Dominica’s Kalinago people will celebrate 2013 World Indigenous People’s Day in a bigger way this year.
World Indigenous Peoples Day will be observed this year on Friday 9th August, under the theme “Indigenous peoples building alliances: Honoring treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements.”
The theme aims to highlight the importance of honouring arrangements between States, their citizens and indigenous peoples that were designed to recognize indigenous peoples’ rights to their lands and establish a framework for living in proximity and entering into economic relationships. Agreements also outline a political vision of different sovereign peoples living together on the same land, according to the principles of friendship, cooperation and peace.
P.R.O of the Touna Development Committee, Irvince Auguiste, said the focus is usually placed on Kalinago Week and not on Indigenous Peoples Day. He said that as the Kalinago people grew more conscious of their culture “we thought it would be important to also recognize that day.”
In the Kalinago Territory, the day will be observed with activities organized by the Touna Development Committee and the Kalinago Council. Activities will include a visual exhibition of various indigenous peoples in the village of Touna, Concord from 1pm. Other activities will include river bathing and the music for the event will be of various indigenous rhythms.
A cross country walk will leave the most southerly village of Sineku at 2pm for the village of Touna, they are expected to arrive at 4 pm.
Speeches from Community leaders will follow and that function will bring the day’s activities to an end. Persons will be invited to the Kalinago Barana Aute for a discussion on the topic “Kalinago peoples contribution to Dominica development” at 7 pm.
Auguiste added “because it is World Indigenous Peoples Day we felt that it was the best time to create an awareness of Indigenous people worldwide because there are persons who think that the Kalinago people are the only Indigenous people and have not been exposed to the fact that there are indigenous people all over the world.”
He noted that by celebrating World Indigenous People Day locally Kalinago people will become exposed to Indigenous culture on a large scale.
The International Day of the World’s Indigenous People (9 August) was first proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 1994, to be celebrated every year during the first International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People (1995 – 2004).
the whole of dominica is indegenous
BLESSED! I Man give thank to that day went it comes around.And my JAH bless,all the Indeginous people of the land of DOMINICA, Bless.
STANFORD will do the rest and let them know don’t let on body come and fool them again change is amust not an uption.
I am an individual of kalinago descent to be honest i am mixedd but then again are there any pure Kalinagoes left in Dominica? I have observed that the kalinago people who live in the Kalinago Territory show little if any regards for kalinagoes who were born out of the Kalinago Territory. Instead ties are being fostered with other indigenous people as far as South and Central America. I have no issues with that but my question is why isn’t the kalinago authority making efforts to foster ties with Kalinagoes who are closer home. Like those born in capuchine, Castle Bruce, Marigot etc instead of classifying them as ‘negre’ or not being pure Kalinagoes. There are Kalinagoes born in other parts of Dominica who are educated, trained and can be very useful resource persons. Why not allow them to come back to the Kalinago territory well of course with proper proof of lineage etc. I believe this would increase the capacity of the Kalinago people which would then put them in a position to have educated, trained, skilled people to farther represent the cause of the kalinago people of Dominica. I await comments/opinions from this provocative statement
Imanu, the Kalinagos who are born outside of the Kalinago Territory look down on us from my own personal experience. When others remark that they are Kalinagoes, they say, no, they are from Capuchin etc, not Kalinago Territory and so on. Don’t put the blame on us Kalinagos. I am one of the trained, educators Kalinagos who live out of Dominica and would like to return, but Dominica on a whole would not allow me to return and live comfortably or even bring home my stuff without making me bankrupt. How then can my skills be utilized?
If you were a trained educated Kalinago you would NOT write what you wrote. No one in Dominica prevents Dominicans from living in their country. If you really want to return home all you have to do is get your ticket if you are travelling by air or, arrange to return by boat, pipwi or swim if you can. When you get to DA no one but yourself will make you bankrupt or use the millions you will bring back. You should be a PROUD KALINAGO and DOMINICAN.
the calinago people should enrich their heritage and bloodline… it not too late
Well done Indigenous we will celebrate with you.
One blood one heart one people one Nation.
Stay blessed
Sadly i noticed there are no comments here. Our people should celebrate each other. Kalinago or African desent, we are all Dominicans together. This should be an island wide celebration of OUR Indeginous people. They are the only ones left in our region and even beyond. WE should take pride in that and celebrate as ONE. If this piece had a gossip element the message board would be overloaded by now. SMH.