its proximity to La Ronde, the Jacques Cartier Bridge is closed down to automobile circulation and is flooded by thousands of pedestrian spectators for the duration of the show.
The Just for Laughs Festival, or Festival Juste pour rire, a comedy festival, again highlights Quebec's love of humour. Gala events are held nightly for several days and an atmosphere similar to the Jazz Fest is seen on the streets of Montreal, with many street performers and crowds.
The Francofolies is a festival celebrating the diversity of francophone music. Many exterior shows are given for free.
See List of Quebec festivals.
Quebec's cultural roots not only draw from the St. Lawrence River, they also tap into the rich cultures of France, the British Isles, and the United States.
Despite a common language, French, Quebecers see the Culture of France as foreign in essentially the same way that Americans see British or Australian culture. However, since the 1960s, the cultural ties between France and Quebec have increased significantly and the exchange between the two has resulted in some cross-pollination. The Quebec government does not charge foreign student fees to students from France and certain other French-speaking countries, so some of the cultural exchange is brought in person.
The intellectual elites of French Quebec are divided on this matter. One branch looks to Paris, France for all things cultural, and the other considers New York City as the cultural capital of the universe. The mass of the population tends to favor local talent or adopts a surprisingly cosmopolitan attitude, listening to Brazilian rhythms and going to Asia as well as Florida, Mexico and Cuba for vacations.
The influence of British culture on Quebec slowly began after the British Conquest of New France in 1760. At first, the establishment of a British administration did not truly affect the life of the inhabitants of what was then called le Canada. The British population was in fact very low for a long period of time until around 1783 when Loyalists began colonizing the Eastern Townships. The arrival of many immigrants from Britain later has of course greatly affected the cultural life of Francophone Quebecers.
At the peak of British colonization of Quebec in the late 19th century, about 25% of Quebecers were Anglophones and Montreal, the metropolis of all of Canada, was a predominantly English-speaking city.
The first traces of British influence on Quebecers occurred in the beginning of the 19th century when the population adopted the table manners of the English in replacement for the one used in New France: The fork to the left, the knife and spoon to the right and early dinner at 5-6 PM. Before that, the Canadiens of New France used the French customs of the time, everyone having a pocket knife ready to use when it was time to eat.
Increased trade with the British Isles transformed many of the habits of Quebecers. Especially in urban areas, they began to copy the way of life of the British. It became trendy for men to dress as English dandies, and household were decorated with all things British. The architecture of Montreal is full of remnants of a Victorian trend, which was followed in all British colonies.
Irish immigration had a huge impact on Quebecers as listening to Quebec's traditional music will reveal. The immigrants from Ireland being mostly Catholic, the two populations inter-married to a much greater extent than with any other ethnic group. Today, many Quebecers have an Irish ancestor somewhere in their genealogical tree. The Irish brought the celebration of St-Patrick's day in Montreal, making it the oldest of its kind in North America. Quebec's most praised poet, Émile Nelligan, is born of a Quebec Francophone mother and an Anglophone Irish father. See Irish Quebecers.
American influences on Quebec culture go back to the first era of prosperity experienced by the American people after their independence. American culture and values began to pour into Quebec starting with the Industrial Revolution and continue to this day, thanks to open border between the two countries.
Though the same phenomenon has occurred with the other Canadian provinces, Quebec, being mostly Francophone and (formerly) Catholic, the contact of the two cultures has produced significantly different results. It has often taken the form of a conflict between the "old way" of living and the "new way" coming from the outside.
Movies and television have long been welcomed in Quebec and remain among the more popular forms of entertainment. However, due to the language barrier, most of the cultural flooding seen in most English-speaking areas has not occurred to the same extent. Dubbed US productions still enjoy great success. In fact, dubbed productions have seen a great boom in popularity over the last ten years.
One regulation adopted under the Charter of the French Language stipulates that movie distributors are to release the French dubbed version of any major movie at the same time as the original English. The distributors had steadfastly opposed this measure, but once it took effect they found that their total sales of tickets for any given movie jumped dramatically. They had not realised before then that many Quebecers capable of reading advertising or critics in English, to some extent, were not fluent enough to really enjoy a movie in the original English. They also invested less money on the marketing of the dubbed versions, months later. By releasing both versions at the same time, all of the population, regardless of language or relative degrees of fluency in English, was subject to the same bombardment of publicity and movie reviews at the same time.
Montreal is the metropolis of Quebec. Though Toronto dominates English Canada's cultural landscape, or perhaps because, Montreal (and by extension Quebec) seems to follow New York City more closely. It is only slightly farther away than Toronto and New York's more global influence appears to be more appealing to Quebecers. For those who can afford the higher prices, New York is the number one place to go shopping, enjoy theatre and pick up new trends. A difficulty in English is no barrier to a group of Quebecers, which invariably has at least one person with enough skill in deciphering the New York accent to enjoy the Big Apple.
A region known for its blueberries, its tourtière, its soupe aux gourganes and other specialties, the Saguenay Lac-St-Jean is also the birth place of many of Quebec's public figures such as former Quebec premier Lucien Bouchard, singer Mario Pelchat and Olympic athlete Marc Gagnon. The accent of this region is one of the most distinctive and peculiar ones found in Quebec, although natives of the regions would reply that in fact it is the people of Montreal who have an accent, not them!
The Gaspésie region is Quebec's little sample of the Canadian Maritimes. The people of la Gaspésie have an accent very close to that of their Acadian cousins living in New-Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
The culture of the Gaspésie region is very much centered around the sea. The area is famous for its shrimps of Matane and the scenery of its sea coast, the Percé Rock, and Chic-Chocs Appalachian mountains.
There are 11 aboriginal peoples living in the territory of Quebec. Their influence on Quebec culture has been and continues to be significant. They are the ones who taught the first French settlers how to survive Quebec's winters and to adapt to their new country. Later, the French engaged in trade with a great number of tribes inside and outside Quebec.
There are many words in Quebec French that come from aboriginal languages, such as manitou (wizard) and mocassin (soft leather shoes) as well as many places, rivers and lakes that have a native name.