This weekend the spotlight will be on the Kalinago Territory as the first ever Kalinago Cultural Festival is held and among the major highlights will be a canoe regatta, carded for Sunday 9th August 2015.
Organizers of the two-day event, Sunday 8th and 9, are promising a real treat.
“This is going to become a very great event,” Kalinago Chief Charles Williams said. “It is fun and excitement and we want everybody to come and participate in that activity.”
He informed that the regatta will feature eight locally made canoes from the Kalinago Territory and will begin at San Sauver and will end at Marigot.
Participants taking part will include two boats each from the Kalinago Territory itself, Guadeloupe, Martinique and non-Kalinago from Dominica.
“Now when we take off at San Sauveur at 12 o’clock we will be coming out in the bay and we will row out in the ocean to a certain point in the ocean with oars, and when you catch that wind, a buoy will be placed at a certain point in the ocean where we can ensure that we catch that wind and you have to put your sails up at that point,” Williams explained.
Critically, he pointed out that participants must not drop their sails until they arrive at the bay in Marigot.
Local fishermen, the coast guard, the Anchorage Hotel Party boat will form part of the escort team.
“We will be having tours with the people who want to follow the regatta on the ocean,” the Chief informed.
Those interested are required to pay EC$100 to be part of the Anchorage Hotel Party Boat and the smaller boats cost $50. Eats and drinks will be on sale.
General Manager of the Kalinago Barana Aute (KBA) and a member of the planning committee, Kevin Dangleben said the event has potential to grow.
“We know that this is an important aspect of the Kalinago cultural heritage that has the capacity to be a major visitor attraction in Dominica,” He noted, “because if when it is done, out there it attracts so many visitors, visitors pay money to go and have that experience and learn about that aspect of the Kalinago heritage, we have it right here in Dominica.”
He said the onus is on “us to ensure that we utilize what we have to the best of our ability in ensuring that we can enrich and enhance the visitor experience in Dominica and to maximize what we have so that more visitors can come and have that experience as well as generating more opportunities for the residents and the local people.”
There will be a trophy up for grabs and other prizes for the participants.
Meanwhile former Tourism Minister, Norris Prevost, has endorsed the event.
“The Dominica Kalinago Regatta & Cultural Festival can be a win-win for the Kalinago people, the Dominica Hotel and Tourism Association and Dominica as a whole,” he said.
However, for this to happen the Kalinago Council must be allocated natural resources, “with which to build an independent institution to organize and manage the Festival on behalf of the Council and the Kalinago People,”
“In this regard, I draw Council’s attention to recommendations made by myself and fellow Harvard University Colleague Tina Batt, in 2007, where we recommend that Council considers the establishment of two separate and distinct institutions,” Prevost noted. “The Kalinago Economic Development Corporation (KEDC), charged exclusively with doing commercial for profit business for the Kalinago Council and the Kalinago People, and The Kalinago Community Development Corporation, (KCDC) a non-profit Corporation responsible for community, youth, cultural, environmental, social and small business and NGOs development, citizens engagement and advocacy.”
The program for the festival is as follows:
-Day one-August 8th
Venue: Karina Cultural Village in Bataca
Exhibition of Arts and Crafts, and Agriculture 10-5PM
Official Opening ceremony -7 pm
Entertainment costs $ 25 and will feature -King Dice, Xtacy Band, Fanatic band
-Day Two-Sunday 9th
11.15 am -Official Opening of the Kalinago Canoe Regatta-San Sauveur to Marigot
12 noon-Exhibition continues at the Karina Cultural village
5PM- Arrival of the Regatta at Marigot
6 PM-Depart to the Karina Cultural Village for a reception and Regatta award ceremony
9 PM-Entertainment-Karina Cultural Group, Myths and Legends, Kalinago Dancers, IC Band, Machine Creole and Chubby and the Midnight Groovers.
See photos below of some of the canoes taking part in the regatta.
Go Kalinago!!!
Very interesting
Niceee…Love it sumn different. Although the mast on dem canoes look too thin though. I’ll be there to witness…