Welcome to Armelle Chatelier's page: news about Culture and Heritage, Information and Communication Technologies for Human Development - ICTD4HD in the Caribbean region and in the world.
News about Senegal, St Lucia, Martinique, Dominica, OECS, Gorée, France... and more.
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Bienvenue sur le blog de Armelle Chatelier: des infos sur la Culture et le Patrimoine, les TIC pour le développement humain dans la Caraïbe et le monde. Infos sur l'Afrique, la Caraibe et plus.
Here is a new festival KASKODFESTIVAL in the North of Martinique organised by the Town of Le Precheur, they have an impressive programation: Dominik Coco Steel Pulse and Youssou NDour from Senegal !!!!!
"You" as we call him in Dakar, is a great artist, he started singing at 15 years old and since then tour worldwide. What I like about him, he chooses to stay in Senegal, develop project with the Youth, help the country. You can go and see more about him at www.youssou.com/Templates/Biography.html
You's drummer is my cousin Baye Gueye Faye, a funny little guy, with magic in his hands, coming from a traditionnal family of drummers - Sing Sing family and mixing tradition with actual inspiration.
The St. Lucia Writers' Forum will be holding its first public poetry reading on Tuesday, February 3, 2009 at the Central Library, Castries at 7 pm.
The event will showcase the poetic talents of its members Kensley Peter, Gemma Blasse, Erica John, Morgan George, Marcian Jn. Pierre, Valentino Cenac, Benedicta Gould and Stan Bishop.
The poets will be reciting their original pieces as well as selected pieces written by our esteemed Nobel Laureate for Literature, Hon.Derek Walcott.
Other specially-invited guests will be present to witness the new direction the Forum is geared towards.
Admission is free.
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Le Forum des écrivains St Luciens organise une session de lecture de poésie le 3 février 2009 à Castries à la Bibliothèque Centrale à 19h. Les membres du Forum - Kensley Peter, Gemma Blasse, Erica John, Morgan George, Marcian Jn. Pierre, Valentino Cenac, Benedicta Gould et Stan Bishop liront leurs oeuvres ainsi que celles de Derek Walcott. L'entrée est libre.
As I said in November 08, this is the launching of the "Once uppon a time Aimé Césaire" booklet for kids.
Launching will be done by the Town of Fort de France in Martinique who ordered it, tomorrow Wednesday 28 January 2009, it is a little booklet with a lot of images and short texts, trying to explain who was Aimé Césaire - a great poet and writer from Martinique, and what was so interesting in his life - as an important politician of Martinique in France.
I created it with the main idea that the kids will remember 2 things: a poem and the concept of Negritude.
I hope we will translate it in English and Spanish pretty soon to give the Caribbean exposure this great man need. This is a pity to see that is better well known in Africa that in his region...
C'est le 23e Congrès du Conseil International d’Études Francophones à lA NOUVELLE-ORLÉANS le 21 juin-28 juin 2009.
Il va y avoir MICHEL TREMBLAY, figure emblématique de la littérature québécoise, qui sera l’invité d’honneur du CIEF cette année. En plus de nombreuses sessions de communications pluridisciplinaires sur la littérature et la culture dans le monde francophone, le congrès proposera des tables rondes et des séances de lecture d’écrivains, une librairie, des réceptions, des soirées culturelles et des excursions.
Qu'est ce que c'est que ça le CIEF ? Crée en 1987, le Conseil International d'Études Francophones est une association internationale, à but non lucratif, ayant pour objectif le développement des études, de la recherche, des publications et des productions francophones ou portant sur la francophonie dans le monde.
Yesterday night was the Derek Walcott Lecture. It is part of the program of the Nobel Laureate week in St Lucia. This event launched in 1993 by Sir John Compton to honour the 2 prize winners from the country. The twin peaks of excellence !
It was delivered this year by Professor Kenneth Ramchand of Trinidad and Tobago who has written several books on West Indian Literature, the most notable being The West Indian Novel and its Background. Professor Ramchand lectured for several years at the University of the West Indies and is now a Professor with the University of Trinidad and Tobago. Derek Walcott, his wife, the Governor general of St Lucia and many important people of St Lucia were present at the event.
An interesting subject for us cultural activist: "Cultural literacy". Prof. Kenneth Ramchand explored it from the point of view of cultural literacy in the caribbean litterature and of course in Derek Walcott work. He presented an opposition - for the old generation of writers- between the colonial litteracy represented by the school system and the oral/popular literacy and its resistence strategies. He gave a definition of cultural literacy in 2 parts: the functionnal one - a shopping list of what a caribbean person should know (name of plants and animals, heros and historical facts, language uses, songs...)and a more diffuse one - a set of facts, feelings and behaviour producing a cultural background, a reference for the artist.
The main question was: what about now ? what about cultural resistence to the ongoing cultural supremacy ? what tools the caribbean intellectuals, writers and other artists have to fight it ?
To me this is the "end of the Independence" as a historical sequence, like Ahmadou Kourouma, famous Ivoirian writer described it in the early 90's in West Africa. It brings a huge question about identity and development. The intellectuals involved in this independance process had a big job to do: create a national identity, fight the colonial representation and highlight proudly the local/unformal/popular culture. In doing so, they frozed it. To pass local culture - mostly oral - on an academic form killed it in a way. Is the national culture is functionnal and adequate now for young people ? What is the perception in the population of school programs trying to include choosen pieces (by who? on what criteria?)of the "local culture" ?
Well, the generation gap and the failure of the elaboration of a national culture alive were mentionned during the discussion. Reference were made of "Young writer" such as Nalo Hopkinson or Kendal Hippolyte in St Lucia, working on this question. (Kendal I know you are retired this year - how long do we stay young in St Lucia ??)
discussion to be continued...
The committee had printed 2 booklets on the past lectures. The committee had a website - but it is not updated since 2006 !
Barackomania is very strong in the Caribbean and we can find in the streets different expression of the popular enthousiasm.
Today everybody feel something special, even if we are not sure of what happen after, we still enjoy simply the day and the event of Barack Obama, a son of Africa ! - becoming President of the most powerfull country of the world.
As my friend Rabia AbdelKrim Cheikh said many years ago, all citizens of the world must vote in the american election, because the power of this country is so incredible and the impact of their policy on the world so strong that we all have to give our word about it.
Visit the Prado for zero maybe some ideas for African and Caribbean museums ?
Hey, did you know about the Prado museum online ? Well here it is, you go to Google earth on the PRADO location (Madrid is in Spain for the bad student in geography) and you click on icon Obras Maestras ! you will look at the painting in such details that even your eye cannot catch them...
Velasquez, Bosch, Goya Rudens and Greco. let's enjoy beauty. we need all the arts - from all part of the world online now! so we can enjoy and reduce carbone production as well. ************************************ Voir le Prado gratis
La mise en ligne concerne Les Ménines de Velasquez, Le Jardin des délices de Jérôme Bosch, Les Fusillades du 3 mai de Francisco Goya, Les Trois Grâces de Rubens ou encore Le Chevalier à la main sur la poitrine du Greco.
Pour visualiser les œuvres, il faut positionner le navigateur Google Earth sur le musée du Prado, à Madrid, et ensuite cliquer sur l'icône "Obras maestras" pour ensuite entrer dans chacun des tableaux comme on pourrait le faire avec une loupe.
Un physicien de l'Université de Harvard, Alex Wissner-Gross rejette une partie des informations données par le Times à propos de la production de CO2 d'une recherche chez Google."Le Times nous a attribué à tort le chiffre de 7 grammes de CO2 émis par requête Google, explique le jeune chercheur de 27 ans. Dans notre étude, nous nous sommes concentrés exclusivement sur l'ensemble des sites Internet et nous avons constaté, qu'en moyenne, une visite sur un site traditionnel émet 20 grammes de CO2 par seconde."
M. Wissner-Gross confirme en revanche le fait qu'une requête Google possède une empreinte environnementale. "Tout ce qui est en ligne a un impact. Même Google est d'accord avec ça !", se défend-t-il. Le chercheur espère ainsi que cette polémique portera davantage l'attention sur l'importante quantité d'énergie consommées par les centres de calcul des grandes entreprises. "La question des économies d'énergies concerne l'ensemble des infrastructures de nouvelles technologies. Ce n'est pas un problème spécifique à Google."
Chaque année St Lucie fête ses deux Prix Nobel - the twin peaks of Excellence en référence aux Pitons de la Soufrière. Pas mal pour un pays de 150 000 habitants non ?
alors voilà le programme...
St Lucia Nobel Laureate Week 2009 - Celebrating Excellence: Nurturing Talent
January 18th – 25th.
Sunday, January 18th.
Opening of Nobel Laureate Week
Staging of “The Merchant of Venice” by the Schools’ Performing Arts Company – National Cultural Centre, 6.30.pm.
Monday, January 19th.
Repeat performance of “The Merchant of Venice” for Secondary School students – National Cultural Centre, 10.00 a.m.
Lectures hosted by the Constitutional Reform Commission- Gros Islet and Vieux Fort
Tuesday, January 20th.
Schools’ Choral Music Festival – National Cultural Centre, 10.00 a.m.
Panel discussion – “Sir Arthur Lewis and the Current Global Economic Climate” NIC Conference Room, 7.30 pm.
Wednesday, January 21st.
Launch of The Nobel Laureates Memories Project – St. Lucia National Archives, 10.00 a.m.
The Derek Walcott Lecture :“Cultural literacy”– Presented by Prof. Kenneth Ramchand - NIC Conference Room, 7.30 p.m.
Thursday, January 22nd.
The National Awards of Excellence hosted by the Ministry of Education and Culture – National Cultural Centre, 10.00 am.
“Showcasing our Laureates – Confronting Economic Challengesat the Community Level” hosted by the Micoud Development Foundation, Exhibition of the works of the Laureates -10.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.
Panel Discussion :“The Relevance of the Sir Arthur Lewis Model in the Current Global Economic Climate – Developing Community-based Savings and Investmentas a Response” – 6.00 p.m.
“The Odyssey: A Tribute to Derek Walcott” hosted by the St. Mary’s College – National Cultural Centre, 7.30 p.m.
Lecture hosted by the Constitutional Reform Commission – Soufriere
Panel discussion – Excellence in the White House? : Implications for St. Luciahosted by Labowi Promotions – Laborie, 7.30 p.m.
Arts and Crafts Fair hosted by Options Designs – Derek Walcott Square, 10.00 a.m.
The Sir Arthur Lewis Memorial Lecture: “Pension Reform as an instrument of genuine social and economic development” – Presented by Dr. Marius St. Rose- NIC Conference Room, 7.30 p.m.
Saturday, January 24th.
An Evening of Music - “Tribute to Charles Cadet” presented by The Cecilian Rays – National Cultural Centre, 7.30 p.m.
Sunday, January 25th
“A Black Woman’s Tale” presented by Gemstones Theatre Production – National Cultural Centre, 7.30 p.m.
Passionate by communication, I am an activist of knowledge diffusion by books and by music, by Internet and by exhibitions for a knowledge appropriation offering a development for all in a better fair world.
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