Phillipa Christopher is Cultural Elder 2016

Phillipa Christopher of the village of Mahaut is the Cultural Elder for 2016. She will receive a sash and cash award at the Cultural Gala on Heritage Day, Sunday October 23rd, 2016.

Christopher was selected for this special honour by the Mahaut Heritage Day Committee, the body responsible for coordinating Heritage Day preparations in the community.

Christopher is being recognized for promoting various aspects of culture such as the national wear, the making of tet kase, fibre mattresses, ear piercing of infants, organizing of koudmen and for her work in agriculture and business in the Mahaut community. A number of individuals and groups will also be recognized for their contribution to the development of the community.

Heritage Day starts off with a Creole Mass celebrated by His Lordship the Bishop of Roseau Gabriel Malzaire from 10:00 am. A grand exhibition featuring various aspects of the history and cultural heritage of Mahaut will be launched at midday. The Cultural Gala commences at 3:00pm and includes the addresses by government officials, sashing of the Cultural Elder, issuing of community awards and performances by individuals and cultural groups from Mahaut and surrounding communities.

Following the Gala, three top Dominica bands, Midnight Groovers, Ti Orkest and Tripple Kay will round up the day’s proceedings. All activities take place at the Mahaut Primary School grounds in Teza, Mahaut.

Over the past few months, the Mahaut Heritage Day Committee has been working with the Cultural Division to prepare the day’s programme and to stage the various activities. Mahaut is fondly known as the village that never sleeps due to its bustling nature. Its people mostly live along its narrow coastal strip surrounded by estate lands.

In recent decades, some of these lands have been converting to new settlements for a growing middle and professional class. It was home to the recently closed Dominica Coconut Products, Dominica’s most important manufacturing plant. Mahaut is well known for fishing, farming, shop-keepers, trades people and professionals working in the public and private sector.

As a cultural centre, Mahaut produced several outstanding musicians and bands including the popular 70s to 90’s band, Belles Combo and the B Plus. It is also home for one of the island’s most spirited and dynamic carnival celebrations. Current day music greats include Cadence-lypso icons Halibut and Janet Azouzz both of whom have been performing music for well over four decades.

Heritage Day heralds the start of the annual Creole Week/Simenn Kweyol celebrations in Dominica. It was first held in 1983 in the village of Toucarie under the direction of the Cultural Division and the Konmite Pou Etid Kweyol (KEK). Each year, a different village is selected to host the celebrations in order to highlight the island’s unique cultural heritage and rich traditions.

This year Heritage Day takes the focus to the host village Mahaut and this will help local people and visitors to become more aware of its history and heritage, its unique cultural achievements, its major personalities and their contribution to the overall preservation of Dominica’s rich heritage and culture.