St. Lucia's Folk Music

What a beautiful sound…the local folk music of St. Lucia. It is rhymnmic, it is soothing, it can be haunting, it is humorous, it is melodic, it’s just beautiful music, and I love it. One of the most humorous songs, tell the story of a man who was caught stealing money, which was the proceeds of a fundraising activity which a priest had held for his Parish.

Rhymnmically, it is the music of Africa, and the main instruments are the banjo and the cuatro, along with the chak-chak and guitar. The banjo, cuatro and chak-chak are usually made locally. The local folk bands provide musical accompaniment for traditional dancers performing such folk dances as the quadrille, la comette, and the waltz, in which can be found traces of the Western European influence.

The folk songs however are all in the kweyol language, which is part of the French influence on the island. Historically, St. Lucia was seven times under British rule and seven times under French rule.

Joseph Rameau Poleon is a famed St. Lucian folk fiddler, who has the distinction of being voted as Best Violinist on 2 occasions.

Dame Sesenne Descartes, DBE, (1914-2010) was an iconic folk singer who began her career at the age of eight years as a Lead singer for a Folk Group, and later she became known as a Chantwelle (best folk singer). In 2000, she was knighted by the Queen, and given the honor of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

These two people have contributed greatly to the popularity and the development of folk music in St. Lucia.

Here are some of the sounds of St. Lucian Folk Music for your enjoyment....sweet sounds of St. Lucia.