Passing It On workshops are one of the types of workshops supported by the Bayou Culture Collaborative. They are taught by a tradition bearer to pass on a tradition in one of the coastal parishes in Louisiana or highly endangered traditions. We provide funds to an organization or the tradition bearer for workshops or mini-apprenticeships and expenses generally cover the teacher honorarium and supplies.
All funds for Passing It On workshops have been spent for workshops through June 30, 2023. We hope to be able to support additional workshops next year.
Contact: Maida Owens, Louisiana Folklife Program, folklife@crt.la.gov to explore possibilities.
2023 Passing It On Workshops
Spilt Oak Basketmaking
DATE: May 22-26 2023
PLACE: West Baton Rouge Museum, 845 N. Jefferson Avenue, Port Allen, LA 70767
TIME: 9 AM - 3 PM
DESCRIPTION: Participants will learn the art of making split white oak baskets from gathering materials in the woods to constructing a basket to keep from start to finish in a weeklong series. Tradition bearer Geraldine Robertson is eager to educate participants every inch of the way from locating, throwing (taking down, and busting (splitting) the tree in the woods to gathering weaving strips (thinner split white oak materials) and posts (thicker split white oak materials) and ultimately fashioning handmade baskets from the collected materials in a workshop space at the West Baton Rouge Museum.
COLLABORATORS: West Baton Rouge Museum
FACILITATOR: Geraldine Robertson
REGISTRATION: Open to the public. Limited to 30 participants. To register, email Jeannie Luckett at luckett@wbrmuseum or call 225-366-2422. This program is open to high school students and adults who can commit to the five-day deep learning experience.
Dansa Azteca
DATE: Sundays April 16, 23, 30, May 7, 2023
PLACE: 112 Coast Guard Road, Dulac, LA 70353
TIME: Sunday April 16 2 pm. Sundays April 23, 30, and May 7 at 2 pm
DESCRIPTION: Participants will learn how to honor the 4 directions, the danza de Cruz de Moi, the danza de Mayahuel and the danza de Tonantzin along with the drum and rhythm accompaniment.
COLLABORATORS: Krewe de Mayahuel
FACILITATORS: Patricia Corral
REGISTRATION: Full.
Adding Curved Roofs to Buildings
DATE: Saturdays, May 6, 234, 27, 2023
PLACE: 135 Guzzardo Lane, Independence, La 70443
TIME: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm (noon)
DESCRIPTION: Quang Huynh will present a four-part workshop on adding Asian curved roofs to existing buildings. Week 1 is Placing the Architecture in its historical and cultural context (2 hours). Week 2 is Moving from Practice to Implementation (2 hours). Week 3 is Building the Frame (3-4 hours). And week 4 is Installation (3-4 hours).
FACILITATORS: Quang Huynh
REGISTRATION: Work series is open to the public. To register, send your name to Quang Huynh,acupuncture.vn@gmail.com, or contact 713-319-7593.
Carding and Spinning Acadian Brown Cotton
DATE: Saturday, May 10 and 17, 2023
PLACE: 225 Guidroz Street, Arnaudville, LA 70512
TIME: 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm
DESCRIPTION: Participants will learn the art of carding Acadian Brown Cotton in preparation for spinning. They will use the resulting rolags to learn the art of spinning Acadian Brown Cotton into thread. Tradition bearer Gerald Thibodeaux will educate and instruct from 4-6 participants to card and spin brown cotton into usable thread for future projects. This is a two-day workshop.
FACILITATORS: Gerald Thibodeaux
REGISTRATION: Open to the public, limited to 6 adults. To register contact stlucimmersion@gmail.com. Classes will be posted on EVENTBRITE and Facebook.
Drum Making Workshop
DATE: Saturday, June 24, 2023
LOCATION: Community Outreach Office, 5414 Shrimper’s Row, Houma, 70363
TIME: 10 am
DESCRIPTION: Participants will learn how to prepare the hide and attach it to the drum ring. They will make drumsticks by cutting the leather and preparing the cotton batting.
COLLABORATORS: Grand Caillou/Dulac Band of Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw
FACILITATOR: Shirell Dardar
REGISTRATION: Limited to community members. To register, contact Shirell Dardar at shirellparfaitdardar@gmail.com, 985-791-2222.
Past Passing It On workshops
- Vermilion Parish Cajun Songs and Dance Traditions, Abbeville
- French Idioms and Expressions, Thibodaux
- Mardi Gras costume designing, Krewe of Tradition, Houma
- Cajun music, Cajun Music Preservation Society, Thibodaux
- Houma Indian gumbo making, Chauvin
- Wood carving, Terrebonne Folklife Center, Houma
- Houma Indian Palmetto weaving, Janie Luster, Theriot
- Traditional plant storytelling, Pointe-au-Chien
- Pointe-au-Chien traditions, Pointe-au-Chien
- Houma half-hitch palmetto weaving and Spanish moss doll making, Janie Luster and Ann Luster Robichaux, Theriot
- Brown cotton weaving, Elaine Bourque, Lafayette
- Sewing regalia, Grand Caillou/Dulac Band of Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw, Chauvin
- Indian foodways, Atakapa-Ishak Chawasha, Grand Bayou Indian Village
- Cypress paddle making, Center for Traditional Louisiana Boat Building,Lockport
- Cloth doll making, Jessica Brown, Houma
- Healing plants and gardening, Botanica: A Series of Conversations, Neighborhood Story Project, New Orleans
- Cypress dugout pirogue restoration, Center for Traditional Louisiana Boat Building, Lockport
- Medicinal herbs and the traiteuse tradition, Marlène Toups, Thibodaux
- Traditions and storytelling, United Houma Nation, Golden Meadow
- Adding Curved Roofs to Buildings, Quang Huynh, Independence
- Grayhawk's Shaving Horse Program, Grayhawk Perkins
- Grayhawk's Storytelling Program, Grayhawk Perkins
- French Storytelling Program, Richard Landry
- French Singing, St. Martinville
- Bousillage Workshop, Dale Pierrottie
- Adding Curved Roofs to Vietnamese Buildings, New Orleans/Independence
- Waxed Paper Flowers, Thibodaux
- Creole Storytelling, New Roads
- Caning, St Martinville
- Crochet, Arnaudville
- Aztec dance, New Orleans
- Split oak basketmaking, Port Allen
- drum making, Houma
For details about these workshops that were previously supported, see Passing It On Workshops.
