The 2026 edition of Mwa Ewitaj Kwéyòl, better known as Kwéyòl Heritage Month, officially got underway on Wednesday at Laborie Market in the coastal Saint Lucian community of Laborie, opening a 30-day calendar of events dedicated to celebrating the island nation’s unique Kwéyòl language, cultural traditions, and ancestral heritage.
Organized by the island’s Folk Research Centre (FRC), this year’s celebration centers on the inclusive slogan “Kwéyòl-la Sé Sa Nou Tout,” which translates to “Kwéyòl Belongs to All of Us.”
Speaking at the opening ceremony, FRC founder Monsignor Patrick Anthony emphasized that the theme reflects a core truth about the language’s role in national identity. Anthony, who is widely recognized as a driving force behind Kwéyòl cultural preservation efforts, noted that Saint Lucians who have not learned the language are disconnected from a foundational part of their own personal and cultural identities.
“Kwéyòl is our culture, Kwéyòl is our identity, and every Saint Lucian should come to understand that unless I know my language I am missing out a lot about myself,” Anthony told attendees. “The wisdom in our proverbs, in our riddles, all of that, [remains] closed to us, if we do not understand the language.”
Anthony framed Kwéyòl as a distinctly Saint Lucian creation forged by generations of the island’s people. “We created it, we moulded it, we formed it…and it is the basis of all that is Saint Lucian,” he added.
Three communities across the island have been selected to host the month’s flagship activities, as well as the highlight national celebration Jounen Kwéyòl, scheduled for Sunday, October 25. Anthony extended congratulations to the selected host communities while urging organizers to center the language’s cultural importance in all their programming.
The official host sites are La Caye in Dennery, Vieux Fort South, and La Clery in Castries North. A representative of the Dennery planning committee shared that the community will deliver an authentic, engaging celebration aligned with its local sub-theme “From the Field to the People.”
Organizers in Vieux Fort have outlined a full slate of community-focused events running throughout the month, including a traditional games and storytelling evening set for October 10 and a cultural dance showcase on October 17. The main Jounen Kwéyòl festivities in Vieux Fort will open with a traditional J’ouvert street celebration on the morning of October 25.
John Paul Estephan, Minister in the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, also addressed the launch, framing the opening of Heritage Month as the start of a national celebration of Saint Lucian identity. “We have gathered to honour those who have come before us, and we have gathered to make a simple but powerful declaration – Kwéyòl-la Sé Sa Nou Tout,” he said.
Estephan highlighted that the language carries the full breadth of Saint Lucian collective experience: “It carries our history, it carries our humour, it carries our wisdom, it carries our struggles and our resilience, it carries the unmistakable rhythm and spirit of the Saint Lucian people.”
He added that many Kwéyòl expressions hold unique cultural meaning, reflecting a distinctly Saint Lucian approach to life and wisdom. Beyond a claim of collective ownership, Estephan noted that this year’s theme also carries a call to action. “It is a statement of responsibility, because if Kwéyòl belongs to us then its future also belongs to us,” he explained.
Wednesday’s opening ceremony featured lively performances of traditional Saint Lucian folk music and dance, drawing attendance from a range of public officials and community group representatives. FRC Executive Director Melchoir Henry formally declared the 2026 Kwéyòl Heritage Month officially open at the conclusion of the event.