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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAsa Bantan, Dominican Bouyon singer<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Even in the early hours of Sunday morning, as some of us limped wearily to our transportation after the Saturday show, a bunch of energetic masqueraders moved at rapid-fire pace through the narrow streets in a traditional jump up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The real action, however, was at the Windsor Stadium, the venue of the three-day festival where each night\u2019s event lasted almost until dawn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The World Creole Music Festival was postponed in 2017 because of the widespread damage on the island following Hurricane Maria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The stadium didn\u2019t escape damage and the wounds still showed with a staircase cordoned off for structural damage and the skeleton of a scoreboard standing proudly on the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wounded but standing was the underlying theme of the weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ginger in the market in Roseau<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy Love, My Home, My Dominica: Building a Resilient Nation\u201d was actually the theme for the country\u2019s 40th Anniversary of Independence which was celebrated the week after.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After the devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria last year, Dominica has been eager to show the world it is standing strong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said the happiness of his people was of paramount importance in the decision to stage the festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDominicans are smiling, Dominicans are happy and contented where we are. Obviously, there is much more that needs to be done but when you saw what the Hurricane did and they can smile, they can laugh and enjoy themselves, that is the most important aspect,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Artists who were contracted to perform last year agreed to perform this year and many of them expressed amazement at how quickly the island bounced back in just one year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A vendor in traditional wear during Market Day with a Difference<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Machel Montano, the headliner on the second night, expressed amazement at the mass greenery he saw all over the island compared to the stark brown environment he witnessed when he flew to the island right after the hurricane hit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Montano was among the artists who were scheduled to perform in 2017 when the Hurricane forced the cancellation of the festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He expressed happiness to be back a year later celebrating with the Dominicans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Apart from Montano, big musical names such as Chronixx, Kes the Band, Mavado and Afro-pop singer Yemi Alade graced the stage to the delight of local fans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For me, however, what really stood out was the music that is so prominent among many of the Eastern Caribbean islands: the Zouk, Bouyon and Compa music courtesy popular bands such as the legendary Kassav, Dominica\u2019s own Triple Kay International, Bouyon king Asa Bantan, Sweet Serenade, Midnight Groovers, Signal Band and Mizik A Nou All-Stars as well as Haiti\u2019s Klass, Kai and Sweet Micky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There was literally no standing still when these musicians hit the stage and had everyone stomping, jumping, moving left and right, putting their hands in the air and singing every Kweyol word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It truly felt like Carnival and the end of it all, I had sore feet, tired eyes and a happy soul.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After years of hearing about the Dominica World Creole Music Festival, I thought I knew what to expect: massive crowds and lots of Zouk music. What I experienced, however, was way beyond my expectations.Dominica World Creole Music Festival 2018Volume 90% The annual event, the largest on the Dominican calendar of events, had the energy, vibe and excitement that felt like Trinidad…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":2230,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[72],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/loopnewslive.blob.core.windows.net\/liveimage\/sites\/default\/files\/LbCm0W7TFj.jpg\")
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