On Sunday, September 26, Baton Rouge Gallery’s Sundays@4 series is honored to welcome Jonathan Mayers, 2021 Baton Rouge Poet Laureate, for a special reading of works in Kouri-Vini, as well as their English translations. As with all Sundays@4 presentations, this event is free and open for all to enjoy.
In English
Baton Rouge Poet Laureate Jonathan Mayers is a visual artist, writer, and cultural activist who uses Kouri-Vini, the endangered Creole language of Louisiana, and French in his art and literature. His works can be found in publications such as Feux Follets and Le Bourdon de la Louisiane. He also represented Louisiana for La Dictée Francophone 2019 with his poem La Latanière. Mayers is currently co-editing a book of poetry in Kouri-Vini to be published soon.
“As a writer and poet, I’m interested in how language can address local and universal issues, how – and if – it plays a role in meaningful activism, and why our heritage languages are revered as exotic, yet generally don’t receive the support they need. My literary work, more well known in Kouri-Vini or French, addresses a breadth of subjects including the oddly mundane such as cats on rooves and internet video conferencing, the mythological Brineback, and socio-economic environmental impacts that capitalism, industrialization, and gentrification have had on our state’s residents.
At Baton Rouge Gallery, I plan to present some of my latest poems, including one written three days after Hurricane Ida hit our state. Aside from those, earlier texts that accompany paintings shown during my time as part of Luminous Lookout will extend the current dialogue presented in the gallery. My hope is that this reading will spark action: helping and healing family, neighbors, and our environment as we turn to better, more sustainable alternatives for the survival of people and culture in Louisiana.” - Mayers
In Kouri-Vini
Poèt loréya a Baton-Rouj Jonathan Mayers çé in lartis vijwèl, lékrivin, é laktivis kilchirèl ki sèrvi kouri-vini, langaj kréyòl en danjé a Lalwizyàn, é françé dan sô lar é litérati. Sô louvraj çé trouvé dan piblikasyon tèl konm Feux Follets é Le Bourdon de la Louisiane. Li otœr a La Latanière, in poèm li ékrí pou reprézenté Lalwizyàn pour La Dictée Francophone 2019. Astè-lá, Mayers ap ko-édité in liv a poézi en kouri-vini pou dèt pibliyé byinto.
“Konm lékrivin é poèt, mo intérésé dan komen langaj ka adrésé zafè lokal é linivèsèl, komen – é si – ça gin in rol dan laktivizm importan, é kofé nouzòt langaj néritaj-yé çé admiré tèl konm yê yé, mé en jénéral yé résévwa pa souchin yé bezwin. Mô louvraj litérati, pli konné dan kouri-vini obin françé, adrésé plènn sijé ki inkli zafè plat é normal konm sha-yé enho latwa-yé é fé réyiñon vidjo enho latwal, mytolojik Do-Somir-la, é konsékens sosyo-ékonomik é lenvironmental ki kapitalizm, lindistri, é jentrifikasyon té méné koté moun ki viv dan nouzòt léta.
Koté Baton Rouge Gallery, mo plan pou prézenté særtin mô dènyè poem-yé – in ki té ékri trò jou apré louragan Ida té frapé nouzòt léta, osit. Apar ça, tèks ki va avèk pinti-yé montré pendan mô tem konm memb dan Luminous Lookout va élarji dyalòg-la prézenté dan lagaldri astè-lá. Mô swèt lékti-çila va alimé difé pou fé aksyon: édé é géri famiy, vwazin-yé, é nouzòt lenvironmen pendan nou viré koté in shmin ki myé pou souchin lègzistens a moun é lakilchi dan Lalwizyàn.” - Mayers
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Mayers says Kouri-Vini, the endangered Creole language of Louisiana, is central to his work within both art and literature. His work can be found in "Ti Liv Kréyòl," "Folklore Figures of French and Creole Louisiana," "Feux Follets" and "Le Bourdon de la Louisiane," among others.
“Jonathan’s work inspires others to protect and preserve the historic Creole culture within Louisiana; the combination of both Kouri-Vini and his talents will help keep this language alive for future generations,” Broome said. “This unique asset will strengthen the cultural fabric of our community. I look forward to seeing how this will shape his tenure as poet laureate.” - excerpt from The Advocate
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