37th edition of Creole Festival in Seychelles

(Seychelles News Agency) – The 37^th edition of the Creole Festival celebration in Seychelles will take place over the whole month of October with the official launch taking place on October 8, said a top official recently.

The Principal Secretary at the Seychelles Institute of Culture and the Arts (SINCHA), Cecile Kalebi, explained that this year’s programme will start on October 3 and will go on for a month.

“An event on October 8 will launch this year’s activities, as we all know last year in view of all the health restrictions that were in place due to Covid-19 we could not hold the events on a large scale,” she said.

Visitors to the northern Beau Vallon beach on October 8, will be treated to a spectacle of various aspects of Seychelles’ culture as part of celebrations to mark this year’s edition of the Creole Festival.

John Etienne-Pool, one of the organisers, made the announcement following a site visit the organisers held at the popular beach.

The specific event called ‘Lansman Lasezon Kreol’ (launching of the Creole Season) is being held by the Fondasyon Kreol Seselwa (FKS) and  SINCHA that have partnered with Beach Shack owners – Jill and Eddy Laporte – a bar located close to the location earmarked for the activity.

The Creole Festival held in the Seychelles archipelago is an annual event to celebrate the various aspects of the country’s culture. It is traditionally held in the last week of October for the nation to celebrate its diversity, rich heritage and culture.

Etienne-Pool said that the organising committee “chose Beau Vallon, as we have many visitors staying in the various hotels, in addition to the place being very photogenic.”

The Fondasyon Kreol Seselwa on its side said that the place is where a large part of our culture is shown, fishermen come in with the catches and this is something that is needed to be kept alive.

Kalebi said that with COVID-19 restrictions lifted SINCHA “decided to hold the celebrations like we used to.”

The activities will include old favourites such as Tifin and Bal Bobes.

“As we are still finalising the programme, we will reveal the completed list of activities on October 6, the official poster and other details in a press conference,” she added.