ST. LUCIAN students currently studying in Taiwan represented St. Lucia at the first Caribbean and Latin America Cultural Festival which was held in Taipei last Saturday evening.
The event, which was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan and the Embassies of Diplomatic Ally Countries of Taiwan from Caribbean and Latin America, featured song, dance and other cultural traditions of Latin American and the Caribbean and also Taiwan. The participating countries were Belize, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, St. Kitts/Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
For its part, St, Lucia presented a Masquerade Dance, featuring Papa Djab, TiDjab, Mary Anset, Acrobat, masquerade dancers, and PyeBanan. The presentation was well received by the over 900 patrons in attendance. Mary Anset, Pie Banan dancers and Papa Djab, in particular, thrilled the audience with their performances.
The performance was directed by Keril Victor, Economics Major at National Chengchi University and choreography by Nola Rene, medical student at Ishou Medical University.
St. Lucian students also took part in the exhibition where local products from St. Lucia were on display, including spices, rum, souvenir dolls and straw baskets. Food samples were also served, including sea moss drink, bakes, accra and tamarind balls.
The Embassy of St. Lucia in the Republic of China (Taiwan) which coordinated St. Lucia’s participation would like to express its gratitude to June Frederick of the Folk Research Centre for assisting with the costumes and other pieces needed for the presentation.
