Minister for the Environment, Rural Modernization, Kalinago Upliftment and Constituency Empowerment, Cozier Frederick said the Kalinago week of activities celebrated this year should be used to empower the Kalinago people.
He made the disclosure during the launching ceremony held at the Ministry of Finance Conference room this week.
The week of events is carded for September 16 to the 23 under the theme: “Our Land, Foothold of our Survival.”
“We have to find opportunities to ensure that people within the space have the opportunity to grow and be equal members of our beautiful Waitikubulian society,” Frederick said. “It’s very important that the celebration that we have this year [empowers] our own people and that they first and foremost understand their critical role in the country’s development and also their own role in developing themselves.”
According to him, celebrating the indigenous heritage across the week of activities is very important, “because I believe it will promote understanding, it will promote respect and I strongly believe it will also have a sense of healing across the cultural divide.”
“One of the key reasons we realized is that we do have the opportunity to do some cultural preservation,” he noted. “And so, Dominica’s Kalinago heritage is grounded in Kalinago culture and it is important to highlight those aspects of the heritage and promote them, not only for this generation, but for many generations to come.”
Frederick went on to state that it appears to the Kalinago people that during various points of their history parts of that heritage have been fading away. He believes therefore that it is very important that the Kalinago people preserve that culture. Frederick mentioned that another important piece of the celebration is recognizing and respecting that heritage.
“To a very large extent across the world indigenous people have been met with a lot of injustice and we will continue to promote during the celebrations a time of healing and reconciliation,” he said.
Frederick continued, “We hope that it will be acknowledged that there were wrongs done and we work together as a Dominican society to ensure there is equity across the cultural lines.”
Kalinago Chief, Lorenzo Sanford stated that it is very important to have celebrations.
“It reminds us of the profound significance our land holds in sustaining our community and safeguarding our heritage,” he said.
Sanford said the week of activities is an opportunity not only to witness history but to be part of it.
“As we come together, let us reflect on the remarkable resilience and enduring strength of the Kalinago people,” he noted. “This is an opportunity not only to witness history, but to be part of it, to forge connections that will echo through time.”
Sandford added, “Let us celebrate in a spirit of unity and togetherness, let us honour the legacy of those who came before us…”
The week of celebrations will begin Saturday, September 16 with a Wai Ku Jouvert in Bataca from 4:00 a.m. and Miss Kalinago Show from 7:00 p.m. at the Karina Cultural Village in Bataca. This will be followed by the annual memorial Service at the Salybia Roman Catholic Church on Sunday, September 17, at 10:00 a.m.
On Monday, September 18, there will be a school lecture series: Atkinson, Concord, Salybia, Sineku, and L.C.A at 9:00 a.m.
On Tuesday, September 19, the Annual Memorial Smoke Ceremony will be held at the St, Cyr 1930 memorial site at 10:00 a.m. and later on the said date, there will be a naming ceremony at the Salybia Kalinago Barana Aute at 4:00 p.m.
On Wednesday, September 20, a Kalinago Economic Summit will be held at the Salybia Kalinago Barana Aute at 10:00 a.m.
On Thursday, September 21, there will be a Kalinago Spelling Bee Competition and a Kalinago Dress Day held at the Concord Primary School at 10:00 a.m. and on Saturday, September 23 from 3:00 p.m. a celebration will be held in honour of Mrs Sylvanie Burton at the Salybia Kalinago Barana Aute, followed by the closing ceremony, a cuisine expo, and Band Splash at 7:00 p.m.
Celebrations in honour of Sylvanie Burton. I’ve heard it all now!! Dominica is the most rotten place on earth.