Christine Igot lives with her family in a small seaside community. After retiring from her career as a French teacher, she uses her voice to make booming, informative and upbeat declarations
In May 2022, Christine Igot donned a feathered hat, white ruff and multicoloured tabard in the middle of the market square in her home town of Annapolis Royal, Canada. “Oyez! Oyez! Oyez!” she shouted while ringing a bell at a bemused crowd. “My gracious lords and ladies, wily judges, esteemed citizens and visitors, the town of Annapolis Royal greets you, along with any layabouts, ne’er-do-wells and scallywags, who are most certainly present!”
The retired French teacher, who was 60 at the time, was taking part in her first “cry-off”, where she was competing against another hopeful for the role of town crier. “It’s a tradition that dates back to the medieval era, when town criers would read the news to the public,” Igot says. “Now, it’s like being an ambassador for a local community. Once a week, you stand in the town square and announce any goings-on. Except it’s all good news.”
