Choiseul’s Arts and Crafts

WITH Choiseul being one of the four host communities for this year’s Jounen Kwéyòl on October 30, the south-western community’s arts and craft will undoubtedly be on show in a big way.

Known for producing the traditional coal pots, cooking pots, brooms, furniture, place mats, laundry hampers and other items from indigenous raw materials, Choiseulians have definitely made their mark in local industry.

Choiseul is perhaps the only Saint Lucian community that has retained as much of the island’s cultural heritage with its inhabitants continuing to make a brisk living from the traditional skills handed down through generations.

In almost every item produced by the community’s artisans, traces of a dominant Amerindian theme can be found – from its bamboo to its khus khus, screwpine and sisal and woodcraft — proof positive that Choiseul’s arts and craft items are authentic, eco-friendly and worth their prices.

Peter Philip, Public Relations Officer at the Choiseul Arts, Craft & Tourism Heritage Association (CATCH), was born and raised in Choiseul and has been in the arts and crafts business for many years. He started out by making table mats with his mother and grandmother. At age 30, he switched to visual arts by drawing and painting and five years ago became an executive member of CATCH.

Philip said the association has been in existence for over a decade and now has over 150 registered members. However, the association continues to encourage as many young crafters from Choiseul and other communities to become members.

“We figure that it is something that belongs to Saint Lucia,” Philip said. “Choiseul might be the arts and crafts capital of Saint Lucia – as many people perceive it to be – but we believe that preserving our arts and crafts heritage is a national imperative and not just limited to Choiseulians.”

The VOICE caught up with Philip and other CATCH members during the recent official launch of Creole Heritage Month held at the Folk Research Centre (FRC). A wide array of products, including furniture, were on display, much to the bewilderment of patrons, some of whom bought items on the spot and made special orders.

Philip said CATCH’s membership includes artisans from areas outside Choiseul and people can gain membership at different levels, including that of sponsors.

In 2011, twenty CATCH members were trained in various arts and craft skills and offered certificates, including an eight-year-old girl from Cafeiere, Choiseul who engaged in weaving straw mats.

“These are initiatives that we want to continue doing and improve on. We want them to learn how to develop their arts and craft skills and make a valuable contribution to not only our country and the culture but also themselves. We want them to be able to earn a living from producing their arts and craft,” Philip explained.

Philip said sourcing raw materials and financing continue to be among the major challenges faced by CATCH members. The adverse effects of climate change on the environment, he added, have also contributed to raw materials not being as available as they were previously.

“Inasmuch as we would love to earn a better living from arts and craft, we’re just not there yet,” Philip noted. “While the local market does provide a little support, I believe that if we were to attract the foreign market things would have been much better.”

While support from local furniture stores had been forthcoming in the past, Philip said the pace at which that support flowed had lost momentum over the years. Nevertheless, he said association members remain undaunted.
“We are a very resilient people. If you know Choiseulians very well, you would know that we are very ambitious and hardworking people who never quit. In fact, during the global economic recession, we never stopped working. We continued to produce our arts and craft and survived,” he .told me.

Velda George was born in Debreuil but now resides in River Dorée and has been a member of CATCH since its inception. George’s role as a craft coordinator finds her assessing the various craft items to ensure they meet the highest quality standards before they are offered for sale.

“We always strive for the best. The products we put up for sale must be A1,” she said.

While she vouches for the products CATCH members create, George said the association and its members are working towards a better advertising and marketing model, including finding a permanent home for the association where members’ goods can be on display. As such, each member creates their products at their respective homes and hopes that word of mouth and other means earn them a few sales.

Both Philip and George said Choiseulians are enthusiastic about hosting Jounen Kwéyòl this year. In fact, Philip said the aim is that the cultural showcase Choiseul puts on later this month remains a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Even better, members will also get the opportunity to get some much-needed sales.

“We are very much excited about hosting the event this year. If we get the necessary finances from the administration, we will give everyone an experience for this year’s Jounen Kwéyòl that will never be forgotten,” Philip said.