Description :
As part of the European project Tramontana Network (Réseau Tramontana / Rede Tramontana), co-financed by the European Union, this episode of Radio Pays’ “Orality and Humanity” collects the oral testimony of Jacques Biela, a farmer from Castell de Candau, in the Morland region. Through his detailed and vivid account, Jacques shares his knowledge of the rural environment, local language, agricultural practices and the transformation of rural life over the decades. His testimony illustrates the importance of oral heritage in preserving the memory of territories and the relationship between people, work and landscape.
Jacques Biela describes his return to farming and his attachment to the family land, explaining how the farm, inherited from previous generations, shaped his life and identity. He recalls traditional agricultural practices, the names of local places and fields, and the vocabulary used to describe the landscape. His memories reveal a close relationship with the land, where every plot, path and neighbourhood carries a historical meaning. He also reflects on the disappearance of certain rural practices and the changes brought by agricultural modernization, particularly the transition from animal traction to tractors and mechanized farming in the 1960s.
The interview also preserves memories of traditional rural skills and everyday work, including animal care, blacksmithing and the use of agricultural tools. Jacques recalls the knowledge transmitted by his father and the physical demands of farming before mechanization. Through his precise descriptions of forgotten techniques, local names and agricultural traditions, his testimony becomes a valuable record of a changing rural world. The episode highlights how oral history can safeguard intangible cultural heritage and give visibility to the experiences of people who have shaped rural landscapes through their work.