Former Carib Chief bemoans loss of traditional culture

Former Carib Chief Fustulus Joseph Frederick is expressing concern that the younger generations of Caribs might be abandoning their traditional culture and heritage. In an exclusive interview with Dominica Today, Chief Frederick stated that “most of our young people don’t know our culture” and are departing from the ways of their ancestors. “The way our young generation live and behave now is quite different from the ways of our ancestors,” Frederick lamented. He cited the growing individualism, discourtesy and lack of respect for community elders, lack of respect for the land, the high incidence of larceny and the disappearance of certain traditional Carib craft as prime indicators of the cultural loss.

The former chief identified traditional craft like canoe building among the indigenous skills quickly disappearing from the Carib cultural patrimony. He especially bemoaned the sale of Chinese craft in the Territory. “I see a lot of Chinese art and craft being sold by our people in the Territory and it hurts me sometimes.” He further added, “this is where we are going to loose a lot of our weavers and techniques” if immediate steps are not taken to address the situation.

The chief while welcoming education as a key and necessary component of development suggested that it might be keeping younger generations of Caribs away from their culture. “I am afraid education is keeping us away from our culture,” Chief Frederick said. “We go to secondary school and we forget even our friends we had because we got the opportunity to go to secondary school. When we come back in the community we are way off.”

The chief is hoping that the establishment of the Kalinago Barana Aute – Carib Cultural Village by the Sea- will help restore the younger generations of caribs to their cultural heritage. “This is what I am trying to put into the model village. Let us model that village so that it can develop the community at large. I am hoping the people would use this as best as they can because we are trying to make it available for them to come, socialize with each other, and discuss.” Frederick said he would like to see the Kalinago Barana Aute develop into a dynamic village where the people live and work according to their ancestral traditions and where younger generations of Caribs can be taught the indigenous skills and way of life of their great ancestors.

Fustulus Joseph Frederick served as the youngest Carib Chief from 1975-1978 and is credited with the conceptualization of the Carib Model Village.