Our Stories
Several generations spoke Walloon as their first language and continued speaking it regularly their entire lives. But there came a time when Walloon was discouraged by parents because it was holding their children back in school. In fact, many children were punished for speaking Walloon in schools, leading to its near demise. Thanks to those who continued speaking and teaching the language, the unique tongue remains in a surprisingly pure form today with an aging population eager to share with all of us. These are stories across the generations, from those who spoke Walloon fluently and those who grew up hearing it.
Share Your Story
Do you speak Walloon, even a little? Do you have a Walloon story? Do you have recordings of Walloon speakers? We would love to share them on WisconsinWalloon.org. If you have audio, video or written material that could help in any way to preserve Wisconsin Walloon, please contact us, send an email to contact@belgianheritagecenter.org, or call 920-825-7319.
Examples of materials of interest:
• Audio or video recordings of Walloon speakers , including music
• Videos sharing stories or information about Walloon and how it was used in your family or community
• Translations of Walloon songs, poems, words and phrases
• Material similar in nature to the videos posted on this website
At this time, our emphasis is on Walloon as spoken by Belgian immigrants to Wisconsin, but please contact us with any information you may have.