What Makes a Culture?
I believe there exists a division between those who speak Creole and those who do not. It is not a new division, but it is something that is growing. It is a division that demonstrates that two Creole realities can exist at the same time in terms of how one interacts with the culture differently. A Creole speaker tries to hold to an aspect of the heritage that many have let go of. They become nostalgic until the point they become philosophic, forming hypotheses. Usually, the Creole speaker surrounds themself by people who speak their language and who share similar ideas. They recognize their culture is in a dangerous state that will disappear if the language disappears.
It’s nostalgia that tries to remind us of the thing that ties our culture together, and for many of us, it’s our language. It’s the language in which everything Creole was born. Our traditions, food, and even how we speak English, they all have roots that are found in this language. People eat etouffee, gumbo, and courtbouillon without understanding where they come from and what they mean. There are those who listen to zydeco and who go to Congo Square without being able to understand the words they hear. They are musicians who redo Creole songs, who cannot pronounce the words. There are those who say bokou, ga, mé lá, shè, and bébé, but call it Louisiana slang. They call dipin pèrdi lost bread and change the pronunciation of their names. Well, is the language going to save us?
For some, it's family that ties everything together. Transmitted traditions, accents that surmount language, and the environment that influences us like the softshell turtles we are. There are others who specify that it's our ancestry that makes us Creole and makes the culture strong. However, I would like to add to this conversation. It’s intentionality that holds the culture together. It’s the people who intend to transmit what they have been taught to the next generation. People who intend to and who try to improve their community. Even those who question what they have learned. That is what ties the culture together. A conscient community that works to remember and evolve for the benefit of all. The language, music, stories, food, accents, environment, family, and community are Creole culture.
Taalib Pierre-Auguste
Taalib Pierre-Auguste, member of the Jou Jòrdi team, is the former president of C.R.E.O.L.E. Inc. and a member of the Creole movement. He has written three books: Koushma: Kondamé-la, Le Langaj a Lèspwa, and Kréyol dan la Gazèt, published by Les Éditions Tintamarre.
