Kriol Summer Camp in Toledo | Love is Everywhere!

[00:01:24]in Bise and beyond.

[00:01:28]>> Love is everywhere.

[00:01:32]>> Indeed, love is everywhere. Let's join our senior political correspondent Paul Mahung. Paul, good morning.

[00:01:39]It is a windy uh sunny but a beautiful morning here in Catalanding village in the Toleda district and there is a dynamic a very meaningful cultural event taking place at the community center. It is no other than the Creole summer camp.

[00:02:00]But to tell us more of this significant event is the president of the Toledo Creole Council, Miss Danika Marcelin.

[00:02:09]>> Thank you, Mr. Paul. Um, yes, today is day three and it's the closing of our first ever summer camp. Um, which was held under the team with Creole, with culture, with pride, bringway side by side. Uh so for the past three days we've had on average about 18 to 20 children um from here in Catlanding Village and also from the neighboring communities of Hopeville and Ponta Gorda Town in attendance.

[00:02:36]>> Now would you tell us about the facilitator or those assisting in this camp?

[00:02:42]>> Yes. Um before we go into the facilitators, Mr. Um, Mong, I want to talk about um, some of the features that we've had um, and some of the activities. So, we have drumming. I'm sure you can hear that in the background. We have with us um, master drummer EMTT Young who introduced the kids to various drumming techniques and rhythms including the Brockdong sambai and the um, cuckoo rhythm. Um, we also had ring games. when you came earlier, you saw us playing Brook Makachista and um those are some of the oldest standing African uh traditions that is a part of our history and a part of our heritage and um you know it basically brings together the the the children and um you know it fosters timing and unity with them. Uh we also uh went over some folk songs with them. um Leaky old Dori, Captain Foot Money and we also dove into the world of Braansi and Bra Tiger um and also some proverbs. Um today was proverbs were our focus you know to not only promote the language but to also embrace the oral tradition of uh passing on important life lessons to the next generation.

[00:04:01]Now you have some other adults with these children and these adults play a major role. I observe that this morning.

[00:04:07]Would you mention a few of them or some of >> Yes, for sure. Um we have our facilitators. Um we have Miss Chanice Nemhard, Miss Kristen Chamberlain, Miss Pamela Penel Flores who's also um one of my board members, Miss Ivonne Orur who's an adviser to the Toledo Creal Council and of course I have to give hats off to Miss Glendor Guy. She was our head coordinator for the camp. Now inside the building I observe how motivated they are. They were out on the football field more motivated enjoying every moment.

[00:04:40]But when I went inside I saw some very important uh and pictures depicting the tradition of the cruel culture and the important people. Would you want to comment on that?

[00:04:53]>> Yes, for sure. We we had to pay homage to these people. um Miss Mina Mansinares who kept storytelling alive. Um of course we have Emtt who's our master drummer. Um even Sir Calville Young, Leela Vernon, Mr. Peters, um Lord Raban, you know. So we had to introduce these kids to these um important figures you know so as and and it's a way for us to tie into what we got going on and for them to know that you know these are the people who have helped to preserve and promote the culture the language >> now I feel there is a strong continuation of the promotion upkeep of the coral culture what is the future ahead now >> well um we want to definitely make it an annual event. Um, you know, we realize that through these uh cultural sharing initiatives, we want to be able to tap into the construct of um these practices that help to establish wholesome communities and that is something that we want to instill in the next generation.

[00:05:56]>> You know, Miss Danica Marcelin, your president of the Energized Toledo Creole council, I must say a big thank you, Mom. I know I just my feeling I'm not wrong. I hope Miss Leela your mother is smiling this morning and these days miss MNA and of course you know um we have still have some of them that are here with us like Dr. Sana she definitely um helped to provide us with some material and provided guidance for us to like you know get this camp going. Yes. All what you're doing today I know is a part of the dream of your mom miss the late Miss Leela burner she always spoke to me about that and it's materializing now but I commend you and the members of your to council plus the other volunteers and our master drummer Mr. EMTT Young, you know, who is so talented and always appreciated. And let me tell you, I applaud you all for keeping the culture alive, not only because of summer camp, but all other public events. And so before I close, I will take it back to you, Miss Danica. Any final thoughts and words?

[00:07:11]>> Yes, for sure. I would definitely like to thank um the folks at NIH, the National Institute of Culture and History, also at Monkey River Ecoours.

[00:07:19]their kind contribution has definitely helped to make this camp a reality.

[00:07:24]Again, my facilitators and my head coordinator um uh the landing village council who have hosted us this year and of course to you Mr. Mahong and to the team at Love FM. We greatly appreciate this coverage >> and thank you very much Sue on. We're going to close with lots of love and best wishes and prayers to your cruel council to chapter the lovely children and their parents and uh all others but to those in biz and beyond as we take it back to our techian Greg and announcer Karen in studios.

[00:08:03]Love is everywhere.

[00:08:06]>> Indeed, love is everywhere. We say thank you to our senator correspondent, Paul Mahome.