Northwestern to host Louisiana Studies Conference Saturday

NATCHITOCHES - Northwestern State University will host the 16th Annual Louisiana Studies Conference on Saturday, Sept. 14 in the A.A, Fredericks Center for Creative and Performing Arts. Presentation sessions will begin on Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. and run until 4:45 p.m. Scholars from throughout Louisiana as well as Alabama, Florida and Texas will make presentations on aspects of Louisiana architecture, religion, folklore, art, history and literature. Admission to the conference is free and open to the public.

This year's conference theme is Lyrical Louisiana. Throughout the day more than 30 scholars, cultural authorities and creative writers will make presentations. Some of the many topics to be discussed include Louisiana literature, architecture, carnival, spirituals, education, ethnic cultures, linguistics, history, archiving, class and race relations, folk tales and songs, preservation and country music. Creative writers will also address the conference theme, including poets John P. Doucet, Rebeca Macijeski, and David Middleton. As well, filmmakers Conni Castille and C.E. Richard will screen portions of their new documentary Ancestral Artistry: The Influence of Africans & Creoles of Color on Louisiana Architecture.

"Louisiana music and literature has an emotionally resonant depth which reflects a shared history lived within a unique geographic and cultural landscape," said Dr. Shane Rasmussen, director of NSU's Louisiana Folklife Center and co-chair of the conference. "Attendees at this year's conference will get an increased appreciation of the richness of Louisiana music, culture, history and literature. We want to invite anyone who is interested in Louisiana culture, traditions and history to join us and to take part in these conversations!"

The Saturday morning keynote, "Influential & Popular Fiddle Tunes & Styles of 20th Century Louisiana," will be given by music historian and musician Ron Yule, accompanied by The Medicare Stringband. A musical history of Louisiana folk music, the lecture will be supplemented by songs performed live which will exemplify the changing fiddle styles. The Medicare Stringband is made up of accomplished performers, with three of the members being Louisiana State Fiddle Champions: Clancey Stewart (2018), Joe Suchanek (2017 and 2024), and Ron Yule (2019).

The keynote address will be followed by the presentation of the winning essays from the 16th Annual NSU Louisiana High School Essay Contest. Writing on the 2024 contest theme "Lyrical Louisiana," entrants wrote lyric poems inspired by Louisiana and pieces of creative non-fiction about a Louisiana musician or song that inspires them.

Several of the winning entries will be presented at the conference and all will be published in the Louisiana Folklife Journal, the Louisiana Folklife Center's scholarly journal. This year's Contest winners are Elayna Babineaux of Hahnville High School in Boutte for her first-place winning poem "I Sway," Ren Sercovich of Belle Chasse High School for her second-place creative non-fiction essay "Dr. John and the Electric Sounds of New Orleans," Lela Miller of Glenbrook School for her third-place creative non-fiction essay "Outshine the Darkness " and Madelyn Fossum of Central Lafourche High School for her Honorable Mention winning poem "Ode to Hurricane Ida."

"It was a privilege to be able to spend time with work by young writers from all over the state each year," said Dr. Rebecca Macijeski, associate professor of English and coordinator of the Creative Writing Program at NSU of the Contest entries. "The range of creativity, research and expression is always inspiring. If I get to work with writers like these in the Creative Writing Program at NSU, I will be one lucky individual."

A complete conference schedule can be found on the Louisiana Folklife Center's website at https://www.nsula.edu/folklife/louisianastudies/. For more information call the Folklife Center at (318) 357-4332.

The Conference is co-sponsored by the Louisiana Folklife Center, the Department of English, Languages, and Cultural Studies and the Northwestern State University College of Arts and Sciences.