On the Cover: Lané a kawènn-la (The Year of the Turtle)

Artwork by Jonathan “radbwa faroush” Mayers

by

Démarsh lartistik

Mo krò çé bokou importan pou montré boté apré é komen iti çé lenvironmen natirèl a Lalwizyàn-la, ça-ki atiré otan moun isit. Sipriyè majèstik-layé é maré imens-layé çé plas-yé ayou maron brav-yé établí réfij épi kiltivé latè pou surviv. Latanñé-yé fourní motiryal pou fé kouvèrti épi kontinnwé jordi fourni motiryal pou fé pañé parmi moun indijènn olon kot-la. Rozo fourni in bariyè pendan tempèt-yé é labri pou pwason. Sasafras dònn gou dan særtin nô méyœr manjê é ka sèrvi pou fé médikamen. Dolo çé fòs-lénérji ki nouri toukishòj dan réjyon-çila—parti L’Eau est La Vie Camp a Rise St. James a Louisiana Bucket Brigade, fenm-yé té fé bokou pou protéjé nô lenvironmen é montré moun sô relasyon avèk nô santé é byin-èt. Nô lakilchi kréyol çé bati avèk surviv, fasèté par plin rasinn dan minm manyè in lékay kawènn vini formé. Nouzòt gin pou chombo in mashwa fòr konm sochin pou kontinnwé parlé nô langaj. Kawènn-la, konné konm hachotakni en chata, çé in kalité torti en kouri-vini, langaj kréyol en danjé a Lalwizyàn-la, é françé Lalwizyàn (caouenne), en plis Krewe de Cowan ki tou-fémèl. Yê nom té oté pendan Maddi Gra akòz ça gin in doub-tendé apré paròl-la ki olé di sèks fémèl osit. Malgré Lané a kawènn-la té komplété avan Koronaj-la (tem dan-ki nouzòt té viv ak KOVID-19), ça té sèrvi konm in simbòl pou toulédé 2020 é 2021 é ça kontinnwé sèrvi konm ça—ayou moun gin pou adrésé yéchin linjistis-yé kont pòpilasyon souréprézenté, in aprésyason apré rishès donné nou par Damm Natir ki pa montré mizèrikòd akòz nô sakré mañè trété li, é fenm dédiyé ki gin rasinn divèr otour moun-yé mèné nou pou répònn swañèzmen kriz lakilchi, moun, é lenvironmen.

Byin mèsi a Doktè Christophe Landry é Adrien Guillory-Chatman.

Artist Statement

I believe it’s important to highlight the beauty and usefulness of the natural environment of Louisiana, which draws so many people here. The majestic swamps and vast marshlands are places where brave maroons established sanctuary and cultivated earth for their survival. Palmettos provided roofing material and continue to provide material for basketry for Indigenous populations along the coast. Roseau cane, or marsh reed, creates a barrier during storms and a home for fish. Sassafras adds flavor to some of our favorite dishes and holds medicinal properties. Water is the life-blood that nourishes every being in this region—from L’Eau est La Vie Camp to Rise St. James to Louisiana Bucket Brigade, women have done their utmost to protect our environment and raise awareness about its relationship to our health and well-being. Our Creole culture is one of survival, faceted by many origins much in the same way a kawènn’s shell is formed. We have to keep a strong jaw like it does to continue speaking our language. The kawènn, known as hachotakni in Choctaw, is “alligator snapping turtle” in Kouri-Vini, the critically endangered Creole language of Louisiana, and Louisiana French (caouenne), plus the all-female Krewe de Cowan. Their name was censored during Mardi Gras due to the double-entendre of the word, whose alternative meaning is a slang term for female genetalia. Although Lané a kawènn-la (The Year of the Turtle) was finished prior to the Coronage (the time in which we lived with COVID-19), it then served as a symbol for both 2020 and 2021 and continues to serve as one—where humanity must address its injustices against underrepresented populations, an appreciation of abundance given to us by Mother Nature who shows no mercy for humanity’s reckless behavior, and steadfast women of various origins around the globe lead us to respond conscientiously to cultural, humanitarian, and environmental crises.

Special thanks to Dr. Christophe Landry and Adrien Guillory-Chatman.