Advocate for Cadencelypso, Leroy “Wadix” Charles, is of the opinion that the word “Creole” should be dropped from the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF).
The 22nd edition of the festival ended early Monday morning after a two-year hiatus because of health restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking on the Hot Seat radio program on Q95, Charles expressed disappointment over the Creole aspect of it.
“The spinal cord for this festival was supposed to be Franco-based, and for history, it was thought first of all to be a Cadence and a Cadence/Zouk festival,” he told host of the show, Matt Peltier on Monday morning.
According to Charles, there was a departure from the word “Creole” at WCMF 2022.
“I personally think that, and that is my opinion, we should change the words and take out Creole totally because what I witnessed this year is a total departure of the word and the meaning and the foundation and also the vision of the word Creole,” he stated.
Many Dominicans have taken to social media to express similar sentiments.
“The DDA (Discover Dominica Authority) STATS are clear on who this festival is for,” one person wrote on Facebook. “Somebody or bodies living in La La land. THIS is a FRENCH Kwehol (sic) festival… everything else should be ice-cream n tinsel. If I am wrong in 2022, do the stats AGAIN, if it is necessary to change so much from the original reason WCMF was created for, then who is your market share? Find your way home…”
Another person wrote, “I still don’t understand why it’s called “World Creole Music Festival … if you can change the Act then change the name.”
Yet another person wrote, “Can you imagine going to a Monsters of Rock festival and seeing WCK performing there? Not in a million years….Or the Reggae Sunsplash and seeing Groovers, or a Country and Western festival. You get my drift….. I’m giving it five years of this nonsense and the word Creole will be dropped.”
Other social media users expressed disappointment that the focus was placed on international artists while local acts were sidelined.
“Support your own not strangers who take the money elsewhere,” one person wrote on Facebook.
“Learn to appreciate allu own! After all, Jamaica does! Africa does except our little jem (sic)!,” another wrote.
Many believe that insult was added to injury when only one Cadance band, Midnight Groovers, was asked to perform at the event given the fact that the festival was originally created to provide a world-class platform for indigenous Dominican music.
“The disrespect continues,” one person wrote. “The Cadencelypso genre of music must be given priority in our WCMF. Calypsonians should never have to beg to participate in WCMF.”
The above individual went on to state that the whole thing is a process of ‘deculturalization’ to systematically destroy cultural and moral values.
“The elite class/authorities do not feel comfortable hearing the positive lyrics, social commentaries of CadenceLypso and some Calypso artists,” he wrote. “Serious regressive steps. So many offices have been set up in Asia, [the] Middle East, to market, sell our passports to all and sundry, but how many in the Francophone, Kweyol-speaking countries to promote/market our music, our Kweyol goods/naturalness?”
Waddix say it as you see it, and always remind them where you get that fearlessness from, no nonsence person they might be wondering. Tell them your Wasin or roots come from Bawi when you speak you do it with authority, in other word when you hit it, no man move like we say it in cricket.
Do it for your people my brother we behind you a 100 percent. PEACE.
Some people fails to understand what Wadix meant. He did not mean to remove the word creole for removing sake. What he is simple saying is that, there are more unrelated creole music in the music fest than creole words itself, so there for if is so, remove the word creole and leave it with World Music Festival to suit all artist, and I agrees with him. Now we are surrounded by 2 French Countries, why not just having our music festival amongs us. Dominicans and French music to have our own creole fest. Furthermore, if they want to bring in Senesia whatever her name is and Destra and these artist that dnt know nothing in creole, invent another event for them. Another thing I dnt like Dominicans will play in their own country for nuts change while outside artist playing for 100 k and more. Why not pay our own the 100 k’s to play in order to develop themselves and country, but no let the money out instead that do not benefit Dominicans at no cost. So I agreed with Wadix remove it if is…
I understand where Wadix is coming from but on the other hand you need pple from all corners of the world to come here to make this a success. How many of our young artists are getting into cadencelypso? How many are trying to improve their lyrical contents in their music? Yes we have to promote our own but the artists got to make it worth promoting. I also believe their should be less Jamaican artists and more of the neighboring french islands
My people are the greatest lol. Rest y’all selves after that three nights of alcohol and minimal sleep. Most of us didn’t even want to buy a 5$ flag for flag day. When you guys start really showing out for the CULTURAL gala, in CULTURAL attire, and actually participating in anything CULTURAL during the season, other than drinking, then the CULTURE conversation can be had.
Till then Happy 44th.
Boss the WCMF is a business and you want the most out of it. When you flood the stage with only locals how are you going to attract the rest of the world? Are you obsessed because the GOODIES you were getting, you can’t get no more? When you take away the word Creole, take it to your home with you. Ok.
No name change, just add more CadenceLypso, Compa and Zouk. Jocelyn upgraded the otherwise weak lineup but the festival was super.
skerritt says our original cadence festival which turned into a creole festival…beongs to the region……St. Lucia might as well take advantage and create de biggest blow out Cadence festival.
I remember when the young woman quit because of government interference in the running of DFC
of course we expect that St Lucia will blow us out……more access, familiarity…..can we imagine the volume of foreign visitors go to de island compared to de nature isle?
WADIX you have my unwavering support!!!!!!!
It’s WORLD CREOLE! not Dominica Creole. Languages from cultures around the WORLD brought to one stage. It will always be different from where Wadix started,that’s how growth works.
He maybe forgot it says world creole lol dunno if he thinks creole Is only french hehehe like he forget every country has a creole language
Our people, especially those in authourity don’t like to take criticism. Everybody prefer to hear it was good that is why we will stay at the bottom of the barrell . Just make the gate receipt and belt it out that so much was made over other yrs and there you have it. Product gone West. Here is not about the product you put on the market its about the money you can make. Let’s eat little and live long than full our belly quick and burst to death. Let’s us constructively build a product that we can be known for on the world stage. And then you will receive the benefits of your hard work. Think
of Crix biscuit and Angustura bitters. If your bar does not have a bottle of Angustura bitters then people watch you funny. There is never enough Crix busicut during the hurricane season.
Ok Wadix, that is a fight you will loose..
No need for name change but a closer look must be taken at the artists and genres we bring to the festival. Not enough of the cadence/ zouk/ compa genres. Enough of that reggae! There is a time and place for everything and truely it does not belong to us as Dcans. Why not have our own two days reggae festival between march and Cadence festival?
I totally endorse all Wadix have said. This happens when people at the helm of organizations have no connection to the originators, and do not understand the concept behind an event their entity is supposed to execute. This disconnect exist in many organizations in Dominica as government fill positions with people who are loyal to them but not individuals who a necessarily knowledgeable in the areas they are employed to manage. A basic understanding of the term creole would end this destruction to our festival. Just sad that everything has to be diluted to almost nothingness in our country. The annoying thing is you see them showing off because they hold a big name position but you know in your heart it’s only garbage they’re producing as they are clueless.
Wadix, I totally agree with you on this. This is not a reggae/ dancehall festival. This is a Creole Festival. I am a musician myself and decided not to attend the festival this year mainly because we are neglecting what the WCMF is really all about. When you go to Jamaica and attend their reggae/dancehall festival, you don’t hear any other genre of music but reggae and dancehall. And it’s time we give Mr. Gordon Henderson all his flowers and praises for coming up with the idea(his brain child) of the WCMF.
This unfortunate realization started a few years ago. Dominicans are by and large intelligent people but we like to follow-follow and copy others. We lack initiative and we are somehow ashamed of our valued uniqueness. Our culture is being compromised to a significant extent when the festival is being watered down by non-genuine music that is distant away from creole. I amply see where Wadix is coming from. Incompetence and a lack of focus will will to the detriment of what is truly Dominican/creole and our contribution to the world of music will quickly fade away.
The fortunate thing about music in Dominica is that its devotees are not afraid to take a critical stand. I wish that the same could be said about other art forms. All too often the message appears to be, “say something nice”.
Criticism is an essential ingredient of the creative arts. It should be seen as a positive evaluation of the merits and faults of a piece of work, be it a poem, play, or painting.
One of Dominica’s leading playwrights told me that he had once taken to reviewing his own work under a pseudonym in order to highlight the glaring faults of the performance. Alas, the editor deemed his submission too critical for publication!
Our people, especially those in authourity don’t like to take criticism. Everybody prefer to hear it was good that is why we will stay at the bottom of the barrell . Just make the gate receipt and belt it out that so much was made over other yrs and there you have it. Product gone West. Here is not about the product you put on the market its about the money you can make. Let’s eat little and live long than full our belly quick and burst to death. Let’s us constructively build a product that we can be known for on the world stage. And then you will receive the benefits of your hard work. Think
of Crix biscuit and Angustura bitters. If your bar does not have a bottle of Angustura bitters then people watch you funny. There is never enough Crix busicut during the hurricane season.
I don’t support that at all. Everyone has there personal opinion but the world doesn’t revolve around certain people. What I would say is while we need foreign artist to promote the festival we should get more compass, zouk, cadence to dominate the festival. I have no problems with tirni soca and local artist. We need to stop playing politics with everything in Dominica
What you are saying makes absolutely no sense. It is not about anybody’s opinion. It is the losing of brand we are talking about here. Would you like to get sardines from your corned beef tin. When allu hear big people talking step aside because the conversation has gone straight over your head. Alas.
Why would someone suggest removing the word “Creole” when it has an indigenous connotation, relevant to the festival?
Let’s face it there are Creole people in quite a few places in the Caribbean, and millions in the State of Louisiana, and other places in America. If the festival is supposed to attract visitors to Dominica it’s quite obvious that the title as it is will be a greater pull than the term cadancelypso out Grand Bay.
I don’t know anywhere the Grand Bay music is recognized whereas Creole Festival do ring a bell!
That festival was started by Toulon under the auspices of the UWP, and Noris Prevost, it has been very successful over the years from the inception; now this guy seeks to destroy it!
Man find something constructive to think about and leave well alone people only repair things that are defective, or broken!
What is your purpose, your argument is absolutely senseless.
Just a correction, the festival was not started by Mr. Toulon. The festival is the brain child, the baby of Mr. Gordon Henderson of Exile One fame. He returned to Dominica in 1995 to put together his team inorder the festival started in 1997.
“and millions in the State of Louisiana”,
Telemaque, just so you know that the full population of the State of Louisiana, is only 4.5 million.
I was about to agree with, and leave a positive thumbs rating for your comment, but that quote above made me change my mind.
I am sure you think that you are educating your readers when you post a comment. But you are doing a lot of damage with those loud exaggerations, you see.
I mean when you remove “millions of Creole people” from a population of 4.5 million people, how many of the the local people would be left?
Perhaps you need to stop thinking America, America, and think of yourself as a Dominican (removing the political vibes out of it); then your comments on DNO, will be likable by fellow Dominicans.
Hey Bro,
What Wadix is saying “FIGURATIVELY” take out the name of Creole because the direction the festival is going with reference to the genre of music. The festival has lost its way and is not heading in the direction it was intended to. Limit the content of the other genres and do not have these acts as headliners, used them as invited guest.
We don’t need these expensive acts for arrival per say, since our market is well established in the French Antilles, plus we have a big market in St. Martin, Antigua and St. Lucia.
I am not with WADIX on this one. I think the name should and CREOLE should be foundation for this. How would ask, I would say to always have an artist it two from the creole speaking countries. Also it is being around our independence. This is ideal for promoting the creole language.
The name should not change unique to Dominica
Could not agree more with Wadix. This year’s event only had any connection with Creole in passing and certainly did not focus on Dominica. If we have to import an expensive artist from Port Harcourt in Nigeria, playing non-specific music that has no reference to the Creole concept or Dominica then what are we doing? It just becomes another music festival, a pop-concert if you will. Why would I want to make that difficult trek to Dominica for that? Just for my love of country, which I certainly have? We lost our way here I’m afraid.