A Séwinal Splash and a Grand Séwinal Concert and Street Party will be the highlights of the third edition of the Waraka Séwinal Festival in Atkinson slated for December 20-21.
The Atkinson Village Council and the Séwinal Festival Committee officially announced the staging of the festival on Thursday at an event organized by DIGICEL at its Roseau sales store to launch its Christmas promotion dubbed ‘Brighten Someone’s Christmas’.
Details of this year’s festival were revealed by Anton Laville, Chairman of the Atkinson Village Council and Gregory Rabess, Publicity Manager.
Bann Akayo, the popular séwinal Band of Atkinson also performed at the event, giving the public a taste of traditional Séwinal music which has inspired the festival.
DIGICEL is one of the sponsors of this year’s festival, Rabess said.
The annual event features individual performers, groups and audiences from around Dominica. The festival is aimed at attracting more local and overseas visitors to Atkinson while at the same time promoting the Séwinal tradition and culture.
The Sewinal Splash takes place on Friday December 20 and will feature carols under the moonlight and traditional Séwinal sessions by Bann Akayo Séwinal Band and other local groups at the festival site, local bars, street side and homes.
The main festival event is the Grand Séwinal Concert and Street Party on Saturday December 21 at 7.00 p.m. It will feature performances by individual singers, traditional Séwinal bands, dancers, steel pan, drumming ensembles and dance bands.
The ever-popular Halibut and Dominica’s number one dance band, the Swinging Stars are headline acts at the Festival. Other performers include the Bits and Pieces Sewinal Band of Layou, Bann Akayo Sewinal Band, Ti Bwa, Gregory ‘Wochla’ Rabess, Piman Zozyo Sewinal Band, Kalinago All Stars, Karina, KTZ, Dancing Divas, ACYM Dancers and more. Papa Nwel (Father Christmas) will make an appearance in grand style. Another high point of the festival concert is the presentation of a special award to a sewinal pioneer.
Local foods and beverages associated with Christmas and Atkinson such as chaloup water, local wines, ginger beer, sorrel are an important part of the festival package and will be available at various street stalls, according to Rabess.
On Saturday December 21, local telephone company, DIGICEL, one of the major sponsors of the Festival, will host all day promotions at the festival site. DIGICEL staff and team will also distribute food hampers to needy families in Atkinson and the Kalinago Territory earlier that day and share the Christmas cheer with carols and gifts to children during the Sewinal concert in the evening.
Rabess said the Waraka Sewinal Festival is held under the auspices of the Atkinson Village Council and the Waraka Sewinal Festival Committee. These two bodies are responsible for the event planning, organization and implementation. The Cultural Division of the Government of Dominica, Discover Dominica Authority and the Dominica Festivals Committee have all endorsed the festival, he said.
Sewinal takes me back. Old favorite songs were “Drink your rum on a Christmas Morning” and “Papa Nwel ki voye nu”
Give Praise to Atkinson
Red is the prominent and traditional Christmas colour, so it is unfortunate to see someone is reading a political motive behind this wonderful celebration of a tradition with strong roots in Atkinson. It is a celebration I will participate in for the first time since, “I’ll be home for Christmas; you can count on me,” & “Oooh, I’m coming for Christmas, oooh, I’m coming home for Christmas.” “Ouvert la porte bas mwen, mwen ka venie, saou ca compwan oh! Ou ka ani dormir, ou pas le levay.”
Next time mwen la!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I applaud them for continuing to showcase and promote the Kalinago culture and that of our beautiful Dominica. But it is indeed sickening to see how EVERY CELEBRATION nowadays seems to be covered in RED< RED< RED!!!! Out cannot do anything nowadays without it having a red base, red background, red in the clothing………my goodness!!!! What happen nuh, all of you afraid of the government or are you all incapable of doing anything nowadays without their approval????? What is going on????????????????????
red is the main colour for christmas, margee. santa claus in red and white….what justification do u want again?!?1…….geez us christ
well:well: if the color of red is a problem to you,then santa clause really going to kill you.
Um.do you reside in a territory where Digicel operates????
Maybe they are wearing red because it is the Christmas season
Communism even infiltrate Religion these days!
christmas is red tebbeh
The sounds of Bann Akayo and Sewinal as a whole in Atkinson takes me back to my childhood and I’m so mad I’m going to miss it again this year, but I applaud the Atkinson Village Council and the Waraka Sewinal Festival Committee for putting this on. Next year hopefully!!