Amid brilliance of mas, Creole Pride makes statement

Before the beaded, feathered and bikini clad bodies shimmied to the basal decibels of soca and reggae, a hundred marchers made their way along Eastern Parkway. Earlier, I was told that, “before you get there we will be long gone.” The interlocutor was Haitian born Gina Faustin, director of Kompa Guide, a popular media and travel company. She was not totally correct. I managed a glimpse of her presentation: Creole Expo. It was a spectacle of Creole culture steeped in traditionalism, and Faustin was the designer. In retrospect, she transcended that role. She was really the organiser of a culture and a people in New York whom she called “underrepresented,” and “left out.”

“The Creole portrayal has always been minuscule on the Parkway,” she said, determined to begin a new chapter in their representation and presence beyond the parameters of Labour Day. “This is it—one of the biggest platforms for the world to witness our culture. It is also the best medium to introduce the Creole Caribbean to the world. The marketing potential is monumental.” She bemoaned their lack of participation in past years, which she attributed to parochial attitudes. “People get stuck on cultural identity and ownership, and remain in their own world. This sets us back as a people. WIADCA (West Indian American Day Carnival Association) cannot pamper and cater to us. The reality is, it’s open admission. If you want to become part of the festivities, you are welcomed.”

On the heels of an impressive showing by Guadeloupe a few years ago, Faustin was confident that the judges would appreciate their statement this year. The band, sectioned into Haitian, Dominican and Guadeloupan outfits, resounded with a single message—know your culture. The musical accompaniment was equally traditional with the accordion, rara drums, and the conch. Predictably, it was a novelty, out of the ordinary and engaging. “The results will not be in now, but there is something meritorious to what we accomplished today. Our portrayal was rooted in tradition. Our people were committed in doing this.” Faustin described Creole culture as an amalgam of language, couture, style, cuisine and mannerisms, giving examples along the way.
“The Creole attire is a dead giveaway: The white dress and shirts, and the tignon (head wrap) which makes a statement on the status of the woman —whether she is engaged, married, or single—just by the way it is tied. The bigger the wrap, the bigger the status of the woman.”

The Creole language, she said, cements the people of Haiti, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinque and St Lucia.
"The difference is a matter of accents, and some words here and there... Similar to the English language... So I can carry on a conversation with a Creole from any country,” Faustin indicated. She called the Creole language “the bedrock of the culture, noting that it is used in music and every aspect of media and communication.” “You may say that French is the official language but Creole is an irreplaceable part of us, period.” While promoting everything Creole, she was mindful of the need for closer cooperation among the Caribbean folk in the Diaspora. She has made it her mission. “Our disunity now cannot be all blamed on linguistic differences. Do you know that many Haitians don’t know Dominica exists? We have to wake up...know that there is only one Caribbean. We have to build individual relationships, then undertake small projects together. It’s all about trust. This is the only way we can break down barriers,” she ended.

Dr Glenville Ashby
New York foreign
correspondent
The Guardian Media Group

CONTINUES ON PAGE A38