Creole languages, heritage celebrated at UWI

Caribbean people should be proud of their Creole languages as they not only shape identities but also hold the memories and heritage of our ancestors and allow for greater self-expression. This was the message from the Faculty of Humanities and Education’s Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics at UWI, St Augustine, as they recently concluded Creole Heritage Month celebrations in October.

International Creole Day is celebrated annually on October 28, but the entire month is observed as Creole Heritage Month. This year’s theme was One Heritage, Many Voices, Endless Rhythms, and UWI partnered with Alliance Française T&T. The events included a Kambule play reading, Patois mass and market, Kambule movement and dance rehearsal, as well as scholarly presentations and panel discussions. There were also poetry, visual arts, musical performances and short films. At the Creole Legacies, Living Voices event on October 28, students led and engaged in a panel discussion on how Creole languages are viewed and treated in the Caribbean region. Students from T&T, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Guyana, Barbados and Antigua and Barbuda shared their experiences.

The panellists, as well as the audience members, were quite amused as they learnt more about different cultures, but also got a clearer understanding of the many similarities among them. But one message remained consistent: We need to embrace our Creoles. “When I think of Creole, I think of comfort,” SaalÍha Mohammed said. “When I’m not speaking Creole, I feel like I’m not myself. When I speak standard English, I feel like I’m putting on a mask.” Mayanda Cummings, a Grenadian, concurred, adding that her country’s Creole makes her feel connected to home.