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“In our global
family it is remarkable how we all have a common eminence manifest
through our professional success and position in society” as David
Ardill underlined in Tucuman. The story of our family has flourished
just as well and brilliantly in South America where there are some 300
“de Chazals and relatives”, descendants of Francois and Guy. “Our
forebears would have been proud to see how the family spirit is alive
and well” as Virginia Taylor stated in her message read by her son
Richard Dold during the reunions. Words alone are not strong enough to
convey and describe the strong family bond, solidarity, generosity and
kindness that pervaded the South American reunions. We were a score of
privileged people from Europe, Australia, the United States, Mauritius
and the Seychelles to live these intense times.
Firstly
it was the Bolivian Saga with the whole town listening in on the
different activities of the Chazfest. Each succeeding day the local
press reported on and had photographs of this wonderful week. Lunch and
dinner dances, a fashion show at which our talented cousin Montserrat
Masanes presented her latest creations, a picnic at the estate of Carlos
de Chazal, the second of that name, where we tasted so many local
specialities to the strains of a traditional folk band and an
extravagant and colourful luncheon in the generous home of Dolly Masanes.
A week full of emotion, and we will not readily forget our inauguration
into honorary citizenship of the astonishing town of Conception,
cultural town of humanity, also the gift to each of us of a cassette
showing a two hour video of the reunion.
It was a privilege to meet the last of Guy’s sons Carlos, head
of the family and a great patriarch.
To
the rhythm of the tango, it was a fantastic Argentine cavalcade to
discover the town of Tucuman and the surrounding hills under the
influence of the seductive voice of Maria Eugenia and the malbec local
wine, bottled specially for the occasion by Juan de Chazal, a doctor
from Mendoza. Then an unforgettable concert of secular songs by Carmina
Burana in the Alberdi theatre accompanied by the Tucuman symphony
orchestra, our cousin Maria Eugenia being honoured once again for her
brilliant direction of the choir. A perfect temperature for the final
picnic which took place at Silvana’s hacienda where in a rare spirit
of communal brotherhood we feasted on the superb Argentine quality beef,
danced and listened to the spontaneous orations of different members of
the family. A day ending late into the evening such was the reluctance
to leave each other. Lucio, what wonderful orchestration and Negrita
what an effervescent de Chazal!
A
particular thanks to Jorge Giordano who travelled more than 5000
kilometres by car with his wife Roxana and their three children to be at
the two reunions. Also to Maximo Bach who was also at both reunions,
after the Tucuman reunion he had to continue his journey in the
overnight bus with his family, as he was unable to continue his journey
because of a serious mechanical problem with his car. What can one say
of our Bolivian cousins who, after an epic journey by bus lasting 36
hours, brought their cheerfulness to bear throughout the Tucuman
Chazfest.
A huge bravo to the organisers of these reunions who have given
themselves so much trouble, also to Pierre de Chazal for promoting this
Chazfest on the internet site http://www.dechazal.net . The poor
attendance of those overseas was the only downside and it is a pity. Are
we less curious, less daring, less adventurous, than our elders? Are we
aware that we are privileged to belong to such a family? Few families in
the world are able to boast of such an historical past full of
exceptional people with uncommon stories to tell, well thought of for
their probity and courage. It is true that the recent awakening of our
family after a long hibernation, due to its dispersion, needs time and
patience. More than a thousand people on all the continents, we are
certainly unlike in culture and language, but these differences generate
an impressing dynamism carrying us into the future. We should quickly
react, evolve and unite. We should, one and all, feel concerned and
bring our contribution to the family. New strengths should emerge,
notably amongst the young. To those who have already done such a lot for
the family, Virginia Taylor, Pierre and Tristan de Chazal, I ask them to
for one more effort. To the organisers of the reunions, Francois de
Grivel, Sonia, Monica, Chachi, Oscar (first cousin to the past president
of Bolivia, Hugo Banzer), Renato, Lucio and Augusto, Maria Eugenia,
Silvana, Christopher, I would encourage you to persevere. To those who
hope to take part in the renaissance of the family I would ask you to
make yourself known to JPDECHAZAL@aol.com
. For my part, my devoted contribution, being the eldest of the senior
branch of the family, will be passionate and determined.
On another subject, I wish to bring to your attention a generous idea
put forward by Nelly et David Ardill, our cousins from the Seychelles;
to help a young person from the family who is unable to pay for their
education, to finance their studies This idea deserves success, please
share your ideas with david.ardill@iotc.org
Following
many suggestions during the Bolivian and Argentine reunions and also
because a number of Bolivian cousins have requested French nationality,
it would be sensible to organise the next Chazfest in the country of
origin of our family, France, for a week during the summer of 2007. It
would be appropriate to choose the date in relation to the Southern
Hemisphere scholastic calendar, bearing in mind that in Bolivia, as in
Argentina, pupils have only 15 days holiday in July. Francois de Grivel
has suggested a bus tour, the itinerary to be as follows: Paris, la
Sablonière (Pierre de Chazal’s home in the 18 century), the Chateaux
of The Loire, then the Auvergne, cradle of the family where there are
still some remains of the château de Marcilly le Chatel and finally to
end at the banks of the Dordogne. This reunion would represent a huge
organisational task and difficult logistics, it should be the work of us
all. For example, Suzanne de Chazal would take on the publicity in North
America and at the same time collate the participants from there. Julien
de Chazal from Australia would endeavour to help the family find the
cheapest air fares. Damien Serre could be in charge of, and arrange
accommodation. Tristan has always thought that France would be an
obligatory Chazfest destination. Could he, with Claudine, supervise this
Chazfest in his homeland of France?
With
Best Wishes
Jean-Pierre
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