Europe’s last untouchable – Marie Beauzac, the only known Cagot still alive

Marie Pierre-Manet Beauzac claims to be the last living Cagot, a caste of European outcasts from the Pyrennes of Spain and France

Genealogy projects sometimes take strange turns. Whether you’re using centuries old birth records from churches tucked away in remote hills on the European continent to sending away for your DNA results that end up revealing a 5% African gene presence, you’re more often than not presented with unexpected surprises.

Marie Pierre-Manet Beauzac of the French Pyreenes is no exception. The arrival of children in her life led her on to a quest to discover her roots and what she found was quick a shock: she is descended from the Cagots, a people that were outcasts from Medieval Europe. We can’t be certain that she is the world’s last Cagot, but what we do know is that the existence of the outcast Cagots in Europe is not everyday knowledge. Much about the Cagots is blurred thanks to the fog of history and the deliberate destruction of documents by Cagots themselves who wished to be rid of their lower-caste status.

Here are some thoughts on where the Cagots came from, who they are, and what we do know about their treatment in Europe:

The people first emerge in documents around the 13th century. By then they are already regarded as an inferior caste, the “untouchables” of western France, or northern Spain. In medieval times the Cagots – also knows as Agotes, Gahets, Capets, Caqueux, etc – were divided from the general peasantry in several ways. They had their own urban districts: usually on the malarial side of the river. These dismal ghettoes were known as Cagoteries; traces of them can still be found in Pyrenean communities such as Campan or Hagetmau.

For hundreds of years, Cagots were treated as different and inferior. In the churches, they had to use their own doors (at least 60 Pyrenean churches still boast “Cagot” entrances); they had their own fonts; and they were given communion on the end of long wooden spoons. Marie-Pierre adds: “When a Cagot came into a town, they had to report their presence by shaking a rattle. Just like a leper, ringing his bell.”

Daily Cagot life was likewise marked by apartheid. Cagots were forbidden to enter most trades or professions. They were forced, in effect, to be the drawers of water and hewers of wood. So they made barrels for wine and coffins for the dead. They also became expert carpenters: ironically they built many of the Pyrenean churches from which they were partly excluded.

Some of the other prohibitions on the Cagots were bizarre. They were not allowed to walk barefoot, like normal peasants, which gave rise to the legend that they had webbed toes. Cagots could not use the same baths as other people. They were not allowed to touch the parapets of bridges. When they went about, they had to wear a goose’s foot conspicuously pinned to their clothes.

Quite interesting. Here’s the speculation on their background:

The Original Obama: RFK

Bobby Kennedy campaigns in Indianapolis during May of 1968, with various aides and friends, including (behind and left of Kennedy) former prizefighter Tony Zale and (right of Kennedy) N.F.L. stars Lamar Lundy, Rosey Grier, and Deacon Jones

Obama is being touted as the antidote to the almost eight years of continued disaster under George “Dubya” Bush. He has compared himself to JFK in the sense that he’s an outsider seeking the Oval Office. JFK was an Irish Catholic, and Obama is obviously a black man, two groups that haven’t necessarily dominated the Presidency of the USA. Bill Clinton was described as “America’s first black President” but he was more of a small town boy done good who moved his party to the centre at the expense of the traditional leftwing backers of the Democratic Party.

Looking back a bit further and we see the proto-Obama in JFK’s brother, RFK. The younger Kennedy returned to politics not too long after the assassination of his brother, but was a different man. Whereas JFK was a Cold Warrior and a centrist politically, RFK was much more of a liberal and much more in tune with the social situation prevailing in the USA during that era. Much had changed from 1963 to 1968, and RFK not only was aware of the changes but was able to ride that tide of change. The commonality between RFK and Obama stand on two items: the notion of “hope” and their appeal to black voters.

As Americans decide which candidate will succeed Dubya and as the world cheers Obama on to spite American Republicans, we’re left to wonder if Obama really has the ability to enact change like he promises. RFK was tragically assassinated during his run for the Oval Office while on campaign in California where he was promoting change.

Thurston Clarke takes a look back (and provides several excellent photos) at that momentous time in: The Last Good Campaign.