August 31, 2024

The State Historical Society of Missouri’s History on Elm series kicks off its free public programs this fall with stories and folklore of Missouri’s French Creole. French roots in the region go back at least as far as 1723 with the establishment of Old Mines, a lead mining community nestled in the foothills of the Saint Francois mountains in southeast Missouri. Recently, the French colonists’ language, songs, and customs were captured by Kansas City artist Brian Hawkins, whose film Chasse Galeritte, won Best Animation at the Verona International Film Festival and the Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival.

Hawkins will be the featured speaker for History on Elm, Tuesday, Sept. 10, at noon, at the Center for Missouri Studies, 605 Elm Street, Columbia. The animation artist will show parts of his film and discuss how archived collections at the State Historical Society were used in its creation. Family papers, oral histories, and studies of Missouri French are held at the State Historical Society in multiple collections. Beginning in the 1930s, scholars and locals began amassing an archive of oral literature, music, art, and folktales due to the declining dialect and customs of residents in the mining region. Today, traces and a revival of Missouri “Paw Paw” French heritage is celebrated in communities of Ste Genevieve County each year. Hawkins will share highlight from his project and discuss how this community has been able to retain traditions despite the forces of American assimilation.

Brian Hawkins is an artist and filmmaker who has produced a series of intricate, cut-paper animations inspired by the music, folklore, and history of his native state of Missouri. He is an adjunct lecturer in the visual arts at the University of Kansas and the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and he recently developed and taught a course on Missouri French culture at the University of Missouri-Columbia. His award-winning films have screened at numerous festivals including the prestigious Annecy International Animation Festival in France.

The State Historical Society’s History on Elm series explores a variety of topics on the second Tuesday of the month at noon, ranging from Missouri art and authors to unique and interesting collections at the State Historical Society of Missouri. The series is free to the public and registration is not required. For more information, visit shsmo.org.