“Coming home to ourselves – our cultural identity.”

  FRC’s  CREOLE LITERACY PROGRAMME 2011 starts on TUESDAY OCTOBER 4^TH

Activities for Adults and children

October is celebrated as Creole Heritage Month in Saint Lucia. The programmes and events for the month are largely organized by the Folk Research Centre in association with individuals, groups and communities. The climax of the month is the now-established Jounen Kweyol which takes place this year on Sunday October 30^th. Five main communities have been selected as the central venues for Jounen Kweyol. They are Laborie, Fond Assau, Desruisseux, Dennery and Anse La Raye.

As part of its own activities, the FRC has organised Creole Literacy programmes aimed at the school children and adults of Saint Lucia. This year the programmes take place from Tuesday October 4^th to Friday October 7^th at the FRC headquarters on . The teaching sessions are arranged from 10 am – 11.30 am and from 12.30 – 2.00 pm daily.

The adult programme will be held on Tuesday 11^th and Thursday 13^th from 10 am to 1 pm.

Among the objectives of the annual programme are the increase of knowledge and awareness of aspects of St. Lucian culture among students and teachers. The FRC would like to ensure that these young students continue their education with a good foundation in cultural education. The institution also hopes that this interaction with the culture in an educational setting will help to instill in the participants a lifelong interest in, and appreciation of, their rich cultural inheritance. The children’s programmes of the FRC are endorsed by the Ministry of Education. Teachers are asked to call the FRC to make a booking for their students.

Adult St. Lucians are not often given the opportunity to learn of their culture in a participatory way.  This year’s programme will offer a session for adults on reading and writing creole, St. Lucian dance and story-telling. Adults interested in taking part in this are asked to call the FRC at 4522279 to register.

The programmes are conducted in a lively, interactive manner and led by well known cultural personalities.

The 2011 Cultural Literacy/Creole Heritage Programme of the FRC will focus on the theme of “Mwen sé Sent Lisien. Sé la mwen soti – I am Saint Lucian, I come from Saint Lucia.” These were Derek Walcott’s words in his poem Sainte Lucie, first published in Sea Grapes (1976). In that poem, the Nobel laureate wrote, “Moi c’est gens Ste. Lucie. C’est la moi sorti; is there that I born.” The aim will be to help participants identify, recognize and claim their unique St. Lucian heritage.

Facilitators will focus on specific and distinctive aspects of St. Lucian culture. Classes on The Kwéyòl Language, Kwéyòl narratives (folk tales), Kwéyòl music, Kwéyòl dances, Kwéyòl fashions, Kwéyòl food and cooking, Kwéyòl arts and crafts, will be presented alongside a general survey of St. Lucian history that is culturally focused.

This programme will comprise interactive presentations from which the participants will acquire cultural skills and knowledge, interact with several prominent cultural personalities, and be encouraged to continue their involvement in cultural activities. It is hoped that this experience will help to instill in the participants a lifelong interest in, and appreciation of their rich cultural heritage.

Among well known facilitators will be music teachers Frank Norville and Jason ‘Bachelor’ Joseph; folk dance leader Christopher Duncan and writer  Michael Aubertin will speak on culture and history; kwéyòl language expert  Marilyn Hyacinth will teach on language and culture.  Ms. Marilyn Gaston of Mon Repos will facilitate a session of Kwéyòl fashion.

Several well-known cultural personalities will be present to meet with students and to perform for them. Among those confirmed already are poet and playwright Kendel Hippolyte, George Fish Alphonse, Ras Isley, Jason Bachelor Joseph, drummer Niger Nestor , and gospel singer Shirley Ann Cyril.

 Primary School students are expected to benefit from this educational experience.  The Ministry of Education has given its full support again to this initiative by the FRC. While the Ministry of Education has undertaken to inform schools of the programme, teachers are encouraged to call the FRC at 4522279 to make bookings for their classes.

Adults – individuals and groups – are encouraged to book early.