CODOFIL’s Louisiana French Exhibit in Acadia Parish
Acadia Parish Tourism hosts CODOFIL’s Louisiana French: Preserve & Evolve Traveling Exhibition this month
CROWLEY, La. (press release) – Acadia Parish Tourism hosts the Louisiana French: Preserve & Evolve, a multilingual traveling exhibition organized by CODOFIL, throughout September at the Acadia Parish Visitor Center in Crowley.
Supported by a Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities Rebirth Grant and the State of Louisiana, the exhibition explores the past, present and future of Louisiana French while challenging common misconceptions about the language and the people who continue to speak, teach and preserve it.
“Acadia Parish has deep connections to Louisiana’s French language and culture, so we are especially excited to bring this exhibition to Crowley,” said Acadia Parish Tourism Communications Director Chere Ledoux.
“This exhibit reminds us that Louisiana French is more than something preserved in history books,” said Ledoux. “It continues to live through our music, our communities, our families and the people choosing to speak and learn it today.”
Why a Louisiana French Exhibit?
Louisiana French, along with its sister language, Louisiana Creole/Kouri-Vini, has shaped Louisiana’s culture and identity immeasurably. Yet the language has often been misunderstood or dismissed as “broken” French or even as a language that has disappeared.
Organizers share that Louisiana French: Preserve & Evolve offers a different perspective, one of a living language with its own distinct character, deep historical roots and connections to the wider French-speaking world.
Since its debut in 2024, the exhibit has traveled to communities across South Louisiana, including Eunice, Abbeville, Jennings and Lafayette.
The exhibition is free and open to the public throughout September at the Acadia Parish Visitor Center (401 Tower Rd., Crowley, La., 70526) during regular visitor center hours, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Exhibit Features
The exhibition invites visitors to discover the many ways French has been used across generations and communities in Louisiana.
Artifacts
Historical and contemporary materials include:
- An 1845 Louisiana Constitution
- 19th-century French-language newspaper headers
- 1917 Louisiana catechism
- Music and literature
- Bilingual signage
- Louisiana French internet memes
- Selections from the Dictionary of Louisiana French
Louisiana and France
Visitors can also test their ears with an interactive activity comparing recordings of French speakers from rural Louisiana and rural France.
Profiles
Another section highlights the people and organizations working to ensure Louisiana’s heritage languages have a future. Profiles highlight French and Creole language activism across the state, including:
- French Tables
- OpéraCréole
- École Pointe-au-Chien
- Route Lafayette
- Families and community members incorporating French into everyday life
Music
The final portion of the exhibition emphasizes that language preservation is not only about documenting the past; it depends on people choosing to speak, learn and share these languages today.
The exhibit incorporates music and interactive elements, including Jourdan Thibodeaux’s “La Prière,” to encourage visitors to consider their own relationship with Louisiana’s linguistic heritage.
Resources
Visitors will also find resources to continue their exploration beyond the exhibition, including information about learning French, French Table gatherings, scholarships and other opportunities to become involved with Louisiana’s French-speaking community.
For additional information about the exhibition or visiting Acadia Parish, contact Acadia Parish Tourism Communications Director Chere Ledoux:
- 337-783-2108 (Office)
- 337-277-7367 (Cell)
- Chere@acadiaparishtourism.com
Also explore the Notre Propre Histoire Project at a May French Table in Rayne.
