Why Tradition?

Mes vouex pour le Nouvel An

A wise man once said, “Tradition is not the worship of ashes; it is the preservation of fire.” This saying, attributed to the 19th century composer Gustav Mahler, is widely used today among traditionalists, particularly the young, who are bearing witness to the dissolution of Western traditions in modern society. Although moderns have diligently chipped away at the history, literature, art, and cultural and religious traditions that arose over many centuries in the West, their efforts have born particularly ripe fruit in the past three decades. From the decline of higher education into a forum for political ideology to the demonization of the nuclear family to the abdication of political and religious leaders to stand for any sensible morality, the effects of this “deconstruction” are myriad. Academic theories have now been injected into the daily lives of UPS drivers, homemakers, children, store clerks, doctors, etc, brought there by mass media, celebrities, teachers, and the courts, among many. 

So it is in this environment that Tradition is a pressing need. The widespread abandonment of tradition began in the second half of the 20th century and the first decades of the 21st. It has resulted among people in the West in a mass exodus from religious observance. An extreme example of this is Quebec. A fraction of this previously homogenous, Catholic society attends church, and it is widely considered one of the most irreligious places in North America. Elsewhere, even the most sacred religious holidays, such as Easter and Christmas, have become largely consumerist events. Culturally/nationally important days such as the 4th of July and Thanksgiving are now “controversial”, optional, even deemed racist and colonialist. Mainstream media regularly promotes the narrative that opting out of these defining heritage days is becoming the norm: that in a nation of immigrants it is somehow unfair to celebrate our founding. 

Enter an almost invisible culture whose roots extend back to the earliest days of the 17th century. For going on five centuries the place of the French in North America has been as tenuous as it has been unmoving. A colonial force here for less than 200 years, the descendants of Hebert and Rollet have spread throughout North America. Yet traditional French-Canadian life is a but a remnant in out of the way places. Vestiges hang on in families and some communal celebrations. Quebec is now “multicultural.” French is a language, not a bloodline or a culture. 

But for those of us who disagree with that sentiment, the potential for a revival of tradition remains. As increasing numbers of scholars, writers, and activists raise the alarm at the dismantling of gender, religion, freedom of speech, education, patriotism, etc., the solutions put forward in turn speak plainly: that communities, families, cultural identity, patriotism, ethnic pride, and faith are essential elements of a healthy society. This is as true among subcultures and micro-cultures like the Métis and French-Canadians as it is among our nations.

As I gear up to refresh Voyageur Heritage with a complete check of links, images, new resources, and slimming down, I do so with these our current circumstances in mind. I am mindful that we live in a world, the Western world, that is far different than the one we inhabited even ten years ago when this project first started. It is no less important now to simply remember, but all the more urgent to speak about, our history, our roots, our heritage. The dismantling of Western cultures includes its history and values. Voyageur Heritage is a symbol of my resistance to these destructive, post-modernist, eliminationist forces. I invite you to join me as the nouvel an begins.

–James LaForest – editor and writer