TriPod : New Orleans at 300

If you’re like us, climate change leaves you with a lot of questions, and they’re not about the rate of ocean warming — they’re about practical things that affect our everyday lives. So, for us and for you, we created a podcast about it.

This is the final episode of Tripod. For these past three years, we’ve been telling stories about New Orleans. But, before it was ever called New Orleans, this place already had a name: Bulbancha. The people that host Laine Kaplan-Levenson spoke with for this episode use this name when they tell people where they live. They live in Bulbancha, and they are telling today’s story -- what it’s like living in present day Bulbancha, and what it’s been like, as a native person, seeing the city celebrate the Tricentennial… the city’s colonial beginning.

TriPod: New Orleans at 300 returns to hunt down a rare artifact full of private, and personal information. Laine Kaplan-Levenson goes on the search.

TriPod: New Orleans at 300 returns with a tripod Xtra produced by Laine Kaplan-Levenson. In this tripod xtra, we hear an abridged talk given by Dr. Erin Greenwald, curator of the Historic New Orleans Collection's 'The Founding Era' exhibit. Greenwald traces New Orleans' African roots -- from their kidnapping in Africa, through the middle passage, to the seminal role Africans played in the founding of our city.

Kiese Laymon is a Mississippi based writer, who’s just released a new book titled "Heavy: An American Memoir." In it, he writes about his struggles with eating disorders and addiction, abuse, and his relationship with his mother.

TriPod: New Orleans at 300 shares the first episode of WWNO's new series, Sticky Wicket

Tripod: New Orleans at 300 returns with a look at the Desire community, then and now.

TriPod: New Orleans at 300 returns with a new TriPod Xtra segment. As part of the New Orleans Museum of Art’s literary ‘Arts and Letters’ series, Laine Kaplan-Levenson spoke with sociologist Peter Marina in front of a live audience about his book ‘Down and Out in New Orleans.’ The two discussed the various informal economies in New Orleans, and alternative lifestyles people choose as a way to live outside of mainstream society. Laine starts the conversation with what Marina’s book is inspired by.

TriPod: New Orleans at 300 returns with a new TriPod Xtra segment. As part of the New Orleans Museum of Art’s literary ‘Arts and Letters’ series, Laine Kaplan-Levenson spoke with sociologist Peter Marina in front of a live audience about his book ‘Down and Out in New Orleans.’ The two discussed the various informal economies in New Orleans, and alternative lifestyles people choose as a way to live outside of mainstream society. Laine starts the conversation with what Marina’s book is inspired by.

I crashed an opera rehearsal the other day. A large group of vocalists, young, old, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, all the genders, belted out in long rows surrounding a piano. They were preparing for the 75th anniversary celebration of the New Orleans Opera Association. I was there to talk to a mother-daughter opera combo: Givonna Joseph and Aria Mason.

You’ve probably heard of the James Beard Awarding-winning Duong Phuong Bakery out in New Orleans East, whether or not you actually got to taste their coveted King Cake. But today, high school students from Metairie Park Country Day take over TriPod to go beyond Duong Phong, and explore the larger Vietnamese community in the East.

TriPod: New Orleans at 300 returns with a new tripod xtra. Laine Kaplan-Levenson sat down with John Barbry of the Tunica Biloxi nation, to discuss the history of the tribe and its contributions to New Orleans and Louisiana. The Tunica Biloxi land is in Marksville, Louisiana, about three hours outside New Orleans. The conversation begins when the Tunica Biloxi made contact Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto.

TriPod: New Orleans at 300 returns with a new episode about a Mexican band that rocked the city in the 80s -- the 1880s.

TriPod put out an episode on the legendary Lastie family — a family that holds generations of iconic musicians. I talked to drummers and first cousins Herlin Riley and Joe Lastie about their experience growing up in this musical family, what it was like to hear Professor Longhair and Dr John play in their living room, what it was like to have their introduce drums into the spiritual church, and what it was like to get yelled at by that same grandfather when they tried to play James Brown in that same spiritual church.

Tripod: New Orleans at 300 returns with a new episode that spotlights a famous musical family, the Lasties. Host Laine Kaplan-Levenson sat down with drummers, and cousins, Herlin Riley and Joe Lastie. This is the first in a series of episodes focusing on the rich history of New Orleans music. Listen to the full interview with Herlin Riley and Joe Lastie here.

TriPod: New Orleans at 300 returns with a new TriPod xtra segment. Host Laine Kaplan-Levenson sat down with Chris Kaminstein and Kiyoko Mccray, co-directors of a new play called 'The Stranger Disease' by local theater group Goat In the Road. The three met at the historic Madame John's Legacy home in the French Quarter, where the performance takes place. Laine begins the conversation by asking Chris Kaminstein to explain the play's title.

Laine Kaplan-Levenson sat down with political commentator and New Orleans native Cokie Roberts. The two discussed everything from the Me Too Movement to the 2018 midterm elections, and started local, with the city's upcoming mayoral transition.

TriPod: New Orleans at 300 returns with a look at the once secret history of Gay Carnival Krewes. Note: this episode contains a racially insensitive word that may offend some listeners. We have included it for context.

Tripod’s NOLA versus Nature series returns with a story of the construction of the Industrial Canal. Host Laine Kaplan-Levenson looks at the ways this massive infrastructure project was invasive, above and below ground. Hear the Part I on Sauve's Crevasse and Part II on Baldwin Wood.