Kalinagos place issues affecting them on front burner

A young Kalinago

Dominica’s indigenous people, the Kalinagos, are using the observation of International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples to highlight some of the issues affecting them and their community.

International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is observed every year on August 9 as mandated by the United Nations General Assembly.

Public Relations Officer for the Kalinago Council, Irvince Auguiste, said several activities are planned to observe the day, to include  discussions on issues affecting the Kalinago people.

“This is going to give us an opportunity to look at ourselves and examine the issues that are important to us,” he told DOminica News Online. “It should give us an awareness of our conditions and the way to move forward.”

He said one of the pressing issues facing the Kalinago people is the lack of access to credit facilities. He used the opportunity to call on policymakers to create an institution where Kalinagos can have access to such facility. “We have little or no access to credit and we cannot depend on handouts,” he stated.

Auguiste said a number of Kalinagos are graduating from institutions of higher learning and they will be able to contribute to community development if they have access to credit facilities.

He pointed to efforts by the community to establish a radio station for the past 17 years which according to him, have been unsuccessful.

The theme for World Indigenous Day this year is “Indigenous Media, Empowering Indigenous Voices”.

The activities will take place from the August 9 to the 12 in the Kalinago Territory and are as follows:

August 9 – a discussion on the theme for the year. “Indigenous Media, Empowering Indigenous Voices”.

August 10 – a panel discussion on the topic ‘The impact of the UN declarations on Indigenous People.’

August 11 – a show at the Old Boxing Plant site dubbed ‘Kalinago Got Talent.’

August 12 – an invitation to Kalinago People, their relatives and friends who reside out of the Territory to spend the day in the Kalinago Territory. Special arrangements are in place for craft bargains and visits to the Kalinago Barana Aute and the day will end at the Karina village with free cultural performances.

Auguiste said World Indigenous Day will be observed annually in the Territory from this year onwards.

Copyright 2012 Dominica News Online, DURAVISION INC. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

Disclaimer: The comments posted do not necessarily reflect the views of DominicaNewsOnline.com and its parent company or any individual staff member. All comments are posted subject to approval by DominicaNewsOnline.com. We never censor based on political or ideological points of view, but we do try to maintain a sensible balance between free speech and responsible moderating.

We will delete comments that:

  • contain any material which violates or infringes the rights of any person, are defamatory or harassing or are purely ad hominem attacks
  • a reasonable person would consider abusive or profane
  • contain material which violates or encourages others to violate any applicable law
  • promote prejudice or prejudicial hatred of any kind
  • refer to people arrested or charged with a crime as though they had been found guilty
  • contain links to "chain letters", pornographic or obscene movies or graphic images
  • are off-topic and/or excessively long

See our full comment/user policy/agreement.

29 Comments

  1. mm
    August 11, 2012

    why are some Dominicans so negative and ignorant instead of helping your people come on the connents are too negative, Dominica will not be better with people like you all People be positive

    • Erik Standswithtrees
      May 2, 2016

      As a Kalinago allow me to suggest that you abandon YOUR ignorance and spell the word ‘comments’ correctly.

      Erik Standswithtrees,
      Kalinago living in the United States

  2. joselyn durand
    August 9, 2012

    i think this is good thing they are observing that day it is their heritage ,and they are part of dominica as well they voted like every other part of dominca, so if they are seeking assistance for their community , i see no wrong i that , we live in a modern world . there is is a lot young people from there who very intelligent ,who will be able to work in one the financial instittion ,
    so the give people a break. tourists look forward to see them when they come to the island , and most of the all they are vip ,

  3. kalinago girl
    August 9, 2012

    The problem with the Kalinago people is themselves!

    They need to open their eyes and realise that its them damaging themselves! No one else is going to fix the community, they have to come together as a people and solve there issue – and start by not living in denial! Stop saying and believing that they are being stereotyped.

    • kalinagowarrior
      August 9, 2012

      The problem with the the Kalinago people is when some of them start living out of the Terrirory and lost touch with their own people and measure the Territory and the Kalinago People by the same standards of the community that they live in. In attemting to embarras the Kalinago People they are the ones to be embarrased, The only people who cannot complain of being stereotyped are those that are fully integrated.

  4. budman
    August 9, 2012

    Kalinagos can do what the Native Americans in the US do: open casinos!

  5. kalinago
    August 9, 2012

    kalinago people used to be hard workers but they were made to understand it is good to be dependant on parl reps. and a lying PM.. they depend on hand outs and rum…. we will go now where if we cannot buy our own stuff and our own rum.

    • picky
      August 9, 2012

      yeah right. ou pas pierce kalinago nuh!!!!!!!!!!1

  6. I am kalinago
    August 8, 2012

    Looks like we have moved on to the next level, waaay papa.

  7. I am kalinago
    August 8, 2012

    my comments were true, fair, and genuine why was it not allowed how are we gone a learn,

  8. Kalinagoactivist
    August 8, 2012

    Thanks

  9. I am Kalinago.
    August 8, 2012

    pure hypocricy.Last year Carib week there were pannel discussionms, highliting the rights of the kalinago people, rights traditionally practised and enshrined in the ILO Convention 169, the U N Declaration on the rights of the indigenous people, and even the O A S is presently undertaking an American declaration on the rights of indigenous people that the Carib Council is participating in, and all the view points discussed has been bashed aside, when Chief charles Williams was in office no less than 5 attempts of votes of no confidence was attempted against him, simply because he was promissed a job by the P M that he never got and will never get, Since this chief is in office, we hear of nothing happening, he stands up for or against nothing yet there has been no attempt of vote of no confidence, kalinago territory is down the drain, no road maintanance, no ungoing project, the C D B Project of 8.5 million dollars seen to be drowning, and the chief and his councilors just sitting there doing absolutely nothing. world indigenous day is not the time to sit snd cry you lazy brats.

    • replacing missing se
      August 9, 2012

      ” the same copuncilor who is now on line crying out for mercy, served as chief for 10 years, served on the carib council for three five year term, now serving his 4th term as a member of the council plus two terms as chief,what change has he brought to the community? looks like the begging syndrome has captured his brain.

    • sups
      August 9, 2012

      why don’t you guys come forward and ask questions at the Council office? why are you guys so arrogant? I would like to advice that you enquire about matters that affect you at the office of the council. It is your right to get an answer!

    • i am kalinago
      August 10, 2012

      the deleted sentence make it appar that chief Williams was offered a job. come on D N O YOUR EDITOR NOT DOING JUSTICE TO THE COMMENT.

  10. bwa kwaieb
    August 8, 2012

    The issues facing Kalinagos are issues they can fix if they stop waiting to be handed things just because they’re Dominica’s indigenous people! If you look at the world and the ethnicities that are dominating you all would notice that they aren’t just sitting and waiting. They work amongst all kinds of people and they don’t segregate themselves in one community. Get out there and work alongside the other Dominicans. Go to school and finish school. Elect people with vision and those that can bring you all to the next level. All this mopping around talking about Kalinago aren’t treated right blah blah. Black people aren’t treated right either, neither are jews, middle easterns, asians.

    You all have a show on the 12 of august just for Kalinago, their relatives and friends? Shouldn’t you invite all Dominicans so all of you could mix and discuss issues whilst enjoying yourselves? This is what causes many of the worlds problems. Ethnicities continue to separate themselves from each other because of all types of fears, yet you claim your people face issues!

    • Kalinagoactivist
      August 8, 2012

      Thanks for your comments.I don’t know if you reside in Dominica, because our children are finishing their education at Universities. They are receiving awards at secondary school graduations, so obviously they are graduating. So much for go to school, and finish school. No body owes us nothing. That is the reason why we would like to stop people believing that we must have handouts, but instead empower us, through some legislation in the area of finance, so that we can do business for ourselves. I am sure we can and will compete in any business venture in Dominica if we have easier access to credit. Businesses that will not only benefit the kalinago people people, but Dominica as a whole.
      Many Dominicans claim to have Kalinago ancestry, so they all fall into the relatives bracket, and if it was the other way that you see it, are you saying that this would not justify the fact that we have issues? come on!

    • Jaad
      August 9, 2012

      Well said! Thank you!

    • Really?
      August 9, 2012

      You took the words right out of my mouth.

    • Real Dominican Diva
      August 9, 2012

      You are so right. They need to stop Segregating themselves. They need to emancipate themselves from mental slavery like Bob Marley said. No is purposely ostracizing them. If they want change then they need to be the agent who brings about that change. “Be the change you wish to see.”

      I have numerous Kalinago friends who have surpass many boundaries and excelled in phenomenal ways. It all depends on you and what you make of yourself. It has nothing to do with your ethnicity.

  11. ALSO
    August 8, 2012

    Perhaps a programme could be put in place to discourage the sale of alcohol to shop owners. IF it is more expensive for shop owners to buy then the punters won’t want to buy an expensive shoot of rum will they. They’ll have to go for kubuli beer instead. LOL. But seriously…I passed that way some time ago and one lady who had a shop told me that all she sells is rum because it sells well. Young men and women were so intoxicated early in the day it’s not funny. To help that community grow bigger and better and they can because they have a lot of talent the rum business need to go PERIOD

    • Another UWP Clown
      August 8, 2012

      Why are you trying to degrade the hard working men and women with some nonsensical garbbage.

      Please show some respect and if you can not add value to the plight of the people…SHUT UP ALREADY

      • @WELL
        August 8, 2012

        @Another UWP Clown. Let me suggest that you remain a “Another UWP clown” or just a “clown” then. You should encourage the hard working men and women not to squander their brain cells.

      • ¬!"£$
        August 9, 2012

        another clown plain and simple

    • sups
      August 8, 2012

      I can’t believe such a comment. Every community in Dominica, with maybe the exception of a community like Bense would need a programme to discourage the sale of alcohol. This is low thinking. No one can find a rum shop open in the Kalinago Territory after 9.30pm except on a festival time, compared to a number of areas in Dominica where rum shops are open almost all night. Is it kalinago people drinking the rum there? I have passed many places on this Island early Monday mornings, and see non kalinagos drunk too. There are small businesses on the Island that sell only, and large selection of alcohol than the lady on the Territory. Man, respectfully, don’t sound uneducated, because you definitely are not. Give us more credit than the fact that we have talent.

      • Olympics
        August 9, 2012

        Bense???? papa! lol

  12. @WELL
    August 8, 2012

    Let me suggest a step in the direction of collaborating with one of the main radio stations here like Q95 or Kairi to have a programme time for the Kalinago community which could be used to raise the necessary funds for your intended project. I am sure one of these fine institutions would be happy to come on board and be a part of this initiative. It could help boost their ratings in that area.

    Also perhaps the Kalinago community could sit down with the Marigot Credit Union or Castle Bruce or Roseau NCCU and work out a package suitable for that community again I am sure either one of these institutions could benefit from the added business and recognition of their efforts to include that community by helping it establish it’s own branch but with their support and training of the locals. With the added effort persons like Ms Lando and the other college graduates can remain in their community and make a significant impact there.

    • Another UWP Clown
      August 8, 2012

      Credit = Collateral and as long as they stay on the “Reserve” where the land and property (Value) remains part of all and future generation, no lending institution is goin to pour money or loans like that.

      Every Bank Loan has some sort of investor backing up this loan, same as insurance (we call it re-insurance).

      So tweak your constitution and give people tilte to their lands and we are good to go.

      I hope the Carib Council is not banking on Lendin Institution giving them the money and they in turn do their own credit facility

    • Karifuna2
      August 8, 2012

      Thanks for this very progressive contribution. We actually have our radio station already, but have been struggling with authorities for a license for over 11 years now. We have had meetings already with Marigot and Castle Bruce credit unions. training have already been done by some of the suggested areas. Thanks.

Post a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

:) :-D :wink: :( 8-O :lol: :-| :cry: 8) :-? :-P :-x :?: :oops: :twisted: :mrgreen: more »

 characters available