Kwéyòl Heritage Month Highlighted: Kwéyòl Belongs to All of Us

Saint Lucia launched this year’s Kwéyòl Heritage Month with a vibrant celebration on Wednesday, unveiling the selected communities that will host the grand Jounen Kwéyòl Day.

Organized by the Folk Research Centre (FRC) in collaboration with the Government of Saint Lucia and the Events Company of Saint Lucia Limited (ECSL), the festivities commenced at the Laborie Market, a southern district renowned for its rich arts and cultural scene.

The kick-off of the Kweyòl Heritage celebrations at Laborie Market signifies a crucial step in preserving and promoting the Creole (Kwéyòl) language and cultural identity of Saint Lucia. By introducing host communities, this initiative encourages local participation and ownership, ensuring authentic representations of traditions, music, dance, and oral histories.

This collaboration emphasizes a national commitment to cultural sustainability and youth empowerment through heritage education. The month-long celebration highlights the significance of the FRC’s theme for this year: “Kwéyòl-la Sé Sa Nou Tout” (Kwéyòl Belongs to All of Us).

Melchoir Henry, Executive Director of the FRC, revealed that the designated host communities are La Caye, Dennery; Vieux Fort South; and La Clery, Castries North. The opening ceremony featured lively performances of folk music and dance, attended by public officials and community representatives.

Monsignor Patrick Anthony, founder of the FRC, urged attendees to embrace the Creole language as a vital part of their cultural identity.

“Kwéyòl is our culture, Kwéyòl is our identity, and every Saint Lucian should come to understand that unless I know my language, I am missing out a lot about myself,” he stated.

He emphasized that the wisdom embedded in proverbs and riddles is often lost without an understanding of the language, describing Kwéyòl as a language that is inherently ours. “We created it, we moulded it, we formed it… and it is the basis of all that is Saint Lucian,” he added.

Representatives from Dennery shared plans for a Kwéyòl celebration under the theme, “From the Field to the People.”

Vieux Fort organizers are set to host several events throughout the month, including a storytelling evening on October 10.