RECLAIM, RECONNECT, RESTORE:
Living Tradition through Language with Kouri-Vini

 A Chinbo x NOAAM Collaboration

Across the state, from New Orleans to Opelousas and beyond, descendants of Creole-speaking ancestors hold a common hope — to reconnect with their history and legacy. Chinbo, Inc. is on a mission to help Louisianians reclaim the power of language found deep in the history of their family and communities.

For the past two years, we have partnered with the New Orleans African American Museum (NOAAM) through The Heritage Lab, a modular learning space designed to spark creativity, cultural confidence, and community connection. Together, we’ve shown how language can be both a tool of preservation and a source of joy. Through the Heritage Lab, we have hosted interactive cultural activations, unveiled the first-ever film in Louisiana Creole (Tambou), and created opportunities for people of all ages to hear, speak, and live the language in new ways. These experiences prove that Kouri-Vini is not a relic of the past — it is a living tradition ready to guide our future.

Looking ahead, Chinbo, Inc. and NOAAM will expand this work by offering NOAAM’s historic tours in Kouri-Vini, introducing more immersive experiences, and facilitating educational conversations that connect language to land, memory, and identity. Each step is designed to make the language more accessible and to ensure that every participant — from heritage learners to culture-bearers — has a pathway into this living tradition.

Join us on October18 at SATURDAYS @ NOAAM  for an activation full of history and language. This immersive event brings together community and families to experience life in Kouri-Vini and explore how the language can reconnect us to the land, to one another, and to our shared future. Throughout the presentation, visitors will participate in a fully immersive workshop and learn practical ways to begin or deepen their own language journey.

And don’t miss our annual Gou é Gèt Festival (“Taste and See”), held this year on October 25-26. This two-day celebration offers an intimate experience of Louisiana Creole culture — featuring a Latab Kréyol, literary presentations, genealogical explorations, and live entertainment. Gou é Gèt is where tradition meets creativity, inviting you not only to witness Creole heritage but to taste, see, and live it.

Whether you are a fluent speaker, a curious beginner, a fan of our Heritage Lab activation space, or simply someone who believes in the power of language, you have a place and space with us at NOAAM in October. Our team of educators and culture bearers will be waiting to build lakomminoté (community) with you.

Help Chinbo, Inc. in its mission to save Kouri-Vini for the next generation of Louisianians.