Haitian Creole is the native language in Haiti and is also widely spoken in New York. Introduction to Kréyol is a beginner class with a focus on developing listening skills and speaking skills to allow you communicate with native Creole speakers. The program will also introduce some basic grammar rules and vocabulary. The instructor will use documents and videos during the learning process. You will also engage with the history and struggle of the Haitian people.
The Creole language was forged in the former French plantation colonies in the 17th to the 19th centuries among the populations of the Caribbean Islands and the Indian Ocean Islands. The Creole language was the first step for enslaved workers in the French plantation colonies who spoke many different languages to find a common method of communication in order to organize and emancipate themselves from the oppression of slavery. Although the Creole language is a mixture of European, African, and Native American languages, it refers to its own grammatical structure, vocabulary and expressions.
Nowadays, Creole is most widely spoken by a large part of the populations in the Caribbean countries (former French plantation colonies and current French territories), in Louisiana (USA), in the Indian Ocean Islands (current French territories). In New York (USA), Creole is used in many official administrations. Haiti’s population is the largest Creole-speaking population in the world.
Join us for an introductory course on the basics of the Creole language as well as its rich historical and contemporary context!
DETAILS
*Course contributions are sliding scale. No one turned away for inability to pay. Please contact us if you have any questions.