Culture

Culture

Dominica’s culture is very unique as it has changed hands between European countries such as Spain, Great Britain, and France, who brought African’s as slaves to work the fields. As a result of this combination of different cultures, Dominica contains characteristics that combine to make what is called Creole. This Creole is the mixing of these cultures in language, music, art, food, architecture, religion, dance, dress, and sports. France has had the most noticeable affect on Dominica, which is seen through the majority of Dominicans practicing Roman Catholicism, the French based patois, and the French place names. The best example of this culture is seen in their Carnival, which involves an out pouring of Calypso as the islanders celebrate their heritage through dress, dance, and food.

The language of Creole is very different as it is a language formed by the combination of pidginized French, as well as a variety of African languages. Creole not only explains the language but the culture as it means a person of mixed French or Spanish and black descent, speaking a dialect of either French or Spanish. This combination of influences is also seen in the styles of dress as women have outfits that resemble a French provincial woman’s. These dresses have altered over time, as the holidays of Jupe and Chemise in slave times created the "assemble" which is still popular today. This outfit is made up of a floor length skirt, with a bright colored cotton chemise over the white cotton skirt. The older women tend to wear a long sleeved velvet jacket over to be more dignified as the young woman have shorter sleeves.

In the Creole culture the style of dress is seen as an art form as many different pieces make up the beautiful contrasts of bright colors to white. There was even a chart for matching foulards and madras handkerchiefs with the dress. These colors were determined by the shade of color the woman was as the different complexions contrasted better with certain colors. All the components that make up these outfits such as the Tete mawe, mouchwe madwas, gard zowel, mouche vanille, chemise decolletee, foulard, portes bonheur, jupe, and jupon or cotillon. (www.delphis.dm/trad_dress.htm)

Another large part of the Creole culture is seen during Dominica’s Carnival. Carnival is a tradition all over the Caribbean, it takes place over the course of several days and involves parades, concerts, and many other festive events.