St Lucian Independence (- An Island that knows how to party)

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St Lucia is celebrating it's independence. It became an independent state on this day in 1979, and have been celebrating annually every since.

Short History. St Lucia was originally found by the French in the 1550s - then the Dutch visited - and then the English stumbled across it - the French then claimed it - the English attempted to settle and were wiped out by the indigenous Caribs - the French established a settlement that last 9 years - the English claimed it and died - the French resumed control and then there were slaves and sugar until the French revolution when the slaves refused to work and the French governor declared all slaves free - until the British came and re-established slavery until they outlawed slavery a little later - and a little while later the full independence was gained and so people celebrate.

It's also the only country in the world named after a woman.

There are a whole host of activities and events being publicised (which makes my research so much easiser - thank you stlucianewsonline.com ). It all begins with a military parade, then the partying and fair begins. Seafood fiesta and Meat fest, a Grand Exhibition, dances, music, bouncy castles and face painting. Add a coconut shy and I imagine it being like a cool summer fair but with better weather!

So I had a little go at a Kwadril (video below) a dance popular in Caribbean culture based on the French folk dance 'quadrille'. The dancing is very formal and accompanied by a violin, banjo, chak-chak, cuatro, rattle and zo.



Other festivals today include: World thinking day (I thought, therefore I participated in this event), People Power Day (Philippines), Unity Day (Syria).

https://www.stlucianewsonline.com/activities-for-st-lucia-38th-independence/

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