November 08 2008

Jounen Kweyol, Alive?

Jounen Kweyol is a Creole festival which is celebrated in St.Lucia all over the island at the end of October. It is a not only a Creole festival but a CULTURAL festival, which was previously mentioned by my Caribbean Perspectives teacher for Culture, Mr. Kennedy Samuel; Executive Director of the Folk Research Centre. It is one of the biggest festivals on this island apart from Jazz. Jounen Kweyol is a month full of fun and activities.

Everyone, from the young to the old, are dressed in the colourful plaid of the madras cloth from the shirts, skirts, hair ties, dresses, aprons, and even the trendy and latest outfits out there. In the little villages, people would gather where they would play their dominoes, drink a few cold beers and locally made spice rum. The young boys would burst the bamboos whilst the older men demonstrate log sawing. Not forgetting the women who would demonstrate the traditional methods of cooking local chicken, roasted bakes, green figs and salt fish, sea foods etc. All these are happening, with the sound of our Creole music in the background.

This year, Jounen Kweyol was celebrated on the 26th of October which was last weekend. It was hosted in Canaries, Piaye, Micoud and Grand Riviere. These small communities were to portray and showcase the different aspects relating to our Creole culture such as the Creole food, dance, language, music etc.

I personally thought that Jounen Kweyol was not at its best this year; it was a flop. Much more could have been done to make this year’s Creole festival better. The spirit of Jounen Kweyol has decreased dramatically or should I just say this boldly, that it has died. I thought that there was never going to be Jounen Kweyol until a few days before the festival. The sound of the bamboos bursting from a distance and a little Creole music which played on the radio; once every day. This woke me up and then I realized that there is indeed a festival called Jounen Kweyol. The music played at the Jounen Kweyol was one of the reasons why I believed that the spirit is no longer there. There were many RnB, reggae, and many other songs which are not related to this festival.

A lot must be done next year, in other for us to have our festival back. Jounen Kweyol is ours, our festival and we should appreciate it, not try to imitate the other countries.

By Cotney John