Tomorrow, in honour of International Creole Day, the ever-popular Jounen Kwéyòl (Creole Day) will take place. This marks the culmination of Creole Month, which was established in 1983 by a group of French-Creole-speaking islands under the banner of Bannzil Kreyol. Saint Lucia is a founding member of Bannzil Kreyol.
In 1984, a community-based event marked the inaugural commemoration of International Creole Day, also known as Jounen Kwéyòl, in Saint Lucia. The objectives were to help comprehend and develop the rich cultural resources of the Saint Lucian society and to raise awareness of the strength and importance of the Kwéyòl language.
Jounen Kwéyòl is still eagerly anticipated and executed forty years after the first community engagement, which involved speaking the Kwéyòl language on the day, displaying how certain things were done before the modern developments of today (traditional practices), eating and drinking traditional foods and drinks, dressing in traditional wear and dancing to traditional music.
But after 40 years of Jounen Kwéyòl’s continuous growth can we say that the island’s rich cultural legacy has benefitted all of the communities on the island, either through community development of the island’s culture, or the peoples’ knowledge of their past? Are communities forging bonds, cultural or otherwise, due to the many years of celebrating Jounen Kwéyòl?
Jounen Kwéyòl appears to be ingrained in the island’s culture. This raises the question of whether or not it has inspired people to use their cultural assets for economic growth in a way free from greed and selfishness.
Above all, though, has the event-which is becoming more and more well-known—boosted the self-assurance of Saint Lucians, in general, to speak and express themselves in the island’s widely used Kwéyòl language considering that it is a nationwide celebration held in a variety of settings, including towns, schools, businesses, churches, and governmental and non-governmental organisations?
It is important to note that the history of Saint Lucia’s Creole culture-a synthesis of African, French, and indigenous influences- is deeply entwined with the origins of Jounen Kwéyòl. Kwéyòl, the island’s Creole language, is a dialect based on French that resulted from this blending of cultures. Kwéyòl became the common language spoken by the French colonists who ruled the island throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as by Africans who were enslaved, following the island’s multiple handovers between French and British conquerors.
But after the British Empire was established, the English language gained popularity and the Creole culture was progressively marginalised. Kwéyòl was mostly preserved in rural areas where people continued to practice cultural customs such as folk music, dancing, and food.
When discussing Jounen Kwéyòl, it is impossible to overlook the Folk Research Centre (FRC), an institution devoted to conserving and advancing Saint Lucian folk culture, since it was the driving force behind the inaugural community-based Creole Day celebration.
What started as a modest, local initiative to maintain and revitalise the island’s Creole language and customs has expanded into a significant national holiday thanks to the FRC.
To all Saint Lucians, both home and abroad, a happy Jounen Kwéyòl to you. We deeply hope that each of you accept and value your language and cultural background more and that Jounen Kwéyòl serves as a potent reminder of the tenacity of our Creole identity.
Thus, tomorrow is more than just a day of celebration; it is a potent manifestation of our Creole heritage and cultural pride. Let us eat, drink, party, dress in our Creole attire, and dance to our traditional music.
Let’s highlight the tenacity of a culture that has endured modernity and imperialism. Let’s remember our forefathers, get back in touch with their heritage, and make sure that the Creole identity is carried on by upcoming generations.