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Folkways
of Bequia, St. Vincent & Grenadines
Who's
involved:
Project leader: Raison Compton
Main partner: Paget
Farm Sports Cultural and Environmental Organization
Other organisations:
- R.I.P.P.L.E.S.
- National Trust
- Bequia Heritage Foundation
- Ministry of Culture
- Agency for Public Information
- Bequia Radio Project
Timeframe:
December 2006 - October 2007
Theme:
Life and Love on Islands
Background:
Our goal is to document
for future generations, the oral history and traditional
practices of our island home.
Objectives:
- Record various local traditions such as farine
production, corn grinding, salting and drying
fish and whale;
- Get the aging population
of Bequia to pass on their stories of island living,
including stories passed on to them from their
forefathers, and traditional herbal medicines;
- Promote and record interaction
between the youth and the elderly in cheer-giving
activities to allow for the direct transfer of
folklore;
- Record the work of the
youth involved in the Paget Farm Sports and Cultural
Environmental Organization and RIPPLES project.
Activities:
- Purchase video camera and train youth to use
the camera;
- Organize and conduct at
least ten cheer-giving visits by the youth to
elderly persons in their homes in Bequia and to
videotape the elderly as they tell their stories;
- Organize and videotape
a minimum of five local traditions to include
farine production, corn grinding, salting and
drying fish and whale, use of traditional herbal
medicines;
- Edit the video footage
and prepare a 30-minute video illustrating the
Folkways of Bequia;
- Organize a viewing of the
video by the elderly and general community of
Bequia
- Publicise the project through
local radio, television and newspapers, and air
some of the interviews with the elderly on Bequia
Community Radio;
- Evaluate the impact of
the activity by asking a minimum of 20 involved
youth to complete a survey at the end of the project
on how they view local traditions and stories;
- Investigate and report
on ways of continuing cheer-giving sessions with
the elderly after the project.
Progress
Reports:
29 October 2007
"We have already sent the news items to the newspapers and television but because this was a very busy time for them it was not possible for them to include them in the Independence issue and program. Most likely the upcoming week.
An article was sent to the TV station and national broadcasting corporation as well as the information for the newspaper articles (read this article).
The extraction of the audio for the Bequia Radio station is also being taken care of together with the production of the video, and the planning for how the stories will be aired is well on the way. Mrs. Vernette Ollivierre of the Bequia Community High School has been working along with us on that part of the project." - Kenora Bynoe
25 September 2007
"Our project is entering its final stages. Late August/September was not as productive as we had hoped because of other commitments.
We have footage of the cheergiving/interviews, corn grinding, traditional medicines (we have to do over the filming of the actual plants). This week we will be continuing to film the implements like the juke board for washing, flambeau, and others mentioned during the interviews.
Next week on Monday the 1st or Tuesday the 2nd October, two persons from the Agency for Public Information will be coming down to help us as we get ready to put all that information we have together in one shortened version." - Kenora Bynoe
11 May 2007
"So far we have taken footage from 2 of the cassava production sites. We are working with the Agency for Public Information for training and consultation. We have also done a cheer-giving exercise and the project is taking shape. Here are some digital photos from the Friendship cassava producers and the Jellizeau producers."
- Kenora Bynoe
Downloads:
Project
Proposal
Workplan
Promotional article for television and radio
For more information:
Contact Kenora Bynoe: p_f_s_c_e_o@yahoo.com
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