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After 1947 – Towards a Youth and Sports Policy Sports: The Bond of the French Union?

2011; Routledge; Volume: 28; Issue: 12 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/09523367.2011.592763

1743-9035

Évelyne Combeau-Mari,

Historical Studies and Socio-cultural Analysis

Abstract In the context of reconstruction, sport was a component of education and considered useful to complete the individual's training. Because sport brings people together, it was the ideal instrument to ensure the unity of a country racked by tensions and oppositions. Could not sport help restore the French Union, made vulnerable by the expression of Malagasy nationalism? The first part of this article describes the implementation and organisation of the new sports administration along the values it intended to promote. The second part covers the strategies developed by the colonial administration to regain control over sports structures, in line with the generalisation of the principle of free association in 1946. Thirdly, the paper analyses the revival of a sport policy officially focused on mass sports, but which in fact excluded the most popular activities. Keywords: 1947 RebellionFrench Unionyouth and sports policy sportseducational sportnationalist movement Notes 1. Following the Brazzaville Conference of January 1944 and the Conference of the United Nations held in April 1945 in San Francisco, not widely publicised in Madagascar. 2. The phrase 'French Union' was imposed by the 1946 Constitution. The French Union was first mentioned in the preamble, as the complement of the French Republic: 'France and the peoples of overseas lands form a Union based on equal rights and duties, regardless of race and religion.' See Yacono, Les étapes de la décolonisation française, 66. 3. A triple status was defined: Overseas Departments, Overseas Territories and Affiliated States. Madagascar remained an Overseas Territory. 4. This movement was created and became radical during the war through secret societies: PANAMA [Malagasy Nationalist Party], set up in 1941, and JINA [Jeunesse nationaliste malgache] [Nationalist Malagasy Youth]. 5. Despite competition from the moderate nationalists of the PDM [Parti démocratique malgache] [Malagasy Democratic Party] and from the partisans of the French presence within the PADESM [Parti des déshérités de Madagascar] [Party of the Disinherited of Madagascar], the MDRM won the 1946 elections to the French Assembly, for the second body of electors in the country's three constituencies. 6. In 1946, Ravoahangy and Raseta, Malagasy representatives, unsuccessfully lobbied the French government to obtain national independence. 7. See Goguel, Aux origines du mai malgache, désir d'école et compétition sociale 1951–1972. 8. Speech by Governor-General De Coppet to the Council of Representatives on 18 October 1946, Madagascar National Archives. 9. The military pacification operations undertaken in the country are detailed in 'Commandement supérieur des troupes de Madagascar et dépendances, Etat major deuxième bureau' [Madagascar and Dependencies Supreme Command Headquarters, 2nd Bureau], Madagascar, documentation sommaire, secret, Antananarivo, March 1948. 10. Numbers are approximate. Despite publications and symposiums, there remains a degree of uncertainty regarding this period. 11. David-Bernard, 'Le rôle de la France à Madagascar de 1895 à nos jours', 64–82. The author was a former member of the 1895 expeditionary task force. 12. Including Hubert Deschamps, Raymond Decary, Guillaume Grandidier, Jacques Faublée, etc. 13. H. Rouch, 'Préoccupations les plus immédiates' [Urgent concerns], weekly talk by the High Commissioner for Sports. Le Sportif, 12 January 1949, Madagascar National Archives. 14. Informations de Madagascar, 1340, 29 March 1947, Madagascar National Archives. 15. The Sports Commissioner in his regular weekly radio-broadcast on Radio-Tananarive. 16. Issues of Le Sportif magazine from 9 November 1948 to July 1949 are available at the Madagascar National Archives. The publication was stopped a few weeks later, following the resignation of its editor Mr Gafoor. 17. H. Rouch, 'Election des dirigeants sportifs' [Elections of sporting managers], Le Sportif, 9 December 1948. 18. See article by Raison-Jourde, 'Un deuxième 1947 en 1957? Les prolongements du soulèvement dans la mémoire et dans le contact avec les administrés', 227–44. 19. See Arnaud, et al., Le sport et les Français pendant l'occupation 1940–1944. 20. Members of PADESM, mainly elites in coastal areas. 21. Tenured, with at least two years experience in France, holding a degree in Physical and Sports Education. 22. By PE graduates. Mr Morand was a teacher at the Le-Myre-de-Vilers School, Mr Saumon at Lycée Gallieni, Mrs Arnaud at Lycée Jules Ferry [girls], Mr Winckler at the Collège moderne [Comprehensive School]. 23. Mr Goix was essentially in charge of sports equipment. 24. With the decrees of 12 October and 15 November 1945, School and University Sports became mandatory in French secondary schools. 25. Marianne Amar describes the Fourth Republic's incapacity to achieve its PE ambitions. Sport infrastructures and management training was particularly revealing in this regard. Amar, Nés pour courir, Sport, pouvoirs et rebellions 1944–1958. 26. Under the authority of the Head of the Territory and of the Ministry for Overseas Departments and Territories. 27. H. Rouch, 'Préoccupations les plus immédiates'. 28. The situation of sport in post-war Madagascar clearly shows that the country, although far behind France, was in fact comparable to other colonies [with the exception of Algeria and Indochina], some of which were much more deprived. See Deville-Danthu, Le sport en noir et blanc; Combeau-Mari, Sport et décolonisation, La Réunion de 1946 à la fin des années 60; Dumont, Sport et assimilation à la Guadeloupe. 29. H. Rouch, 'Le capital humain' [Human capital], Le Sportif, 25 November 1948. 30. In reference to works by Marey, La machine animale. 31. H. Rouch, 'Le capital humain'. 32. See Amar, Nés pour courir, Sport, pouvoirs et rebellions 1944–1958, 18. 33. H. Legrand, 'Un sportif doit rester digne et savoir vaincre les difficultés' [A sportsman must always show dignity and manage to overcome difficulty], La vérité du Sud-ouest, Article published in the 25 November 1948 issue of Le Sportif. 34. This action-oriented philosophy was the basis for the implementation of the wide-scale Youth and Sport Policy of the Vichy government. See Gay-Lescot, 'L'éducation générale et sportive dans l'Etat français de Vichy [1940–1944]'. 35. H. Rouch, 'Solidarité sportive' [Sporting solidarity], Le Sportif, 3 December 1948. 36. See Combeau-Mari, 'The Cult of Maréchal Pétain and the Enrolment of Youth under Governor Annet [1941–1942]'. 37. Spacensky, Madagascar, 50 ans de vie politique de Ralaimongo à Tsiranana, 1919–1969, 94. 38. In its August 1947 programme, the Ligue des intérêts franco-malgaches [Franco-Malagasy League of Interests] targeted the rois fainéants, i.e., the high civil servants appointed to Madagascar. Spacensky, Madagascar, 50 ans de vie politique de Ralaimongo à Tsiranana, 1919-1969, 96. 39. Interview of Louis Paoli made in Saint-Denis [Reunion] on 21 February 2000 [see Combeau-Mari, 'The Introduction of Gymnastics and Sport by the Military]. 40. The owner and editor of Le Sportif magazine, Mr Gafoor, of Indian descent, owned a sports shop in Antananarivo and was very much involved in sport. He chaired the infrastructures and regulations sub-committees in the Fédération des Sports Athlétiques de Madagascar [FSSAM]. He was also the Vice-Chairman of the Comité régional des sports de l'Imerina centrale [Central Imerina Regional Sports Committee], the most powerful sports committee, and Chairman of the Regional Association Football Committee. 41. Le Sportif, 4 February 1949. 42. H. Rouch, 'Elections des dirigeants sportifs' [Election of sports managers], Le Sportif, 9 December 1948 [emphasis in original text]. 43. H. Rouch, 'Une voix autorisée – Réflexions au sujet d'une finale de football' [An authorised voice: Some thoughts on a football final], Le Sportif, 19 November 1948. 44. The General Meeting for the constitution of the UGSM was held on Saturday 10 April 1948 at St Michel College. Les jeunes de Madagascar, 1, November 1948, CAOM, shelf mark POM B 519. The UGSM was replaced at the end of the 50s by the FMS, Fivondronan'ny Mpanantanja-Tenan'ny Sekoly, a non-religious Malagasy sports education organisation. The change in acronym testifies to the significant Malagasy appropriation of the idea. 45. The FSF replaced the Fédération Gymnastique et Sportive des Patronages de France [French Youth Fellowship Gymnastics and Sports Federation]. 46. M. Lagrance, S.J., 'Pour un sport chrétien' [In favour of Christian sport], Les jeunes de Madagascar, 1, November 1948. 47. Ibid. 48. J. Péquignot, 'Rapport moral du Président' [President's Report], Les jeunes de Madagascar, 4, March 1949. 49. Former des cadres' [Training managers], Les jeunes de Madagascar, 6, May 1949. 50. Ibid. 51. G. Arnaud, 'Les échos d'Antsirabe' [News from Antsirabe], Le Sportif, 30 April 1949. 52. Mr Gafoor, an active supporter of UASMED, was also a member of UGSM, the Catholic Union. 53. As a trader in sports articles, Mr Gafoor sponsored many sports competitions. 54. J. Vidal, 'Et les sports mineurs?', Le Sportif, 9 December 1948. 55. J. Vidal, 'Et les sports mineurs?', op. cit. 56. H. Rouch, 'Une voix autorisée – Réflexions au sujet d'une finale de football', op. cit. 57. H. Rouch, 'Préoccupations les plus immédiates', op. cit. 58. Contribution by Mr Rigou, OSSU Regional Secretary, Le Sportif, 28 January 1949. 59. The season opened in April 1948 and closed on 17 June 1948. 60. Minutes of the OSSU Annual Meeting, Antananarivo, Thursday, 13 January 1949, Madagascar National Archives. 61. H. Rouch, 'Assemblée générale du Comité malgache de l'Office du Sport Scolaire et Universitaire' [Annual Meeting of the OSSU Madagascar Committee], Le Sportif, 24 December 1948. 62. J. Vidal, 'Le sport scolaire à Tananarive' [School sport in Antananarivo], Le Sportif, 3 December 1948. 63. J. Vidal, 'Le sport scolaire à Tananarive', op. cit. 64. H. Rouch, 'Le brevet sportif populaire', Le Sportif, 20 January 1949. 65. ibid. 66. Such challenges [Challenge du nombre] were very popular in France. 67. In 1952, there were 156 associations with 7,327 licensed members; in 1954, there were 254 with 8,528 members and in 1955, 728 with 9,657 members. Goguel, Aux origines du mai malgache, 135. 68. A Resistance fighter, newcomer to the colonial world and to Madagascar, member of the Christian Democratic MRP [Mouvement Républicain Populaire], High Commissioner Chevigné was appointed in March 1948 as successor to the socialist Marcel de Coppet. 69. A traditional legal institution, well suited to the political aspirations of the Malagasy population. 70. Ralaimihoatra, E. Histoire de Madagascar, 2nd édition. Antananarivo: Société malgache d'édition, 1969: 288. 71. H. Rouch, 'Causerie hebdomadaire' [Weekly address], Le Sportif, 26 March 1949. 72. In 1952, the Department listed 156 associations and 7,327 members. 73. These major projects were taken over by his successor, General Commissioner for Sports Roger Erhel. R. Erhel, 'Les sports à Tananarive en 1952', in Tananarive, essai sur ses origines, son développement, son état actuel, Tananarive: Imprimerie officielle, 1952. 74. See Combeau-Mari, E. 'Sport and Decolonisation: the Community Games, April 1960'. 75. H. Rouch left Madagascar in 1951 and was replaced by R. Erhel.