Parle Creole, Dominica

Brief historical background of Kwéyòl

Kwéyòl was born out of the slavery era, when different tribes from Africa were assigned to the same slavery plantations in the Caribbean countries; it was a time when their slave-masters were either French or British and their native tongues were somewhat useless as a method of communication since they themselves spoke different tribal lingoes. As a result, they were forced to develop a new form of communication that they could use to convey messages to each other by relying on what they heard from their colonial masters and their fellow tribes-men.

Sporadically (at irregular intervals), they would use words they thought they heard their colonial masters speak and combine them with their African lexis (expressions) and sentence structure, thus, new words were wrought (fashioned) and given meaning.

Gradually, this new method of communication amongst the slaves spread summarily across the regions of the Caribbean. This "Creole" language, which is French for 'indigenous', progressively grew into a more recognizable phraseology (language), which would later be the building block for a new culture and new-fangled (newly created) genre.

After the slavery liberation, those who still had some level of control and power were held in prestige and were looked up to by those of the lower class. Therefore, the liberated society tried to condition the generations that followed them in accordance with those whom they considered better. This resulted in the adoption of the English language and habits, but in the beginning of the death of Kwéyòl culture. That was until Edward Oliver Leblanc. Leblanc was a patriot and an activist to many, in regards to the revolution of and in Kwéyòl culture and he was also the Prime Minister at the time. He insisted that Dominicans reclaim their identity by re-embracing their culture and heritage. Later on he was joined by others who shared the same vision and the progress continued.

By the late sixties/early seventies, a group of people such as Mr. Felix Henderson, among others, came together to establish the first ever Kwéyòl Day.

A few years later, other creative initiatives were developed out of traditional habits and forms of entertainment. For example, Kadance music and in 1977 Èspéwéyans Kwéyòl. Small as well as large groups revolving around the Kwéyòl culture were also established to help promote and sustain it.

- Jahisiah

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