At the close of 2024, the Haitian Creole Language and Culture Program that I founded at the end of 2023 in Indianapolis, capital of the great state of Indiana, entered its second phase with a new wave of excitement and partnership. Researchers, language students, experts of all kinds have already manifested for the new session, which started on September 30, 2024. I briefly sampled the Creole program in a recent conversation with eminent linguist Albert Valdman, Rudy Professor Emeritus, and distinguished professor Kevin Rottet, both from Indiana University Bloomington, and the reception was overall positive; those present argued the “project is worth pursuing,” given the growing segment of the Haitian population throughout the great Hoosier State and the need to improve the narrative painted of Haitian immigrants in the Midwest following the unfortunate dynamics in the current US political climate against them.
Prior to the meeting, prolific Indigenous scholar and mentor Dr. Serafín M. Coronel-Molina, director of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) within the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies at Indiana University Bloomington, had praised the program by highlighting its means of empowerment and inclusiveness. “Teaching Haitian Creole language and culture goes beyond mere preservation; it empowers a nation, expands educational and economic opportunities, and promotes a more inclusive society both locally and globally,” he stated.
The points of inclusivity and increasing opportunities are at the core of the program, and they may be two of the most common reasons learners are attracted to start the learning journey of a foreign language. We should also remember Dr. Coronel-Molina was one of the first to join the project with a very important grant via CLACS to cover the operational costs of the summer 2024 session.
How has this program reshaped my presence, values, and beliefs of the world?
I started the program with the aim of having a medium to grow people’s knowledge of and sharpen their skills in the Creole language and culture, which resonates in countries like Haiti and states like Louisiana. That was the precept or the goal at its inception. However, one week after the flier for the summer class was sent out and the fact sheet published on Indiana University’s website (https://events.iu.edu/clacs/event/1455940-haitian-creole-language-and-culture summer-program), a very decent number of people reached out to be enrolled in the class. At the end of June 2024, the program registered almost 50 students from different corners of the US, and we added a new beginner class online, which makes it three adult classes—two beginner and one intermediate. An Indy-based center for wellness requested an invoice for seven people from the organization with the comment: “my coworkers want to learn Creole to better connect and assist the Haitian population in Indianapolis.” That day, I came home to whistle the news in the ears of Eliza Corneille, my ride or die, and she was not surprised at all. “I anticipated the outcomes,” she said. The level of surprise came with me fighting the imposter syndrome by downplaying the importance or potential impact of the program. Later, other families requested on social media and by email a Creole children’s class. I was reluctant in the beginning to create a new course because we were already in the middle of June and the opening of a children’s class would require specific logistics, new teachers, and facilities. I sincerely thought we were not ready, but the call for children to learn Haitian Creole was greater than my own self. On the Saturday morning of June 29—with support from Partners in Literacy Haiti, an organization that focuses on early literacy development of children in Creole reading, writing, speaking, and listening, and the Haitian Association of Indiana—we launched the Creole children’s class with eight students in person and two online from New York City. For five weeks, those young scholars from different backgrounds and walks of life, and different language proficiencies, learned to count, introduce themselves, and sing Bouki and Malice’s songs, which cover the pantheon of the Haitian folktales. Those children were guided by three wonderful instructors, Evelyn Pierre, Sarah Fox, and Naitile Fehrenbacher.
A nine-year-old girl who is not of Haitian descent bumped everyone’s hearts on the first day of the program. Her family drove nearly 60 miles on Saturday mornings to bring her to the Creole class. Following her mother’s account, her goal was to acquire enough proficiency in the language to be able to communicate with her new neighbors. Gracefully, her family listened to her heart. Among these new neighbors, there were young Haitians who caught her eye and had a different life story to narrate. For this little girl, “otherness” does not exist in her world, nor would she like to create it. She seems to embody the cultural sensitivity one needs to break barriers and act for a better world.
Overall, the summer session was a success with 43 Creole language active learners, under the guidance of three instructors (Rochenide St Preux, Evelyn, and me); the coordinator of the Creole club, Junior Mesamours; and two volunteers: Sarah Fox and Naitile Fehrenbacher. One Saturday, the city of Indianapolis deputy mayor Judith B. Thomas even stopped by our Creole children’s class to meet our young learners and share insights on the importance of early literacy for child development—very sweet memories with someone who cares deeply for the growth of our children.
From a Student’s Perspective
After the program, I reached out to two students, one online and one in person, to learn from their experience with the program.
Q1: After completing the summer session, do you think you acquired enough skills to engage in conversations with peers?
R1: “After completing the Haitian Creole Language and Culture Program, I feel that I have acquired the skills necessary to engage in basic conversations with my Haitian peers about daily routines, my home, and my likes and dislikes.”
R2: “I have been learning multiple languages from a very young age, including English, Spanish, and French. Of all the language classes I have taken, Haitian Creole was the first that encouraged me to construct sentences from day one. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself exchanging greetings with my classmates by the end of the first session. This approach helped me gain confidence in my speaking abilities early on, as it emphasized practical, real-time use of the language. While I still have much to learn, the summer session provided me with a solid foundation in both vocabulary and grammar, enabling me to engage in conversations. It also deepened my understanding of Haitian culture and gave me the tools to continue improving through practice and further study.”
Q2: We know learning a language also involves grasping cultural nuances and boosting confidence. Do you think the program reached these goals?
R1: “The program has provided me with a solid understanding of Haitian culture, particularly regarding cultural expectations and communication methods. I believe it successfully met its goals of teaching me about Haitian society and culture. I now feel confident about discussing cultural dynamics, some aspects of history, and the structure of the language. This class has not only expanded my knowledge beyond just language comprehension but also given me the confidence to communicate effectively, knowing that I understand what I’m saying.”
—Naitile Fehrenbacher, double major in criminal justice and psychology with a minor in international studies at Indiana University Bloomington
R2: “While I never wanted class sessions to end, my favorite part of each class came at the conclusion when our instructor, Rochenide St Preux, played videos of popular Haitian stories or songs. These moments allowed us to experience the language in a cultural context and made the lessons more immersive. Rochenide also shared fun facts about Haiti throughout the class that deepened our understanding of the country’s rich history, traditions, and customs. These cultural insights not only made learning more enjoyable but also helped us appreciate the broader significance of the language in everyday Haitian life. I hope that a similar program is offered next summer!”
—Johanna Cajina, communications manager at the Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute at the George Washington University, who recently completed her MA in international affairs from the same institution.
Like Lauren Collins, a correspondent for New Yorker magazine, said, “learning a foreign language is a quietly revolutionary act.” I think this sentence resonates even more with learning Creole, the language of the former enslaved people, from where the “Négritude stood up for the first time and proclaimed its faith in its humanity,” to repeat the great poet Aimé Cesaire in Notebook of a Return to the Native Land.
Websder Corneille (wecorne@iu.edu) is the founder and director of the Haitian Creole Program and adjunct lecturer in Haitian Creole language and Haitian studies at Indiana University.
