My parents are from a small island in the caribbean called Dominica. It is almost always confused with the other hispanic country called Dominican Republic. They are two different countries and cultures. Dominica is a very small island with a lesser population than a lot of places. So i would most importantly like for my children and who I marry to know that it exists and where it is located on the map. The hand made map of the world by a dominican artist named Tam Joseph, is a perfect way to show them. A dominican artist work showing where countries are located. It is very beautiful nickname The Nature Island because it is an barely touched with manmade things.
This painting is by another dominican artist named Pauline Marcelle, More Mas Bend Down Boutique. This art works exudes the positive vibes that is celebrated in our country in a significant way twice a year. One time of the year being carnival and the other being creole festival. Creole festival is celebrated in remembrance of dominica becoming independent on November 3. I had the pleasure of attending carnival which is a festival with bands playing music from big trucks circling the city of roseau. People with costumes join the band singing and dancing following as the trucks go up and down the street. I fell in love with my culture once I experienced that. I’m sure a lot of people have had that feeling visiting carnival throughout several cities in the US. So this painting of carnival being played out plays an important role to personal culture. I want to be able to pass this music filled with positive vibes and joy down generations.
Arnold Toulon seems to be a very independent artist who is underrated. I found him on google and could not find a website for his art work but it was displayed in his google account. I am unable to see a name for this image but he is from the island of dominica. This is a painting of what woman would wear while participating in carnival. It is more updated than the wardrobe portrayed in Pauline Marcelle painting. This is important to me because i love dressing up and participating in carnival. I have done it several times in the US. Participating in these festivals i have had the best time of my life. Its is important for me to pass this part of our culture down to other people because I love to show people a good time and this would be the definition of one.
I can though these pictures to know what kind of culture you love. And I come from other country, too. I like your heritages. I think these are very literary and beautiful.
The Creole festival sounds like a lot of fun, and definitely something I’d want to attend. The third image is beautiful too. Does the Creole festival coincide or have anything to do with Mardi Gras?
Not really but it is very similar the music is fairly different. But the fun is probably equal. I have never been to Mardi Gras so I can’t tell.
Nice choices here, Ariel. Mardi Gras is somewhere in between creole festival and carnival in terms of activity and celebration level from what I understand. 🙂