The young Review of the history of New France is bringing its number 3 onto the market these days. Published by Septentrion and available in bookstores, this magazine aims to make the history of this founding and fascinating period of our past, New France, accessible and known to as many people as possible.
In Quebec, you can count on one hand the number of magazines aimed at the general public and dedicated to history. This is in contrast to a country like France, where dozens of magazines focusing on the past hit newsstands every month.
So it takes a certain amount of courage and passion to launch a new history magazine here and hope that it reaches enough readers to make it viable. However, this is the bet that some intrepid people have made in recent years by launching a new magazine dedicated exclusively to the history of New France.
Each issue has different sections and deals with a specific topic. Issue 1 was about French settlers, while issue 2 was about magic and witchcraft. Issue 3, published December 5, focuses on Catholic missionaries in New France.
I spoke to deputy editor-in-chief Sylvain Lumbroso so he could tell us about the magazine and the themes of this third issue.
The magazine's leaders are innovative in the way they spread the history of New France, as shown in this first page of a comic telling the story of the renegade Récollet. Editions du Nord
How did the idea of publishing a magazine on the history of New France come about?
At the end of 2019, Quebecers and French historians came together because they believed that New France deserved a magazine. This need was felt on both sides of the ocean. The magazine was originally published in France. However, since the majority of readers were in Quebec, a new cradle for the title had to be found. The Editions du Septentrion in Quebec were quickly identified. Since 2022, the history review of New France has been printed here twice a year and then distributed in Quebec and France. We have arranged a regular meeting with readers who would like to find out more about their past.
Who is the target group of the magazine?
We are aimed at a very wide audience both in America and Europe. Our articles often tell the stories of little-known people whose lives read like a novel. Our ancestors were very creative: they often had amazing attitudes that made good stories! Our magazine therefore contains many very accessible articles with dramatic storylines that will keep the reader on the edge of their seats. Those interested in history will also find what they are looking for here, as our pages provide the results of the latest research in the area of New France.
What topics and files are covered in No.? 3?
Number 3 deals with the conquest of souls. This is a very sensitive issue as we touch on religious missions and Aboriginal conversion. For example, we tell the story of a young Innu who was raised by Recollect monks who sent him to study in Europe at the beginning of the 17th century. Upon his return to Canada, this man met a tragic end. The magazine looks back at the fate of this Innu to understand the roots of our history. On the unprecedented page, a professor reveals to us his discovery of a series of mysterious letters in French that he discovered in Toronto. Among these stories is the crazy saga of a monk who eventually joins the English. We have translated this fascinating story into a comic. The review is intended to be both entertaining and very informative.
Are you not afraid of quickly exhausting all the topics when you focus specifically on New France?
On the contrary, we are overflowing with original proposals. For example, one of the next topics will return to unsolved crimes in New France. We will continue the investigations begun several centuries ago. Rest assured, the archives are full of unpublished documents!
The cover of number 3 of the magazine, dedicated to the “Conquest of Souls” by missionaries in New France. The Revue d'histoire de la Nouvelle-France is available in all bookstores and by subscription on the magazine's website at www.rhnf.ca (Éditions du Septentrion) Édition du Septentrion