Taalib Pierre-Auguste, a multifaceted Louisiana Creole author, culture bearer, and community engager is living proof. Born in Baton Rouge, Pierre-Auguste spent his childhood with family in Opelousas and Prairieville interacting in Creole and Louisiana French. Through education and literature, Pierre-Auguste has published novels, “Le Langaj a Lèspwa” and “Koushma: Kondamé-la,” which dive into the diverse history, language, and folklore of Louisiana Creoles.
As Vice President of C.R.E.O.L.E. INC. Pierre-Auguste is prepared to share the knowledge from his upbringing and experiences while learning from others within the Creole community. Le Louisianais interviewed Pierre-Auguste about the digital and in-person revitalization of Kouri-Vini, the importance of community engagement, and what linguistic collaborations to expect in 2025.
Quinn: How can the youth and young adults of today connect and learn Kouri-Vini in person and digitally?
Pierre-Auguste: Today, I would say it is easy for anyone of any age to connect to not only the culture but also the language. Digitally, we have been able to form these online enclaves where one can find many Creoles, non-Creoles, Creolophiles, etc. speaking, writing, and interacting in the language. There is also a plethora of videos on the internet in the language that can help people learn.
I do believe, however, that the best way of connecting and learning is by being present in the community outside of the digital realm. Recently, we have begun to see a resurgence in ethnic identity and ethnic reclamation (one can say this was only amplified after the pandemic), and so now people are questioning why we are losing so many cultural aspects whether that be language, folklore, recipes, etc. Nevertheless, I will say that we are lucky as we have many people who remember how things were done in the past, they remember songs, recipes, and stories, and are now shedding the fear of speaking their language.
These people, usually of the older generations, want us (young folks) to be invested as they see that things are being lost. They want us to come sit down with them, listen to their stories, and, as Mrs. Vickie Clément (from an interview I recorded with her) said, “We need to get to know our neighbors again.” So, I would tell everyone to search for the cultural events and go to them, search for the Creole tables, and go to them.
Quinn: What are some challenges that you face throughout your time of sharing Louisiana’s heritage languages?
Pierre Auguste: One of the biggest challenges that I would say is the financing. Trying to find financing, trying to convince institutions or organizations to invest in heritage languages proves difficult at times but once they agree it makes the job a lot easier.
Quinn: As a young Louisiana Creole author, who writes in Kouri-Vini, what are your hopes and visions for Creole literature and the arts?
Pierre-Auguste: I envision Creole literature to be open to the idea of exploring and branching out into areas that do not focus on our specific Créolité and are not anchored to our past. I hope that one day, hopefully during my lifetime, we see more young and passionate writers using the Creole expression while writing and that this literature opens to include not just the Creole language but all minority languages of this state.
It is through the arts that I see the modernization of the Creole language the most, and I can only imagine that this unique relationship that Creole is forging with the arts continues for generations to come.
Quinn: Please share any flowers you would like to give in efforts to revitalize Kouri-Vini equitably.
Pierre Auguste: The revitalization of Louisiana Creole is one that takes a community and for that, I would like to extend my gratitude to everyone who calls Louisiana home and consistently works to preserve and deserve the cultural landscape of the state whether intentionally or subconsciously.
Quinn: What linguistic activations and initiatives can people look forward to from you in 2025?
Pierre-Auguste: I, with my friend Karla Ewing, are currently organising an event called Le Rassemblement de Jeunesse Louisianaise that will see the gathering of French and Creole speakers across the state for a weekend of workshops, discussions, and panels focused on economics, politics, linguistics, coastal erosion, and history.
[This event will take place on the weekend of Festival International in Lafayette between April 25-27. ]
