Tribute To Florita Marquis Tonight.
By Gandolph St Clair
THE late Florita Marquis once dubbed, the Queen of La Rose will be honoured during the closing Awards Ceremony of the third Piton International Film Festival organised by UmojaCommunications Company Inc., this evening at the BLU Hotel.
A presentation of her compositions will be made by a group of musicians who worked with her. These include vocalists EthelinaJn Baptiste, Josephine Antoine, Veronica Edmund, musicians Eugene “Yonachak” Clyne, Bernadine “Yashim” Lansiquot, and Gregory “Smokey” Longville.
Other artistes being honoured at the Awards ceremony are Claudia Edward and Nelly Stharre.
Marquis was born on July 24, 1925 in Canaries and died on October 30, 2004. Her mother started taking her to La Rose séances at the age of four years old and at the tender age of six, she began singing at these gatherings.
Marquis was well known for organising the La Rose Flower Festival in her village every year, where she played a major role as Chantwelle and Mama La Rose. She sang many other songs in the genre of folk and traditional in Creole. She engaged in teaching others, through workshops and radio recordings of the songs she knew. Presently there are no La Rose celebrations in Canaries.
Florita Marquis together with the late Dame Sesenne Descartes were the dynamic duo of EXPO ‘67 held in Grenada, in a cultural contingent led by the late George Odlum and Eric Branford. Nine years later at a showdown held at Morne Fortune, Castries, Florita was to emerge winner in a competitive encounter with the other chantwelles. She recorded two beautiful songs “Iona” and “Qui belle la lin,” on the MERRY MAKERS perennial LP produced in Martinique. Later she was featured in a CD compilation produced by General Kneah, who presently resides in the United States of America.
Marquis was awarded the St. Lucia Piton Medal of Merit (Silver) for her contribution to St. Lucia’s folklore and culture, before she died. Presently among artefacts is her beautiful photograph in full WobDywet regalia on exhibition, at the old Canaries Church which has been transformed into the Canaries Communal Arts and Crafts Marketplace.