Chairman of the Konmité pou Etid Kwéyòl (KEK) Raymond Lawrence said KEK is working on a National Creole Policy for the future direction of the language in Dominica.
He made the announcement at a ceremony held during its 42th Anniversary Celebrations at the Alliance Française recently.
“Among other things KEK is also working on a National Creole Language Policy,” he said. “This policy is meant to provide a roadmap for the future direction of the language in Dominica.”
According to him, the policy will provide guidelines for the use of Creole in domains, including media, justice system, church, schools.
“After this policy is drafted we hope that Cabinet will approve and adopt it so that the country can use that policy as a guide for the future development of the language,”Lawrence stated.
KEK also launched two new publications at the ceremony and a video to commemorate the milestone.
The first publication will be a teaching tool to help learners of Kweyol get better acquainted with vocabulary and spelling. The second publication will be a commemorative magazine to celebrate a 40 years milestone.
KEK, the abbreviated form for “Konmité pou Etid Kwéyòl” (Committee for the Study of Creole), has among its objectives to foster a deeper awareness and respect for our Mother Tongue – Kwéyòl. KEK was established in 1981.
KEK’s early activities included literacy classes and the celebration of Jounen Kwéyòl (Creole Day). The first Kwéyòl day was held in October 1981 and has been held ever since. Simenn Kwéyòl (Creole Week) has been held since 1986. This week starts on Jounen Eritaj (Heritage Day), that is, the Sunday preceding Jounen Kwéyòl which is celebrated on the last Friday in October.
KEK has published several books on various oral traditions such as proverbs and riddles (timtim) and a Kwéyòl-English dictionary.
Electoral reform clearly doesn’t matter to these hypocrites, so instead, to give them at least a minor purpose in live and justify their existence, they play around with Creole. Surely the well-being of our country should be foremost in the head of those people, but they are afraid of the tyrant. So they playing around with creole, presumably because the CM doesn’t understand it. I mean he is hardly in command of the English language which after all is the official language of our country.
This initiative by Raymond Lawrence and the committee deserves much appreciation and applause. But the troubling question is whether in spite of all this Dominica can still be qualified as a real kwéole speaking nation. Is there for example sufficient evidence to confirm trans-generational continuity of the language in all the communities on the island with a kwéole speaking heritage? Is there any notable trend on the part of young Dominicans to engage in kwéole speaking or to even demonstrate the slightest interest in it? With the exception of at least Grandbay and Soufrière it is doubtful whether the present and future generations will be able to even hold a short créole conversation. We need to be realistic.. I still hope something tangible will materialise from this endeavour.