Welcome to this Special 25th Anniversary Tribute Edition of the World Creole Music Festival Magazine.
This issue is more than pages of print, it is a heartbeat. A heartbeat that echoes twenty-five years of rhythm, resilience, and Creole pride. From the festival’s humble beginnings to its rise as a global symbol of cultural diplomacy, the World Creole Music Festival stands as a living monument to our identity as the Creole Capital of the World.
As you read, you will rediscover the dreamers who dared to begin, the artists who gave voice to a nation, and the cultural architects who built bridges across the Creole world, from Dominica to Guadeloupe, Martinique, Haiti, St. Lucia, and the diaspora beyond.
This magazine honors that journey, the visionaries, the diplomats, and the unsung heroes whose passion made this festival possible. But this 25th anniversary is not only a celebration of our past. It is a call to the future, to preserve our language, elevate our creativity, and expand our influence. It challenges us to prepare now for WCMF50, ensuring that Dominica continues to shine as the beating heart of global Creole culture.
To everyone holding this magazine, thank you for believing in this movement and keeping the Creole heartbeat alive.
Let us celebrate where we’ve come from, embrace where we are, and work together for where we are going.
With Creole pride and gratitude, Ambassador Leroy “Wadix” Charles Creole and Culture Ambassador, Commonwealth of Dominica
CREOLE LUXURY
The Simplicity of Dominica
Dominica is not just a destination, it is a feeling, a rhythm, a return to purity.
Here, luxury is not found in marble floors or chandeliers, but in rivers that run endlessly clear, in the scent of wet earth after rain, and in food grown from the same soil that raised our ancestors.
To live in Dominica is to live in balance, where nature still leads, and humanity listens.
Our waterfalls are not backdrops for photos; they are cathedrals of renewal, where the body and spirit are baptized daily in freshness.
The rivers hum with life, feeding our crops, our families, and our souls. Every meal, from dasheen, fig, and avocado to fresh coconut water and herbal teas, carries the taste of longevity, of a people whose simplicity is their secret strength.
Our luxury is found in what the world has forgotten, clean air, living rivers, real food, and unhurried life.”
Dominica teaches us that the true measure of wealth is health, peace, and connection.
Our elders, who live long and smile longer, remind us that this island is a living wellness sanctuary.
Here, time slows down. Air is still pure. The rhythm of Creole life is guided by laughter, community, and gratitude. The world may chase glitter and excess, but Dominica reminds us that luxury is the ability to breathe deeply. It is found in walking barefoot on cool grass, in speaking the language of our ancestors, in eating what the land provides, and in living long enough to see the next generation dance in the rain.
CREOLE IS LUXURY. It is the beauty of simplicity. The elegance of authenticity. The luxury of living naturally, and fully.
Dominica, in all her purity, stands as a reminder to the world:
The greatest treasures are not built, they are born of the earth.
To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF), Creole Heartbeat embarked on a historic broadcast journey, a fifteen-week radio series across DBS Radio, Kairi FM, and Q95 FM. The goal: to tell the untold stories behind one of the Caribbean’s greatest cultural achievements.
From July to October 2024, listeners tuned in weekly to relive the rhythms, voices, and memories that shaped the WCMF legacy. The series captured the festival’s soul, from its humble beginnings as a bold dream to its rise as a global showcase of Creole creativity, tourism, and unity.
Each episode became a living archive, filled with interviews, music, and heartfelt reflections. Artists, producers, festival architects, and cultural pioneers came together to celebrate a quarter-century of rhythm and
resilience. The conversations explored how the WCMF transformed not just stages, but lives; how it elevated Dominican artistry to the world stage; and how it continues to serve as the rhythmic heartbeat of the Creole world.
The series journeyed through three powerful movements:
Respecting the Past, honoring icons like Ophelia, WCK, Midnight Groovers, and Gordon Henderson;
Accepting the Present, spotlighting modern movers such as Michele Henderson, Extasy, and Signal Band; and
Developing the Future, featuring rising voices like Ridge and DJ MJ.
Together, these artists tell one story, the story of Dominica’s sound, evolving yet grounded in its Creole soul.
Beyond nostalgia, the WCMF25 Radio Series served as a bridge, linking generations, inspiring the youth, and reaffirming Dominica’s identity as the Rhythmic Heartbeat of the Creole World. It showcased not only music but also the enduring values of creativity, collaboration, and cultural pride that define the Dominican spirit.
As listeners, we were reminded that WCMF is more than an annual festival, it is a movement of people, purpose, and pride. The stories shared through this series will live on, in the archives, on the airwaves, and in the hearts of every Dominican who knows that when the drums beat and the lights rise, Creole lives, breathes, and celebrates itself once again.
7. SHERIDAN GREGOIRE
CONTENTS
Laying the Foundation: How vision, culture, and entrepreneurship gave birth to the World Creole Music Festival 9. RON LANDER
The Financial Genius Behind the Festival’s Early Years.
11. SOBERS ESPRIT
WCMF at 25 A Journey of Vision, Rhythm & Legacy
13. GORDON HENDERSON
The Visionary Who Gave WCMF a Global Voice
17. HON. JULIUS TIMOTHY
The Visionary Who Dreamed In Creole And Built A Legacy For The World 19. MICHELE HENDERSON
The Voice That Opened the Stage and Carried Creole to the World
Roots, Stems & Branches The Cadence That Opened the Festival 23. FITZROY WILLIAMS
The Musical Architect Who Gave Dominica Its Sound
OPHELIA MARIE
Mama Créole: A Living Legend of Song and Spirit
29. MIDNIGHT GROOVERS
Over Five Decades of Music, Legacy, and Cultural Pride at WCMF25
33. WCK
The Sound of a Nation: 37 Years of Bouyon Brilliance
The Visionary Who Elevated the WCMF
Building Bridges Between Dominica and Martinique
Creole, Culture & Cadence: A Lifetime of Passion
Reclaiming the “C” in WCMF: Language, Legacy & the Creole Heartbeat
Steering Dominica’s Cultural Jewel into a New Era
45. SHELLY
From Rhythm to Empire: Charting the Future of Dominica’s Music Industry
51. EXTASY
The Kompa Groove That Captivated Dominica
53. MR. RIDGE
From Newtown to the World Stage
55. DJ MJ
From Grand Bay Vibes to the WCMF Main Stage 57. WELLNESS & CREOLE HERITAGE
A Return to Our Roots
59. FLAVORS OF THE WORLD FESTIVAL
A Celebration of Global Cuisine & Culture
61. DIGLOSSIA
Breaking the Shackles of Diglossia
Elevating Creole Language and Culture at WCMF25
63 THE ORANGE ECONOMY,
Fueling Dominica’s Growth Beyond the Stage
CREOLE HEARTBEAT KENNEDY AVE ROSEAU DOMINICA
creoleheartbeat@gmail.com creoleheartbeat.com
SHERIDAN GREGOIRE
LAYING THE FOUNDATION: HOW VISION, CULTURE, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP GAVE BIRTH TO THE WORLD CREOLE MUSIC FESTIVAL
Mr. Gregoire, before there was even talk of a World Creole Music Festival, you were already shaping Dominica’s cultural and entrepreneurial landscape. Take us back to where it all began. It really started in 1978. At that time, I was Chairman of the Dominica Garment Manufacturers Association, and together with a few like-minded individuals, we organized the National Trade Show at the St.
Martin School Grounds. It ran for two weeks and brought together agriculture, crafts, art, manufacturing, and, of course, music. It was truly a national showcase, a defining moment that celebrated who we are as Dominicans. I’ll never forget it even marked the debut of Ophelia, who would go on to become one of Dominica’s greatest musical ambassadors.
That was a groundbreaking initiative. And right after, you created another platform that shaped Dominican youth culture Dance Party Dominica. Yes! The Saman Tree Restaurant, which stood where Courts is today, became the home of Dance Party Dominica. It was the first national television platform for young Dominicans to showcase their talent. We were vibrant, creative, and full of life. That show gave our youth confidence and pride, a sense that their art mattered.
It seems that your work has always merged business with culture. Absolutely. I’ve always believed that entrepreneurship and culture go hand in hand. Around that same time, we cofounded the BTI Jeans garment factory. We produced high-quality jeans right here in Dominica and sold them throughout the Caribbean. It was about proving that Dominican innovation could compete regionally. Later, when I became CEO of the National Development Corporation (NDC), I brought that same energy, to connect business, tourism, and culture in one national vision.
And that vision ultimately led to the creation of the World Creole Music Festival. How did that idea come about? It actually began during a Caribbean Development Bank meeting in Barbados. The late Finance Minister Julius Timothy turned to me and said, “Sheridan, I want a festival like Barbados’ Crop Over, but in Dominica.” That’s all I needed to hear.
When I got back home, I assembled a Think Tank Committee of some of the sharpest minds and cultural visionaries,
Gordon Henderson, Steve Hyacinth, Oliver St. John, Reggie Burke, Sharon Pascal, Wadix, and others. We worked on every detail, from the concept to the structure.
I compiled and edited submissions from various departments and eventually produced a Cabinet Paper. That document led to government approval of the first WCMF, with a modest budget of EC$250,000. It wasn’t much, but we had heart, volunteerism, and determination.
Who were some of the key players in bringing that first festival to life?
Eddie Toulon became the Executive Director of the Dominica Festivals Commission. Gordon Henderson handled international promotion. And then there were the volunteers, people who gave their time, passion, and skill. Everyone believed in the vision, and that made the difference.
From the beginning, you positioned the festival as an international Creole event, not just a local concert. We wanted Dominica to be the center of the Creole-speaking world. That’s why we worked closely with RFO (French Overseas Broadcasting) and WLIB New York to broadcast the festival globally, to Mauritius, Seychelles, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and beyond. It was revolutionary for a small island like ours. The first lineup reflected that international Creole spirit, Magnum Band from Haiti, Taxi Créole from Martinique, Zouk Machine from Guadeloupe, Tabou Combo, Ophelia, WCK, First Serenade, and Midnight Groovers. And yes, Gordon Henderson on that first poster was intentional. He represented Cadence-Lypso, our cultural heartbeat.
You’ve often spoken of Dominica as the “Headquarters of the Creole World.” Tell us more about that vision. The WCMF was never just about three nights of music. It was about positioning Dominica as a
global cultural capital. Through the World Federation of Creole Cultures, we hosted symposiums on Creole language, food, music, and identity, bringing together scholars and artists from Martinique, Africa, St. Lucia, and more. I even envisioned a World Creole Music Awards, an international Creole tour, and Dominica as a hub for Creole creativity.
You were also one of the first to talk about the festival’s economic sustainability. Yes, I believed early on that the festival should evolve into a public-private partnership. The government would benefit from tourism, while private investors and sponsors would sustain the event. In the early days, sponsors like Cardinal Airlines, Belfast Estate, HHV Whitchurch, Cable & Wireless, Kubuli, and American Airlines supported us. It was never just culture, it was culture as a driver of economic growth.
The festival now has a budget of over $13 million EC. Looking back, how do you feel about where it stands today? I’m proud of how far we’ve come. But I also believe we must always return to our roots, to the original vision. The festival was built for the Franco-Creole market, for unity among Creole-speaking peoples. As we celebrate this 25th anniversary, I think it’s time to refocus and honor the pioneers who laid that foundation.
We created something out of nothing, with heart, purpose, and cultural pride. It’s never too late to recognize those who made it possible.
IRON LANDER
The Financial Genius Behind the Festival’s Early Years
n the archives of the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF), many names stand tall as cultural visionaries, musical pioneers, and strategic masterminds. Among them is Ronald “Ron” Lander, the financial architect who helped transform a daring cultural idea into a sustainable, world-class event.
When Lander returned to Dominica in 1995 with his master’s degree and assumed the role of Director of Industry at the National Development Corporation (NDC), he stepped into a landscape ready for bold new industries. Agro-processing, tourism, information technology, and small business development were at the forefront, but so too was a cultural revolution taking shape. “I went to that meeting and I was infused by what was happening,” he recalled. “I saw the World Creole Music Festival as another industry, a Creole industry, that I could focus on and help grow in Dominica”.
A Festival Built on Culture and Strategy. From the beginning, the festival’s foundation was clear: it would rest on the pillars of Candence-Lypso, the Creole language, and authentic Dominican culture. Lander and his colleagues, under the chairmanship of Sheridan “Mr. G” Gregoire, designed the festival not simply as a concert series, but as an economic and cultural ecosystem. Vendors, local bands, artisans, dancers, and service providers were all part of the equation.
Their main objective: “to produce a high-quality, cost-effective cultural festival.” Cost control was meticulous.
Internal ticketing systems were airtight. Complimentary tickets were tightly managed, even the Prime Minister had limits. And sponsorships from companies like Cable & Wireless and Dominica Breweries stretched every dollar. “We brought in strong internal controls, concessions, and a culture of contribution. Everyone knew they were part of something bigger, a national product”
Economic Multiplier Effect. The impact was immediate. The festival generated new streams of economic activity, and most of the revenue circulated within Dominica. Local bands filled the stages, vendors lined the Dominica Grammar School walls with Creole products, and cultural groups brought quadrille, bélé, and jing ping to the forefront. By the third year, 1999, gate receipts exceeded one million dollars, and the festival posted its first profit. “That’s when I knew,” Lander reflected, “we were into big business”
The French Connection and Global Reach. A crucial component of the festival’s success was the French Antillean connection. Martinique and Guadeloupe were not just neighboring islands; they were essential markets. Lander credits figures like Gordon Henderson and Jeff Joseph for building relationships with WLIB in New York, RFO in the French Antilles, and artists abroad. The result: a powerful flow of visitors, performers, and media coverage that positioned Dominica as a cultural capital in the Creole world
Growth, Change, and Reflection. Lander’s tenure came to an abrupt end in 2000 following political shifts, but
his contribution remains foundational. After his departure, he observed a gradual shift from a balanced cultural product to a more commercially driven event. Cultural segments between bands disappeared, playback tracks replaced live music for some acts, and the linguistic and traditional Creole components faded. “We allowed the musical art form to devolve instead of evolve,” he cautioned. “Management is important, how you guide the development of a musical art form matters”
A Call to Return to Roots. As the festival celebrates its 25th edition, Ron Lander’s reflections serve as both a celebration and a challenge. He envisions seminars, workshops, and intergenerational dialogues to re-anchor the festival in its cultural roots, while maintaining excellence in production and visitor arrivals. “Visitors spending money is good. But if that money leaves the island immediately, you’re back to zero,” he stated. “We must build a high-quality product that is culturally authentic and economically empowering”
Legacy. The World Creole Music Festival was born from vision, discipline, and cultural pride. Ron Lander’s role in those early years reminds us that behind the pulsating rhythms and dazzling lights was a careful, deliberate strategy, one that turned Dominica’s music into an engine of national development.
As the next chapter of WCMF unfolds, his message is clear: return to the roots, respect the foundation, and evolve with purpose.
WCMF at 25 A Journey of Vision, Rhythm & Legacy
SOBERS ESPRIT
Cultural Luminary, Strategist & Founding Architect of the World Creole Music Festival
The result: a festival that would celebrate our identity and position Dominica as the Creole Capital of the World.
A small, passionate team, Stanley Georges, Mark Marie, Dennis Joseph, Sheridan Gregoire, and Eddie Toulon, shaped the idea into reality. They imagined a festival that would unite the Creole world: Cadence-Lypso, Zouk, Kompa, Bouyon, Calypso, and African rhythm all under one banner.
Partnerships blossomed across the Caribbean, France, and North America. RFO broadcast the rhythm to the world; CNN and WLIB New York amplified the story. For the first time, global audiences were discovering Dominica through the power of music and identity.
A Cultural Economy Awakens. The first WCMF ignited a new season. October, once quiet, came alive. Visitors filled guesthouses; vendors thrived; music pulsed through the streets. Studies showed that for every $1 spent by government, $9 circulated in the economy. Culture had become Dominica’s strongest currency.
“The Festival proved that art is not a luxury — it is an economy.”
When the first notes of the World Creole Music Festival rang out in 1997, something deeper than entertainment was born, a movement. What began as a bold idea within the National Development Corporation became a global stage for a small island with a mighty heartbeat.
Dominica had no sprawling beaches or mega-resorts, but it had rivers, valleys, language, rhythm, and soul. In the early 1990s, as the world spoke of eco-tourism and sustainable development, we dared to merge nature and culture.
The Three Phases of Growth. Foundation (1997–2001):
The fearless years, built on vision, improvisation, and pure passion. There was no manual, only belief.
Consolidation (2002–2010): Under leaders like Val Cuffy and Nathalie Clarke, WCMF embraced professional management, branding, and event design. The festival gained a distinctive image and rhythm of its own.
Maturity (2011–present): From the guidance of Marva Williams and others, WCMF evolved into a world-class brand, one of the top ten festivals in the hemisphere, and the undisputed No. 1 Creole festival globally.
“Passion built it. Structure sustained it. Maturity gave it wings.”
The Rhythm of Identity. Music remains the heartbeat of WCMF. From Exile One, Ophelia, and the Swinging Stars to WCK, Bouyon pioneers, and new-age stars like Asa Bantan, TK, and Signal Band, the festival continues to mirror the evolution of the Creole spirit.
Each performance carries the same message: that rhythm, language, and pride unite us as one Creole people.
Beyond the Stage. WCMF has never been just about the show. It has inspired expos, creative industries, and crossCaribbean cooperation.
From the 1998 Creative Industries Expo to the founding of the World Federation of Creole Cultures, the festival became a catalyst, nurturing artists, entrepreneurs, and educators.
It is both a classroom and a marketplace, where art, business, and identity dance together.
The Next Movement. As we mark 25 years, the call is clear: ownership. The festival belongs to all Dominicans, at home and abroad. The opportunities are vast, in hospitality, fashion, media, transportation, food, and creative enterprise.
Our next chapter lies in deepening partnerships with Martinique, Guadeloupe, and the wider Creole world.
“No country is built without art — and there is no art without culture.”
Legacy of the Beat. Twenty-five years on, the World Creole Music Festival remains a testament to vision, collaboration, and pride. It is more than an event, it is a declaration of who we are.
Our Legacy. Our Rhythm. Our Nature. Our Festival.
Dominica Creole Capital of the World.
Gordon Henderson
The Visionary Who Gave WCMF a Global Voice
When the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF) was first conceptualized, Dominica was still finding its place on the global cultural map. But one man, Gordon Henderson, brought an international vision that would transform the event from a local celebration into a globally recognized festival. In 1996, a year before the first edition, Gordon was invited by the founding committee to serve as International Coordinator, a role that would prove pivotal.
His mission was clear: to ensure that the festival would be more than just another village feast. Drawing inspiration from Woodstock, the legendary American festival that drew hundreds of thousands and ran for days, Henderson helped craft a formula that set WCMF apart: three electrifying nights, all night long, blending Creole rhythms with a world-class production.
“Everything we had in Dominica that was called a festival before never went beyond being a village feast. We needed to think bigger.”
Breaking Barriers with Media Power. Henderson’s strategic genius lay in his ability to forge media alliances across the French-speaking world. He secured partnerships with French overseas department radio and television networks that broadcast to 18 stations globally, from the Caribbean to Canada, Africa to the Pacific. These nightly newscasts reached hundreds of thousands of viewers, bringing Dominica and the fledgling festival unprecedented exposure.
He also broke through tough industry barriers to get Dominica’s music onto WLIB, a major New York radio station dominated by Jamaican and Trinidadian music. His efforts ensured that Cadence-Lypso, and by extension Creole music, gained airplay in one of the most competitive media markets in the world.
Cadence-Lypso: The Foundation of Modern Creole Music. Before there was WCMF, there was Cadence-Lypso. Created by Gordon Henderson and his band Exile One in the early 1970s, this groundbreaking musical genre preceded Dominica’s independence and gave Dominicans something to rally around. It was in Martinique and Guadeloupe that Cadence-Lypso first exploded, long before Dominicans themselves fully embraced it.
“Cadence-Lypso preceded Dominica as a nation. It gave us pride. It was the foundation of modern Creole music.”
For the French Antilles, Cadence-Lypso became the stepping stone for genres like Zouk, inspiring generations of artists across the Creole world. Henderson’s music was the first Creole sound to be signed to a major record label (Barclay Records), setting the stage for Dominica’s emergence as the epicenter of Creole musical innovation.
Why the French Antilles Matter. Henderson never underestimated the strategic importance of Martinique and Guadeloupe. With a combined population of around one
million, compared to Dominica’s 70,000, these neighboring islands were and remain the largest consumer base for Creole music and the WCMF.
Their recording studios, summer vacation culture, and vibrant nightlife created fertile ground for Dominican bands, many of which built their careers performing residencies across the French Antilles. Henderson’s media and cultural ties helped turn these islands into the festival’s most faithful audience, year after year.
Strength in Creoleness and Location. For Henderson, the greatest strength of the WCMF is its Creoleness. By choosing to center Creole music, Dominica tapped into a cultural niche larger than the Soca market and spanning Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and beyond.
Geographically, Dominica’s position between Martinique and Guadeloupe makes it the perfect meeting point for the Creole world, a natural hub for cultural exchange and musical celebration.
However, he cautions that Dominica must embrace bilingualism (English–Creole) more fully to truly leverage this position. After 25 editions, he believes the festival should reflect a bilingual national identity, enabling seamless cultural interaction with Creole-speaking neighbors
Brand vs. Trends. One of Henderson’s most striking insights is on branding versus trends. After 25 years, he argues, WCMF has transcended lineup hype, much like Coachella, where people attend for the experience, not just the artists.
“When you’ve surpassed 25 years, you’ve become a brand. People trust you. They go for the experience.”
He warns against abandoning Creoleness in pursuit of fleeting trends. While it’s important to attract younger audiences,
he believes that authentic cultural identity must remain the festival’s core personality.
Targeting the Right Audience. For Henderson, the true target market of WCMF is clear:
• People with spending power from the French Antilles
• Diaspora communities in Europe and North America
• Promoters and cultural entrepreneurs who bring global networks Surveys, he argues, should not focus solely on Dominican youth but also on audiences abroad, especially in Paris, home to the largest population of Martiniquans and Guadeloupeans outside the Caribbean
The “C” in WCMF: Creole. Henderson speaks passionately about the “C” in WCMF, warning that CARICOM has historically overlooked Creole culture, despite its linguistic prevalence. With the inclusion of Haiti, Creole is more widely spoken in CARICOM than English, yet it receives little institutional respect. For Henderson, Creole is not folklore, it is identity
Looking Back, Looking Forward. As WCMF celebrates its 25th anniversary, Henderson reflects with gratitude on being recognized as part of the movement. But he also calls for formal recognition of all founding members, suggesting plaques, televised tributes, or special honors to ensure their legacy is remembered for the next 25 years.
“Find a way to recognize all of them, because for the next 25 years, I don’t think we will be around.”
Legacy of a Cultural Architect. Gordon Henderson’s contributions go far beyond music. He is a cultural architect who connected Dominica to the world, gave the festival its global media reach, and championed the identity that makes WCMF unique.
As the festival looks to its next 25 years, his insights remind us that Creole is not just a sound, it’s a world, and Dominica stands at its heart.
HON. JULIUS TIMOTHY
THE VISIONARY WHO DREAMED IN CREOLE AND BUILT A LEGACY FOR THE WORLD
The Moment That Changed Everything. It began one night at Barbados’ Crop Over Festival, where Julius Timothy and Sheridan Gregoire stood among thousands, observing the explosion of color, music, and national pride. “We need something like this in Dominica.”
That thought sparked what would later become the World Creole Music Festival, an institution that reshaped the island’s cultural destiny.
Vision Meets Action. When he returned home, Timothy was not content to dream. As Minister of Finance, Industry and Planning, he moved swiftly to turn the idea into national policy. Together with Gregoire and a small, passionate team, they drafted the Cabinet Paper that proposed a festival merging culture and commerce.
Cabinet approved it, and Timothy pledged EC$450,000 to bring the idea to life. Even when only part of that amount was released, his determination never faltered. By 1997, the
first Creole Music Festival became reality.
From “Creole” to “World”. Timothy insisted the festival’s name must include “World.” He recognized that Dominica’s rhythm was global, its language universal, and its culture worthy of international stages. “Our music isn’t small. Our culture isn’t local. It’s world-class.” That single word elevated Dominica from a host to a cultural capital, the beating heart of the Creole world.
Building a Cultural and Economic Engine. For Timothy, the festival wasn’t only about music; it was a strategic economic pillar. Held between Canada’s Thanksgiving and Christmas, it filled hotels, energized vendors, revived travel, and inspired the diaspora to return.
By its third year, it generated over EC$1 million, without government subvention. He enforced tight financial discipline, ensuring transparency and sustainability.
The Human Side of the Statesman. Behind the title “Minister” was a man known for compassion and community. At ACS, his business in Roseau, his office became a “natural red clinic”, a place where anyone could seek help and never leave empty-handed. He sponsored sports teams, supported artists, and quietly assisted students and families in need. To many, he wasn’t just a politician, he was a mentor, a believer, a giver.
A Legacy Etched in Rhythm. Today, every beat of cadence-lypso, every surge of bouyon, and every cheer that fills Windsor Park carries Julius Timothy’s spirit. He proved that culture is development, and that the rhythm of a people can drive an economy. Twentyseven years later, his dream lives on, as vibrant as ever, inspiring new generations to dream even bigger. “He believed that Dominica could stand on its own cultural feet, and dance to its own Creole beat.”
In Memoriam. Hon. Julius Timothy leaves behind more than policies and projects. He leaves behind a national consciousness, a belief in the power of Creole identity to unite, uplift, and propel a people forward.
As we celebrate the World Creole Music Festival @ 25, we remember him not with sorrow, but with gratitude. His was a life that turned vision into legacy, and culture into nationhood.
THE VOICE
THAT OPENED THE STAGE AND CARRIED CREOLE TO THE WORLD
MICHELE HENDERSON
When the World Creole Music Festival first lifted its curtain 27 years ago, it was the soaring voice of a young Michele Henderson that opened the night, delivering Dominica’s national anthem and unknowingly etching her name into history. She wasn’t yet the star we now know, but that moment marked the beginning of an extraordinary journey: from the first notes at Dominica Grammar School Grounds to festival stages across Europe and beyond.
“I’ve always taken pride in the fact that I actually opened the very first World Creole Music Festival,” Michele recalls. A few years later, she returned to the stage not just as a voice for the anthem, but as a featured performer with the pioneering group Mizik A NOU, alongside Elisha Benoit, Cornell Phillip, Martindale Olive, and others, bringing a fresh repertoire that helped define the sound of an emerging Creole generation.
Over nearly three decades, Michele has evolved into one of Dominica’s most beloved cultural ambassadors. That evolution was shaped, in no small part, by the opportunities the World Creole Music Festival afforded her.
The exposure to international media and audiences gave her the confidence to move from covering others’ music to boldly sharing her own.
“I was very sensitive about my work… it was a journey for me to get to that point, but eventually I did. The festival had a lot to do with that,” she shares. Those performances opened doors to major European stages, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, where audiences embraced her Creole music despite language barriers. “They couldn’t understand the lyrics, but they were engrossed. They cheered, they danced, they validated me so much,” she reflects
Defining Standards and Elevating the Stage
For Michele, the World Creole Music Festival is more than a platform; it’s a brand that must be protected. She is clear: performing on the main stage is a privilege earned through artistic excellence, not simply popularity.
“The festival is a brand, and it has to maintain the standard of the brand,” she insists. “You have to put acts on there that are going to either elevate the brand or at least maintain the standard.” While she advocates for developmental opportunities through side stages and features for emerging talent, she’s equally firm that the main stage must remain a space for artists ready to deliver at the highest level.
Her own journey reflects that. She recalls flying in from London on the day of a performance, went to the hotel for an hour and then to the festival stage. Fatigued but determined, she delivered one of her most memorable sets. “It pushed me to the utmost limits of my physical ability and artistry… it taught me I was more resilient than I knew,” she says.
Cultural Exchange at the Heart
As the festival has grown, its identity has remained deeply rooted in the Creole world, particularly the French
Creole connection that helped shape its early years. “People come here because there are festivals all over the Caribbean. What’s unique about ours is that it truly embraces our identity and culture,” Michele explains. From Madras-clad crowds to traditional rhythms, the festival remains a cultural spectacle unmatched anywhere else.
She supports the inclusion of broader Creole expressions, from Jamaican patois to Trinidadian and Benna music, but believes the festival should remain true to its origins as the premier stage for French Creole music, while allowing other Creole forms to “contend, not dominate.”
A Personal Legacy
Michele’s story is inseparable from that of the festival. Her career has been guided by family, legendary mentors like Ophelia Marie, and the unwavering support of fans and cultural pillars such as Sign Man and Ambassador Leroy “Wadix” Charles. “If it wasn’t for Wadix, Creole Music in Dominica wouldn’t have as much prominence,” she acknowledges.
Looking ahead to her performance at the 25th edition, Michele promises a show rooted in nostalgia and excellence: “Fans can expect a show filled with our hit songs, Mizik A NOU will be back, Elisha will be there, and it’s going to be fun. I’m just going to have fun, and we’re going to translate that into the stage experience.”
One Word: Opportunity
Asked to sum up what the World Creole Music Festival means to her, Michele didn’t hesitate: “Opportunity.”
It’s the opportunity to grow, to be seen, to represent Dominica’s culture on a world stage. It’s the opportunity she seized as a teenager singing the national anthem, and the same opportunity she now embodies as one of Dominica’s most enduring voices of Creole music.
RS B
ROOTS, STEMS & BRANCHES CADENCE THAT OPENED THE FESTIVAL
When the lights came on at Carnival City in 1997, the first band to perform at the World Creole Music Festival was RSB, Roots, Stems & Branches. Founded in 1983 in Canefield by Karl “Kofi” James and Maxime Powell, RSB emerged during a critical transitional period in Dominica’s musical landscape.
A Distinctive Cadence. After Hurricane David, when many live bands lost equipment and the sound system era took over, RSB, alongside First Serenade, held the fort. Influenced by local legends like Chubby and The Midnight Groovers, Exile One, and traditional drummers, RSB forged a unique sound blending cadence, reggae, and traditional rhythms. As Powell explained, they fused mazouk and bele patterns into their cadence, crafting a rhythm instantly recognizable across the island.
Their discipline was legendary: rehearsing three times a day, fining late members, and operating like a business. So when the call came to open the first
WCMF, they were ready.
“For us, opening the festival was easy,” Kofi James recalled. “We were already accustomed to the international stage— Toronto, Saint Martin, Guadeloupe, New York. We just knew we were going to put our all into it. Accidentally, I was the first voice to sing at the World Creole Music Festival.”
That First Night. The opening lineup was powerful: Franky Vincent, Tabou Combo, Zouk Machine, Ophelia, Magnum Band, Taxi Créole, WCK, Nelly Stharre, Exile One, Ruf Neg and RSB. As the night stretched into morning, the music was electric. French fans danced in the river as the sun rose behind the stage.
RSB’s opening set, built around their iconic sound and other originals, merged tight guitar rhythms, vibrant drums, and powerful lyrics. Jerry’s fingering and Maxime’s rhythmic drive gave RSB its unmistakable identity.
A Legacy of Conscious Music. Unlike fleeting trends, RSB remained rooted in cultural authenticity and lyrical consciousness. As Kofi put it: “We were never about hype. We were about consciousness and putting out stuff you can play anytime, anywhere. Any RSB song can be played without fear of your children hearing anything unclean.”
RSB albums carried patriotic themes and protest lyrics about airplay and recognition, while honoring Dominica’s musical pioneers. The name Roots, Stems & Branches itself came mystically during a jam session, symbolizing the tree of life and cultural continuity.
25 Years Later. As the festival marks its Jubilee year, RSB’s role in opening the very first night stands as a testament to discipline, innovation, and cultural pride.
“History is repeating itself,” Kofi reflected. “Just like cadence moved our music, bouyon is doing it now. Imagine what can happen when we truly invest in our music. One million dollars can bring ten million back.”
Their music continues to echo through time, anchoring the festival in its original heartbeat—Cadence
FITZROY WILLIAMS THE MUSICAL ARCHITECT WHO GAVE DOMINICA ITS SOUND
Few names resonate through Dominica’s musical history with the reverberating power of Fitzroy Williams. Keyboardist, arranger, composer, bandleader, and cultural icon, Fitzroy’s fingerprints are etched across the very foundation of modern Dominican music. From the steel pan yards of Bath Road to the world stages of Paris and
Martinique, his journey reflects both the evolution of an artist and the birth of a genre that would place Dominica firmly on the global musical map.
Early Years: From Steel Pan to the Stage. Fitzroy’s first steps in music began not with the keyboard, but with the steel pan. As a schoolboy, he was part of Dominica’s vibrant
steel orchestra scene, learning under the influence of pioneers like Afi, performing with Harmonites Steel Orchestra, and developing the sense of rhythm and showmanship that would later define his career
While at Saint Mary’s Academy, Fitzroy joined the “Glee Club” and quickly distinguished himself
musically. He briefly studied violin, but gravitated to guitar, forming his first band, The Rebs, alongside fellow students including Gordon Henderson. Though they initially played rock and soul music, this was the fertile ground where Fitzroy’s deep musical curiosity was nurtured.
The Gaylords Era: A Showman Emerges. Before Exile and Paris, there was The Gaylords Power Union, one of Dominica’s most flamboyant and successful bands of the era. Fitzroy joined as keyboardist,
touring extensively throughout the Caribbean. He was backing legends like Greg Bannis, one of Dominica’s finest vocalists, and experiencing the electrifying showmanship that defined the Gaylords. Their performances combined precision musicianship with theatrical flair, platform shoes, bold costumes, and commanding stage presence.
It was during this time that Fitzroy began playing keyboards standing up, a novelty in Caribbean music. His reasoning was simple yet profound: “When I work, I work standing.” This choice became part of his signature style, inspiring generations of musicians.
Birth of Cadence-Lypso: The Exile One Revolution. In 1973, fate reunited Fitzroy with Gordon Henderson in Guadeloupe. Henderson needed musicians to record new material; Fitzroy responded by assembling a group of talented young Dominicans, They would become Exile One.
Arriving in Paris, they faced audiences who listened politely but didn’t dance to their English repertoire. The group responded creatively, they “Creole-ized” their sound, fusing Haitian rhythmic patterns, Caribbean instrumentation, and Creole lyrics. Producer Henry Debs coined the name “Cadence-Lypso” for this new sound. Fitzroy was at the heart of this transformation, providing the harmonic architecture that gave Cadence-Lypso its distinct groove.
Their first albums, recorded in record time, became massive hits across the Francophone Caribbean. CadenceLypso was born, and with it, Dominica’s musical identity was broadcast to the world.
The Arranger, the Perfectionist, the Mentor. While Gordon Henderson often brought melodies and lyrics, Fitzroy handled the chords,
arrangements, and musical direction. His meticulous ear shaped the Exile One sound. In rehearsals and studios, he knew exactly what he wanted from each instrument. Cornell Phillip recalls: “He came into the studio with everything written down. He knew what he wanted at every part, every instrument, every melody. Things I wasn’t even hearing — he would.”
His collaborations went beyond Exile One. Fitzroy recorded with Experience 7, worked with Danny Play in French Guiana, helped rearrange Anthony Gussie’s “I Mama,” and mentored younger musicians like Cornell Phillip and Freddie Nicholas. He later launched a successful solo career with hits like “Lucifer,” which took him to the Indian Ocean islands as both singer and instrumentalist.
Legacy & Influence. Fitzroy’s impact on the World Creole Music Festival is monumental. In its early years, his image at the keyboard was central to the festival’s branding — symbolizing the bedrock role of Cadence-Lypso in Dominica’s cultural identity
He was a bridge between generations: a contemporary of the Gaylords, a cocreator of Cadence-Lypso, a mentor to the zouk and modern Creole musicians that followed. Musicians like Andrew “Bird” Bell describe him simply: “When you hear Fitzroy play two notes, you know it’s him. That’s the sign of a true original.”
Documenting the Legend. Recognizing the urgency to preserve his story, Fitzroy personally asked cultural historian Ian Jackson to document his life. Jackson’s biography, capturing over five decades of Fitzroy’s journey, is set to be released during Dominica’s Independence season, ensuring that future generations understand the man behind the music.
A Lasting Rhythm. Fitzroy Williams was more than a musician, he was a
musical architect. He gave structure to melodies, transformed bands into movements, and helped a small Caribbean island craft a sound that would ripple across continents.
As Dominica celebrates 25 years of the World Creole Music Festival, we honor Fitzroy Williams — the man who helped give Dominica its rhythm, its sound, and its place in the Creole world.
“Fitzroy played with practically every band. He shaped the chords, the rhythms, the feeling. He was flamboyant, disciplined, and brilliant. His music made people dance — and it still does.”
— Gordon Henderson
WCMF25 – Honoring Our Icons. At this 25th anniversary, as the rhythms of Cadence-Lypso echo through Windsor Park, they carry with them the legacy of Fitzroy Williams — standing tall at his keyboard, smiling, and making the world dance.
OPHELIA MARIE Mama Créole A Living Legend of Song and Spirit
When we speak of Dominica’s cultural tapestry, few names evoke as much reverence, pride, and nostalgia as Ophelia Marie. Known affectionately as Mama Créole, Ophelia’s life and career are inextricably woven into the story of Dominica’s rise as the Creole Capital of the World. Her voice, grace, and unwavering patriotism have carried the rhythms of Cadence Lypso, and Dominican identity to stages across the globe, from Roseau to Martinique, from Paris to French Guiana.
The Genesis of a Cultural Movement. Ophelia’s journey runs parallel to the very origins of the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF). Long before the festival’s inaugural edition in 1997, she was already a dominant force in the Francophone music world, touring through France, Belgium, Martinique, and Guadeloupe, sharing the beauty of Dominica through music.
As Deputy Director of Tourism at the National Development Corporation (NDC), she was part of the original team that conceptualized the festival. Alongside cultural visionaries like
Henderson, McCarthy Marie, and Sobers Esprit, Ophelia saw the festival not merely as a music event, but as a frame for the Creole identity, language, tradition, fashion, and spirit brought together in one magnificent showcase.
“For us, Creole is not just the language. It is all of those things, the way we walk it, speak it, live it. The festival was within that framework. It framed who we were and what we” wanted to bring to our country,” she reflected. Lighting Up the First Stage. When Ophelia stepped onto the stage of
Gordon
the first WCMF in 1997, she carried with her decades of artistry. Already a household name, she performed with the elegance and conviction that would set the tone for generations of performers.
She recalls vividly the pride of representing Dominica on its own stage, at a time when festivals of this scale were rare in the Caribbean, and when cultural ownership was still being fiercely claimed.
“I told myself even before they asked, I have to be there. Mama Creole is not something you gave to me. I earned it,” she said with characteristic pride
Her performance was electric, commanding the stage with flawless choreography, powerful vocals, and an undeniable connection with the audience. For many, it remains one of the most memorable performances in the festival’s history.
Dominica’s Ambassador to the Creole World. In Martinique and Guadeloupe, Ophelia became a phenomenon. Her arrival at airports caused near stampedes; fans sang her songs in the streets; she was embraced as one of their own. In her words:
“They enveloped me in ways that I have never been enveloped here. Everyone in the airport knew I had arrived. They made me feel good, Ophelia Dominique! they would say, their voices rising”
Through her music and presence, she transformed perceptions of Dominica in the French Antilles, shifting from stereotypes to admiration. Alongside Exile One and the Cadence Lypso movement, she embodied a classy, patriotic Dominican identity that influenced fashion, stagecraft, and musical standards across the region.
Her guesthouse, Chez Ophelia, with its 10 apartments named after her songs, became a hub for visiting Francophone fans. They came by boat for the festival, year after year, with an estimated 70% of WCMF attendees coming from Martinique and Guadeloupe in the early years.
Ophelia was both artist and ambassador, personally encouraging fans: “It’s your festival too. We need you to raise your hands and say: Wi, sé nou!”
Trials, Triumphs, and Enduring Grace Ophelia’s story is not without pain. She spoke candidly of being sidelined from the festival for seven years despite her iconic status, of rumors about her health, and of moments of deep personal struggle. Yet through it all, she has remained gracious, grounded in faith, and unwavering in her love for Dominica.
“It did hurt, but I don’t cry about it because I have a Daddy, and He knows what’s happening. If something doesn’t have to happen, it wouldn’t happen,” she said with serene resolve.
Her patriotism has always been palpable. Songs like “My Soul Magnifies the Lord” are not just performances; they are declarations of gratitude and devotion. She has
balanced her love for God and country with a rare elegance, a quality that continues to inspire new generations of female artists, many of whom call her “Aunty Ophelia”
A Message to the Next Generation. As the festival celebrates its 25th year, Ophelia’s voice carries a message for young artists: respect the craft, learn the business, honor the legacy.
“When you do something on stage, make sure your children can watch it proudly ten years later. Recognize that you are part of a team. Research your stuff. Carry the music with dignity,” she advised.
She also underscored the need to protect the festival’s foundation, Cadence, warning against neglecting the roots that made the festival possible.
Legacy of a Cultural Queen. Ophelia Marie is more than a performer; she is a symbol of Dominican resilience, elegance, and cultural leadership. She has sung our stories into the hearts of thousands, opened doors for generations, and stood as a living bridge between Dominica and the wider Creole world.
As Dominica reflects on 25 years of the World Creole Music Festival, it is impossible to tell the story without telling hers. Ophelia’s voice, still clear, still strong, continues to remind us who we are and what we can be.
“DA was mine, and DA was me. We became the Creole Capital of the World during that time. And I had to be the queen,” she declared, not boastfully, but with the quiet certainty of someone who has lived the history.
When the Midnight Groovers take the stage at the 25th Anniversary of the World Creole Music Festival this October, they won’t just be performing. They will be embodying a movement, a sound and a story that has shaped Dominica’s cultural identity for more than half a century.
From Bell Cumbo to Global Stages. The story begins in the early 1960s when a young Marcel “Co” Mark picked up his guitar and began playing with Bell Cumbo at just nine years old. By the late 1960s, he had joined forces with his brother, Phillip “Chubby” Mark, in Grand Bay, and together they formed Midnight Groovers in 1970. Before Cadence-Lypso existed, their sound was rooted in mazouk, maranga, and traditional rhythms, which would later shape their distinct musical identity.
Their early years were marked by relentless innovation. While other bands were experimenting with imported styles, the Groovers were perfecting a uniquely Dominican groove, a southern sound built on bamboo “guy row,” cowbells, and deep rhythmic consciousness.
Pioneers of Cadence-Lypso. In 1972, Midnight Groovers embraced and expanded the emerging Cadence-Lypso movement. Inspired by Exile One and Gordon Henderson’s pioneering work in Guadeloupe, they traveled abroad with little more than a cardboard box for drums and a single guitar. From those humble beginnings came their first LP, which took the French Antilles by storm. Their records became staples in Martinique and Guadeloupe, broadcast on Radio Jumbo and DBS, cementing their place in Creole music history.
Dominica’s Cultural Ambassadors. Midnight Groovers’ journey has taken them far beyond Dominica’s shores. They are the only Dominican band
ever to perform at the United Nations grounds, where their authentic sound mesmerized an international audience of thousands.
They have graced major festivals in Belgium and Haiti, carrying the rhythms of Grand Bay to global stages and proving that Cadence-Lypso is not, just music, it is identity, resistance, and joy.
Foundational Pillars of WCMF.
When the inaugural World Creole Music Festival was staged in 1997, Midnight Groovers were there. Their performance on that first edition remains etched in the collective memory: a moment when Dominica declared itself the headquarters of Creole music and culture. Since then, Midnight Groovers have performed at the WCMF more than any other authentic Creole band, becoming an indispensable part of the festival’s DNA
As cultural ambassador Leroy “Wadix” Charles reminded listeners during a recent interview: “Without authentic Creole music, without Cadence, there would be no Creole Music Festival. To leave Midnight Groovers off the lineup would be a cultural mistake.”
Challenges, Legacy & Continuity.
Despite their immense contributions, the band has not always received the institutional support they deserve. Sound check constraints, underpayment compared to foreign acts, and limited recognition have often plagued their festival experience. Yet, their passion endures. Recent performances, like their electrifying village feast appearance in Laplaine, show that their fan base, both local and diaspora, remains as devoted as ever.
Efforts are being made to ensure continuity. Young talents like White Fairy are now part of the band, understudying the masters. Plans are also underway for new recordings and collaborations, including a forthcoming
Kings of Cadence, Keepers of the Creole Flame
acoustic album with French musicians, bridging generations and cultures
WCMF25: A Jubilant Return. For this Jubilee edition, Midnight Groovers will perform on Friday night, a slot that allows their international fans from Martinique and St. Lucia to fully experience their magic. The set will feature beloved classics, dynamic collaborations, and two young French musicians on flute and percussion, a testament to how their music continues
MIDNIGHT GROOVERS
Celebrating over five decades of music, legacy, and cultural pride at WCMF25
to inspire across borders. Beyond their set, the band will also back veteran performers like Gilles Fountain and Halibut of Bell Cumbo, reinforcing their role as musical pillars of the Creole sound.
Honouring Cultural Giants. As Dominica celebrates 25 years of WCMF, there is a growing call to formally honour Chubby and Co. Suggestions include diplomatic passports, financial stipends, and even
naming cultural spaces or streets after them, much like Antigua honoured Burning Flames. Their contribution to Dominica’s cultural identity is immeasurable, and such recognition would be both symbolic and practical.
The Final Word. For Chubby and Co, music has always been more than entertainment it’s a mission. As Co reflected: “Our job, our mission here is to educate through music, with consciousness. That was our calling.”
As Midnight Groovers prepare to light up the WCMF stage once again, fans old and new will gather to celebrate not just a band, but a legacy, one that beats at the heart of Dominica’s Creole soul.
WCK
The Sound of a Nation - 37 Years of Bouyon Brilliance
When the lights come on at Windsor Park this October, there will be a familiar electricity in the air. It is the sound that once echoed from Roseau to the world: the pulsating rhythm of WCK, the creators and undisputed kings of Bouyon music. Nearly four decades after their humble beginnings, WCK stands once again on the World Creole Music Festival stage, not as a nostalgic act, but as cultural pioneers reaffirming their legacy and leading a new generation into the future of Dominican music.
From Roseau to the World. The story of WCK begins in the late 1980s in Room 105 at St. Mary’s Academy, where a group of musically gifted young men, among them Ashton “Wakas” Lugay, Irving “Smokey” Phillip, Keith Goddard, Cornell Phillip, and others, started fusing traditional Dominican rhythms with contemporary Caribbean sounds. At that time, Calypso dominated Carnival and Swinging’ Stars set the musical standard. But WCK dared to be different.
Their experimentation, grounded in Jing Ping, cadence-lypso, reggae influences, and innovative electronic layering, gave birth to a new sound: Bouyon. Their early hits like Culture Shock, Balance Batty, and Conch Shell captured the nation’s heartbeat. With their signature accordion hooks, thunderous drums, and infectious grooves, WCK built a bridge between generations, honoring the old while inventing the new.
Cultural Revolution Through Music. Bouyon wasn’t just a new genre, it was a cultural revolution. In the 1990s, WCK’s music became the soundtrack of national pride. They brought Dominican music to Notting Hill Carnival, toured Canada, New York, Miami, St. Lucia, and beyond, carrying the Dominican flag with unmatched energy.
For the first time, Dominicans heard their own rhythms dominate foreign stages. “There’s no tree without roots,” Wakas reminded listeners during the interview. “Everything starts somewhere. It started at Walker’s Corner.”
The accordion, played by musicians like Jno Baptiste and later others, became a defining hook of WCK’s sound, a musical element that tied Bouyon to its Jing Ping ancestry. As Smokey Phillip explained, the fusion was organic: “It was our traditional music being used among other forms within the Caribbean, that input into the traditional music made it happen”
The Evolution of Sound. Over the years, Bouyon has evolved, sometimes in ways that have sparked debate among fans and musicians alike. During the Creole Heartbeat program, callers passionately discussed lyrical content, speed, and the loss of traditional elements in some modern tracks. Smokey responded thoughtfully: “The music has evolved… It’s more marketable today than it was 20 years ago. But the sole purpose of any performer should be to uplift life”.
This year, WCK has returned to their roots with “Sound of the Nation”, a powerful new anthem blending traditional Jing Ping grooves with modern production. Conceived at a funeral in Castle Bruce where a Jing Ping band was playing, the song became a collaborative masterpiece involving a chorus of veteran and new musicians, accordionist Jeff, vocalists Cornell and Elijah, cultural icons like Priscilla
and Roselyn Paul, and the guitar of Martin “Belly”. The result is a song that feels both timeless and fresh, Dominica’s rhythm, reborn.
Bouyon’s Legacy and the Road Ahead. WCK’s longevity is no accident. Keith Goddard, affectionately called the “Iron Man” of the band, has been a steady force, ensuring the group’s presence through changing times. “When you create something and get the attention of an audience, you can’t disappoint them,” Keith said. As the band prepares for their Saturday night performance at WCMF25, he hints at surprises and a repertoire that honors their past while showcasing their present.
WCK’s story is not just about music. It’s about Dominican innovation, resilience, and cultural leadership. Their sound has outlived trends, inspired new genres, and created a sense of identity that spans generations and borders.
As the festival celebrates its 25th edition, WCK’s return is more than a performance, it is a homecoming of a national treasure. It reminds us that while music evolves, the heartbeat remains the same.
In the words of one caller during the Creole Heartbeat program: “WCK are the kings. Nobody can change that. Their music is our history.”
This October, when the crowd jumps to the beat of “Sound of the Nation,” it won’t just be a song, it will be 37 years of Dominican pride, innovation, and rhythm echoing through the night.
Val “Young Bull” Cuffy
THE VISIONARY WHO ELEVATED THE WORLD CREOLE MUSIC FESTIVAL
When the history of Dominica’s World Creole Music Festival (WCMF) is told, few names shine as brightly as Val “Young Bull” Cuffy. Known for his sharp vision, event-management expertise, and deep cultural conviction, Val’s tenure at the helm of the festival from 2006 to 2010 marked a transformative era. He took the reins during a critical transitional period, following the leadership of Jeffrey Brisbane, and steered the festival to new levels of professionalism, international visibility, and cultural impact.
From Cultural Roots to Global Stages. Before his time at WCMF, Val was already a respected figure in Dominica’s cultural landscape. Trained in event management and mentored by cultural stalwarts like Eddie Toulon and C. Manuel, organizing major international shows, Soca, Reggae, Zouk, both in Dominica and abroad. This extensive network and experience would become crucial assets when he assumed leadership of the festival.
Under his direction, WCMF adopted a new level of strategic marketing and networking. Recognizing the importance of global exposure, he ensured that the festival was launched annually in New York, tapping into the Caribbean diaspora and major media houses like WLIB. He led promotional delegations to major reggae and music jamborees in North America, establishing booths, engaging industry stakeholders, and positioning Dominica as a serious player in the international festival circuit
The Power of A-Listers and Smart Promotion. Val’s strategy was bold: bring in the A-list artists, and the world will follow. His very first lineup in 2006 featured giants like Wyclef Jean and Shaggy, which drew significant international media attention and record audiences. Despite initial skepticism and budgetary battles, including a nowlegendary moment where he literally punched a wall out of frustration at delayed payments, Val persisted, guaranteeing that these investments would bring returns. And they did. The festival turned a profit that year, proving the value of high-profile programming combined with astute marketing.
Navigating Government and Finance. Yet his leadership was not without challenges. Val openly criticized the government’s VAT policy, where subvention funds for the festival were later clawed back through taxes, leaving the Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) and the Dominica Festivals Committee (DFC) financially strangled when it came time to plan Carnival and the next festival cycle. He argued passionately for a special financial mechanism, such as escrow accounts, that would allow festival revenues and subventions to support long-term planning rather than be absorbed back into the Treasury. This issue, he noted, remains a critical structural weakness in festival management.
Vision Beyond the Stage. Val’s vision extended far beyond nightly lineups. He believed the music and cultural industries should function as one, calling for a merger between the DFC and the Division of Culture to create a powerful, independent entity capable of shaping Dominica’s cultural future. He emphasized artist welfare, medical insurance, pensions, recognition, and argued that musicians should not be left to fend for themselves after decades of service, often relying on GoFundMe campaigns in their later years.
He also championed authentic Creole identity on the festival stage. During his time, the festival reintroduced traditional elements, bèlè, quadrille, mazouk, Kalinago drumming, Creole cuisine, as part of the core stage experience, ensuring that WCMF remained more than a concert: it was a cultural immersion. He advocated for international expansion too, recalling an ambitious but unrealized plan to launch WCMF in Paris with an all-star Bouyon and Cadence Lypso showcase at Zenith, Europe’s iconic concert hall
Leadership and Legacy. A hallmark of Val’s leadership was succession planning. Recognizing that no leader should stay forever, he deliberately built capacity within his team. Marva Williams, who started as his secretary, rose to become Executive Director of the festival office and later head of the DDA. Carlton Henry, once a messenger, became a senior cultural officer. This nurturing of talent ensured continuity beyond his tenure
Val also pushed for less political interference and more operational independence. He lamented the cumbersome structure of having both DFC and DDA boards, with Cabinet often making final lineup decisions despite limited involvement in the music industry. For the festival to thrive, he argued, those tasked with execution must be empowered to act professionally and decisively, without micromanagement
A Call for Cultural Maturity. As Dominica celebrates the 25th Anniversary of the World Creole Music Festival, Val’s reflections carry renewed weight. He warns that if not managed wisely, today’s booming Bouyon movement could suffer the same fate as early Cadence pioneers, many of whom had to build their careers abroad due to lack of local structural support. He calls for reconciliation within the music community, urging pioneers and current artists to unite for the sake of the country and its cultural legacy
“The festival is not just about the lineup. It’s about the total experience of Dominica, its culture, its people, its rhythm.”
This feature stands not just as a look back at Val Cuffy’s impactful leadership, but as a strategic mirror for the festival’s future: professionalism, independence, authenticity, and cultural investment. As WCMF25 unfolds, his voice echoes a reminder, the festival is both a celebration and a responsibility.
In the vibrant tapestry of the Creole world, few figures have woven threads of culture, diplomacy, and development as consistently as Mark Frampton, Dominica’s Honorary Consul to Martinique. For two decades, Frampton has been a steadfast bridge between Dominica and the French Antilles, championing cultural exchange, supporting the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF), and advocating for stronger economic and linguistic ties between the two territories.
Mark Frampton
BUILDING BRIDGES BETWEEN DOMINICA AND MARTINIQUE
From Roseau to the French Alps to Martinique. Born and raised in Roseau, Frampton’s early years were marked by sports, community life, and the rhythms of Dominican streets. After attending the Dominica Grammar School and Sixth Form College, his journey took him to Grenoble, France, where he mastered the French language and studied architecture. This decision would not only shape his professional path but also prepare him to become a key cultural intermediary.
For the past 35 years, Frampton has
lived and worked in Martinique, balancing his architectural career with his voluntary role as Honorary Consul, a position he has held since 2005, making him the longest-serving Dominican Honorary Consul in Martinique.
A Champion of the World Creole Music Festival. Frampton’s relationship with the World Creole Music Festival goes back more than a decade. Recognizing the power of cultural diplomacy, he worked closely
with Martinique’s Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles (now DAC) to secure funding for traditional and emerging artists to perform at WCMF. For nearly six years, at least two Martinican artists were financed annually to participate in the festival, including renowned cultural figures like Massey Massey and Tumpak, bringing authentic, roots-based Creole music to the Dominican stage.
Beyond music, Frampton spearheaded cultural exchanges that extended to Creole research, language, and education. In collaboration with Dominica’s Extramural Centre, he helped facilitate discussions and academic exchanges during Independence and Creole Festival periods, a reminder that WCMF is not just a musical event but a living cultural symposium.
He recalls the early days of promotion in Martinique with nostalgia: “We would have signboards, radio broadcasts, TV spots, and major events to promote the festival. That created a powerful atmosphere leading up to WCMF.” Today, that groundwork has
paid off, French Antillean attendance at WCMF has grown exponentially, with Martinicans eagerly awaiting artist announcements months in advance.
Tapping into Economic & Agricultural Synergies. Frampton’s vision goes beyond cultural exchange, it encompasses strategic economic collaboration. He notes the untapped potential of Dominica supplying high-quality agricultural products to Martinique, particularly passion fruit, ginger, turmeric, and sorrel. Martinique, with its population of 450,000 and proximity to Dominica, offers a ready market. For years, Martinicans even traveled to Dominica to buy sorrel for Christmas drinks.
He proposes cooperative models and joint ventures where Dominican farmers, together with Martinican partners, could produce at scale while maintaining Dominican control over resources. “We have cleaner soils, less pollution, and unique flavors. That’s a competitive advantage we must not ignore,” he emphasizes.
Free Movement, Policy, and
Historical Bonds. Frampton also sheds light on immigration and mobility challenges. Despite Martinique’s status as an OECS and CARICOM observer, the lack of reciprocity in travel arrangements remains a barrier. While Martinicans can enter Dominica with just an ID card, Dominicans must provide insurance, accommodation certificates, and are limited to three 15day visits per year. He calls for policylevel negotiations between regional leaders and France to address these imbalances, arguing that historical ties, from World War II support to centuries of cultural fusion, should inform a more equitable framework for mobility and commerce.
The Language Link: A Strategic Advantage. A passionate advocate for Creole language preservation, Frampton views Creole as a critical tool in Dominica’s diplomatic and business relations. “We have an advantage that Saint Vincent and Antigua don’t, a shared language. We must not neglect that,” he insists. Creole remains a unifying thread across the Caribbean, and its use can open doors to deeper economic, cultural, and personal connections.
A Vision for the Future. As he celebrates his 20th anniversary as Honorary Consul, Mark Frampton continues to envision a future where Dominica fully leverages its geographic position, linguistic heritage, and cultural capital. From facilitating artist exchanges and promoting WCMF to championing agricultural trade and policy reform, his work exemplifies the interconnected power of culture, diplomacy, and development.
His message is clear: the bridge between Dominica and Martinique is strong, but it’s up to us to walk across it.
Sign Man
Dominica’s cultural landscape is shaped by individuals whose quiet contributions resonate loudly through music, language, and identity. Among them stands Ibrahim “SignMan” Brohim, a passionate cultural advocate, businessman, and steadfast supporter of Creole expression. His story intertwines language, music, and community, values that echo at the heart of the World Creole Music Festival.
Championing the Creole Language SignMan’s commitment to Creole is rooted in a profound understanding of its power. During a live Creole
Heartbeat radio program, he joined discussions on the “Creole for Business” initiative, a six-week course designed to help businesses and individuals embrace and use the Creole language confidently. Dominica sits between Guadeloupe and Martinique, two Creole-speaking islands with strong cultural and economic ties. Mastering Creole isn’t just cultural pride, it’s a strategic tool for engaging the French Antilles market, marketing products, and welcoming visitors during Independence and WCMF.
For SignMan, learning Creole is more than linguistic skill; it’s identity
work. He shared how many visitors to Dominica—from Martinique, Guadeloupe, St. Lucia, and Haiti, expect to be met in their language. Just as other nations teach English to connect with visitors, Dominica must equip its people to speak Creole fluently, giving the country a competitive edge and strengthening cultural unity.
Midnight Grovers: Supporting Legends in Their Jubilee Year. This year marks a golden milestone: Midnight Grovers’ 50th Anniversary. Known as one of Dominica’s most iconic Cadence-Lypso bands, they’ve carried the rhythm of the nation across generations. Recognizing their contribution, SignMan made a tangible gesture, donating EC $3,000 to support their preparations for the WCMF Jubilee performance.
This was not an isolated act. In previous years, SignMan collaborated with Creole Heartbeat to install billboards honoring the Midnight Grovers, Chubby and Co., and other legends, transforming spaces like Lalay and the Bayfront into cultural landmarks. This year, these portraits will be displayed in a dedicated area at the World Creole Music Festival grounds, allowing fans to take photos and reflect on the giants of Cadence-Lypso.
From Belgium to Dominica: Creole Music on the World Stage. SignMan’s cultural journey also took him far beyond Dominica’s shores. He accompanied Dominican artists Michele and Carlyn to a major music festival in Belgium and Holland, a massive event spanning multiple stages, drawing thousands of attendees, and featuring performers from across the Caribbean, Europe, and Africa.
Backstage, he witnessed first-hand the precision, scale, and professionalism of the production. Michele’s CadenceLypso performance captivated the crowd with its melodic storytelling,
Creole, Culture, and Cadence – A Lifetime of Passion
while Carlyn’s explosive Saturday night set, climaxing with her signature bouyon segment, literally brought down the house. Audiences danced, waved flags, sang along, and embraced Dominica’s Creole sound with contagious enthusiasm.
What struck SignMan most was how Dominican artists stood shoulder to shoulder with international acts, their Creole lyrics and rhythms transcending linguistic boundaries. Even those who didn’t understand every word felt the pulse. Dominica’s flag flew proudly in the European night sky, and conversations with curious festivalgoers turned into spontaneous history lessons, about Dominica’s culture, its music, and the global heartbeat of the Creole world.
Crucially, this overseas exposure was not random. Many of these promoters and festival bookers had first encountered Michele, Carlyn, and other Dominican performers through their electrifying appearances at the World Creole Music Festival. WCMF has long served as a powerful Launchpad, a professionally staged, internationally broadcast platform that allows talent to be seen and heard by promoters from Europe, North America, and the wider Caribbean. It is during these late-night sets in Roseau that scouts identify the next wave of Creole stars to take to global stages.
This type of cultural circulation has a two-way impact. On one hand, it opens
opportunities for Dominican artists to perform abroad, expanding their reach and careers. On the other, it functions as strategic cross-promotion: when audiences in Belgium and Holland experience Creole music live and connect emotionally with its energy, many become intrigued by the source, Dominica itself. Festivals like the one SignMan attended offer fertile ground to cultivate a new tourism segment, music lovers, cultural explorers, and festival-goers eager to discover the “home of the sound.”
By deliberately leveraging these overseas performances with targeted marketing, festival partnerships, digital campaigns, travel packages Dominica can encourage these audiences to visit the island for future editions of WCMF, experiencing the culture firsthand where it all began. What started as a performance on a European stage can evolve into plane tickets booked, hotel rooms filled, and a stronger international presence for Dominica as the Creole capital of the world.
Cadence-Lypso: A Language Teacher SignMan credits Cadence-Lypso music as one of his greatest teachers of the Creole language. Drawn to the genre in his youth, he sang along to its lyrics before he could speak Creole fluently. Through music, he learned vocabulary, idioms, and the rhythms of speech. Cadence-Lypso songs, he notes, don’t just entertain, they record history, from the struggles of the 1970s to calls for
unity and expressions of love. Their timelessness explains why fifty-yearold songs still stir Dominican hearts today.
Preserving the Language, Empowering the Future. Throughout the conversation, one theme rang clear: Creole is more than a language, it’s a bridge. It connects Dominicans to their ancestors, their neighbors, and their identity. Yet, many hesitate to speak it, fearing mistakes.
For SignMan, supporting cultural legends, embracing Creole education, and flying the Dominican flag on international stages are all part of a single mission: to ensure that Creole language and music continue to thrive, at home, across the region, and on the world stage.
WCMF @ 25: A Cultural Convergence. As Dominica celebrates 25 years of the World Creole Music Festival, the contributions of individuals like Ibrahim “SignMan” Brohim remind us that behind the big stage are passionate citizens ensuring that culture endures. Whether through a donation to a legendary band, a trip to support Dominican artists abroad, or a commitment to language preservation, these acts strengthen the heartbeat of the festival.
Creole is our identity. Cadence is our soundtrack. And WCMF is our global stage.
SONIA AKPA & GREGORY RABESS
RECLAIMING THE
IN WCMF: LANGUAGE, LEGACY & THE CREOLE HEARTBEAT
As the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF) celebrates 25 years of pulsating rhythms and cultural pride, two pivotal voices, Gregory Rabess and Sonia Akpa, remind us of the festival’s original heartbeat: the Creole language, Francophone cultural ties, and the vision of Dominica as the global capital of Creole identity.
The Foundational Vision: Language and Music, Hand in Hand. In the early years of the WCMF, Gregory Rabess, alongside Sobers Esprit, led the educational and linguistic component of the festival — organizing Creole language symposia that brought together intellectuals, cultural activists, and policy makers from Dominica, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Louisiana, and beyond.
“We approached the festival in a holistic way,” Rabess reflected. “It wasn’t just music. There were three pillars: tourism development, music industry development, and the language.” These symposia were conducted entirely in Creole, positioning Dominica as the meeting point of the Francophone Creole world. The early vision was clear: the festival would not merely entertain; it would elevate
Creole as a language of culture, diplomacy, and development.
The Francophone Connection: A Bridge to the Wider Creole World. Sonia Akpa, then serving in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, played a key role in promoting the festival in Martinique and Guadeloupe. Working with Conseil Régional and RFO (the regional public broadcaster), Dominica forged cultural agreements that supported band participation, promotion, and travel from the French West Indies.
“Our relations with our French Creolespeaking neighbors were very strong. They funded the participation of groups like Malavoi. It was a significant percentage of visitor arrivals from Martinique,” Akpa recalled This collaboration not only built audiences but also amplified Dominica’s cultural product, with French studios, broadcasters, and consumers helping to turn Dominican Cadence-Lypso into international hits.
Language at the Core: A National Imperative. Both speakers passionately highlighted the urgent need to elevate Creole to national language status, similar to Saint Lucia’s model. Akpa
emphasized that writing and speaking Creole correctly is essential, calling for official use of the language by authority figures, in Parliament, media, and education, to normalize its use.
“Creole is not just the language of culture; it’s a language of communication with the world,” she stressed. “We’ve reached a critical point. If we don’t act now, we risk losing the language within a generation.”
Rabess agreed, noting that school systems must now take the lead. With parents working longer hours, children spend most of their day in school, making formal Creole education crucial for language transmission.
The “C” at Risk: Balancing the Festival’s Identity. Both speakers raised concerns about the growing dominance of reggae and non-Creole acts at the festival, warning that WCMF risks becoming “just another festival” if its unique Francophone Creole core is lost
“Everything is about balance,” Rabess explained. “One or two reggae acts is fine, but the festival is anchored on Francophone Creole. We need to
restore that balance — musically and culturally.”
They advocated for All-Star Creole Bands featuring top musicians from Martinique, Guadeloupe, Haiti, and Dominica, to showcase the best of Creole talent in a unified, world-class format.
A Call to Action: National Evaluation and Cultural Policy. As WCMF enters its next 25 years, Rabess and Akpa call for a national evaluation of the festival to determine its direction: Will it continue to lead as the flagship Francophone Creole festival of the Caribbean, or will it drift into generic territory?
They also emphasized the need for formal Creole language policy, teacher training, and curriculum integration, building on earlier pilot projects and available materials.
“We were ahead of Saint Lucia in Creole promotion,” Rabess reminded. “If we had maintained that momentum, Dominica would be bilingual by now.”
Legacy Meets Future. The 25th anniversary of the WCMF is more than a celebration — it’s a moment of reflection and renewal. As Akpa poignantly noted, the language is the heartbeat:
“The most important aspect of our Creole is the language. You can communicate globally through it. If we don’t make decisive moves now, we risk silence where there was once rhythm.”
MARVA WILLIAMS
Steering Dominica’s Cultural Jewel into a New Era
A Journey Woven with Creole Rhythm
Williams’ journey began in January 2006, when a call for administrative support at the National Development Corporation unexpectedly led her into the heart of festival planning. Over the years, she served in multiple roles, typist, receptionist, secretary, festival manager, before pursuing advanced studies in international business and returning to lead Dominica’s destination marketing arm. Today, she stands at the helm of both Dominica’s tourism vision and its most iconic cultural export, the WCMF.
“Dominica should be so privileged to have sustained a festival for so many years. Not only has it grown, it has transitioned into something world-class,” Williams reflected.
Building
the Jubilee Festival
This year’s WCMF is not just another edition, it is a Silver Jubilee celebration, promising to be the most ambitious staging in the festival’s history. The Government of Dominica has invested over EC$13 million into the event, recognizing its immense economic impact. For every dollar spent, the festival generates an estimated nine-fold return, benefiting airlines, ferry operators, vendors, accommodation providers, and countless small businesses across the island.
As Dominica prepares to celebrate the 25th edition of the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF), all eyes are on Marva Williams, the dynamic CEO of Discover Dominica Authority (DDA). With nearly two decades of service to the festival and the destination, Williams embodies the continuity, vision, and cultural pride that have kept this Caribbean treasure thriving.
A Strategic French Connection
Central to the WCMF’s sustained appeal is its deep relationship with the French West Indies. Williams led a high-powered delegation to Guadeloupe and Martinique— including DDA Deputy Chair Sobers Esprit, Ambassador Leroy “Wadix” Charles, and Festival Manager Ayodele Andrew—for a series of targeted media events that reignited these long-standing cultural and commercial ties.
Major broadcasters such as RCI Guadeloupe & Martinique and Guadeloupe Première, powerhouses since the festival’s earliest days—were brought back into the fold. Through media cocktails, television interviews, and cultural showcases, Dominica presented not just a music festival, but a comprehensive destination experience.
“For the first time, we really elaborated on Dominica as a destination—the underwater life, the hotel experiences, the Kalinago heritage. You could see the amazement on their faces,” Williams recounted.
This strategic repositioning is critical. Visitors from the French West Indies already make up a significant portion of Dominica’s festival arrivals, often coming in large groups via ferry and charter packages. Yet, until now, the destination
narrative was often secondary to the music. By deliberately weaving in Dominica’s natural assets, cultural heritage, and authentic community experiences, the delegation elevated the festival from a three-night spectacle into a gateway to explore the Nature Island.
Heritage attractions, such as the Kalinago Territory, the island’s unique Creole cultural landscape, its volcanic underwater sites, and its boutique eco-lodges, resonate deeply with Francophone audiences who share a cultural lineage but often remain unaware of the depth of Dominica’s tourism offerings. Media coverage in Guadeloupe and Martinique reframed Dominica not as a “neighboring island with a great festival,” but as a leading heritage tourism destination that combines rhythm, nature, and identity in one experience.
Re-establishing these media alliances goes beyond publicity, it builds trust and strengthens cultural diplomacy. French West Indians view Dominica’s festival as part of their own Creole heritage, and when the story of Dominica is authentically told in their language and through their media platforms, it inspires not only repeat visitation but longer stays, wider exploration, and deeper cultural exchange.
Ultimately, this French connection represents a powerful competitive advantage. In an increasingly crowded Caribbean tourism market, Dominica’s proximity, cultural affinity, and shared language with the French West Indies allow it to build a sustainable visitor base that goes beyond seasonal spikes, anchoring tourism growth in shared identity, not just marketing.
Destination Dominica: A Global Spotlight
This renewed media push comes on the heels of a major accolade: BBC Travel named Dominica the #1 destination to visit in 2025. It’s a recognition of years of strategic positioning, not as a sun-and-sand getaway, but as a wellness, nature, and heritage tourism leader. From the forthcoming aerial tram to the Boiling Lake to eco-lodges, marine expansion, and health tourism built around Dominica’s remarkable centenarian population, the island is carving out a unique identity on the world stage.
Festival as Cultural Engine
The World Creole Music Festival has always been more than a concert—it is a gathering of the Creole world. Over 70 bands and artists from across the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, and the diaspora have performed since its inception. It remains the only festival in the world to offer such a varied and balanced Creole musical diet, blending traditional genres like cadence-lypso and bouyon with international sounds to attract global audiences.
In 2025, this strategy has reached new heights with the
inclusion of R&B star Kehlani, attracting major media like Billboard and Vibe. This fusion ensures that while Dominica honors its heritage, it also pushes creative boundaries to remain relevant and competitive internationally.
Beyond the Stage: Education & Heritage
Williams is also keenly aware that sustaining the festival’s legacy requires educating the next generation. She highlighted the importance of bringing Creole language and culture into schools, community programs, and youth engagement, a vision aligned with the broader National Creole Language Consultation and cultural policies being developed for Dominica’s future.
“It’s not only about the music. It’s about the language, the food, the way we live. Sustaining Creole starts in the communities and schools.”
Silver Jubilee, Golden Future
As Dominica welcomes thousands for the 25th WCMF, Williams is leading a team that blends experience, innovation, and cultural consciousness. The festival stands as a beacon for Creole identity and tourism development—a living bridge between past visionaries like Gordon Henderson and new generations of artists and audiences.
With the Nature Island topping global travel lists and the WCMF maturing into a world-class event, Marva Williams’ leadership signals a future where Dominica is not only the Creole Capital of the World—but also a model for sustainable cultural tourism.
When Sheldon “Shelly” Alfred stands before a crowd at the World Creole Music Festival, microphone in hand, he carries more than a melody. He carries the story of a generation that dared to reimagine Dominican music, and the blueprint for transforming a cultural movement into a sustainable industry.
This is the story of Signal Band: 15 years of vision, sacrifice, innovation, and unshakeable belief. It is the story of a young boy from who became Harvard-trained, returned home, and built not just a band, but what he proudly calls “an empire.” It’s also the story of what the future of Dominica’s music can become, with structure, strategy, and investment.
The Early Years: Faith, Grit, and a New Sound. On August 20, fifteen years ago, a group of ambitious young musicians performed their very first gig as Signal Band. There was no sponsorship, no established machine behind them, only their talent, community support, and vision.
“We went through hurdles, scandals, tough nights, but also beautiful moments,” Shelly recalls. “Those early years built our character. Our fans kept us together. They are the reason this lasted.”
Raised in a family where education and faith were paramount, Shelly was encouraged to pursue excellence. His early years saw him excel as a calypsonian before joining Triple Kay, then branching out with his peers to create a sound that would later redefine
bouyon’s landscape.
Building an Empire: Music as Business. Unlike many Caribbean bands that operate informally, Signal Band took a different path early on. Shelly and manager Jelani made sustainability their mantra.
“We call it an empire,” he explains. “There’s no pension plan for musicians, you have to create that for yourself. Jelani and I started talking about the future while we were still in school. Today, every member of Signal Band is fully employed by the band. Salaries are paid whether or not we perform. We built a business.”
Signal Band’s structure is unique in Dominica. The band operates on a retainer model, employs its members full-time, and diversifies its operations
across multiple sectors of the creative economy. Their approach is deliberate: merging artistry with corporate discipline.
Harvard Lessons, Dominican Vision
Shelly’s perspective was sharpened at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design. While many expected him to become a traditional architect, he saw something different.
“Education is underestimated by musicians,” he says. “Design school taught us leadership, how to be industry leaders, not just workers. That mindset drives how we run Signal Band today.”
His formal education gave him the tools to see music the way a business owner sees inventory: something to be crafted, marketed, and leveraged to build generational wealth. He even
took a five-figure sum meant for his education and invested it into music, a risk he says he would take again without hesitation.
Finding the Signal Sound. In an era dominated by trends and “nasty business” anthems, Signal Band forged their own path. Shelly deliberately shifted from grammatically perfect songwriting to a more Creole-infused, colloquial lyricism, meeting audiences
halfway while maintaining polish and substance.
The result? A sound that transcends demographics: toddlers, elders, politicians, partygoers, all find a place in Signal Band’s music.
“Trends belong to a time,” he says. “Good music lives forever. We wanted our music to be rated ‘E for Everyone’, palatable, powerful, and timeless.”
Signal Band also champions groovy bouyon, seeing it as the genre’s bridge to global audiences, much like kompa love or bachata became ambassadors of their respective genres.
From the WCMF Stage to the World Signal Band’s journey is intertwined with the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF). From performing at the Forecourt to becoming one of the festival’s top-billed acts, their evolution mirrors the festival’s own growth.
“The Jubilee year is emotional,” Shelly admits. “When you look back at 25 years of lineups, you understand the festival’s mission. This is our highest stage, a platform for cultural storytelling and diplomacy. We must use it to represent Dominica to the world.”
Today, Signal Band is a regional powerhouse, with fans from St. Kitts to Paris. Yet Shelly’s ambitions stretch further. He dreams of taking bouyon back to its roots — Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and across Europe and Latin America, not waiting for promoters to call, but creating deliberate pathways.
“There are places the music will not reach unless we take it there,” he asserts. “This is the next phase, intentional marketing, not just TikTok trends.”
Raising the Value of Dominican
Music. Despite electrifying stages, bouyon bands are often paid significantly less than foreign acts. Shelly sees this as a critical industry gap.
“I’ve seen acts mash up the place and get paid a fraction of what others collect. We need to turn impact into currency,” he says. “Soca artists built value. We can do the same, maybe even more.”
For Shelly, the government’s role is not
to fund bands, but to integrate bouyon and Dominican music into tourism and export strategies. Music must have its own national marketing plan, not just be attached to festivals.
Carrying the Baton. At just 30-something, Shelly finds himself holding the baton for Dominican music. His leadership is both artistic and strategic, representing a new generation unafraid to dream big.
“Legacy is not about what happens now,” he reflects. “It’s about creating music and structures that live beyond us.”
He calls for collaboration among bands, government support at the policy level, and artists to invest in their own development. He envisions music as a pillar of Dominica’s Orange Economy — creating jobs, exports, cultural capital, and national pride.
A Signal for the Future. Signal Band’s story is more than a success story, it’s a roadmap. It shows that with vision, education, business discipline, and cultural pride, Dominican music can move from stage to structure, from vibe to value, from rhythm to industry.
As the World Creole Music Festival celebrates 25 years, Shelly’s journey offers a clear message:
The future of Dominica’s music will be built, not by chance, but by design.
THE KOMPA GROOVE THAT CAPTIVATED DOMINICA
When the pulsating rhythms of zouk and Kompa float through the air, few bands ignite the stage quite like Extasy. Hailing from Petite Savanne, a village steeped in Zouk and kompa traditions, Extasy has spent the past 15 years carving out their unique sound—one that blends traditional rhythms with modern energy, and proudly carries Dominica’s Creole identity to the world.
Humble Beginnings, Unique Vision. Extasy’s story begins like many great musical journeys—teenagers crafting makeshift guitars from sardine tins and fishing lines, united by a shared love for music. Their early performances spanned reggae, soca, bouyon, cadence-lypso, and R&B. But as the band matured, they chose to set themselves apart.
While other groups offered mixed sets of genres, Extasy decided to focus fully on kompa—not as outsiders trying to imitate, but as cultural insiders raised on its melodies. “Going into kompa wasn’t forced,” explained band leader and guitarist Odell Hamilton. “It’s the sound we grew up on in our village. We love bouyon too, but kompa was always
in our DNA”
From Pallet Stages to the Main Stage. The band’s first appearance at the World Creole Music Festival didn’t happen on the grand main stage, but on a humble platform in the food court, constructed from wooden pallets. Yet their performance was electric.
“We treated every 40-minute set like it was our first,” Hamilton recalled. “We made people move from the first song. That energy got people talking, and the next year, we were on the main stage”
Since then, Extasy has become a festival staple, bringing
their infectious grooves to audiences year after year.
The Extasy Sound: Tradition Meets Innovation. While rooted in kompa, Extasy is not afraid to innovate. They’ve experimented with fusing bouyon elements, incorporating traditional Dominican instruments like the goaj and tambou into kompa grooves, and even explored creating Englishlanguage kompa songs for wider audiences “We’re trying to create something that, the moment you press play, you know it’s Extasy,” said Hamilton. “It’s about keeping the roots alive while modernizing the sound.”
Resilience Through Challenges. The band’s journey hasn’t been without trials. Tropical Storm Erika in 2015 forced the relocation of Petite Savanne, separating members who once lived footsteps apart. Soon after, tragedy struck with the loss of their keyboardist, Nehimiah Darroux, in a fatal accident.
“It didn’t break the band, but it shook us deeply,” shared lead vocalist Dian Moses. “You can still feel his presence in the band house when certain songs play”
Despite these challenges, Extasy persevered, supported by the community, the late “Crazy” of Crazy Coconuts, and
government assistance that helped them rebuild their band house and acquire new equipment.
Memorable Moments & International Reach. Among their many performances, some memories shine brighter. For Moses, a highlight was performing alongside Stefan Ravor at Creole Bor La Mé, singing one of his songs live to a thrilled crowd—a dream come true. For Hamilton, it was sharing the stage with Karimi’s guitarist, his mentor, during WCMF, playing the music that inspired his journey Extasy has also carried Dominica’s kompa spirit abroad, performing in St. Barts, Martinique, and Grenada, where their music transcended language barriers and resonated with Creole communities.
A Bond with the Haitian Community. In Dominica, Extasy has found a strong fan base among the Haitian community. “They appreciate that at least one band is playing kompa,” said Moses. “They come to our shows with their flags, and for a moment, they feel at home”
This connection reflects the band’s role in bridging Creole worlds—Dominican, Haitian, French Antillean—through rhythm and shared heritage.
Looking Ahead: WCMF25 and Beyond. As Extasy prepares to take the WCMF25 main stage on Sunday, October 26, 2025, fans can expect a high-energy, interactive performance. “Start practicing,” Moses teased. “It’s going to be an engaging show. Bring your rags and flags—Sunday night is Extasy night!”
Looking to the next decade, the band envisions more international performances, groundbreaking collaborations, and a distinctive sound that unmistakably says: This is Extasy. This is Dominica.
MR. RIDGE
FROM NEWTOWN TO THE WORLD STAGE – THE BOUYON VISIONARY ELEVATING DOMINICA’S SOUND
When Ridge steps onto the World Creole Music Festival stage this October, it won’t just be another performance, it will be the continuation of a journey that began in the vibrant streets of Newtown, Dominica, and has since reverberated across the Caribbean and beyond. Crowned Bouyon Artist of the Year at the Caribbean Music Awards, Ridge has become one of the genre’s most influential figures, combining artistry, business savvy, and mentorship to drive bouyon into new territories.
Ridge’s love for music was ignited early. Raised in Newtown, he remembers being awakened by his mother at dawn to join the Lapo Kabwit on J’ouvert mornings, following bands like WCK and Serenade through the streets of Roseau. That cultural immersion laid the foundation for his musical path. At 14, his father gifted him a keyboard, a gesture that would quietly shape his destiny. Though he started with classical music lessons, Ridge soon gravitated toward the
cultural rhythms that surrounded him, learning by ear from local bands like More Dife. This blend of structured musical education and raw cultural immersion gave Ridge a unique versatility.
At 19, fatherhood and economic realities led Ridge to accept a Carnival Cruise Lines contract. Performing reggae, salsa, and other Caribbean genres for international audiences broadened his musical lens. Later, after Hurricanes Irma and Maria forced him to relocate
from St. Martin to Guadeloupe, Ridge experienced a transformative moment: his first bouyon party abroad. Seeing a crowd dancing to bouyon all night rekindled his passion. With just a laptop and keyboard, he began chanting and playing, winning over audiences and birthing “Ridge the Artist” in 2017.
Ridge’s rise wasn’t just about talent, it was about understanding the business behind the music. During the pandemic, while many artists went quiet, Ridge doubled down, producing and releasing new music online. He studied publishing, distribution, and copyright, turning streaming into a viable income stream.
“Performing live is just one part,” he explained. “The online part is very important. Once I understood that, things really took off.”
This strategy led to viral hits like “Mr. Ridge aka Cross D Bridge,” which became a cultural anthem in Pottersville, and to his global touring schedule, with bookings from Spain to Malta. His streaming numbers speak for themselves, over 140,000 monthly Spotify listeners, far surpassing many regional peers.
Beyond personal success, Ridge has become a mentor to emerging talent. Through his studio, he has recorded and guided countless young artists without charging them a cent. Perhaps the most compelling example is his work with Suki, a young man once struggling with homelessness and addiction. Ridge and his team gave Suki a chance, producing a breakout hit that catapulted him into the national spotlight. Ridge even worked with community partners to secure Suki housing. Today, Suki is sober and recording new music, a testament to Ridge’s philosophy of “teaching to fish, not just giving a fish.”
No story of Ridge is complete without mention of “Nasty Business.” The controversial yet brilliantly strategic track shocked listeners and pulled
bouyon into mainstream conversation. Like dancehall artists who use provocative lyrics to hook audiences, Ridge used the song as a marketing tool to make people listen. Once they did, they discovered his musical depth through cultural tracks, Christmas jing ping tunes, and even gospel-infused songs.
“People may criticize, but they listen,” Ridge said with a smile.
This year marks Ridge’s third appearance at the World Creole Music Festival, and he’s not just performing, his band will back all bouyon acts, including MJ, Shanika, Kenny G, Jixels, and Ebony Empress. Expect surprises too: Ridge teased that “someone as big as the PM” might join him on stage.
He’s also spearheading national auditions through his “Cross the Bridge” initiative to discover new
talent, singers, chanters, dancers, and actors, from Point Michel to Grand Bay. These auditions aim to give the next generation the platform Ridge never had.
Looking ahead, Ridge’s ambition is clear: to make bouyon a mainstream global genre. By pursuing major international collaborations, particularly in the French and European markets, he hopes to position bouyon the way reggae represents Jamaica or soca represents Trinidad.
“My goal is to push bouyon and Dominica to the max and get the recognition we deserve,” he stated passionately.
DJ MJ
FROM GRAND BAY VIBES TO THE WORLD CREOLE MUSIC FESTIVAL MAIN STAGE
In the heart of Grand Bay — Dominica’s Creole capital — a young boy once slid down coconut leaves after school, danced at Friday night sessions, and soaked in the rhythms of Marley, Lucky Dube, and Morgan Heritage that played every morning in his father’s home. That boy grew into DJ MJ, one of the island’s most electrifying performers, now stepping onto the main stage of the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF) — a moment he describes as “the ultimate level”
Roots in Grand Bay: The Party Village of the South DJ MJ’s journey is inseparable from the cultural pulse of Grand Bay. Known islandwide as a party hub where revelers would travel from Marigot, Portsmouth, and beyond to “lime” on weekends, Grand Bay shaped his cultural identity and musical instincts. “Grand Bay prepared me for what’s happening to me right now in my life,” he reflects. “It was a mixture of everything — culture, lapo kabwit, music, parties. Grand Bay was the number one party spot in Dominica.”
Discovering the Call of Music. Though music surrounded him, MJ’s entry wasn’t traditional. With no family background in music, he tinkered with flip phones and cassettes, experimenting with stop-andplay mixing long before he touched a DJ console. His idols — DJ Shilo and DJ Kono — inspired him to sharpen his craft, observing from the sidelines until he earned his spot behind the booth. “I had a rough childhood,” he admits, “but it made me strong. You
fight so you never go back there.”
The turning point came in 2007 at a “back-to-school jam” when no DJ showed up. For MJ, that was unacceptable. “I took that personally,” he recalls. “That can never happen again.” It set him on a path from playing music to creating it.
From ‘Microphone’ to ‘Coast Guard’ — A Cultural Anthem. MJ’s first hit, “Microphone,” emerged organically in the garage — unreleased but performed live, creating a mystique that drew crowds weekly. But it was “Coast Guard”, released shortly after Hurricane Maria, that catapulted him into national stardom. Inspired by a rumor that some women were leaving their partners for foreign soldiers stationed on the island, MJ turned real-life buzz into a witty, infectious song.
“I was going to work with my dad repairing roofs after Maria,” he remembers. “I listened to the riddim all day,
and the lyrics just came. By Monday, every single vehicle, every bar, every radio was playing my song.” Eight years later, “Coast Guard” still rings as ringtones across the island.
Stepping Onto Dominica’s Biggest Stage. For MJ, performing on the main stage of WCMF 2025 is not just another gig — it’s a crowning moment. “It can’t get any bigger than this. World Creole Music Festival is the ultimate. It’s the dream of every DJ, every artist in Dominica,” he says with pride. Having previously performed in the forecourt, this year marks his debut on the festival’s grandest platform. He’s taking it seriously: “I told my manager, no more gigs before the festival. I need to be in my prime on the night of October 25. This is my moment.”
Energy Over Plans — The MJ Performance Style. MJ is known for his raw, unplanned energy. Whether on stage in Dominica or at massive festivals in Guadeloupe, England, or Paris, he thrives on crowd interaction. “I never plan. I never make a playlist. I go with the flow,” he says. At one festival, he famously left the stage midset to join the crowd while controlling the music remotely — a testament to his dynamic performance style that’s redefining the role of DJs on stage.
A Platform for Growth. Beyond his own career, MJ recognizes WCMF as a launching pad for Dominican talent. “It’s a very important platform. Young artists should see it as an investment in their future,” he advises. “Come to the festival, learn from others, see how big stages work. If you’re serious about.
Facing Challenges with Maturity.
Recently, MJ faced headlines after being questioned by police over imitation weapons. Rather than deflecting, he reflected openly. “I was pissed, but when I saw the big picture, I understood the seriousness. Being in the public eye means being responsible. Children are watching,” he acknowledged.
His willingness to learn and evolve reflects a growing awareness of his role as a cultural influencer. Looking Ahead.
At 35, MJ is entering a new phase both musically and personally. He’s preparing new collaborations, hinting at marriage, and contemplating a spiritual journey. Yet, his focus remains on delivering a performance that will
light up Windsor Park Stadium on Saturday night of WCMF 25. “Extend the stadium to the back,” he laughs. “We’re going all out!”
Wellness and Creole Heritage A Return to Our Roots
In the rhythm of the drum, the scent of coconut milk simmering with pumpkin and callaloo, and the language that rises from the depths of our collective soul, lies the key to something Dominicans have known for centuries: wellness is not a trend, it is a way of life. Few voices embody this truth more powerfully than Sister Nats, affectionately called “the General” of Dominica’s wellness movement. Together with Debbie Jean-Jacques and the Vitality Community Group, Sister Nats has spent decades championing a holistic Creole lifestyle that connects body, mind, spirit, land, and language.
The Spirit of Wellness. Wellness, as Sister Nats explains, is “multi-dimensional and holistic by interpretation.” Unlike mainstream medical systems that often focus on treating illness after it appears, the Creole philosophy of wellness is rooted in prevention, balance, and daily living. It draws deeply from Dominica’s natural wealth, its rivers, forests, healing plants, and ancestral knowledge, to nurture the body, mind, and spirit as one.
At the heart of this philosophy are five interconnected pillars:
• Physical – Honoring the body through movement and nourishment from natural foods.
• Environmental – Protecting and living in harmony with nature, which is the primary source of health.
• Financial – Reducing stress and anxiety through financial stability and mindful resource management, acknowledging the impact that economic pressure can have on physical well-being.
• Spiritual – Remaining connected to one’s source, however it is defined, recognizing that this connection underpins all other forms of wellness.
“When there’s a disconnect between man and his source,” Sister Nats reminds us, “no amount of carrot juice or salads can bring wellness. It’s a full journey — body, mind, spirit.”
Wellness Month: A National Awakening. Each year, the Vitality Community Group observes Wellness Month in September, dedicating four weeks to themes that encourage Dominicans to return to their roots:
1. Detoxification Week – cleansing body, mind, and spirit, even “detoxing from the cellphone.”
2. Longevity Week – celebrating Dominica’s centenarians and the secrets behind their long lives.
3. Smart Snack Week – sensitizing schoolchildren to the dangers of processed snacks and introducing healthy, local alternatives.
4. The Healing Kitchen Week – reimagining traditional Creole foods as tools for health, asking whether our current diet builds or breaks down the nation’s wellbeing.
Longevity: Lessons from Our Elders. One of the most striking features of Longevity Week is the Centenarian Gallery at Ora Orani, 29 Cork Street. It’s a living museum featuring historic documents, photographs, and stories of Dominica’s oldest citizens, including Ma Pampo, born January 27, 1875, who lived to 128 years and remains the world’s oldest recorded human. Her original house in Glanvillia still stands, preserved behind concrete walls like a sacred site awaiting proper recognition as a heritage tourism attraction.
Dominica’s centenarians are not anomalies; they are evidence of a Creole lifestyle that worked. At one point, Dominica counted 32 living centenarians, and even today boasts more than a dozen over 100. Their diets were plant-rich, local, and seasonal; their lifestyles were active, spiritually grounded, and community-based.
The Healing Kitchen: Creole Cuisine Reimagined. Throughout Wellness Month, Ora Orani becomes a culinary classroom. Traditional recipes are not just preserved, they are revitalized. Ma Pampo’s Longevity Soup, for example, blends okra, pumpkin, carrot, spinach, coconut milk, beans, moringa, and seamoss, creating a nutrient-dense “superfood” from humble local ingredients.
Innovative takes on Creole classics are also featured:
• Cassava Lasagna – replacing pasta sheets with cassava, layered with beans and vegetables.
• Vegetable Pèlao – a vegetable-forward dish with protein rolls made from beans and veggies.
• Pemi & Coffee Yampe – roasted corn cakes and traditional boiled cane juice snacks.
• Turmeric & Cassava Chipotles – crunchy, flavorful, and made with rosemary and turmeric.
These are not “alternative” foods; as Sister Nats insists, they are the original foods, the recipes that built generations of strong, long-lived Dominicans.
Wellness Tourism and National Policy. The conversation inevitably turns to Dominica’s future. Callers to the Creole Heartbeat program express a shared frustration and hope: why is this wealth of knowledge not more widely shared? Why are genetically modified snacks flooding our shelves while breadfruit flour and dasheen sit underused?
Sister Nats is clear: this must become a national project involving health, agriculture, education, and culture ministries. From wellness tourism to school curricula, the potential is immense. “In Dominica,” she says, “the answer is right under our nose — in the backyard, in the hillside, in the lavéy kè nou.”
Celebrating the Real Queens of Dominica
The closing ceremony, Longevity Soirée – Give Them Their Flowers, gathers drummers, chanters, poets, and cultural
icons to honor the centenarians as the true national queens of the land. Unlike pageant queens crowned for a night, these women and men earned their crowns through decades of living Creole wellness — eating from the land, speaking the language, walking the hills, and staying connected to community and spirit.
A Call to Reconnect. As Dominica celebrates the 25th Anniversary of the World Creole Music Festival, this story is a reminder: our music, our language, and our food are intertwined in one powerful heartbeat. Wellness is not separate from culture; it is culture.
Sister Nats’ message rings clear:
“We’ve abandoned our lovely Creole. The writing is on the wall. The only ones who can return it to its rightful place, are us.”
As we dance to Cadence-Lypso rhythms under the Windsor Park lights, may we also take a moment to sip the soup, speak the language, and honor the legacy that made us who we are.
Dominica recently served up more than exquisite flavors. On Sunday, September 28, 2025, the island hosted the Flavors of the World Festival — a vibrant culinary and cultural celebration that doubled as a rallying point for the $5 million restoration of the historic Roseau Cathedral, which this year commemorated 175 years as a cornerstone of the island’s spiritual and architectural heritage.
This wasn’t just a food fair. It was a statement about who we are as a people — our capacity to bring the world to our shores, to celebrate culture through taste and rhythm, and to champion heritage as a driver of cultural tourism.
A Festival That Fed More Than Appetites. Held at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium Forecourt, the festival transformed the space into a melting pot of global cuisines and local traditions. From early afternoon into the evening, families, food lovers, and cultural enthusiasts immersed themselves in an atmosphere that engaged all the senses.
In a pre-event conversation, co-organizer Simeon Joseph described the vision:
“We wanted to create a space where communities come together to enjoy flavors in every form, cuisine, music, culture, and people. It’s not just a venue; it’s a full sensory experience, an eclectic fusion of the world’s flavors right here in Dominica.”
That vision came alive. From Indian curries to Haitian griot, Chinese stirfry, Southern American soul food, African stews, and Dominican classics, the event offered a culinary passport around the globe.
Festival-goers sampled dishes through “food currencies” included in their admission, while the VIP dining area elevated the experience with table service, curated menus, and elegant ambiance, marrying gastronomy with style.
The live culinary contest added a spirited edge, as five chefs went headto-head in crafting signature shrimp dishes and creative second plates before a panel of judges. It wasn’t just about cooking; it was performance, storytelling, and artistry.
Culture at the Core. Food may have been the anchor, but culture provided the heartbeat. The stage pulsed with steel pan, Kalinago drumming, African rhythms, bele dancing, Calypso, and performances by Dominican talents like Lily Octave and Marie Pascal Afana. International acts, including a Chinese martial artist and Indian performers, brought the “world” to Roseau in a truly multicultural showcase.
As Cecilia St. Hilaire, another coorganizer, explained before the festival: “Dominica is blessed with beautiful people. We wanted patrons to feel special, whether dining VIP-style or sharing dishes picnic-style. It’s about community, elegance, and enjoyment.”
A Family Celebration with Vision Designed as a family-oriented event, the festival featured special pricing for
youth and children, plus a supervised Kid Zone filled with games, food, and activities. This inclusive approach allowed parents to immerse themselves in the experience, while the next generation enjoyed their own cultural playground.
Roseau Cathedral: A Living Heritage Landmark. Beneath the festivities lay a mission rooted in heritage. Rising just a few blocks away from the festival grounds, the Roseau Cathedral stands as one of Dominica’s most iconic landmarks, a symbol of faith, craftsmanship, and identity.
Built entirely by Dominican masons, the Cathedral houses the second oldest functional pipe organ in the Western Hemisphere, features intricate stained glass windows over a century old, and embodies 175 years of Dominican religious and cultural history.
Today, its $5 million restoration project is one of the most ambitious heritage preservation efforts on the island. Over 80% of the funds have been raised through local volunteerism, events, and community contributions — a testament to Dominica’s collective spirit.
By linking Flavors of the World to the Cathedral’s restoration, organizers elevated the festival from entertainment to a heritage tourism experience, drawing attention to a site that is both a place of worship and a national cultural treasure.
Heritage Tourism in Action. “Flavors of the World” is more than a successful event; it’s an emerging heritage tourism product. With its combination of global cuisine, cultural performances, and heritage storytelling, the festival is poised to become a signature experience on the Creole Season calendar, attracting visitors from Guadeloupe, Martinique, and beyond.
The Roseau Cathedral’s presence
gives the event a unique cultural anchor, allowing visitors to not only taste and celebrate but also connect with Dominica’s layered history — an experience that aligns perfectly with the island’s heritage tourism strategy.
Looking Ahead. The overwhelming support and positive feedback from this year’s staging suggest that Flavors of the World is here to stay. As the world’s flavors converged in Roseau, the festival reminded us that our heritage is not static — it’s alive, evolving, and worth preserving.
Dominica has shown that culinary
diplomacy, cultural expression, and heritage conservation can thrive together. Flavors of the World didn’t just feed stomachs — it fed identity, restored legacy, and positioned the Roseau Cathedral as both a spiritual beacon and a pillar of heritage tourism in the Caribbean.
Breaking the Shackles of Diglossia, Elevating Creole Language and
Culture at WCMF25
As Dominica celebrates the 25th edition of the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF), cultural icon
Gordon Henderson reminds us that the heartbeat of this festival is not only the music, it is the Creole language and identity that gave birth to it. Speaking live from Paris on Creole Heartbeat, Henderson delivered a powerful reflection on language, culture, and the festival’s journey, urging Dominica to confront its “social diglossia” and embrace a future of true bilingualism.
know the word diglossia and pound the meaning in the heads of the children,” he says. Awareness campaigns, cultural programs, and curriculum integration must prepare the population before language policy is forced into place.
Creole: More Than a Language, A Social Foundation. Henderson argues that the Creole language’s significance goes far beyond linguistics. “The importance is not only from a linguistic standpoint. It is important from a social standpoint,” he emphasized. Despite centuries of pressure, Creole has resisted extinction, unlike the Kalinago language. Yet, within Dominican society, a diglossic hierarchy persists: English is perceived as the “high” language, while Creole is viewed as “low,” associated with peasants or the uneducated.
He explains, “We must move from this diglossia to bilingualism. And this is not a linguistic effort, it is a social effort.”
The challenge is to de-institutionalize shame: the habit of proudly declaring “I cannot speak patois” must be replaced with awareness, pride, and learning.
From Signage to Parliament:
Changing the Landscape. Henderson proposes practical strategies for change, beginning with signage across the country. He envisions bilingual road and public signs — “Welcome to Roseau / Byenvini an Wòzò” — as a daily reminder that Creole and English complement each other. He also calls for legislative reforms that allow Creole to be spoken freely in Parliament, noting that current translation requirements make Creole seem like a foreign language in its own home. Equally critical is education. “Every school teacher in Dominica should
Lessons from Haiti and Saint Lucia Henderson draws comparisons to Haiti and Saint Lucia. In Haiti, there is no social divide between Creole and French in everyday interactions; both illiterate and highly educated individuals converse naturally in Creole without shame. In Saint Lucia, where Creole has been designated as the national language alongside English, society has made significant strides toward bilingualism.
He believes Dominica can follow suit — but policy must be matched with preparation and public understanding, otherwise “we will be forcing down something that the people are not ready or prepared to accept”
Language and Music: A Once Unified Movement. In the early years of the WCMF, music and language were inseparable. Henderson recalls Creole language symposiums, fashion, cuisine, and vibrant exchanges among Creole-speaking delegates from across the Caribbean. “Everybody spoke in Creole, in their specific Creole. Nobody stopped and asked to translate. Everybody understood each other,” he reminisces about a historic dinner at Anchorage Hotel that brought together the Creole world.
However, over time, the linguistic and cultural pillars were sidelined in favor of broader musical genres. While the festival proudly bears the name “World Creole Music Festival,” Henderson laments that promotional narratives often highlight international stars and trending genres more than authentic Creole music and identity. “All of that is part of the diglossia,” he observes.
Reclaiming the Creole Core of WCMF. As he prepares to perform on the Saturday night of WCMF25, Henderson calls for a rebalancing of how Creole artists and genres are treated. Too often, authentic Creole acts like cadence-lypso, zouk, and kompa are scheduled early in the night — “ghettoized,” as he puts it — while non-Creole acts get prime billing and higher pay. “This is in a Creole festival,” he stresses, challenging organizers and audiences alike to re-educate themselves about the value of their own culture.
Honoring the Trailblazers, Building the Future. Finally, Henderson reflects on the contributions of cultural pioneers like Fitzroy Williams, whose vision and authenticity laid the groundwork for Dominica to host a world-class Creole music festival. He underscores the need to honor these trailblazers properly, lest their legacy fade from public consciousness.
“We are a young country, but we must not behave as if nothing existed before us. When we shame the mother tongue, we shame the mother,” he declares — a powerful reminder that language, like music, is a vessel of memory, identity, and pride
Towards WCMF50: A Call to Action. As Dominica stands at this 25-year milestone, Henderson’s message is both a critique and a call to action. To truly honor the “World Creole” in the festival’s name, the island must reintegrate language, culture, and music into a holistic celebration. It must nurture a generation that speaks, sings, and lives Creole proudly — not as a relic, but as a living language of identity and progress.
Creole is not endangered. It is alive, vibrant, and waiting for us to remove the social chains that hold it back. WCMF25 is the perfect moment to start.
Fueling Dominica’s Growth Beyond the Stage
As Dominica celebrates 25 years of the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF), it’s more important than ever to understand the festival not only as a cultural beacon, but as a powerful engine of economic transformation. Behind the lights, rhythms, and pulsating beats lies the Orange Economy, a sector rooted in creativity, culture, and heritage that is emerging as a major pillar for economic growth and resilience in the Eastern Caribbean.
Defining the Orange Economy. The Orange Economy, also known as the creative economy, encompasses industries such as music, festivals, heritage tourism, fashion, culinary arts, film, and digital media. According to ECCB economists Risa Finley and Stephanie Pascal, the sector “presents a substantial opportunity for the ECCU to stimulate growth, create diverse employment opportunities, foster new businesses, and build economic resilience by tapping into the creativity of its citizens and unique cultural assets”.
For Dominica, this is more than theory. Festivals like WCMF, Jazz & Creole, and Mas Dominik are already included in the arts, entertainment and recreation industry, which grew by an average of 4.1% between 2019 and 2024, contributing nearly 1% of real GDP.
That’s significant for a small island economy, especially considering the sector’s multiplier effects across tourism, hospitality, transport, and services.
Festivals as Economic Multipliers. Festivals don’t just entertain—they create ecosystems of opportunity. They generate jobs for event staff, stage builders, security personnel, artists, and technicians. They drive indirect employment in transport and hospitality. And they open doors for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to gain exposure, network, and scale.
For many young Dominicans, WCMF provides a first step into the job market, offering part-time roles that build skills
in customer service, teamwork, problem-solving, and event management. Vendors, caterers, printers, designers, and artisans all leverage the festival to test new products and reach new audiences.
“WCMF may make a profit or loss in a given year,” noted Stephanie Pascal, “but the real win is the ripple effect that touches local vendors and families on the ground”
Financing Creativity: A New Frontier.
One of the most pressing challenges for the Orange Economy is access to finance. Traditional banking systems often struggle to evaluate creative ventures that rely on intellectual property, performances, or streaming revenue instead of fixed assets. However, ECCB is supporting solutions like the Eastern Caribbean Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme, which encourages banks and credit unions to lend to creatives who may lack traditional collateral.
The economists emphasized the need to formalize the creative sector. Artists must separate personal finances from their creative enterprises, build financial histories, and position themselves as entrepreneurs, not just entertainers. Banks, in turn, must innovate with tailored products such as revenue-based loans, IP-backed collateral models, and specialized credit lines for performers.
Heritage Tourism and Language as Growth Drivers. Beyond music, Dominica’s language, traditions, and heritage are untapped growth sectors. Globally, heritage tourism is a billion-dollar industry. By integrating Creole language and cultural experiences, from traditional dance lessons to immersive Creole villages, Dominica can extend visitor stays, diversify its tourism offer, and strengthen cultural identity.
The idea of a Creole Library or Museum, or the development of Grand Bay as a living Creole village, are examples of how language and heritage can be transformed into sustainable
tourism products that generate income year-round, not just during festival season.
Digital Platforms: Expanding Global Reach. The digital revolution offers Dominica unprecedented opportunities to take its culture to the world. Platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and streaming services have already played a role in the international rise of Bouyon music, generating streams and bookings beyond the island’s borders. ECCB economists encouraged creatives to treat social media as a strategic marketing tool, not just entertainment, and to explore collaborations with international shows, airlines, and tourism bodies to extend Dominica’s brand globally.
A Vision for the Next Decade. Looking ahead, ECCB envisions the Orange Economy as a central pillar of regional growth over the next 5–10 years. Realizing this vision requires intentional policies, robust data collection on the economic impact of festivals, strategic partnerships with the diaspora and international markets, and investments in technology and innovation hubs to prepare creatives for global competition.
This is a call to action for government, financial institutions, creatives, and communities to align efforts. By doing so, Dominica can transform the vibrancy of its cultural expression into sustained economic prosperity.
WCMF and Beyond. As WCMF celebrates its 25th anniversary, it stands as a living testament to the power of culture to drive development. But the real opportunity lies beyond the stage, in formalizing, financing, and expanding the Orange Economy to become a robust, year-round industry that sustains livelihoods, strengthens identity, and positions Dominica as a creative powerhouse of the Creole world.
The heartbeat of our economy may very well be Creole.
