Mwa Éwitaj Kwéyòl and Jounen Kwéyòl 2023
The Monsignor Patrick Anthony Folk Research Centre (FRC) invites community representatives and community organisations interested in hosting Jounen Kwéyòl and Mwa Éwitaj Kwéyòl 2023 (Creole Heritage Month) activities to send in their community’s name along with a proposal with the following:
- List of proposed events, with dates and venues
- Budget for all activities
- Site Plan for Jounen Kwéyòl Day 2023
- Rationale for wanting to be a host community
Deadline for submission is Wednesday May 31th , 2023 11:59pm.
Jounen Kwéyòl 2023 will be celebrated in St Lucia on Sunday 29th October, 2023.
For more information, please send an email to [email protected] or telephone 453-1477, or 452-2279.
The Monsignor Patrick Anthony and the Celebration of Mwa Éwitaj Kwéyòl
The Monsignor Patrick Anthony Folk Research Centre (FRC) was established for the advancement and preservation of Saint Lucian culture and heritage, Mwa Éwitaj Kwéyòl is one of the major national cultural festivals created by the FRC through the inception of Jounen Kwéyòl. Jounen Kwéyòl is celebrated in Saint Lucia on the Sunday nearest to the international observance of World Creole Day, October 28th. It is the climax of a month’s long celebration of varied aspects of Kwéyòl culture, which includes the Kwéyòl language, traditional practices, food and drink, dress, and technology among other aspects. The year 2023 marks 40 years since the first recognition of Jounen Kwéyòl in Saint Lucia in 1983, 28 years since the celebration of Mwa Éwitaj Kwéyòl and 50 years since the establishment of the FRC as a movement.
Jounen Kwéyòl Charter and Mission Statement
Jounen Kwéyòl aims to make Saint Lucian Society aware of the strength and value of the Kwéyòl language and to assist in the understanding and development of its rich cultural resources.
Jounen Kwéyòl:
- Helps communities discover collectively and share in their rich cultural heritage.
- Brings communities together irrespective of colour, creed, class or partisan affiliation, to address issues of culture and community development.
- Mobilizes communities to collectively utilize cultural resources for economic development in an environment free from selfishness and greed.
- Utilizes both the traditional wisdom of communities and the learning from formal institutions to stimulate a positive and wholesome educational experience.
- Develops the confidence of the vast number of Saint Lucian persons, whose principal means of communication and expression is in the use of the Kwéyòl language.
General Obligations of Host Community
Host communities are expected to:
● Host at least one community specific activity per week during Creole Heritage Month
● Raise funds to supplement the subvention provided by government to fund all planned activities
● Have a detailed Programme for Jounen Kwéyòl (including a headline event, focusing on traditional music, or modern interpretations of traditional music)
● Have a specialized Programme/section for children as part of Jounen Kwéyòl activities
● Field a contestant in the National La Wènn Kwéyòl Pageant
● Host an orthography workshop for organizers and others (like vendors) involved in the various activities
● Host an event honoring prominent community personalities
● Host a Kwéyòl Church Service during the month of October
● Host an indoor exhibition of traditional technology and other items depicting the life of the ancestors of modern-day Saint Lucians
● Utilise traditional materials and techniques, wherever feasible, in setting up exhibitions and stalls
● Organise indoor and outdoor demonstrations of the use of traditional technologies and other folk traditions
● Adhere to Mass Crowd Events Guidelines stipulated by the Government of Saint Lucia (go to: https://www.govt.lc/services/hosting-a-mass-crowd-event )