The vibrant sounds and colours of Lucian Carnival are filling schoolyards across the island as the National Schools Carnival Tour makes its rounds for a second consecutive year.
Spearheaded by the Carnival Planning and Management Committee, the initiative aims to bring Saint Lucian culture directly to the nation’s youth, fostering cultural pride and participation among the next generation.
Now on day two of the tour, Chairperson Tanaia Gibson on Friday shared the vision behind the initiative, emphasising the importance of reaching young people early.
“The concept of the tour is to bring Lucian Carnival and our culture to schools and children across the island,” Gibson explained. “We know that the only way that we can preserve our culture is through the youth, exposing the youth to our culture, helping them understand why it is that we celebrate carnival, because it is a celebration and it is the biggest cultural festival of Saint Lucia.”
Over a two-week period, the committee visits up to 20 schools, with the aim of covering new institutions each year. Due to the constraints of the academic calendar and final term examinations, not all schools can be reached.
“It’s quite sad that we can’t visit all the schools because of the time frame… we can only do 20 schools every year. So we try to do 20 new schools,” Gibson said.
This year’s tour has already made multiple stops including the Gros Islet Infant Primary and the Patricia D. James Secondary School alongside the national carnival, Shan Lucien.
Today, the team is at Corinth Secondary, accompanied by pageant contestant Miss Caribbean Galaxy Real Estate, Ziggy Kenya. Each school visit includes a blend of music, cultural education, and motivational talks, often featuring contestants from national carnival pageants.
Gibson highlighted the deeper purpose behind these visits: “Inclusivity. We believe carnival is for everyone. There is something in carnival for every Saint Lucian to participate in and enjoy.”
Next week, the tour will continue across the island, reaching from Vieux Fort in the south to Micoud in the east and Soufrière in the west. While logistical challenges remain, the committee remains committed to connecting youth with their cultural roots.
“We are really trying to touch every point in Saint Lucia,” said Gibson. “We know for a fact that the next Ricky T, the next Dezral, they’re standing in those school walls.”
