EE2 Local Culture and Language | St Lucia
Travelingo Travel Guides
HomeSt Lucia

St Lucia Local Culture and Language



Local Culture and Language

In typical Caribbean fashion, the heart and soul of St Lucian culture is a syncretic amalgamation of the customs, languages, religions and societal norms of the island's French and British colonizers, and of the Africans that they brought with them. Today's population of 158,000 is of predominantly African origin, and some ninety percent of St Lucians are Roman Catholic, with the remainder made up of Protestant, Anglican and a small number of Rastafarian believers. However, though Christian hymns are sung lustily enough to raise the church roofs each Sunday, St Lucia is also a society in which esoteric African traditions of magic and spiritualism survive. Carnival is the best example of this fusion of Christianity and ancient belief: one of the stock characters of costume parades is the moko jumbie, a wildly attired figure on stilts representing the spirit world.

Language is another aspect of St Lucian culture that shows African influence. Though African languages were suppressed as soon as slaves arrived on the island, French planters still needed to communicate with their workers, and

© 2003 by Rough Guides Ltd. as trustee for its Authors. Published by Rough Guides. All rights reserved. Rough Guides name is a trademark of Rough Guides Ltd. Buy the book here! The Rough Guide to St Lucia

gradually, the common language of St Lucian Creole ( Kweyol ) - also called Patois, although this is seen as somewhat derogatory - evolved, heavily laced with French as well as African and English grammar and vocabulary. Though St Lucia's official language is English , Creole is spoken widely throughout the island, on the radio, in parliament, and despite the fact that it has only recently appeared in written form, there is already a St Lucian Creole translation of the Bible.


hey i have sujestions

shelby says "hey i need help what launguage do u speek?"

are u going to St. lucia

shelby says "im not but do u no anything about st.lucia.? because i need to no how they speek"

jade mountain

delaney says "do sea ants go farther than a mile when they come to the shore"


Your Tip for St Lucia

Help other backpackers! Write your own guides and backpacking tips to St Lucia - they will appear instantly on this page - Please only write a tip/guide to St Lucia - visit the main St Lucia forum to ask a question!

Please do not post links to your site here (they won't work) - please use the St Lucia webguide section below! Thanks.

Your Name
A short title
Your guide/tip

Flag of St Lucia

Search places

Search hotels

Search flights











World Map North America Central America Caribbean South America Africa Europe Europe Asia Oceania

All other countries in

Regions

Europe
Asia
Africa
North America
Caribbean
Central America
South America
Oceania
Antarctica

 

Copyright © 2008 travelingo.org. All Rights Reserved.

About Us •  Privacy Policy •  T&Cs •  SiteMap •  Webguide  •  Add Your Site
European Football • Lager • Searches 2 3 4 5 6

Travelingo.org is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site.
Travelingo.org is not responsible for content on external web sites.

7/7/2008 4:57:39 AM