Holding its 4th annual show on Saturday 2nd December, after being postponed from October 1st due to the devastation of Hurricane Maria, the UK-based youth-focused organisation, the Waitukubuli Culture and Tourism Initiative (WCTI) once again celebrated Dominica’s culture and heritage in a parade of Creole fashion and cultural engagement. The outgoing Miss Wob Alisha Laurent-Smart opened the event leading the way to an evening of fun and splendour.
The organisation and its signature event were launched in 2014 by Dr Violet Cuffy in an effort to address a major void in the UK for greater youth involvement with their Dominican history, heritage and culture.
Victorious on the night were: Ti Matador Lara Joseph (Centre) Miss Wob Dwiyet Rianna Patterson (left) and La Dame Creole Eshiva Wright (right). The crowd was also captivated by guest appearances from the winners of other UK pageant Mr & Miss West Indies UK; storyteller, Jane Grell and Slyvia Mitchell with a paleꞌ creole session among others.
The team at WCTI stand in solidarity with the government and people of Dominica in this time of difficulty and in so doing made a concerted effort this year to reach out international friends in promoting the culture of the Nature Isle. The members wish to send sympathies to all who have suffered loss of life, particularly to the staff of the Dominica Cultural Division and Dominica Broadcasting Radio Station at the sudden passing of Jacinta David and Kurt Matthew whose work directly and indirectly respectively have had an impact on Dominica’s heritage and culture.
Next year’s event is scheduled to be held on October 6th 2018. We encourage young person and parents to be part of this initiative and wish to appeal to you to email: [email protected] for more information or contact Dr Cuffy at 07932730391.
We must think before we leap! The word “matador” like many other European words, along with some African words found its way into Dominica’s creole language. Similarly, this is the same is true of the vernacular of many West Indian countries and their languages, be they English, French, Spanish or Dutch. But what does the word “matador” mean; in its Arabic and Spanish origin it means killer or to kill. I know that in our ignorance we have accepted all things colonial as now cultural back on these West Indies island plantations, but I would not come up to the UK and label a little Black girl, a “matador”! The rest of the UK is not thinking Dominica’s culture when they hear this word. Instead, they are thinking the only living and vivid meaning that they know of and see in Spain of this word http://www.dictionary.com/browse/matador
Here is your Matador https://www.britannica.com/sports/matador-bullfighter and here is your Wob Dwiyet https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/126171227032880716/?lp=true
This is what Bob Marley meant when he told us to “emancipate yourself from mental slavery”! Can you imagine how funny this must be to White Europeans, to see the great-grand children of ex-enslaved celebrating the cultural norms, habits, dressing and customs of their slave masters?
I don’t know Dr. cuffs’ organisation but at least she has a real Ph D.