Issue #13
Who are we? That’s Wassup” is an online youth magazine that seeks to create a forum for youth discussion on social issues and provide students at the secondary and tertiary school level an avenue to develop their skills in writing, designing, photography, video and audio editing, management and event planning. The magazine is released every month and is provided to students free of charge. With content supplied by youth for the youth, “That’s Wassup” will be more appealing to our demographic than the youth magazines currently being circulated. The direct link to our audience will also ensure active engagement and high visibility.
EDITORS
Feature
JASMINE VERDANT
PROJECT MANAGERS
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Hierland Peter
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Jonathan phillip
Cultural Icons Janelle Eudovic in Perspective
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MyLife Segment
PHOTOGRAPHERS CONTRIBUTORS Tevin Sheperd Jasmine Verdant-nsc Jenelle Edovic St.Lucian Writers: Fringe St.Lucia Folk Research Centre St.Lucia
SPECIALTHANKS Jasmine Verdant Kentillia Louis-Camdu Bank of St. Lucia Silverlight designs
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Peterson James
Content 1
Sessene Descartes
2 3
Sir Dunstan St. Omar
George “Fish” Alphonse
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Kendel Hippolyte
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MyLife Segment
Janelle Eudovic in Perspective St.Joseph Convent gets Praised
Issue #13. www.thwassup.com
Marie Selipha ”Sesenne” Descartes S
esenne Descartes is the grand dame of St Lucian folk culture. A chantwelle of extraordinary talent, Sesenne captivated the imagination of all who heard her and as a result she was a central figure in the revival of the folk song and dance traditions of St Lucia that had threatened to fade into obscurity.
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Today Sesenne’s influence has filtered through and inspired the recent achievement of two singing groups, “The Helenites” and “The Hewanorra Voices,” both of which have recorded a long playing record of St. Lucian songs.
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n the St. Lucian context, the name of Sesenne is synonymous with culture. Say “Sesenne” and you talk about culture. Think about her and you are thinking about culture. See her perform or hear her sing and you are held spellbound in captivated admiration of one of the most talented daughters of the land of st.lucia
Sessenne, whose real name is Marie Clepha Descartes, became a common household name, throughout the Micoud area. She was first singled out for her outstanding vocal talent when she was about eighteen years old. At that time, her father was the reigning La Rose King and her mother was the Queen of La Rose. Her father needed a ‘chantwelle,’ so he chose her because of her impressive vocal ability. He never regretted the choice. That decision introduced and established Sesenne as a vocalist and ertainer
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Issue #13. www.thwassup.com
Sir Dunstan St.Omar S
ir Dunstan St Omer is St Lucia’s premier artist and muralist. He designed St Lucia’s National Flag and his murals grace the altars of many St Lucian churches, including the notable Holy Family Mural at Church of the Holy Family at Jacmel, Roseau.
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n 1946 St. Omer left St Lucia for Curacao to work with Dutch Oil; there he was influenced by Greek painter Pandelis. When he returned to St Lucia in 1949 it was to various teaching jobs, including a stint at his alma mater. He received a scholarship to go to Puerto Rico where he studied art for a year and returned home to work with menorn in Castries to Gerald and Louisa St Omer, tor Harry Simmons as sub-editor Dunstan St Omer attended the at the Voice newspaper, eventualSt Aloysius R.C. Boys School and ly replacing him from 1959-1962. St. Mary’s College. It was at St. Mary’s that he befriended Derek Sir Dunstan worked with the Ministry of Education as an art Walcott and Leo ‘Spa’ St Helene who were to have a lasting inspecialist and remained there fluence on his life. The trio were until he retired in 2000.Sir Dunintroduced to National Cultural stan’s first mural was commisHero Harold Simmons who was sioned by Fr. Joseph Vrignaud, to have a profound impact on the for the altar of Our Lady’s Chapel at La Clery. He would go on to boys and their art. It was with paint several more through out Harry Simmons that the group began to value the St Lucian the island, drawing acclaim and landscape as a worthy subject for criticism for his depictions of artistic reflection. black divinity.
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Sir Dunstan once said, ‘If my faith depends on Christ being white, I think I will lose my faith because the relationship that exists in the world between the white race and the black race is one of prejudice and inferiority for the blacks...’
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ir Dunstan’s work has inspired an art movement and he is father of the prismism style of painting. He was awarded a Papal Medal by the Catholic Church and the St Lucia Cross by the St Lucia government on the occasion of the island’s 25th Anniversary. In 2007 the Folk Research Centre declared him a National Cultural Hero. Accolade was to follow accolade as in 2009 he received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from the University of the West Indies, and in 2010 was the Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) was conferred on him in the New Years Honours of H.M Queen Elizabeth II 2
Issue #13. www.thwassup.com
George “Fish” Alphonse George “Fish” Alphonse is well known in St Lucia and the Caribbean as an actor, director, poet and storyteller. He is one of a new breed of theatre activists emerging around the Caribbean. Already his work had excited international interest based on the impact it has had on oral and performing traditions in the region. Trained at the Jamaica School of Drama (1981 – 83), Alphonse has extended both the scope and penetration of his work by visits to Canada and Britain (1984 – 85). This included a fellowship at the Commonwealth Institute of London. In 1986 he directed Derek Walcott’s “Ti Jean and His Brothers” for Caribbean Focus which was held in London. In 1987 Alphonse toured the United Kingdom with his second ‘one man’ production “Tim Tim” which received rave reviews. St Lucia’s contribution to Carifesta ’92 held in Trinidad, a play entitled “Tinday” by McDonald Dixon was directed by Alphonse.
He has been the recipient of many M&C Fine Arts Awards (1983-92) in the Literary and Performing Arts. Three of these were major awards. In 2003, Caribbean Development for the Arts and Culture Foundation (Jamaica) in observance of the 30thAnniversary of Caricom presented Alphonse the “Hall of Fame” Awards in recognition of his outstanding contribution in the field of Theatre. In 2012, Alphonse staged his fifth ‘one man’ production (Man Story). His commitment is to the ‘life’ of Caribbean Literature. He revives an oral tradition that updates the functional aspects of living culture. His realisation is that the future of the Caribbean identity, hangs precariously on the maintenance of a vibrant theatrical perspective.
George “Fish” Alphonse is well known in St Lucia and the Caribbean as an actor, director, poet and storyteller. He is one of a new breed of theatre activists emerging around the Caribbean. Already his work had excited international interest based on the impact it has had on oral and performing traditions in the region. Trained at the Jamaica School of Drama (1981 – 83), Alphonse has extended both the scope and penetration of his work by visits to Canada and Britain (1984 – 85). This included a fellowship at the Commonwealth Institute of London. In 1986 he directed Derek Walcott’s “Ti Jean and His Brothers” for Caribbean Focus which was held in London.
In 1987 Alphonse toured the United Kingdom with his second ‘one man’ production “Tim Tim” which received rave reviews. St Lucia’s contribution to Carifesta ’92 held in Trinidad, a play entitled “Tinday” by McDonald Dixon was directed by Alphonse. He has been the recipient of many M&C Fine Arts Awards (1983-92) in the Literary and Performing Arts. Three of these were major awards. In 2003, Caribbean Development for the Arts and Culture Foundation (Jamaica) in observance of the 30thAnniversary of Caricom presented Alphonse the “Hall of Fame” Awards in recognition of his outstanding contribution in the field of Theatre.
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Issue #13. www.thwassup.com
In 1987 Alphonse toured the United Kingdom with his second ‘one man’ production “Tim Tim” which received rave reviews. St Lucia’s contribution to Carifesta ’92 held in Trinidad, a play entitled “Tinday” by McDonald Dixon was directed by Alphonse. He has been the recipient of many M&C Fine Arts Awards (1983-92) in the Literary and Performing Arts. Three of these were major awards. In 2003, Caribbean Development for the Arts and Culture Foundation (Jamaica) in observance of the 30thAnniversary of Caricom presented Alphonse the “Hall of Fame” Awards in recognition of his outstanding contribution in the field of Theatre. In 2012, Alphonse staged his fifth ‘one man’ production (Man Story). His commitment is to the ‘life’ of Caribbean Literature. He revives an oral tradition that updates the functional aspects of living culture. His realisation is that the future of the Caribbean identity, hangs precariously on the maintenance of a vibrant theatrical perspective.
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Issue #13. www.thwassup.com
Kendel Hippolyte Kendel Hippolyte is a poet, playwright and director and sporadic researcher into areas of Saint Lucian and Caribbean arts and culture. A retired lecturer in literature and theatre, he is a poet and dramatist. His poetry has been published internationally in journals, anthologies and six volumes between 1980 and 2012. His writing explores the spectrum of Standard and Caribbean English, working with traditional forms, free verse and forms influenced by popular culture. He is the winner of the 2013 Bocas Festival Poetry Prize. He has performed his work in the Caribbean, Europe and America at literary festivals and events. He has taught poetry workshops in formal and informal contexts for various groups and has edited five anthologies of poetry, including poetry from students of creative writing courses that he taught. He has been a judge on panels for the Small Axe Poetry Prize, the Bocas Festival Poetry Prize and the Montreal Poetry Prize, among others. His plays have been performed locally and regionally and three of his plays have been published in drama anthologies. He is an original member of the CXC Theatre Arts syllabus panel and is an external examiner. In 2000, Kendel was awarded the St. Lucia Medal of Merit (Gold) for Contribution to the Arts. Recently retired from the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, where he
Kendel Hippolyte had taught Literature and Theatre, his present focus is to use his skills as a writer and dramatist to raise public awareness and contribute to active solutions of critical social issues. His poetry collections are Birthright, Fault Lines and Night Vision (published by Peepal Tree Press). Fault Lines won the 2013 Bocas Poetry Prize. Â
Contributed By: St.Lucian Writers: Fringe St.Lucia & Folk Research Centre St.Lucia
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Issue #13. www.thwassup.com
About the MyLife Movement
“MyLife; orignally a clothing brand with a message that life ought to be lived without boundaries. Operating
under the slogan “ where social norms dont apply” has created an avenue for local writers to express their views on matters which either affect them or intrigues them. The Mylife movement seeks to empower persons with the knowledge that their lives belong to them and they have every right to live it as the please. This MyLife Segment derives from the soon to come Mylife Book which will also conatin poetic and creative pieces from local youthful writers and seeks to expose hidden talent to the public.
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Teenage Life Brittany Henry
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eenage life is a challenge At times misunderstood Like gaining lots of knowledge And doing what we should Attending school and making friends Is the best thing of all It’s a gift that God sends To pick us up when we fall There’s laughter and sorrow And lots of silence, that’s when we all go mute But then we knock into some boys Who we think are very cute I love this stage of life indeed That’s where we can explore Setting goals and then succeed That’s things that I adore I wish this stage would never end So I would still be young But growing up is part of life
reality check Toya Weekes
Majority Of The World Heading In The Wrong Direction , Because Instead Of Talking and Showing Each Other Affection , We’re More Concerned About The Number Of Bars On Our Wifi Connection , If What I’ve Said Is Wrong , Let Me Know So I Can Take Correction But These Social Medias Have Dissorted Our Real Figures because Everybody posting an Image That Displays Perfection , Putting Light Skin and Dark Skin In Different Sections, As Though There’s More To You If You’re A Lighter Complexion , We Should Spend More Time Starring at Our Reflection , So We Can Eventually Come To A conclusion That What Ever We See In That Mirror Is Just A Projection of All Our Worldly 7
Issue #13. www.thwassup.com
Mirror Peterson James
When you look into a mirror, what do you see? Is it not the image of you or me? Right there I pause and God I applaud, for creating such a splendar My face with grace as an utter most treasure He created in his image. So how could I ponder on what people may say or even consider? For every pimple and every wrinkle was placed to God’s Supreme taste.
Injutice Toya Weekes
Another one Nearly Bit The Dust And As Sad As It Is , The System Did No Just Because For 5K , A Murderer Is Out On The Streets Like Its Okay , But Possession Of An AK Will Have You On Remand Till You Decay , The Failing Justice System Is Always on Display , because Everyday A Case For selling Narcotics Is Adjourned Or Delayed , But For Rape You Can Post Bail Within Three Days So Miss Magistrate, Do You Not Care To Eradicate All Those Individuals Who Advocate Horrendous Crimes ,Or Are You Content With Freeing The Real Criminals With Petty Fines.
Fireworks Brittany Henry
You bestowed a kiss upon my lips The night of my blessing I felt cold after that moment From my hairs to my finger tips The intimacy and love that sprouted was so extraordinary I couldn’t believe I did that, I felt fireworks, Katy Perry I love you with all my heart I know you feel the same Kissing you brought us closer Our lips are to blame You’ve treated me like a lady You’ve found my weak spots When I would not speak clearly You connected all the dots Kiss me again and let it never end Let your tongue be introduced to mine I love you without a shadow of doubt I’ll always remember this, it won’t end Look into my eyes once more And let the sparks ignite A kiss upon my lips to spare Your love which I adore
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Issue #13. www.thwassup.com
Jannelle’s Artwork
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Issue #13. www.thwassup.com
Saint Lucia National Students’ Council congratulates Saint Joseph’s Convent. The Saint Lucia National Students’ Council congratulates the Theatre Arts Students of the Saint Joseph’s Convent under the expertise of Miss Danielle Dubois, Theatre Arts teacher on winning 3 awards at the Caribbean Secondary Schools Drama Festival. The festival took place in Trinidad from November 6th to 8th.
The team walked away with the award for the Most Outstanding Actress- Daniella Edwin, the awards for Most Promising Actor/Actress, received by two students- Charlotte Cadette and Trisa Simon and the Best Supporting Actor/Actress Award- Neya Francis. Ajani Lebourne, the General Secretary of Saint Lucia National Students’ Council made a call for continued investment by the Ministry of Education, Human Resource Development and Labour and other relevant stakeholders towards extra curricular activities in schools. He said “ Outside the regular academic program, there is a need for extra curricular activities to promote a well-rounded education. We need to actively create an enabling environment for students to participate in these activities which would propel them to showcase their talents at national, regional and international levels. Principals and teachers should also take a proactive role in initiating drama clubs, photography clubs, sports clubs, Duke of Edinburgh’s award programme and supporting the work of students’ councils at their schools. We are proud at the recent achievements of the St.Joseph’s Convent as this shows the diversity of talent present among our students and their ability to compete on stages beyond our local environment.” The Saint Lucia National Students’ Council has been working closely with Students’ Council at secondary schools to implement their plan of activities. The council encourages other schools to take advantage of national and regional festivals in 10