Seychelles celebrates International Creole Day, messages of pride

The International Creole Day is celebrated on October 28. (Seychelles News Agency)

Seychelles is celebrating the 39^th edition of the Creole Festival, an event that President Wavel Ramkalawan has said brings the Seychellois nation great pride to see the progress and achievements made in this field.

Ramkalawan made the statement in his message on the occasion of International Creole Day, which is celebrated every year on October 28.

The International Creole Day, proclaimed by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), is celebrated on October 28. Since 1983, the day has been an opportunity to celebrate the Creole language and culture across countries and communities sharing Creole, with more than 10 million people around the world.

"As we celebrate International Creole Day, commemorated by various activities, this is also a time for us to reflect on what this means for each of us and how we continue to preserve the Creole culture and heritage of our ancestors," he said.

Ramkalawan said that it is essential that at all times "we continue to remain proud of our Creole heritage. Seychelles has become the Creole-speaking capital of the world and the Creole Festival has become an event that has helped us to appreciate more our culture and share its richness with the rest of the world."

The President congratulated the Seychellois nation for preserving and promoting its Creole culture.

"Our Creole language that cradles us since our childhood, it forms a large part of the Creole heritage. Today we have several linguistic tools that help us develop our ability to write Seychellois Creole. I also thank all those who have worked with conviction to safeguard, develop, and promote our Creole culture. Let us as a people value our Creole identity which makes us unique in the world. Happy Creole Celebration Day!" he concluded.

David Andre, the secretary general of the Seychelles National Institute of Culture, Heritage and the Arts, also sent a message for the occasion.

"This festive moment is also an opportunity for us to salute and honour all individuals or groups who are or have continuously fought with conviction and determination to safeguard, develop and promote the Seychellois Creole language, our cultural identity, and our heritage," said Andre.  

In Seychelles, the Creole Festival is celebrated in October, an event that Andre said, "The Seychellois community together with other Creole communities in the world, take the opportunity to enhance and share knowledge and transmission of knowledge and skills.  Every year a series of intellectual, cultural and artistic events are organised to reach all groups and ages."

The secretary general said that there are various reasons why such a day and celebration of this day.  

First, to value Creole nations and peoples, their cultural and linguistic identity of each individual that is often illustrated through their cultural practices. Secondly, to commemorate the memories and achievements that have been made.

Thirdly, to recognise and respect the laws that govern each individual, such as the right to use and learn his or her mother tongue, which in the context of the majority of Seychellois is Seychellois Creole, access to information and information content written in Creole.  

"I take this opportunity to thank the staff of the Seychellois Creole Academy with the support of the Creole Language Committee who make it their duty to develop linguistic and scientific tools for the teaching and learning of the Creole language," said Andre.

The leader of United Seychelles, the main opposition party, Dr. Patrick Herminie, said, "This day has historical and cultural importance for us because the roots of the Creole language started when masters and slaves began to find ways to communicate with each other. So the Seychellois people in all their diversity and spread all over the world are united with other Creole peoples through the Creole language."

Herminie said the Creole language is also one of the pillars of the Seychellois  culture as it "reflects our cultural diversity because we not only speak Creole but we live Creoleness through our way of doing things, cuisine and art, among others."

He added that is why "the United Seychelles Party places great importance on the preservation and development of the Creole language so that future generations will continue to enjoy their cultural identity as a Seychellois."

Herminie said, "Our Party will encourage the development and use of digital technology to develop and promote the Creole language through academic research, teaching and the arts. Singers and musicians are already using digital platforms such as Spotify and YouTube to promote their Creole songs to an international audience. We will continue to create favourable conditions and environment for Seychellois artists to continue to flourish on the international platform."

He concluded by saying, "On behalf of the United Seychelles Party, I would like to wish all Creoles and all those who support and promote Creole culture a happy International Creole Day. Remember that it is our Creoleness that unites us as a people."