CREOLE CULTURAL NEWS FLASH: The Art of Teaching Demands Repetition by John laFleur II This note might equally be entitled, To Whom It May Concern as I have already spoken to the enduring fog of local-regional ignorance concerning the true history, culture and ethnic identity of South and southwest Louisiana, southern Mississippi and southeastern Texas, as well; that CULTURAL identity being Creole, for the former Canadian-French, Franco-Europeans, Spanish, our Metis descendants, Creoles of Color and yes, including our Acadian-Creoles too. One of the most effective teaching tools is the art of routine repetition and review of previous lessons tied to current lessons in order to present the bigger picture to students both old and new. As a published author, recognized expert or scholar of Louisianas (creole) French, and our historic multi-ethnic people, I have spent decades of my life and 25 yr. career as a former French language and cultural educator responding to questions, concerns and anxieties of many of my students and apparently, those of their parents and grandparents concerning their/our shared cultural heritage and French language traditions across the State. As every good educator/teacher and scholar knows, the quality of ones lessons is only as good as the quality of the teachers research, study, and art of communication, both written and spoken. I LOVE to read and STUDY as much as I LOVE to WRITE. And, some of you may have noticed too, that I LOVE to TEACH or SHARE my writings-FREELY-for the greatest good possible to intelligent and appreciative folks. But, as was and is often the case, in the classroom, some are not intelligent, nor grateful for their FREE EDUCATION. Great teachers, from Jesus to Ghandi, to Pope Benedict have all had their naive, fault-finding critics who misunderstand or misconstrue their motives, their enthusiasm and passion in each their respective areas of expertise. My friend, scholar extraordinaire, Chris Landry for example, has at times been called a racist bc he told the truth of history; history unknown to naive and undiscriminating followers of foolish traditions. Considering the audiences of large numbers of ignorant and often miseducated, frequently hostile and unconverted souls, great teachers in every classroom must unfortunately encounter, its no wonder that so many dont go into this now increasingly dangerous field. Ignorance and miseducation are social and environmental deficits which take time and careful detection, evaluation and treatment -especially if any individual, community, group or class has emerged from a largely non-literate culture or changing political situations which introduce/impose a new language and cultural-political ideology upon those of a previously foreign culture. This has been the case in Louisiana where we began as la Nouvelle France or popularly known as the Louisiana Purchase Territory from 1699 to 1762, in which latter year she then became Spanish and eventually was very briefly returned to France in 1803, only to be sold to the young Anglo-American colonies in a matter of days of the same new year! And, even after Louisiana (now the reduced portion of the lower part of the boot of the former territory of Orleans), becomes a State in 1812, the French and French Creoles are still coming and reinforcing her foreign language ( which the former Acadians and their creolized descendants also reinforced), & Latin cultural character. And, strangely enough, our first American governor William Claiborne does not force English usage upon the diverse Creoles who protest its imposition and general adoption. The fact that the Americains were outnumbered in this former foreign country of la Louisiane surely played a part in his decision as much as his marriage to a Creole lady of New Orleans royalty. It would be another 104 years however, before our creole form of French was to be banned from schools and American English enforced. My own deceased father well-recalled the hostile and often cruel treatment and punishments all French and Acadian-Creoles suffered should they slip up and speak to one another (or God forbid), their English-speaking teacher in the only language they knew. It is with this background of cultural and psychological trauma that motivated many our parents to discontinue speaking any of our two forms of Louisiana French. And, it was this inherited insecurity and its challenge to be American for social and economic success which created a powerful and painful identity conflict which sadly resulted in a racially-based cultural taxonomy of Creole as black and Cajun according to Anglo-American federalists Jim Crow-era racial ideals. To be unequivocally white was both the goal and the challenge for a largely French-Indian/Metis and Afro-Creole society where such a concept was as foreign as, -English! Out of Reconstruction (read, racial apartheid), hatred was socially- and legally-enforced, notwithstanding numerous voices of unheard protests. This new racial cast system would now mobilize the masses of fearful, if not ignorant folks to seek clever social means of ensuring their security in this new and foreign culture which was ever-resented. The American Civil Rights movement forced a nascent democracys maturation and growth, in many areas besides 19th century Womens Suffrage (voting), to their other Rights, such as divorce etc., and the enfranchisement of the much-abused human and civil rights of former Creoles of Color and also for all African Americans. And, although greatly resented and feared by some, Democracy continues ever forward. And, thus we became legal Americans and adhering to these new social ideologies, however unchristian, there arose those men, who for both social and economic reasons began to reconstruct Louisianas historic and shared cultural identity into a weird racial Siamese twin which without regard for history or our peoples dignity began to wrongly label all French-speaking whites as if they had all come from Acadian Canada, and all and only black French speakers as Creole however historically false. And, this has been the case of miseducation and ignorance for now forty-six years within our community classroom. Can there really be any wonder then, that this teacher sees the NEED of continuing to teach, repeat and publish the articles I do-at no cost to the public-grateful or ungrateful? I do not write for the foolish or mentally-lazy person who is pleased to accept the lies, distortions and abuses of every ethical, moral and biblical principle which constitutes the fabric of human decency and civilization. I welcome all who treasure the truth of our history and our shared multi-ethnic culture and people; those unappreciative need pass me by when trolling the internet. For these, its clear that ignorantly, they dont see the bigger picture of the significance of my work and educational mission or that of others who share my dedication. An artist paints, a scholar studies and writes, and cooks cook! Would these detractor-lame toes expect these dedicated.people to cease their work on the.basis of its too much? So, lets never eat again! For such negative detractors/people, neither our use of French, nor the loss of our true and distinctive cultural identity matter. Some, I do believe, WOULD sell their parents graves for money, and have allowed their parents to be placed in nursing homes, or to die so that they might gain their money sooner than later. They would seem pleased to have me discontinue teaching, writing and publishing these truths. These remind me of the surly, ignorant and troublesome students I once had to tolerate; many of whom never went to college, often preferring partying and many of whom I see in prison, where I work to provide for myself. Its this characteristic selfishness and lack of true values which dismisses all moral duty which allowed, condoned all of the immoral crimes committed (and still being committed), and our historic Cajun cultural fraud and deceit isnt it? Still, I taught for 25 years, and there were always a larger number of intelligent, grateful and honest students, many of whom are now beloved friends who so benefited from my work and kindnesses, even as I have from the many scholars Ive learned from and befriended over the years of my study. My hope and belief is that the lives of the many are richer for having embraced the truths and facts I freely shared and continue to share with them, even to unknown numbers through the internet and my e-books. As is the case with all good teachers, I am certain that my works and teachings will not have been amiss. To YOU, I say, merci, and for YOU, I continue to thank God, the righteous judge of all the Earth. As a Creole I have lived, as a Creole I shall die; a Creole, I shall rise. My work, will long survive me.
Posted on: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 17:37:16 +0000
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