标签： Saint Lucia

Jason Joseph, a passionate advocate for cultural preservation in Saint Lucia, recently concluded the 14th annual Dansé Kwòdril (Quadrille) sessions at JQ Rodney Bay Mall. The weekly event, which ran from early September to October 23, has been a cornerstone of the island’s cultural calendar since 2011, with JQ Mall as its official sponsor for the past five years. For Joseph, these sessions are more than just dance lessons—they are a mission to revive Saint Lucian heritage and foster community participation.

Joseph’s journey with dance began in his childhood at his church’s Saturday Night Socials. Though he initially learned Quadrille through observation, his passion for movement waned for years, even as he gained fame as a musician and his brother embraced salsa. A personal turning point reignited his love for dance, and he has since become one of the island’s most prominent promoters of Quadrille, a dance with roots in 18th and 19th-century European ballrooms, later adapted by enslaved Africans in the Caribbean.

While Quadrille is often performed by cultural groups for tourists and events, Joseph emphasizes the importance of personal participation. “It’s crucial that Saint Lucians learn to dance with their families and friends,” he said. “These dances are about bringing people together.” Over the years, attendance at his sessions has grown significantly, thanks to consistent efforts, corporate sponsorship, and the rising popularity of his Kwéyòl Sent Lisi brand on social media.

Joseph’s vision extends beyond Quadrille. He is also working to revive African-influenced dances like the bélé, débòt, and kutumba, which are still practiced in communities such as Piaye and Babonneau. Additionally, he aims to make communal dancing a year-round activity, not just limited to Creole Heritage Month. “Dancing is not just a social activity—it’s beneficial for health, peace of mind, and stress relief,” he explained.

Despite his success, Joseph humorously notes a challenge: getting more men to join. “I don’t know if they think it’s not manly enough or they’re afraid of ridicule,” he joked. “But we need more men to participate. Right now, I’m having all the fun with the women—and I can’t handle them all alone.”

Saint Lucia is grappling with a dramatic increase in fire incidents, compounded by challenges in accessing sufficient water to combat them. The island, once accustomed to predictable weather patterns, now faces a climate crisis where the boundaries between dry and wet seasons have blurred. Fire Chief Ditney Downes of the Saint Lucia Fire Service (SLFS) revealed in an exclusive interview with the St. Lucia Times that bushfires, traditionally confined to January through June, have extended into September this year. In 2024 alone, the SLFS responded to over 1,100 bushfires, a significant rise from previous years. Human activities, such as land clearing and deliberate burning, are the primary causes of these fires. However, identifying and prosecuting offenders remains difficult. The situation is exacerbated by prolonged dry spells, which deplete water sources essential for firefighting. Hydrants, reliant on community water mains, often run dry during droughts, leaving firefighters struggling to maintain operations. Simultaneously, the island faces increased flooding due to intense, sporadic rainfall. Nadia Cazaubon, programmes director at the environmental NGO WaterWays, attributes these erratic weather patterns to climate change. She warns that reduced annual rainfall, coupled with extreme downpours, is causing both water scarcity and severe flooding. The World Bank has stepped in with the Saint Lucia Urban Resilient Flood Investment Project, aiming to mitigate flood risks in vulnerable areas like Castries and Anse La Raye. However, the island’s ecosystems are already suffering, with species loss and habitat destruction becoming more frequent. Both Downes and Cazaubon emphasize the urgent need for proactive measures, including public education, policy changes, and community adaptation, to address these escalating challenges.