In Toulouse, with the gradual end of health restrictions, the inclusive choir Kokeliko was able to reopen its rehearsals to its beneficiaries and volunteers in a room.
The choir, created by the charity Main Tendue 31 in 2017, has the particularity of welcoming both volunteers and people who have had a life course marked by the street in order to put words to their emotions.
Its register alternates classics of French song, gospels or Zulu songs that the small troop interprets in particular during funerals of homeless people.
"We lose on the change because he doesn't make pastries," laughs one of the volunteers.
The singing teacher of the Kokeliko choir, Florence Bonicel, has just announced to the small group that she will soon be replaced by Joseph Broussaudier, choirmaster at Mirail University, now retired.
The chorister refers to the cakes that Florence concocted for them before the health crisis, at each rehearsal.
No sooner had she taken over at the evangelical church in the Marengo district than this rather special choir had to separate from one of its founders.
The project, launched in 2017 with the charity Main Tendue 31, is based on the desire to make the voices of people who have experienced the street heard, by mixing them with volunteers in a choir. inclusive.
Brassens, Piaf, Cabrel, Capeo…
“Singing has therapeutic virtues, it does a lot of good for morale
,
” underlines Martine Guyon, volunteer for fifteen years at Main Tendue 31 and former chorister at the Blagnac conservatory.
The beneficiaries forget their worries, relearn to listen to their bodies and regain self-confidence.
»
Today, Florence has planned a general revision session for the small team of about fifteen people, from all social backgrounds, to show their new teacher what they have been working on lately.
To avoid being embarrassed, some wear masks specially adapted for singing.
On the program, classics, such as Brassens, Piaf, Cabrel, but also gospel, Zulu, and even Claudio Capéo.
The troupe tries its hand at the latter's song,
A Standing Man
.
“This one is pretty but difficult,” remarks Paolo, one of the oldest beneficiaries.
"It's disgusting that people go alone"
Apart from the free concerts, Kokeliko sings in particular during the funerals of the homeless organized by the Goûte de Vie association.
It is this aspect that became Paolo's main motivation, first coming to kill time.
He took part in the adventure in 2017. “I come to sing a lot for funerals because it's disgusting that people leave alone.
I would like to pay them a last tribute,” confides this 45-year-old Christian who has been staying for a year and a half in a social hotel in the city center.
Trained as a cook, he reveals that he also worked for a time at DisneyLand Paris where he wore the costume of the dog Pluto.
Houari, he joined the choir more recently, in 2020, a year after his arrival in France.
“I did a lot of karaoke in Algeria, in Oran.
I already knew these songs because I have always loved French culture, I even had an online chat room where we exchanged between enthusiasts, ”says the 46-year-old man, who hopes to be regularized soon to be able to work again.
In the meantime, this trained electrician is also sleeping in a hotel in Muret.
“Kokeliko is like a big family to me.
The atmosphere is very friendly and we help each other a lot between volunteers and beneficiaries, even outside.
»
However, many homeless people can no longer come to rehearsals, the resumption having been conditioned on the health pass.
The choir nevertheless hopes to be able to resume its outdoor concerts next spring.
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Music
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Toulouse
homeless
Society
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