Latannyèrizm: Louisiana Creole Art, Language, Life and Lore
An interview with multidisciplinary artist Jonathan Mayers about weaving together place, story, art and heritage so the endangered Louisiana Creole language can live on
By Language Landscape
Jonathan “radbwa faroush” Mayers
Bougo-yé sî Lak Pénœr (Foghorns on Lake Peigneur) (2018) by Jonathan MayersLanguage Landscape
Tell us about your relationship with Louisiana Creole.
I didn’t know that language would be as important to me as it is now before I went to grad school. Now a decade since I received my Masters of Fine Art from the University of New Orleans, I’ve come to read, speak, and write in French and Kouri-Vini, the endangered Creole language of Louisiana.
Jonathan Mayers' Portrait (2018) by Moïse FournierLanguage Landscape
These are two of my heritage languages; and my interest in Kouri-Vini continues to rise. Since 2018, I’ve used our language daily, whether in conversation or in written format including writing poetry and micro stories which accompany much of the artwork I create.
Trapping Muskrats In The Bayous Of Louisiana (1940-02) by David E SchermanLIFE Photo Collection
Why is preserving Creole so important in Louisiana today?
Living in a beautiful cypress swamp and marsh region prone to natural disasters, I’ve come to understand how important our communities and elders are – especially those who speak Kouri-Vini natively and those who grew up around it. I also feel as though I can express myself more fully in our Creole language, since I have an emotional and generational attachment to it: it was my great grandmother’s and grandmother’s first tongue.
Le Mille-pattes d'écrevisse terrorisant toujours Jennings (The Centipede Crawfish still Terrorizing Jennings) (2016) by Jonathan MayersLanguage Landscape
How does speaking Creole connect you to your heritage?
While tending his garden recently, my father expressed to me that when he hears me speak it, it reminds him of his grandmother and aunts who would speak it during their visits. Confirmations like these and others from family and friends I hold quite dear. Further, it’s thanks to their support and insight that I’m able to continue this shémin.
Gran Koshon fouré kont Gardyin Latannyé (The Great Wooded Boar vs The Palm Guardian) (2016) by Jonathan MayersLanguage Landscape
How do you incorporate Creole into your work as an artist?
Prior to becoming a poet laureate, my visual art, which consists of paintings of familiar Louisiana landscapes, newly imagined creatures and beasts, and illustrations all began to include Kouri-Vini in either their narratives, titles, or design themselves. I’ve come to call my style of work Latannyèrizm, a colloquial form of visual art which weaves language, place, and for me personally, Kréyolité Lalwizyàn, or Louisiana Creoleness.
La Louve blanche protégeant Rayne (The White Wolf Protecting Rayne) (2018) by Jonathan MayersLanguage Landscape
I find that writing and telling fantastic and mythological tales in Kouri-Vini which present facets of 21st century life is an integral part of continuing to build on our language repertoire of folktales and legends.
Bayou Barré by Jonathan MayersLanguage Landscape
Tell us about your current work involving Creole language.
To raise awareness and support the community, I’m currently prioritizing writing in Kouri-Vini while serving as the Baton Rouge Poet Laureate for 2021-2022. The first poem I wrote after Hurricane Ida was Dolo bliyé, “Forgotten Water,” which made reference to those forgotten who should not be and the immediate aftermath of the storm.
Bobogri a Bulbancha (2021) by Jonathan MayersLanguage Landscape
Some of the other work that I’ve completed concerning visual art and our language includes curating and managing multilingual collaborative projects called Mythologies Louisianaises and Mytoloji Latannyèr, creating illustrations for a Louisiana Creole language primer calledTi Liv Kréyòl, and teaching a basic Kouri-Vini component in summer art classes.
Educational materials and applications that I’ve lent my voice to include the Kont-yé en kouri-vini/Stories in Kouri-Vini YouTube channel, The Sound of Kouri-Vini/Louisiana Creole language over at the iLovelanguages YouTube channel, and of course, Woolaroo.
Poux de sable à la Grande Île (Sand Lice on Grand Isle). (2018) by Jonathan MayersLanguage Landscape
My artwork can be found at www.jonathanmayers.com. I also share some of my writing and artwork on Ìœnsta, or Instagram, @feral_opossum and Zozotœr, or Twitter, @jonathanmayers.
Weaving Life and Language with Woolaroo
Just as language can be woven into art, story and education, so too can it come to life in daily interactions. By presenting words for users' surroundings in endangered languages, Woolaroo is an app that draws connections between endangered languages and daily life.
Launch the experiment to discover the world in Louisiana Creole and more endangered languages.
Story and artworks by Jonathan Mayers.
My artwork can be found at www.jonathanmayers.com. I also share some of my writing and artwork on Ìœnsta, or Instagram, @feral_opossum and Zozotœr, or Twitter, @jonathanmayers.
