Gwendominica gets into the spirit of the season while holding onto a traditional ‘chapeau pai’ (straw hat). Picture taken at Lasting Images Photo Studio in Roseau.

On Friday October 25th, Dominica celebrated  Creole Day, an annual acknowledgment of traditions and language that reflect the country’s African-European

heritage.  I really like this time of year on the Nature Island, which leads up to Independence on November 3rd. This beautiful republic is now 35 years old!

The people’s proud patriotism is clearly evident as hundreds partake of numerous activities that honour their cultural ‘roots’.  On this particular day, I really enjoyed walking around town and capturing the joy and delight on camera  that seemed to pervade the festive atmosphere.  I got completely caught up in it and took great delight in capturing the essence of the day in the photos here.

As I moved through the streets of Roseau, I collected  posed and impromptu shots of people of all ages enjoying the morning (before Creole lunch! )in their individual styles.

Take a look at these:

Flavian of Cartwheel Cafe  (448-5353) in Roseau made her own pretty Creole apparel. She is holding on to my Creole breakfast that I am about to enjoy.

Lovely Isis, 4 month old daughter of Dominique at Desiderata Boutique/Cafe on Old Street (448-6522) in Roseau slept peacefully in darling Creole wear.

Carol, Proprietress of Island Wash in Pottersville (near Roseau) poses outside her establishment. She and her husband also offer back-country hikes on the Waitukubuli National Trail  through their other business: Hiking Dominica.

Karen, a news presenter at Q95 FM Radio in Roseau takes a break at the Cartwheel Cafe in a Kai-K Boutique-inspired Creole outfit (440-6922 – on the Bayfront). The painting behind her was created by Henderson, a Dominican artist.

Jones sported a madras cloth shirt made by his creative wife, Janice. He was standing outside her batik shop on King’s Lane in Roseau.

Elyon strikes an elegant pose in front of Stone Love vegetarian snackette on Cross Street, just south of ACS grocery store. She acknowledged Creole Day as a Rastafarian by wearing an outfit adorned with African symbols of Egyptian origin.

Even at the last-minute, it is easy to buy a Creole outfit on the streets of Roseau. There are many talented seamstresses and tailors on the Nature Island!

Bright and varied patterns of madras fabric ensure that there is a colour and design to suit everyone’s taste.

The morning’s  Creole Parade was the culmination of weeks of preparation by  talented seamstresses, excited students, enthusiastic parents and regal pageant participants.  The streets of Roseau were filled with beautiful contemporary and traditional Creole designs.   Here are a few photos to give you a feel for this wonderful celebration. When it ended around midday, I headed up to Springfield Guest House for lunch. More about that in the next post!

It was a delight to see so many young people taking pride in their heritage.

Hundreds of school children, teachers and parents marched in the Creole Day parade and displayed an awesome array of traditional Creole fashions.

Young boys and their fathers dressed in traditional male Creole wear and proudly displayed the hand-crafted toy trucks that they constructed together, which is a long-standing Dominican tradition.

The winners of the three traditional ‘Wob Dwyet” (formal Creole dress pageants) strutted their beautiful creations during the Creole Day parade.