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The Rose Festival or “La Woz” is an annual event held in St. Lucia to celebrate its rich cultural history and heritage, and is enjoyed by generations young and old.
Celebrated on August 30, the festival has its origins in the days of slavery and is a huge celebration and one of two flower festivals in St. Lucia.
In honor of Santa Rosa of Lima, the festival culminates in the same way it begins: with songs and dances that capture the attention of onlookers and equally engaging theatrical performances.
Over the years the festival has attracted large crowds of young people, including students from all over the island, but the festival and its counterpart, Margaret Day, have fallen far short of what they should be.
As participation from young people increases, La Rose and La Marguerite will undoubtedly become more attractive.
While hundreds of people attend these events every year, they face the threat of death, albeit slowly, due to low participation among young people.
Last week, Prime Minister Philippe Pierre encouraged Saint Lucians to take part in the upcoming celebrations and to be proud of their culture.
To his surprise, he was also visited by the Monchy La Rose group. The idea was proposed by the Ministry of Tourism.
The Prime Minister and his Permanent Secretary acknowledged that the two festivals, Rose Festival and Margaret Festival, are an important part of Saint Lucia’s identity and should undoubtedly continue from generation to generation.
Nevertheless, they are slowly dying.
Prime Minister’s aide Esther Rigobert said the rose garden was “still very much alive” but noted that much more could be done.
In an interview, PS said that the attention paid to the festivals has declined over time. This means that “government, civil society (and) the private sector are not paying due attention” to ensure that future generations can welcome these festivals with open arms.
“There’s still a lot more that can be done and I want to encourage the public to take it up,” she said.
But why so many young people avoid the activity or find it unappealing is not really complicated. Because as we have seen, year after year, young people often participate, but in small numbers and without any groups to brag about.
La Rose and La Marguerite are often seen as “traditions for old people” – not traditions for young people. This is, of course, a misconception.
So, what can we do to change these misconceptions?
In an interview with THE VOICE, PS pointed out the root cause.
“I think it’s multifaceted. It may be a flaw in our system that we focus on other things — academics, (for example), but there are aspects of our traditions that (have dissipated) over the years. I think what can be done is to hold organizers and departments responsible for bringing it to schools (and) make students aware” of the festival and what it means, so that as they grow up, these traditions will remain.
PS said if children are not aware of the importance of festivals like Rose Day, it will be difficult to introduce them to them later on.
Of course, it is vital to keep the culture alive. As the saying goes, the torch must be passed on, otherwise this part of our culture will gradually be forgotten and will die along with the roses and margaritas who fought to keep them alive.
If they have not already done so, we encourage the La Marguerite and La Rose groups to pursue the options suggested by the PS and seek corporate support.
As we prepare to celebrate Rose Day next week, we urge Saint Lucians to immerse themselves in the local culture and use it as an opportunity to learn.
As historian Johan Huizinga puts it, “If we want to preserve culture, we must continue to create it.”
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