Culture of Saint Lucia
Encyclopedia
The Culture of Saint Lucia
blends the influences of African, French, and English heritage. The official language of the island is English but Kreole
, a form of French
patois
, remains an influential secondary language. The people are predominantly Catholic but the religious climate is tolerant.
("The Rose", on August 30th) and La Magwit
("The Marguerite", on October 17th), organized by the two rival historic cultural associations (societés) with the same names whose affiliates comprise most of the country's population.
The Christmas season is celebrated and a number of small festivals and parades take place throughout the island.
Saint Lucia also celebrates a cultural festival known as Jounen Kweyol
(Creole Day). This is celebrated each year on the on the last Sunday of October. On the Sunday of this week, the various towns chosen to host this festival put out the result of their grand preparations; local foods and drinks such as breadfruit, green fig, plantain, salt fish, king fish, manicou (opossum), roast pork, Johnny Cake (fried bake) and a famous dish, bouyon (fish, chicken or meat stewed with dasheen
, yams, plantains, banana and dumplings), lime drinks, guava drinks and more. Most people commemorate this day by wearing the island's national wear known as the Madras
. Persons who do not want to wear the extreme layers of skirts and dresses make clothing out of the special plaid material.
Secular observances include an internationally-renowned Jazz Festival
. Beginning in 1991, this annual festival draws crowds of music-lovers from around the world.
includes an indigenous folk music tradition, as well as other Caribbean music genres such as soca
, zouk
and reggae
.
Saint Lucia
is produces very high quantity of zouk music which leaves them as one of the most leading county to do such.
Mordern Saint Lucia
today has produced more talented musicians than the years before some these artist include Teddyson Jonhn, Ricky T, Superman hd, Kayo
, Zionomi, shani
Young Mecca, Crocodile
, yardie
, Mongstar.
Saint lucia
also produced production giants in the Soca
realm penn & ace the creators of studio
758
who produces beats for the likes wyclef jean
, Machel Montano
, busy signal
,[faye ann lyons]], skinny fabulous, Mr Vegas, benjai, Sizzla
, Anthony B
, Third World
, Maxi Priest
jus to name a few
Courtney curty Louis of Dutch Productions who produces for the likes of Mr killa denise belfon
Shurwayne Winchester
, Machel Montano
, cecile
other popular productions include Nigel Nicholas,Gilly and Patrice of Slaughter Arts Records,TC Brown of Changa Productions,francis 'leebo' delima of Heights studio,Matthias of Rhythm House
is the most prominent St. Lucian writer, Nobel Prize winner in 1992.
before Lent
. In 1999, it was moved to mid-July so as not to clash with the much larger Trinidad and Tobago carnival
, and in effort to attract more overseas visitors. It is a two day festival where people walk about two miles. Before carnival there is a competition among women in the country on who to be the queen of carnival of year.
Darren Sammy
is currently the captain of the west Indies Cricket
team
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
blends the influences of African, French, and English heritage. The official language of the island is English but Kreole
Antillean Creole
Antillean Creole is a creole language with a vocabulary based on French. It is spoken primarily in the Lesser Antilles. Its grammar and vocabulary also include elements of Carib and African languages. Antillean Creole is related to Haitian Creole, but has a number of distinctive features; they are...
, a form of French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
patois
Patois
Patois is any language that is considered nonstandard, although the term is not formally defined in linguistics. It can refer to pidgins, creoles, dialects, and other forms of native or local speech, but not commonly to jargon or slang, which are vocabulary-based forms of cant...
, remains an influential secondary language. The people are predominantly Catholic but the religious climate is tolerant.
Festivals
Lucia holds every year two main traditional festivals, La WozLa Woz
La Woz is one of the two historic cultural societies of the Antillean country of Saint Lucia. It is also the name of the society's festival, held every August...
("The Rose", on August 30th) and La Magwit
La Magwit
La Magwit is one of the two historic cultural associations of Saint Lucia, and also the name of the society's yearly festival held every October 17th....
("The Marguerite", on October 17th), organized by the two rival historic cultural associations (societés) with the same names whose affiliates comprise most of the country's population.
The Christmas season is celebrated and a number of small festivals and parades take place throughout the island.
Saint Lucia also celebrates a cultural festival known as Jounen Kweyol
Jounen Kwéyòl
Jounen Kwéyòl is a Saint Lucian festival that celebrates Creole culture. It is held on the last Sunday of October across the entire island, and has been held annually since 1984...
(Creole Day). This is celebrated each year on the on the last Sunday of October. On the Sunday of this week, the various towns chosen to host this festival put out the result of their grand preparations; local foods and drinks such as breadfruit, green fig, plantain, salt fish, king fish, manicou (opossum), roast pork, Johnny Cake (fried bake) and a famous dish, bouyon (fish, chicken or meat stewed with dasheen
Taro
Taro is a common name for the corms and tubers of several plants in the family Araceae . Of these, Colocasia esculenta is the most widely cultivated, and is the subject of this article. More specifically, this article describes the 'dasheen' form of taro; another variety is called eddoe.Taro is...
, yams, plantains, banana and dumplings), lime drinks, guava drinks and more. Most people commemorate this day by wearing the island's national wear known as the Madras
Madras (costume)
The Madras, also called the Jip or Jupe, is the national dress of the country of Saint Lucia. A traditional five piece costume it was originally derived from the Wob Dwyiet , a grand robe worn by the earlier French settlers, and this garment is also recognised as a national dress of the country....
. Persons who do not want to wear the extreme layers of skirts and dresses make clothing out of the special plaid material.
Secular observances include an internationally-renowned Jazz Festival
Saint Lucia Jazz Festival
The St. Lucia Jazz Festival is an annual internationally-known event which takes place on the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia. The event brings together international as well as local musicians...
. Beginning in 1991, this annual festival draws crowds of music-lovers from around the world.
Music
The musical culture of Saint LuciaMusic of Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia, an island in the Caribbean, is home to many vibrant oral and folk traditions. The music of Saint Lucia is based on elements derived from the music of Africa, especially rhythmically, and Western Europe, dances like the quadrille, polka and waltz. The banjo and cuatro are iconic Lucian...
includes an indigenous folk music tradition, as well as other Caribbean music genres such as soca
Soca music
Soca is a style of music from Trinidad and Tobago. Soca is a musical development of traditional Trinidadian calypso, through loans from the 1960s onwards from predominantly black popular music....
, zouk
Zouk
Zouk is a style of rhythmic music originating from the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe & Martinique. Zouk means "party" or "festival" in the local Antillean Creole of French, although the word originally referred to, and is still used to refer to, a popular dance, based on the Polish dance, the...
and reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
.
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
is produces very high quantity of zouk music which leaves them as one of the most leading county to do such.
Mordern Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
today has produced more talented musicians than the years before some these artist include Teddyson Jonhn, Ricky T, Superman hd, Kayo
Kayo
Kayo may refer to:* KAYO , radio station licensed to Wasilla, Alaska* Kayo , Korean term for pop music* Kayo, member of the new wave band Polysics, whose name is taken from the Korean term* Kayo, boxing trading card producer...
, Zionomi, shani
Shani
Sanskrit Śhani शनि, Kannada Śhani ಶನಿ ದೇವರು,Shani/Sani , is one of the Navagraha or Jyotiṣa . Shani is embodied in the planet Saturn and is the Lord of Saturday....
Young Mecca, Crocodile
Crocodile
A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...
, yardie
Yardie
Yardie is a term stemming from the slang name originally given to occupants of "government yards", social housing projects with very basic amenities, in Trenchtown, a neighborhood in West Kingston, Jamaica. Trenchtown was originally built as a housing project following devastation caused by...
, Mongstar.
Saint lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
also produced production giants in the Soca
Soca music
Soca is a style of music from Trinidad and Tobago. Soca is a musical development of traditional Trinidadian calypso, through loans from the 1960s onwards from predominantly black popular music....
realm penn & ace the creators of studio
Studio
A studio is an artist's or worker's workroom, or the catchall term for an artist and his or her employees who work within that studio. This can be for the purpose of architecture, painting, pottery , sculpture, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, radio or television...
758
758
Year 758 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 758 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* Emperor Junnin succeeds Empress Kōken on the...
who produces beats for the likes wyclef jean
Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
, Machel Montano
Machel Montano
Machel Montano is a soca singer, record producer and songwriter based in the Trinidad and Tobago....
, busy signal
Busy signal
A busy signal in telephony is an audible or visual signal to the calling party that indicates failure to complete the requested connection of that particular telephone call....
,[faye ann lyons]], skinny fabulous, Mr Vegas, benjai, Sizzla
Sizzla
Sizzla Kalonji, or simply Sizzla in are de reggae musician. He is one of the most commercially and critically successful contemporary reggae artists and is well-known for his above-average prolificacy...
, Anthony B
Anthony B
Anthony B is the stage name of Keith Blair , a Jamaican musician and member of the Rastafari movement....
, Third World
Third World
The term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either capitalism and NATO , or communism and the Soviet Union...
, Maxi Priest
Maxi Priest
Max Alfred "Maxi" Priest is a British reggae vocalist of Jamaican descent. He is best known for singing reggae music with a R&B influence, otherwise known as reggae fusion, and became one of the first international successes who regularly dabbled in the genre as well as being one of the most...
jus to name a few
Courtney curty Louis of Dutch Productions who produces for the likes of Mr killa denise belfon
Denise Belfon
Denise "Saucy Wow" Belfon is a Soca, Contemporary R&B, and Gospel singer, songwriter, and dancer.-Early years:...
Shurwayne Winchester
Shurwayne Winchester
Shurwayne Winchester is a soca musician from Trinidad and Tobago, who has twice won the Road March title.-Biography:He was born and raised on Tobago. At the age of 12, he entered the competition arena, consistently making yearly contributions that impressed and propelled him to advanced stages...
, Machel Montano
Machel Montano
Machel Montano is a soca singer, record producer and songwriter based in the Trinidad and Tobago....
, cecile
Cecile
Cecile may refer to:*Cecile, California, community in Fresno County*Cécile , given name...
other popular productions include Nigel Nicholas,Gilly and Patrice of Slaughter Arts Records,TC Brown of Changa Productions,francis 'leebo' delima of Heights studio,Matthias of Rhythm House
Literature
Derek WalcottDerek Walcott
Derek Alton Walcott, OBE OCC is a Saint Lucian poet, playwright, writer and visual artist who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1992 and the T. S. Eliot Prize in 2011 for White Egrets. His works include the Homeric epic Omeros...
is the most prominent St. Lucian writer, Nobel Prize winner in 1992.
Art
Dr The Honourable Dunstan Gerbert Raphael St. Omer, renowned St. Lucian artist, was knighted in the 2009/2010 New Year's honours list, for his services to art. The investiture ceremony was held on 9th April, 2010 at Government House where the Governor General on the advice of Her Majesty the Queen, invested Sir Dunstan St. Omer with the Insignia of a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG). The UK Telegraph has described him as “the Michelangelo of the Caribbean”. Designer of the St Lucian flag.Carnival
Traditionally, in common with other Caribbean countries, Saint Lucia held a carnivalCarnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
before Lent
Lent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
. In 1999, it was moved to mid-July so as not to clash with the much larger Trinidad and Tobago carnival
Trinidad and Tobago Carnival
The Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is an annual event celebrated on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago is the most significant event on the islands' cultural and tourism calendar, with numerous cultural events running in the lead up to the street parade on...
, and in effort to attract more overseas visitors. It is a two day festival where people walk about two miles. Before carnival there is a competition among women in the country on who to be the queen of carnival of year.
Sport
Another popular sport in Saint Lucia is Football. Football played all over the island as well as cricket.Darren Sammy
Darren Sammy
Darren Julius Garvey Sammy is a Saint Lucian cricketer who plays international cricket for the West Indies. He is a right-handed batsman and a fast-medium bowler. On making his One Day International debut against Bangladesh in 2004, Sammy became the first person from the island of St. Lucia...
is currently the captain of the west Indies Cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
team
External links
- St. Lucia Jazz - Official site by St. Lucia Tourist Board
- St. Lucia Folk Research Center
- LucianCarnival.com - Official website of Saint Lucia Carnival
- Luigi St Omer - Web site of the most prominent St. Lucian painter Luigi St Omer