This weekend, in Old Nice, marked the inauguration of a great Niçoise lady, Catherine Ségurane, also known as Catarina Segurana. An important work of remembrance for the generations to follow.
On this November 19th, around 50 people gathered for the commemoration of Catherine Ségurane.
All these people came together to celebrate the history of Nice but also this extraordinary woman. Her name already suggests it, from its simple Spanish root as Segura or Seguro means assurance.
One of the most famous figures of Nice, Catherine Ségurane is depicted as a woman of the people, a laundress. This woman, “érouina Nissarda,” is at the heart of Niçoise identity. The myth claims that during the siege of Nice in 1543, she knocked out a Turkish ensign with a laundry paddle and simultaneously stole the enemy flag. This act of bravery allegedly destabilized the adversary and repelled the assault of the French infantrymen and Turkish janissaries who were united against the House of Savoy. She symbolizes, in the collective imagination, both the resistance of a city against the invader and the mobilization of an entire people, especially the women whose fate in times of war was all but determined.
This commemoration and the fight against forgetting began with a gathering in front of the Catherine Ségurane stele, with a morning serenade,
featuring dances by the Ciamada Nissarda at 9:45 a.m.
Then at 10 a.m., Monsignor Blanchi celebrated a mass at Saint Augustine’s Church with liturgical texts and hymns in Niçard.
Finally, around 11 a.m., a tribute was paid in front of the Catherine Ségurane stele with speeches by officials, sometimes in Niçard for those familiar with the language.
For travelers, it’s a great way to learn about Nice’s tumultuous history, and for young people, it’s a way to remember what Nice was and what constitutes its values.
At the end of the speeches, traditional dances from the County of Nice in traditional attire, as well as a glass of friendship, were offered by the City.
Let us not forget to highlight the presence of Jean-Marc Giaume, Municipal Councilor in charge of Historical Heritage, Archeology, Niçoise Language and Culture, Community Councilor, representing Christian Estrosi, Deputy, Mayor of Nice, and President of Nice Côte d’Azur.
As well as Eric Ciotti, President of the General Council of Alpes-Maritimes.
It was, therefore, a beautiful journey through time and a duty of remembrance that should never wane.
