The Cultural Division has launched the annual Emancipation Celebration event under the theme ‘Building a Culture of Peace’ as it seeks to highlight the occasion of emancipation itself, according to Chief Cultural Officer, Raymond Lawrence.
Six Dominicans will receive the Golden Drum Awards during the highlight of the celebrations.
The celebration comprises of a number of events that spread across the week of July 28th- August 5th 2017, and will include activities such as Bele Night, an art exhibition showcasing Dominica’s Sensay, and culminates with the much anticipated Golden Drum Awards on August 8th at the Arawak House of Culture.
Other activities include an Emancipation showcase that highlights a number of local cultural groups and individuals.
“The showcase will be an exciting exposition of talent and will present artistes like the Karina Cultural Group, Waitukubuli Dance Theatre Company, Portsmouth Steel Band, the Paix Bouche Drummers, and others,” he said.
Lawrence said the Golden Drum Awards Ceremony is an event during which outstanding individuals who have contributed greatly in the field of culture are awarded and recognized.
He said this year’s awardees are The First Serenade Band of Point Michel for music development throughout the years; Derrick ‘Rah’ Peters of the Original Bouyon Pioneers Band; Dennis Joseph composer of many hit songs in Dominica; Maurice Guiste of the Petite Savanne Cultural Group; Theresa Mondesire and Carlton Merrifield.
Special recognition will be given to Cornelius Royer of Capuchin, the Convent High School, the Afrikulture Stilt Walkers, Gregory ‘Mighty Acre’ Jervier, and Lorraine Delsol of Grandbay.
On Thursday August 3rd in addition to the previously mentioned activities, there will be an Emancipation Forum focusing on the historical and contemporary perspectives of emancipation.
“Lawrence said the Golden Drum Awards Ceremony is an event during which outstanding individuals who have contributed greatly in the field of culture are awarded and recognized”.
So you mean to say the selection committee, if one exists, could not find any more deserving Dominicans residing on the island to give an award? Where are all the talented and skilled seamstresses who have been keeping the culture alive with their beautifully crafted cultural wear? Where are all the local chefs who have been preserving the culture by providing scrumptious local foods and drinks?
My people, open your eyes, do not be so easily fooled by false prophets.
Emancipation Day? Awah! Allu not ready yet.
The “am” is still a Slave. Being slung by the balls; by the Chinese.
Send him back to implement the fresh new innovative and forward thinking ideas that he never had whilst he was being paid to do so but now miraculously stummbled upon while he was on retirement.
Are we going to start the process to reclaim the Baracoon building so as to preserve it for emancipation remembrance activities? that”s one thing of importance to me. Also is there any works being done to remove the mural of these strange people on that building?
Welcome back Raymond Lawrence, please enlighten me on your plans if any, for these two projects.
all these festivities to me are a little bit off until we recognize the value of the memorabilia of the time.
Emancipation from what? what celebration? the chains have been taken off from the body, and replaced mentally. The residue of slavery still exist in the way most descendants think and act, before we celebrate, lets re-educate and then re-evaluate.only then will the chains be perpetually broken.WAKE UP WAKE UP. Bob D.
Raymond Lawrence, Chief Cultural Officer? Didn’t Raymond retire from that post, some time ago/
So if Raymond is still Chief Cultural Officer, after he had retired, what happened to the dedicated, hard-working Pearl Christian,? Was she pushed out?
Dominicans we are emancipated from WHAT, from WHOM?
The violence, the lying, the stealing, the corrupt practices, the child abuse, the degrading statements by top officials, increased impoverishment of Dominicans, especially those in the rural communities, who have contributed much to our cultural development, the awarding of big national projects, that Dominicans could do to ,foreigners, the SELLING of our PASSPORTS, the neglect of Agriculture, have all contributed to the demise of our culture.
After 17 Years of Skerritt’s DLP Gov’t. our rich cultural attributes – respect for each other, have gone to the dogs,
Agri-CULTURE, is badly neglected. Farmers are reeling under pressure and made poorer. A few are filthy rich…