Cerulean Blue represents fidelity, their tropical sky and the surrounding waters the Caribbean Sea and

the Atlantic Ocean.  Gold represents the sunshine and prosperity.  Black and white stand for the white culture and the black culture the two races living and working in unity.  The design impresses the dominance of the Negro culture vis--vis that of Europe, against a background of sun-shine and ever-blue sea.  The Triangle (isosceles) is reminiscent of the islands famous twin Pitons at Soufriere, rising sheer out of the sea, towards the sky themselves, a symbol of the hope and aspirations of the people.

Saltfish and Green Figs

Ingredients include: salted codfish, vegetable oil water, medium-sized green figs (unripe bananas) and small onions.

Early settlers - Hewanorra The land of the iguanas December 13th 1502 Columbus 1642 Claimed by France then Britain then France (14 times) 1814 became a British Crown Colony Helen of the West French Influence seen in local patois, names of places and French architecture. St. Lucia depended on their sugar industry but since the 1920s bananas, cocoa and coconuts have become significant industries.

   

Derek Walcott Square Twin Piton Mountain Peaks Rodney Bay Saltibus Waterfall

TOTAL POPULATION 160,922

3% 3% 11% Black - 132761 Mixed - 17701 East Indian - 3862 83% Other/Unspecified - 4989

 The annual Carnival celebration is held in the town of Castries in mid-July. It includes parades, a calypso competition, and the naming of a Carnival King and Queen. St. Lucia's traditional music includes work songs that originated during the days of slavery. Folk instruments include the bl (or ka ) drum; a long, hollow tube called the baha; a rattle called the chakchak; the zo (bones); and the gwaj (scraper). Various types of banjos and a four-stringed instrument called the cuatro are also native to the island. Their most popular sport is football and their clothing is called Madras.

 In St. Lucia English varies from being a second language for most people, yet it can also be a first/native language for the others.  The St. Lucian Creole is greatly influenced by pronunciation, syntax and vocabulary by the French language.  Therefore, it can be said that St. Lucia has a French Creole English.

These are some of the Common Features of St. Lucian Creole: 1. using have for is. It have (there is; Standard English) e.g. It have a man in town who. 2. To describe the weather: using making for is It making (It is; Standard English) e.g. It making hot. 3. The use of wi as a tag (from French oui) e.g. It making hot, wi. 4. The overall strong stress is on the penul timate or final syllable in a phrase, which is also familiar to other West Indian Creoles.

5. Replacement of th by F e.g. Three free thought fought thing fing 6. In St. Lucia the tag [i] is commonly used. e.g. We do it , I - We did it, you know It turning, I Its turning, you know She dat give it to me, I It is she who gave it to me, you know.

Other tags in use in St. Lucia are [] and [E] [] is normally used after negative statements and requests. e.g. I don know, I dont know, you know She din give me cake, She didnt give me any cake, you know Lets go, Lets go. Put it on for me, - Put it on for me [E] is normally used after positive statements which require reassurance. e.g. I going, E I am leaving. I put it on the table for you, E Well go this afternoon, E

Another important feature in St. Lucia is the use of prepositions. This differs greatly from other West Indian usage and from Standard English. In other West Indian Creoles, phrases/sentences would have an additional from, St. Lucia has the omission of this preposition. e.g. Move your foot there - Move your foot from there. Move in the middle of the road Move from in the middle of the road. Take your hand in my pocket Take your hand from in my pocket.

There are also changes in the actual prepositions user . e.g. She threw it behind me She frew it at me. The limes are on the fridge. The limes are in the fridge. If they speaking patois for me, I speaking patois for them If they are speaking patois to me, I will speak patois to them. Prepositions used for direction and location vary from usage elsewhere. e.g. I going at home I am going home. Lets go on the beach Lets go to the beach.

Does is normally used to express habitual meaning. ST. Lucians also use the ing form to express habitual. They cookin the breadfruit with the skin - They cook breadfruit in the skin. * French Creole has influenced the structure, for instance: e.g. How many years you have? How old are you? In St. Lucia, the phrase like that , translated from French Creole K sa (< French comme a) occurs before noun clause components . e.g. My mother tell you like that to send the ice for her. I tell you like that not to go and bring it for her.

 Much of the profanity and many exclamations of St. Lucians when speaking English are from French Creole. An exclamation typical of St. Lucia is egas, which is used to accompany blows (as in a fight, in a film at the cinema).

BANANA BOAT SONG ST. LUCIA NATIONAL YOUTH CHOIR

MADNESS ST. LUCIA NATIONAL YOUTH CHOIR

As the Lucians would say Fanks for watching!