Published July 15, 2020
 
Le Kér Creole: Creole Compositions and Stories from Louisiana
A Collaborative Musical Ethnography by Bruce Sunpie Barnes and Rachel Breunlin
with Original Songs and Arrangements by Bruce Sunpie Barnes and Leroy Joseph Etienne & Artwork by Francis X. Pavy
 
For hundreds of years in Louisiana, lullabies were hummed, prayers were called, opera was performed, la-las were danced and work and carnival songs were sung in Creole. A francophone language with connections to West Africa, Louisiana Creole is now one of the most endangered languages in the world. 
 
In this musical ethnography, you will find 15 original and traditional Creole songs that cross time and musical genres such as blues, zydeco, and traditional jazz. African spirits, maroon villages, Congo Square, southwest Louisiana dance halls, and the Northside Skull and Bone Gang all make appearances. Beginning with an introduction to the history and grammar of the language, the accompanying essays include in-depth interviews with Creole speakers and their descendants, as well as photography, original artwork, archival documents, and altars. The book concludes with the Creole lyrics for each song, along with their English translations. 
 
OperaCreole founders pictured on page 34.