Lakwizin Kreol: Seychelles' annual 39th Creole Festival programme unveiled

The month-long Festival will be held under the theme 'Lakwizin Kreol'. (Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts)

The 39^th edition of the annual Creole Festival will kick off on October 5 with the 'Moman Kreative' (creative moment), an event that gives school children from primary, secondary, and post-secondary institutions a platform to showcase their talents.

The month-long Festival, which is an annual celebration of the various aspects of the country's culture, will be held under the theme 'Lakwizin Kreol' (Creole Cuisine). The official launch will take place on October 10.

At the unveiling of the event on Tuesday, the permanent secretary for Culture, Cecile Kalebi, gave details on the main activities to be held during the Creole month and said, "The theme has many vibrant colours, food brings people together. It transcends culture and barriers so we feel that everyone will appreciate this theme."

The theme is depicted in the official poster, which shows an elderly Seychellois lady showing the youth how to cook traditional food in a traditional kitchen with the child holding onto a lantern. The poster also displays different kinds of traditional Creole food.

Describing the preparation for the annual celebration as intense, Kalebi said that there will be a packed programme with exhibitions, musical shows and bazaars.

"This year the programme is not something that only the committee worked on, we also have the involvement of many private entities and individuals. We expect our 39^th edition to go well, and hope the people will participate in the different activities we have organised," she added.

David Andre, the secretary general of the Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts (SNICHA) described the Festival as a major event in Seychelles that displays the Seychellois culture and identity.

"No matter what event we organise we always make sure that at the back of it all, its essence valorises our culture, especially for the youth; so they understand it and also take it up in the future. We are confident that we are ready for the Festival. We expect that people will fully engage and participate," he added.

Kalebi confirmed that apart from activities being held in the capital Victoria, there will also be districts doing their activities, including Praslin and La Digue, the second and third most populated islands of Seychelles. Their programmes will be released at a later date.

Andre and Kalebi also clarified that decorations for the festival will be unveiled on October 1.