Passing It On workshops are one of the types of workshops supported by the Bayou Culture Collaborative. They are taught by a tradition bearer who would like to pass on their tradition through a workshop that provides deep learning. Priority is for tradition bearers and traditions in parishes endangered by coastal changes or who practice a highly endangered tradition. We provide funds to an organization or the tradition bearer for workshops or mini-apprenticeships. Expenses generally cover the teacher honorarium and supplies.
Contact the Louisiana Folklife Program, folklife@crt.la.gov, to explore possibilities for this year or future years.
2025 Workshops
Winnsboro Easter Rock Workshop
DATE: March 8, 12 and April 12, 2025
PLACE: Original Truelight Worship and Cultural Center
TIME: Noon to 2 pm
DESCRIPTION: Participants will learn the songs, music, movement, craft and food traditions of the Winnsboro Easter Rock.
FACILITATOR: Hattie Addison
REGISTRATION: Registration is open to the Winnsboro Easter Rock Ensemble community. Contact Laketa Addison to register: levylaketa@yahoo.com.
Shell Carving Workshop
DATE: April 5, 2025
PLACE: Cultural & Educational Resources Center, Tunica Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, 150 Melancon Road, Marksville, LA 71351
TIME: 1 pm
DESCRIPTION: Participants will learn how to carve shells for jewelry worn for self-adornment and decoration.
FACILITATOR: Alex Alvarez of the Parch Creek community
REGISTRATION: Registration is open to the public and limited to 20 people. The workshop is free to members of Tunica Biloxi families and $25 for the public. Register by email babette.bordelon@tunica.org, or call 800) 272-9767, ext. 7430.
Mojiganga (Giant Puppet) Workshop
DATE: April 26, 27 and May 3-4, 2025
PLACE: New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival
TIME: 11:00 until 6:00 pm.
DESCRIPTION: Participants will learn how to make the frame for the body and arms, mix and add the papier mache' on the frame, paint the puppet, and create the clothing.
COLLABORATOR: Krewe de Mayahuel
FACILITATOR: Angelica Chavarria Gonzalez
REGISTRATION: Registration is limited to members of Krewe de Mayahuel. For more information contact Krewe de Mayahuel at mayahuel.nola@gmail.com.
Ribbon Shirt Workshop
DATE: May 3, 2025
PLACE: Cultural & Educational Resources Center, Tunica Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, 150 Melancon Road, Marksville, LA 71351
TIME: 1 PM
DESCRIPTION: Participants will learn how to embellish their own button-up shirts with native colors and designs using ribbon.
FACILITATORS: Brenda Lintinger, Stephanie Escude. and Vicky Holbrook
REGISTRATION: Registration is open to the public and limited to 15 people. The workshop is free to members of Tunica Biloxi families ages 14+. Register by email babette.bordelon@tunica.org, or call 800) 272-9767, ext. 7430.
Split Oak Basketmaking Workshop
DATE: March 15-21, 2025
PLACE: South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center, 7910 Park Avenue, Houma, LA 70364
TIME: 10 am to 3 pm
DESCRIPTION: Participants will learn the art of making spilt oak baskets from start to finish - from gathering materials in the woods to constructing a basket to keep – in a five-day series. Tradition bearer Geraldine Robertson is eager to educate participants every inch of the way from locating, throwing (taking down), and busting (splitting) the tree in the woods to gathering weaving strips (thinner split white oak material) and posts (thicker split white oak material) and ultimately fashioning handmade baskets from the collected materials.
FACILITATOR: Geraldine Robertson
REGISTRATION: Registration will be open to the public. Limited to 20 participants. To register, email jforet@slwdc.org, call 985-580-7289, or submit this form. This program is open to high school students and adults who can commit to the five-day deep learning experience.
Warrior Cap Workshop
DATE: Saturday, April 13, 2025
PLACE: 112 Gourmet Rd, Carencro, LA 70520
TIME: 10 am - 12 pm
DESCRIPTION: Participants will learn to make a warrior cap to be worn for Tribal events and Powwows to show their Canneci presence.
COLLABORATORS: Canneci Tinne Apache Tribe
FACILITATOR: Nant’a Cougar Goodbear
REGISTRATION: Open to Citizens of the Canneci Tinne Apache Tribe.
Apache-Choctaw Sewing and Quilting Workshop
DATE: June 22,23, and 24, 2025
PLACE: Ho Minti Society Cultural Camp at Toledo Bend State Park in Zwolle, LA
TIME: 1:30 – 3:30
DESCRIPTION: Participants will learn how to read and cut out a pattern; thread a sewing machine; how to use quilting racks; quilt by hand. Each participant will do an individual project.
COLLABORATOR: Ho Minti Societ
FACILITATOR: Pam Cartinez
REGISTRATION: Registration will be open to the public. Limited to 15 participants ages 12 and older. To register, email pamcartinez@hotmail.com or call Pam Cartinez at 318 471-5854.
Corn Culture Workshop
DATE: June 22,23, and 24, 2025
PLACE: Ho Minti Society Cultural Camp at Toledo Bend State Park in Zwolle, LA
TIME: 1:30 – 3:30
DESCRIPTION: Participants will learn how to make cornshuck dolls, cordage and baskets and how to shell and grind corn.
COLLABORATOR: Ho Minti Society
FACILITATORS: Sierra Legarde, Bayou LaCombe Choctaw, corn shuck cording and uses of the cordage. Brittany Himenez, United Houma Nation, corn shuck dolls. Rhonda Gauthier, Choctaw-Apache, shelling and grinding corn and making corn shuck baskets.
REGISTRATION: Registration is open to the public and limited to 20 people. The public will be responsible for paying fees at North Toledo Bend State Park entrance. Register by email rhndgauthier@gmail.com or call 318-609-2317.
Past Passing It On Workshops
Since 2019, 63 Passing It On workshops have been supported with over $119,000 in funds from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Louisiana Division of the Arts.
Below is a sampling of those workshops. Learn more about the tradition bearers, traditions, and their community connections in the Passing it on Workshops Database.
Tradition Bearers’ Completed Workshops
- Vermilion Parish Cajun Songs and Dance Traditions, Abbeville
- French Idioms and Expressions, Thibodaux
- Mardi Gras costume designing, Krewe of Tradition, Houma
- Cajun music, Cajun Music Preservation Society, Thibodaux
- Houma Indian gumbo making, Chauvin
- Wood carving, Terrebonne Folklife Center, Houma
- Houma Indian Palmetto weaving, Janie Luster, Theriot
- Houma pigments and dyes, Baton Rouge
- Traditional plant storytelling, Pointe-au-Chien
- Pointe-au-Chien traditions, Pointe-au-Chien
- Houma half-hitch palmetto weaving and Spanish moss doll making, Janie Luster and Ann Luster Robichaux, Theriot
- Brown cotton weaving, Elaine Bourque, Lafayette
- Sewing regalia, Grand Caillou/Dulac Band of Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw, Chauvin
- Indian foodways, Atakapa-Ishak Chawasha, Grand Bayou Indian Village
- Cypress paddle making, Center for Traditional Louisiana Boat Building, Lockport
- Cloth doll making, Jessica Brown, Houma
- Cypress basket making, Bourg
- Cypress dugout pirogue restoration, Center for Traditional Louisiana Boat Building, Lockport
- Medicinal herbs and the traiteuse tradition, Marlène Toups, Thibodaux
- Traditions and storytelling, United Houma Nation, Golden Meadow
- Adding Curved Roofs to Buildings, Quang Huynh, Independence
- Grayhawk's Shaving Horse Program, Grayhawk Perkins
- Grayhawk's Storytelling Program, Grayhawk Perkins
- French Storytelling Program, Richard Landry
- French Singing, St. Martinville
- Bousillage, Dale Pierrottie
- Adding Curved Roofs to Vietnamese Buildings, New Orleans/Independence
- Waxed Paper Flowers, Thibodaux
- Creole Storytelling, New Roads, Baton Rouge
- Caning Chairs, St Martinville
- Crochet, Arnaudville
- Aztec dance, New Orleans
- Split oak basketmaking, Port Allen
- drum making, Houma
- Jure' (call-and-response songs), Opelousas
- Black Indian Masking, New Orleans
- Coil, Low-fire Pottery, Lafayette
- 3-D Woodcarving, Livonia
