Thousands flocked to the three officially designated venues last weekend for what was expected to be one of the best Jounen Kwéyòl displays in recent history. What they found at La Clery, Dennery and Vieux Fort may not have lived up to the hype, leaving many critically analyzing last Sunday’s exhibition.
It is no doubt that St. Lucians came out last Sunday. An impressive number was recorded at the La Clery playing field for breakfast, most of whom were geared to visit the other two venues. By the evening, an even bigger crowd had assembled, seemingly preferring the shade of nigh to the blistering sun of the daylight hours.
The success of this year’s event, if any, was probably hinged to the attendance numbers as opposed to the quality of the event.
Jounen Kwéyòl was meant to showcase our creole heritage as it relates to the types of foods that we historically enjoyed and even more so, the process involved in its preparation. The clothes, traditional dances, the language, etc. were the icing on the cake for what is uniquely St. Lucian.
What was on display last weekend was an obvious watered-down version of a celebration that originated in authenticity, and culture and heritage.
No one can credibly argue against the choice of venues. While they may not have been the most culturally rich environments, they provided sufficiently free movement to and from the locations, which may not have existed at various locations over many years, something that proved to be a deterrent for numerous individuals over the years.
What one can argue is the ever-growing block-o style environment that has taken a hold of this celebration. Barring the decorations and the sparce cultural snippets, what’s different from the usual community day celebration? Where are all the local cultural groups and are they involved and integrated in the occasion? Is it sacrilegious to involve and include the La Rose and La Marguerite groups to participate? Where is the teaching in all this if we are to promote the longevity of this prized possession?
What is worse is that many are pointing to the commercial nature of the occasion and the exorbitant prices being quoted at the venues. For reference, a bake and saltfish is now $5. So is a coconut, as per reports.
The usual argument that ‘the event has evolved to match the times’ is absolute rubbish. This argument does nothing for the preservation of what is authentically St. Lucian. This same argument has ushered in the decline of the authenticity of St. Lucia’s carnival celebration even while the numbers in the bands have seemingly increased.
While we were all busy traversing the three official venues and the communities that did their own thing, not many knew or remembered or recognized that international creole day was actually celebrated every year on 28th October, as designated by UNESCO.
To mark the occasion, the Monsignor Patrick Anthony Folk Research Centre put on a cultural display at the National Cultural Center in Castries. Students from various schools together with a visiting group, performed in Kwéyòl to a less than half empty facility, with a less than visible official government presence. An official government message in the aftermath of the Jounen Kwéyòl celebration is still not available, as far as we know. So much for International Creole Day.
Going forward the emphasis must be on cultural preservation rather than just being an occasion to cash in on a population desperately seeking authenticity. The effort must ensure that the next generation can speak, eat and live what is authentically ours as we promote the longevity of Jounen Kwéyòl.