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A P R I L 2 0 1 8
I S S U E 0 2
H O N . S I R J O H N
C L A U D E T T E
O S H U N
J U L I U S P E T E R
D E M E D R I U S
C H A R L E S
Y A N
G O Z I L A Y
C H A R L E S
C O M P T O N

A N M A Y L A K A Y . C O M
M
T L U C I A N P E O P L E M A G A Z I N E . C O M
S
table of contents
Editor's Note
04
behind every issue of Manmay LaKay Magazine.
A glimpse of what awaits inside and the inspiration
Remembering Sir John
06
commemorate Saint Lucia's 39th Independence.
39 facts about the Father of the Nation to
Monica's Victors
Profiles of extraordinary Manmay LaKays -- Oshun,
18
Demedrius, Claudette and GOZILAY.
Talent Manmay LaKay
68
and daughters of the soil. A poem by Eustecia Herman.
Showcasing the extraordinary talents of fellow sons
Visual Stories
70
a powerful way. Meet Hena Lee Fevrier.
Captivating and inspiring images that speak to us in

A N M A Y L A K A Y . C O M
M
T L U C I A N P E O P L E M A G A Z I N E . C O M
S
table of contents
Immigrant Tales
Expats – why we left our homeland & how we're
72
faring overseas. Author Claudette U. Charles.
An Tan Lontan
86
in the '60s -- James Poleon.
The Tale of a migrant sugarcane worker
Did You Know...
Fascinating facts about our island home St. Lucia.
96
Do you know what our ancestors called St. Lucia?
Ti Boutique Nou
Manmay LaKay apparel catered just for you. Who's
wearing them and how can you get yours? Read on...
98
Nazy's Puzzles
102
Victor who passed before publishing her column.
Fun & educational puzzles in honor of Delisha 'Nazy'

Manmay LaKay! Greetings
onjour
Lucian people! It is with a deep
St.
in the second issue of Manmay LaKay Magazine.
you
Woohoo!
this year, St. Lucians all over the globe
Earlier
St. Lucia's 39th Independence from Great
celebrated
And rightfully so, we are celebrating all year
Britain.
So, I seize this moment to wish each and every
long.
of you Manmay LaKay, both at home and abroad a
one
Happy Independence.
very
God bless you and may God continue to bless our
May
Helen of the West Indies. May the leaders of this
fair
country of ours continue to guide and govern in a
great
that is pleasing and beneficial to the country
manner
keeping with our mission of celebrating and uplifting
In
fellow Manmay LaKay, I present to
our
you 39 facts about the man who led Saint Lucia to
to
years ago – the Right Honourable Sir John George
39
this issue we also celebrate...
In
James better known as Oshun Yan – Saint
Yannette
calypso sweetheart and reigning queen of
Lucia's
En San Nou.
Muzik
Charles, a movie producer, writer and
Demedrius
with his sights set on Hollywood and is working
poet
Ubekha Charles – an author, who recently
Claudette
a series of books with literature children
published
adults) of St. Lucia and the diaspora can directly
(and
to. relate
"GOZILAY" Peter, the artist who brought you,
Julius
widely popular and patriotic Country and Western
the
you flip the pages of this issue, you will also find in
As
Tan Lontan, the story of my dad – a sugarcane
An
worker in the '60s; tidbits on St. Lucian history
migrant
Did You Know and even the 'unofficial' national
in
Visual Stories see the picture of Hena Lee Fevrier –
In
Repos Combined School's reigning Miss
Mon
Queen beautifully adorned in
Independence
Lucia's national wear.
St.
Talent Manmay LaKay, immerse yourself in a
In
and patriotic poem by Eustecia Herman.
beautiful
if you're wondering just who is proudly wearing
And
beautiful Manmay LaKay tees – besides me, of
our
(lol) and how you can get yours too – find out
course
Ti Boutique Nou.
in
Melvin Compton.
his darndest to get there.
editor's note
song "Born Lucian."
Welcome to Manmay LaKay Magazine–
your magazine.
M O N I C A V I C T O R
B
sense of national pride that I greet
word of St. Lucia in Looshan Lingo.
Now come on in, let's celebrate!
and its people.
Executive Producer

HAPPY
th
Anniversary of Independence
SAINT LUCIA

"I AM SAINT LUCIA"
INDEPENDENCE39
Years of
Independence
Facts about the man
who led us to it.
The Right Honourable
Sir John George
Melvin Compton

SIR JOHN
GEORGE
MELVIN
COMPTON

1.
Sir John was born on Apri. 25, 1925, in
Canouan, St. Vincent & The Grenadines;
home of his mother.
In September of 1939, at the age of 13, he
migrated to St. Lucia ahead of his mother to
live with his uncle who had recently lost his
wife.

3
He attended the RC
Boys School and the
St. Mary’s Academy in
his earlier years.
One of his teachers at St.
Mary's was the late Sir
Derek Walcott –
Nobel laureate for
literature.
Like many islanders,
including Sir Dunstan St.
Omer, Sir John worked in
the oil refineries in Curacao.
From Curacao, he attended
the University College of
Wales; the London School of
Economics where he studied
economics and political
science. He then studied law
at Gray's Inn and was called
to the bar in 1951.
Upon completion of his
studies, Sir John returned
to St. Lucia and started his
political career. He first
ran as an Independent for
the Micoud/Dennery seat
and won.
In 1968, Sir John married
Janice Clarke (now Lady
Janice Compton), daughter
of St. Lucia's Governor
General at the time, Sir
Frederick Clarke. The couple
had five children – one son
and four daughters.

In 1953, Sir John joined the
St. Lucia Labour Party
(SLP). In 1954 he left the
party but rejoined in 1957.
In 1961, he formed his own
political party and called it the
National Labour Movement.
But, in 1964, he joined forces with
the People's Progressive Party
(PPP) and formed the United
Workers Party (UWP). That same
year, the U.W.P. defeated the
S.L.P. in the elections.
On Mar. 1' 1967, under Sir John's
leadership and quest to lead St. Lucia
to Independence, St. Lucia became an
Associated State and Sir John became
St. Lucia's first and only premier.

First Prime Minister
of Saint Lucia
On Feb. 22, 1979, Sir John led
St. Lucia to Independence from
Great Britain earning him the
titles...
Father of
Saint Lucia
Daddy Compton

Under Sir John's
leadership, bananas
replaced sugarcane as the
main crop and source of
income.
But before then – in 1957 –
he encouraged sugarcane
workers to go on strike for
better working conditions.
There were roadblocks and
reports of workers
threatening the lives and
homes of white plantation
owners.
16. The police charged Sir
John but the people he had
laid his life on the line for
-- protested outside the
courthouse and so Sir John
was fined instead.
That conflict led to Sir John
getting arrested. But the
people he had laid his life
on the line for protested
outside the courthouse and
Sir John was only fined for
obstructing roads.
In July of 1979, ironically the
same year Sir John led
St. Lucia to Independence, he
lost the elections. How so?
Because many folks were not
convinced that Independence
was the right step for St. Lucia
at the time.
Sir John was a very
humble man. Albeit a
wealthy banana and
coconut farmer, he drove
around in a green beat up
pickup.
17. In July of 1979, the
same year he led
St.Lucia to
Independence, he lost
the elections.

In 1996, Sir John
hung up his hat
and retired.
In 1997, he was
knighted by the
Queen of England.
In 2002, he was
awarded the
Order of the Caribbean
Community.
In March of
2005, at 81,
Sir John came out of
retirement.
He re-entered the
political arena that
same year and became the
leader of the United Workers
Party once again. When some
questioned his age for running,
he said he wasn't running for
the Olympics (lol).
In 2006, he won the
elections becoming
St. Lucia's Prime Minister
for the third time and the
rep for Micoud North for the
first time. He was the
minister of finance.
On May 1, 2007,
while in New York,
he suffered a series of
strokes.

Sadly, the Honourable
Sir John died on
Sept. 7, 2007 from
complications of a stroke at
Tapion Hospital. He was 82.
Two funeral services
were held to celebrate
Sir John's life. One at Saint
Lucy’s Parish in Micoud – the
constituency he represented
and another at the Minor
Basilica of the Immaculate
Conception Cathedral in
Castries on Sept. 18, 2007.
Per his wishes, Sir
John was cremated
and his ashes spread in the
Troumasse River at his
estate in Mahaut.

On the occasion of St.
Lucia's 35th
Independence
Anniversary, a
statue of Sir John was
erected in
Constitution Park.
There is also a
highway named
after him– the
John Compton
highway located in
the north of the
island.
And a dam – the John
Compton Dam
located in Millet,
Anse La Raye.
Sir John started
negotiating
for independence in
1974.
His views were
conservative.
He had the innate
tendency to support
the working class and
look out for their
needs. Hence he
overwhelmingly garn
ered the support of
the 'common' people.

Under Sir John's leadership, St. Lucia
saw significant advancements in
infrastructure, manufacturing and tourism. As
he always felt that St. Lucia couldn't depend
solely on 'Green Gold'– the banana industry. He
was very instrumental in building schools in
the rural areas.
Sir John
was an Anglican.
Sir John was a
lawyer, politician
and farmer.
Sir John was the chief minister of
Saint Lucia from 1964-1967.
Premier of Saint Lucia from 1967-1979.
He served as prime minister on three
occasions.....
briefly in 1979
1982- 1996 &
2006 - 2007
For over 50 years,
both before and after
leading St. Lucia to
Independence, Sir
John was the
dominating political
figure of the Eastern
Caribbean.
.
How would he
like to be
remembered? For
the contributions
he made
in education, he
said.

In Memoriam
The Honourable
Sir John George Melvin Compton
1925 - 2007
I would like to be remembered for the part I played
in Education.
Photo Credit:https://micoudianvoices
There is a Chinese saying if you're planning for a
year – they say plant rice, we would say plant
bananas. If you're planning for 10 years, you plant
trees. But if you're planning for generations you
educate your people and that is what we're doing.
THANK YOU SIR JOHN!
We honor you!
We salute you!
We will never forget you!
We will never forget the contributions you made not only in
education but in politics and the development of our island
home – SAINT LUCIA.
Your mark is indelible.
Continue to rest peacefully.
Sources:
Enyclopedia Britannica
Wikipedia
The Guardian
The Independent
BBC.Caribbean
BBC.Co.UK
National Public Radio – NPR

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OSHUN YAN

Manmay LaKay
Oshun Yan
B Y M O N I C A V I C T O R
Last summer Oshun Yan, the youngest
contender and finalist of the 2017
calypso season won the support and
admiration of many St. Lucians both
young and old, at home and abroad.
Although she didn't secure a place in the
top four spots, she without a doubt
secured a spot in the hearts of many.
Later that same year during the
observance of Jounen Kwéyòl in
October, Oshun participated in the
Mizik En San Nou Kwéyòl Song
Competition in Belle Vue and won the
coveted top spot with her song entitled
Coupé.
Fascinated by this dynamic,
multitalented and culturally rooted
emerging artist, Manmay LaKay
Magazine endeavored to find out just
who is this young lady with such a
goddess name, how the name Oshun Yan
was born, her life after calypso
finals, her plans for the future, who and
what inspires her and all that good stuff.
My candid interview with the
incomparable Oshun Yan.
Thank you Oshun for taking the time to
share your story with Manmay LaKay
everywhere.
It's my pleasure. Thank you.

So your formal name is Yannette James.
How did Oshun Yan come about?
Yan is short for Yannette. And Oshun, well... I
was very fond of Caribbean history in school.
I learned about the trans-Atlantic
slave trade where African people were sold
to Western European slave traders.
The slaves carried their own traditions and
customs which are now lost because we
adapt more to the Europeans. So, yeah, I just
kind of move away from all that Europeanness
and embrace my blackness, you know.
But Oshun is the African Goddess of love and
fertility.
Ah! I see. Thanks for the history lesson(lol).
So you're from Mon Repos, right? What was
life like growing up as a little girl in Mon
Repos?
It was exciting. I remember all the kids
playing in the yard until late without fear of
being kidnapped. Going to the bakery was
something everyone looked forward to on
afternoons. I remember sewenal during the
Christmas season. People would come out,
dance in the street, sing – that was nice. That
used to be the community spirit but things
are changing. Such a beautiful community.
Your community has a major part to play in
shaping you and your development.
That's for sure. Speaking of shaping and
development, what were your childhood
dreams? What did you want to be growing
up?
I’ve always dreamed of being a famous
actress. I also wanted to be
the governor general.
Oshun with former Governor General Dame Pearlette Louisy

Nice. Why did you want to be the GG, any
reason in particular?
From a young age you realize – and other
people realize – certain characteristics in
you. I always had leadership skills, that
outspoken personality. I had a very keen
interest in politics, I still do and she had that
queen role overseeing the affairs of the
country.
Thinking about it, that’s probably why I got
involved in pageantry. I like the queenshows
and all that stuff.
So you've taken part in pageants as well.
Who introduced you to the world of
pageantry?
The first pageant I took part in was
organized by Miss Greta Joseph. But in terms
of talent development Marylene Gaston.
She's still a big support. Having a mentor
who sees the potential in you, to push you is
very important. I thinka lot of talent gets
lostbecause it’s never discovered. At a tender
age like 8, 9 you don’t know what you're
capable of but having someone to motivate
and guide you helps a great deal in
helping you find yourself.
Yes, mentorship is invaluable. So, you're in
school right now, yes? What are you
studying?
Business administration.
Let's see, arts, politics, business
administration. How do you
plan on marrying these three diverse fields?
I think business administration would really
lend a hand in me being an artist. With the
associate degree in business I would
understand and be able to balance
everything and be aware of what’s going on
with my finances – how to make proposals,
how to sell myself, how to market myself,
Oshun and Marylene Gaston

how to deal with people.
Aha I see. So what’s your ultimate dream
job?
I want to be many things.
Lol. Such as?
So I would love to be a theater art teacher,
not in St. Lucia per se but to bring a different
zest to the Caribbean all over. I know
that that's a very big dream, but I think
everyone has a purpose and calling.
The second, become a big time artist.
I’m talking India, Barcelona, all over. Not
just singing calypso but bringing our local
music to another level and kind of change
the vibe around you know.
I think you're well on your way. How long
have you been preforming?
As far as I can remember – my entire life.
How old are you?
I'm 19.
Where did you get your start? How did you
get into singing and performing?
I was a church girl. I used to sing, make skits,
put them together for school. I used to
'preach' and try to convince people I know
what I’m saying. I believe everything you are
is already in you and it's all about realizing it
and working on it. All you have to do is sell
yourself, present yourself.

Your most memorable performance growing
up is?
The essence of my existence has been
One of the most memorable for me was at my
school’s ecumenical service. It was the day
that I actually entered the self-realization or
the self acceptance zone. I wrote and
presented a poem and titled it "I Am". I got so
emotional during the performance that I just
took it to a whole other level.
me powerful. I have attained the
made
wealth a man can ask for, peace
greatest
mind, wealth that comes with painful
of
times.
was hoping our country would change.
I
pain, yet the pain of my existence has
I was hoping our economy would change.
Care to share it?
I was hoping society would change and I
acknowledge that they won’t change
Sure.
what will, what has to. When you change,
everything will change for you. When you
I AM
get better, everything will get better for
you.
You don’t have to change countries,
economies. You don’t have to change the
circumstances out there. All you have to
do is search, keep looking deep within
and see how you can change yourself for
the better.
I am, are the two most powerful words in
my existence and in yours. These two
words are where the tires meet creating
your life exactly how you want it to be. If
you think of, speak the words, so shall
they be.
I am happy, you will smile. I am full of
energy, you’ll have energy. I am blessed,
great things will happen instantaneously
in your lives.
I am a winner. I am attracting the life I
desire. I am a musical instrument.
I am dinning with the divine that makes
me a poet. I have defined me so you
should define you.

How wonderful. It's always helpful and
perhaps necessary to have that one person
in your corner.
Beautiful and powerful. Where do you get
your inspiration from?
I listen to motivational speakers a lot.
Among them – Les Brown, Will Smith, T.
D. Jakes.
You are indeed multi-talented. Let's talk
Kaiso, one of my favorite art forms. From
the very first moment I heard your songs
and I saw you perform I became an instant
fan. How did you get into Kaiso?
Kaiso! I just love Kaiso. Kaiso is a part of our
culture. I participated in junior calypso one
year, I think I was in Form 2 at the time. And
so it has always been something I wanted to
do. From the first tent experience I already
knew I would have gone back.
Oh, so 2017 wasn't your first time
competing on the national level?
My first experience, I didn’t really
understand the game. Well, I still don’t but
let's say I didn’t understand how to get
around. The first time around I did a socalike
song and I probably did it a week before
competition. At the time I knew nothing
about voice maturity. All I knew was just
how to let it out, how to sing.
This year was a better year because with age
you're a little more mature and so is your
voice. After the first experience I knew that
hey, I have to try doing this stuff differently.
And then I got a very good manager, Allison
Joseph. Ms. Allison Joseph was like an extra
boost for me. She boosts my confidence and
made sure that I was looking my best and
doing my best.

Both of your songs last year
were awesome and they carried
poignant messages. How did you arrive at
those choices?
'Your King Already Reigning' was on repeat
in my head for an entire week. I tried getting
a melody for it. I went to the tent leader and I
told him I don’t have a song as yet but my
first sense was to do a calypso review. Sadly,
the tent leader passed away that same year
so I moved to the South Tent.
The leader there told me he’ll give me a few
writers to hear what they have. He said my
song doesn’t sound too bad but to keep
checking. It might not be the one so he gave
me Mr. Trescot aka Sucu. He told me he
doesn’t like to write for people so just give
them a song, he prefer going with what they
like. I told him I have something but I don’t
know what he'll think about it.
I sent him the chorus of the song and he fell
in love with it. He said, "Wow! I need
somebody who is thinking on the same
wavelength with you. I’ll have the verses for
you by the end of the week." By the next day
he sent me the verses. So this one was a
collaboration between myself and himself.
WOW! Talk about "Your King Already
Reigning' what's the message there?
I think the song met its purpose, it had
people thinking. I really didn’t go there to
beat them down. I was just asking for a fair
chance and I just wanted people to see that,
hey, we have the potential but if you don’t
treat us the right way the art form will
die. We will get discouraged and we will stay
out.

We're looking at social ills, teenage pregnancy,
crime on the rise, unemployment. A lot of
these youngsters have ability, they have
potential. You know me singing that song was
to tell young people like myself that you can
make a positive difference. It’s not only for the
older folks. Put yourself there, transform it
and make it something where it can grow
because if you keep it just for the elders what
will happen is that it will eventually die with
them. That was the main purpose and I met
that.
And , "The Whip", did you write it?
I was introduced to a Dominican – Pat Aaron
–one of the best writers in Dominica. He
has over 20 crowns. It turns out that we have
similar interests. He asked me what I like to
sing about. I told him I have one song already
that I love so lets go with politics, we should
show the politicians that we are really serious
and that they are working for us. Just like
Oshun, I believe in speaking up for humanity
no matter what. I believe in standing up for
peace and love at all times. Within that same
week he sent me the song. So now I had two
great, great songs that I really loved.
Your performance of 'The Whip" proved that
you owned it...
You know I think where some of us, where
some artists lose track is that they sing just
because they can. For me it’s totally different.
When you sing, when you perform, you have to
feel it. It has to be something I am confident
about. It has to be something that I believe.
Music is a form of communication where you're
trying to reach a large mass. Now if I'm trying
to reach a large mass I want to make sure as

Legendary Ashanti
The
Credit: YouTube
Photo
their preacher so to speak, they get the
message and that I am convincing. So
if I'm not feeling the message I cannot deliver
it effectively. I really wanted to give a good
account of myself and as I said I realize if you
want to roll with the big guns, you have to
carry yourself like a champion.
Speaking of which, who are your Kaiso role
models?
Ashanti. I really like the Ashanti because he
has that zest, that energy. Every calypsonian
has his or her own style but there's something
about Ashanti's style that’s just so captivating.
And would you know Ashanti performed right
before me at the semi-finals?! I was like wow;
here's an opportunity to just set the stage on
fire.
Were you intimidated?
I wasn't. If anything I think I had that extra
boost of confidence.
Outside of St. Lucia Singing Sandra from
Trinidad is my real inspiration. 10 years from
now you might hear me singing similar topics.
Because just like me, she values unity, culture
and women’s rights, etc.
Another singer I like is Calypso Rose who is
also from Trinidad.
So as practically a newcomer you made it all
the way to finals beating out some of the
people you grew up listening to, veteran
calypsonians so to speak. Describe finals
night.
At finals, it was a lot of pressure. When you
work with people you always try to
accommodate everybody. And that can be

difficult as an artist because I have my
theory, I have my mind and know exactly
what I want to do. I know exactly how I have
to go out and deliver. But then you have a
team of people with you, like 10 people on
your team who have different voices, who
may not always agree. And sometimes you
have to bend your decisions to satisfy
them which could potentially show in your
performance. Because you're trying to take
on everybody's characteristics that you
don’t have naturally.
You have to be true to yourself. It was kind of
a mistake I made, which is good, because I
can learn from it. Whether you fail or
whether you succeed, you'll feel good
knowing that you remained true to who you
are.
As a crowd favorite, your fans
understandably were very disappointed that
you had not captured one of the top four
spots. Describe your feelings after the
results that night?
What really disappointed me was that I didn’t
deliver the way that the fans expected. It’s
almost like I went on the stage with a load
and instead of dropping the load at the foot
of the stage, I went on with it. And I think the
crowd felt that, so that was a little
disappointing.
While the scores and the judges decision are
important, so too is the love from the crowd.
And that's a great feeling. Even if you don't
place you still feel like a champ.
I really want to be an artist for the people.
Yes everybody is going there to win but if I go
in there just to win or just because, I will
forget that my main purpose is to deliver for

the people who are paying to see the show.
So I guess just like everybody else I was a
little disappointed but I recovered very
quickly. I am still proud.
Wonderful. It's very important to not let
disappointment deter you. There is the
notion that if you sing about politics and
lambaste politicians your chances of
winning are slim to none. Do you think your
choice of songs hurt you?
I actually made a lot of 'political' friends. The
song, "The Whip," is saying exactly what we're
fighting for and a lot of St. Lucians could
relate to these songs. I think it’s a matter of
having the right song at the right time.
People will expect you to get better with time
and I will say that should always be your goal.
There were 10 finalists and there were a lot
of good songs.
What did this experience teach you?
That I must always remain comfortable but
in my humility. I must always go with what
works best for me as an artist. I must put the
people first and do what I feel is best for
them.
Any messages for your fans?
I’m thankful and grateful for the love and
support. It meant a lot to me and played a
key role in me getting to the finals. Without
them I would not have gotten this far. We will
talk more. When I say we can talk more, it
means I will be back on stage to have a
conversation with them.
Wonderful. You're very in tune with your
cultural roots and identity. What does

culture and the survival of our culture
mean to you?
Everything. My happiness is everything
about St.Lucia and everything about where I
came from and everything about our food,
our music. My culture is very dear to me. I
cannot picture my life without music,
without dancing, without art. Without those
things I'm nobody.
You recently won the Mizik En San Nou
creole song competition, what does that
mean to you?
That felt good. You know, I've always said
we need to keep the culture alive. It's
survival depends on the merging of young
and old. It depends on everybody making a
contribution.
If we are ashamed of the language and don’t
speak it we won’t pass it on you know. It
will die. We cannot let that happen.
You know what’s surprising – the English
language is a system taught to us, the creole
language was a way of life for liberation, for
freedom. So to me the creole language
is more powerful than we even understand.
It's harsh yet so plain and straightforward
you cannot go wrong with it – just bam,
bam, bam. One meaning – unlike the
English language that's a little more
complex.
What would you say has been your biggest
accomplishment in life thus far?
I don’t know if you’ll understand it. People
tend to label accomplishments with where
they've been and who they know but, I think
my biggest and most difficult
accomplishment was finding myself. To

stay true to myself. To realize who I am.
Understanding my purpose is a big
accomplishment.
Wonderful. I've asked this question many
times but have never gotten such a
response. Who inspires you, who's your role
model?
Miss Brown is a big inspiration for me and
Kibo Kala. Kibo Kala is a Trinidadian artist, a
painter who used to give me art classes. I
think he helped awaken some part of my
consciousness. His positivity really inspires
me.
Miss Marylene Gaston is another who always
tries to keep the community together. She
appreciates those who have gone before us,
those who have made a contribution.
Which is wonderful so she's another big
inspiration. A role model.
Do you have a mantra or an affirmation that
you say or reflect upon daily?
"When I breath I inhale confidence. When I
exhale I let go of humility. I am going to
make you so proud. Note to myself. That’s
my motto, I say it everyday."
"When I breath, I inhale confidence. When
I exhale, I let go of humility." Thank you
Oshun for taking the time to speak with us
and for allowing Manmay LaKay
everywhere to celebrate you. Can't wait to
see what else you have in store.
Thank you. Stay tuned.

Demedrius
Charles
Producer,
Director,
Poet Writer,

Manmay LaKay
Demedrius
Charles
B Y M O N I C A V I C T O R
eet Demedrius Charles.
Remember the name
Demedrius Charles, a young Mman from Castries, who has his eyes set on
going to Hollywood and is doing his darndest
to get there. He has under his belt three
shows made for television, and two Off-
Broadway productions.
Although this wasn’t exactly the path
Demedrius dreamt of growing up
in Marchand, it certainly became it as
he emerged into adulthood.
My candid and inspiring interview with Manmay
LaKay Demedrius Charles.
Thank you for allowing Manmay LaKay to
celebrate you, Demedrius.
Thank you for the opportunity to share my work
with my fellow Manmay LaKay.
So, tell me a little bit about yourself and life in
St.Lucia.
I’m from Marchand Castries but moved to
Union when I was younger. I'm the 11th of 12
brothers and sisters.
Did you play any sports?
I didn't play sports but I did sing in the choir.

To get to where we want to be, we have to
start somewhere. Tell me about some of
your previous jobs.
I came here to New York because I knew I
wanted to be a film maker. I worked at a
Cabaret – you know with lots of singers and
actors and dancers on the professional and
independent level. Even the bartenders sang
as well and they were powerful – they were
trained, and they all went to school for that.
And there I was, an island boy with just my
little accent. I always felt intimidated. But
then one day I opened mouth and began to
sing, one of the bartenders said, “You’ve been
working here this long, you can sing like this
and haven’t shown us this side of you?"
LOL. You were holding out on them,
Demedrius. What happened from there?
They were stunned and impressed. Then I
presented the guy at the bar with my poetry
and gave it to a director friend of mine who
frequented the bar. Then I said, “Can you do
something with this?" And he said, "Of course
Demedrius – it’s simple, it’s clean." And from
that I did “Matters of the Heart” at The
American Theater of Actors in Manhattan.
From that "Le Chateau" was born and a couple
movies and series.
WOW! This is incredible Demedrius. You
mentioned earlier that you mostly sang in the
choir growing up. Well, there goes

use of your childhood pastime. God
begins to order our steps from the
womb and continues throughout life's
journey. I hear that people and film
festivals have been taking notice.
Yes—I’ve been called to do this and that. In fact
not too long ago I was in St. Lucia for the Piton
International Film Festival. Not only was I there
presenting one of my shows but I was also
there directing a movie for someone from
Montserrat called "Fire For Montserrat." It’s the
first time that I’ve been called to direct
someone else’s work.

Oh wow, congratulations Demedrius! So
now, you're creating your own body of work
and building your
portfolio. "Broken," "Ascension"
and "Matters of the Heart." I watched the
trailers and these are impressive, powerful
and addresses serious societal matters.
What's the inspiration behind your work?
"Broken" for instance?
I wanted to write something that was
meaningful. Something that people can relate
to. A family member of mine came here, was
working numerous jobs and going to school
at the same time.
The girl was moving and wanted to get things
done. I took her story, added some fiction to
create the finished product. So yeah, it was
pretty much inspired by a family member
who was "broken."
How about "Ascension?" Tell me a little bit
about the inspiration behind it?
I hate domestic violence with a passion. I
cannot stand it, I cannot stand it when a man
raises his hand on a woman. It just drives me
nuts when I see it. I wrote it as something I
wanted to film myself. I left it and then I came
back to it two years later. Revisiting it

made me realize, wow this is really good. It’s
a really important subject matter so I said let
me address it. And so people just fell in love
with this movie. I can't tell you how happy I
am that people are liking and relating to my
work and that my work is resonating with
people. It’s not just about seeing a woman get
beaten but it’s the beauty in her heart. It’s a
really nice piece.
It's always a wonderful feeling when people
are responding to your work. Both negative
and positive feedback are
essential in helping us grow and improve.
Where do you see yourself in the next few
years?
Only in Hollywood! Listen man, I am not
playing anymore. I came here to do this and
I’m trying to stay focused. I’m trying
to revamp. So yeah, I’m trying to get to
Hollywood and getting paid for what I love
to do. I’m creating more work that has
meaning to people, that has a message and
that will help shape people’s lives.
Writing more, producing more, probably
working for some major company as a
Hollywood writer & director.
Yes Demedrius! Speak it into existence.
Your body of work, your potfolio and
passion are impressive. Yes – you are well
on your way to making your mark in
Hollywood. How else are you preparing for
Hollywood?
I'm making little cameos in my films and will
be taking classes here and there to help build
character or get into different personalities.
I'm trying to move away from being shy in
front of people. So, I will be trying acting
roles here and there to relinquish some of
that shyness.

Even before going to Hollywood, you've
received some awards. Woohoo, congrats!
Tell me about that.
I've received two “Achievement Awards” from
The Piton International Film Festival for my
movie "Ascension I Am Not My
Mother" and "The D Matzzis." And in 2015, I
was awarded The St. Lucia House Foundation
“Creative Arts Award.” I was very thankful for
the acknowledgement. They recognize what
I’m trying to do and I’m very grateful for that.
Absolutely nothing worthwhile comes easy,
what are some obstacles you’ve faced?
Hmm. Sometimes people underestimate me,
I think because I have that accent. From a
small island boy going to school in Ohio, I
grew my body of work and they see that this
is someone who is on his way. With the
accent I sometimes felt not as good as my
peers but I got over that and said "let my
work speak for itself."
And, by all accounts your work is doing a
whole lot of talking these days. What advice
do you have for young people who
are perhaps afraid of pursuing their
dreams?
If you have a passion for something, you have
a dream, go for it. Anything you have a
passion for is never work because you will do
it for hours and hours and hours and you
will never get tired, bored or worn out.
Continue working on your dream, you
will encounter stumbling blocks and yes, you
will fall, but you have to get back up. We all
encounter the stumbling blocks, nothing is
ever that smooth. We will always have
barriers, we just have to find a way to get
over it or around it. We all have self-doubt
but you have to keep working on your
dream.

Most people say they have a mantra or motto
or affirmation that they say everyday. Do
you have a favorite motto or quote that
guides you?
I don’t have a mantra but I get up in the
morning ready to address the day as it comes.
Today, I may be in the mood and tomorrow I
may not, so I take each day as it comes. There
are times I will be sad and there are times I
will be happy and you know what, today, I
may be a little depressed. That's ok. Let me
depressed today, and tomorrow I'll be
ok. That’s why we have emotions. In those
moments, I just want to be. I do not want
people telling me, "Oh just say, thank God you
see another day." Yes – but He also gave me
those emotions so that I can feel. That’s what
makes me who I am. If we don’t feel then
we’re not human. The important thing is that
you don't stay in a funk too long. We are free
to feel, that's why God gave us emotions.
Ahh, well expressed sir. So, where can
people see your masterful work?
"Broken" and "Ascension I Am Not My Mother"
are available on Vimeo On Demand, web series.
"The D Matzzi" is available on YouTube.
"The DisIllusionist" is still in production.
Thank you Demedrius for sharing your
work and words of encouragement with
Manmay LaKay Magazine, your fellow
Manmay LaKay and the world.
Grateful that I have been given the
opportunity to share my talent with the rest
of the world. Thank you for your interest in
my work and journey.

Trailer: "Ascension, I Am Not My Mother"

on a stool in a darkened corner of her room
Here
feels enveloped in an Angelic wing, she embraces safe,
She
afloat on this ride of spirituality.
There
imaginary light beams and alleviate a moment of doom.
An
great thou art” Yolanda’s version of the greatest hymn.
“How
her on a journey where comfort heightens within,
Takes
a home where beauty is seen in all.
To
the weakest of men hold their own, they do stand tall.
Where
and tried she has often asked herself,
Tempted
try and imagine a world where good do exist.
To
evil doers, where evil nurturers are no longer,
Where
life, be it human, animal or tree; lives fuller, stronger.
And
in a darken corner of her room, With an Angelic
Somewhere
wrapped around her, And a heavenly light beams a
wing
of epiphany; She feels the good, she feels a relief
path
coming.
A poem by
Demedrius Charles
CLARITY
Connect with Demedrius Charles
demedriuscharles.com
Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Vimeo or IMDB
Purchase his movies BROKEN, ASCENSION I AM NOT MY MOTHER

St. Lucia's #1 Shop 'n' Ship
Supplier. Call 786 309
1887 for more info
786-309-1887

Claudette Ubekha
Charles
Author, Educator,
Consultant, Globetrotter.

Manmay LaKay
Claudette Ubekha
Charles
B Y M O N I C A V I C T O R
n any given day growing up in
St. Lucia, you’d find Ubekha
either playing in the yard or Ogoing on – school adventures like the
Sulphur Springs and country trips that
involved river baths and climbing trees.
Visiting the market, M&C, J. Q. Charles
Ltd., or Valmont. Or eating tamarind jam,
mango in sauce, freshly baked bread,
cassava and squash.
On special feast days you'd find her going
to festivals like Assou Square and LaRose
and carnival. Her story time
involved characters like gajés and ti bolom.
There were sunny days and rainy days,
beach parties and Vigie beach.
“All this, in a tropical bliss,”
she remembers.
But at the age of 10, Ubekha left St. Lucia to
join her parents who had left a year earlier
to pursue economic opportunities in New
York.
Albeit very young, the memories of her
island home St. Lucia, never faded.
Ubekha grew up and had kids of her own.
Remembering her rich culture,

she endeavored to share with her children
literary accounts but couldn’t find culturally
relevant books. It was then that Ubekha decided
that she’d write a series of books to document
her childhood experiences on the island.
After 20 years, Ubekha finally put pen to paper
and produced the Wyetta series – literary
accounts of her childhood – about a very annafè
little girl named Wyetta. A series that's bound to
be fun and exciting for children and nostalgic
for adults all over the Caribbean.
Thank you Bekha for sharing your work with
Manmay LaKay magazine and the world. I
must admit I was very excited to see characters
that look like me and you and little St. Lucian
and Caribbean children. Hats off to you on
fulfilling that need.
What inspired you to write the Wyetta series?
While in high school, I met a fellow St. Lucian
who, at 16 years old and had been living in the
United States for only two years, claimed she
had forgotten how to respond to me in the most
basic greeting of our French Patois, “Sa ka fet?”
Here is a person who denied her culture as a
part of herself and was rapidly losing an
important part of her identity. This encounter
caused me to show my St. Lucian pride even
more and to be sure that everyone knew that I
was from a magic kingdom called St. Lucia.
My second motivation for Wyetta was in my role
as a parent. It was important for me to share my
beautiful culture and heritage with my two
children about the magical place that I spent my
first 10 years. But unfortunately, I was not able
to find any children’s books highlighting our
culture, neither in New York nor in St. Lucia.

I realized that not only were my children
affected by the lack of indigenous literature,
but all children born in the diaspora were
similarly affected. So, 20 years ago I made it a
goal to write children’s stories that
highlighted typical experiences of children in
St. Lucia and the Caribbean.
Ahh, the saying "it doesn't matter how slowly
you go as long as you do not stop," springs to
mind...
My third reason for writing these books is as
an educator, I realized the importance of
reading and literacy in human development,
but discovered that many children from
minority cultures had limited culturally
relevant literature to pique their interest in
reading and motivate them to want to read.
Most of the reading material
available to them were about people that did
not look like them and were not of their
culture. That sent the message that
their culture was not significant or
important enough to write about. And if your
culture and your origins are not important to
write about, perhaps you are not important
as a product of your culture, and
therefore you abandon your cultural
heritage and try to become someone
else.
It struck me that there was a strong
connection between culturally relevant
literature and cultural identity. I
therefore decided that writing
culturally relevant literature was a very
important way of nurturing our
cultural self.
Very fair point.
Culturally relevant literature nurtures
ourselves and others by reflecting,
highlighting, validating and celebrating
interesting, beautiful, valuable,
inspiring aspects of our daily lives and
experiences. Writing and sharing
indigenous literature is just a small
contribution to help our people
nurture themselves culturally.
Oh my – so very powerful and true. I
tip my hat off to you for recognizing

this need and taking steps to fulfilling it. The
reason where a 16 year old who had forgotten
a simple greeting after two years of living in
the states is comical and sad at the same time.
So, who is this annafè little girl, Wyetta?
Wyetta is a character based on my 8-year old
self or almost any child living in St. Lucia or in
the Caribbean. She is innocent, inquisitive,
bothersome and annafè, and always ready for
an adventure. Although my heroine has had
some major name changes (Antoinette,
Annette, Jolie), I finally stuck to Wyetta.
What made you settle for Wyetta?
The name just sounds troublesome (like when a
parent screams out your name when you’re
trouble). The name is of French origin, and it
means feisty. Lol.
Lol. So one of your books is titled, "Wyetta
Goes to the Sulphur Springs." Tell us about it.
The Sulphur Springs is one of St. Lucia’s many
treasures. I feel that, as citizens of our island or
any land, we must make it our duty to visit our
national treasures to foster a deep connection
with our island home. I want children to read
about it and be proud of the gem in their own
backyard.
The
Sulphur
Springs is
the only
drive-in
volcano in
the world.

Your second book is titled, "Wyetta's Recess
Adventures." You know at school we all
looked forward to the ringing of the bell
especially when it signaled recess, lunch or
dismissal. Not ashamed to admit it lol. I take it
this annafè little girl Wyetta, felt the same
about recess?
Lol. I attended the Methodist Primary School
and I had some of my most memorable
childhood experiences on the school grounds.
The memories were so grand and vivid that I
just couldn’t help but write about them.
I can hardly wait to find out what these recess
adventures were. Tell us about your next
book. What will it be about?
I plan to publish and release the books in pairs.
So the next pair is, "Wyetta The Carnival
Queen" and "Wyetta Visits Muh Seebo." One
book will look at one of Wyetta’s carnival
experiences, and the other will explore her
encounter with a mysterious character so
typical in St. Lucian culture and folklore, gajé
lady, Muh Seebo.
LOL. Looking forward to reading them
especially Muh Seeboo. There's always a tinge
of apprehension putting ourselves and work
out there, was this the case for you?
I wrote my stories from my vivid memories of
my own childhood experiences growing up in
the '70s. At times, though, I wondered if St.
Lucia had changed so much since I left, that
today’s children would not be able to identify
with those experiences. To my surprise and
excitement, when I did readings of my stories
at various primary schools during Jounen
Kwéyòl 2017, the children were totally
captivated and recognized all the
experiences and story elements immediately.

Just as rewarding was the experience of
seeing the teachers react with that
loving nostalgia, that the stories brought
to them by reminding them of their own
childhoods.
Haha. I can only imagine and can't wait
to get my hands on these books. When
did you decide to write these books?
Although the seed was planted since
1999, I did not put pen to paper until
2002 and I finally published in 2017.
(Heavy sigh) So from thought to
finished product, 18 years (lol). But I
did it! That’s what’s important
(whopping smile).
My kids are young adults, but they love
reading the Wyetta stories.

Nothing in life comes easy and I
assume it wasn't smooth sailing. Did
you encounter any challenges
publishing these books? If so, what
were they and how did you overcome
them?
Fortunately, I did not encounter any
insurmountable obstacles publishing
the books. I felt very strongly that I
wanted to use St. Lucian artists to
illustrate the stories.
I was able to partner with two very
talented St. Lucians who each did one
book. There were, however, some
challenges with their production
timelines, so we had to enlist the
assistance of a Brazilian artist to
complete some of the books.
My partner and I worked together
meticulously to be certain that we were
creating a quality product. [Whispering]
He deserves most of the publishing
credit though. We decided to selfpublish
because we did not want this
project to be just another commercial
venture to make money for big
publishing companies.
Ah! I see. Your secret is safe with me by
the way lol. Are the books in every
school library in St.Lucia and around
the Caribbean yet?
Even at the basic cost price of
producing the books, we found that
many schools in St. Lucia do not have a
budget to purchase books for their
libraries. We have donated books to
several schools, and are actively seeking
sponsorships to provide books
to St. Lucian schools and children, who
may not be able to afford even the
basic cost price.
Which is why you're soliciting
donations to help donate books to the
libraries in St. Lucia. This is
remarkable and such a wonderful
initiative. Where can donations be
made?
We've set up a GoFundMe page and
we're asking any St. Lucian who can
afford to help with this project by
donating at,
https://www.gofundme.com/lucianstories-for-st-lucian-kids.
What are your hopes for this series?
Our culture is what defines us and
gives us a sense of identity. It is what
sustains us. It is the foods we eat, the
clothes we wear, the way we speak, the
music we listen to, our celebrations,
our values-our culture makes us who
we are. So my hope is that St. Lucians
(children and adults) both at home and
those living in the diaspora will read
the Wyetta series and learn to nurture
their cultural selves through
indigenous literature.

I also hope that people of all
backgrounds from around the world will
get the opportunity to read the Wyetta
series and realize that regardless of who
we are, or where we are from, we share
similar life experiences and have hopes
and dreams for ourselves and our
family. We can find that common thread
that binds us as humans, and with that
connection we can achieve wonders
together while celebrating and
respecting each other’s individuality
and culture.
culture is
"Our
defines us
what
gives us a
and
of identity.
sense
is what sustains
It
us."
:https://www.gofundme.com/lucian-stories-for-st-lucian-kids

"My hope is that St.
Lucians (children and
Ahh! So very well articulated Bekha. With
one of your favorite quotes being, "Hold
fast to your vision and do something
every day to bring it into manifestation”
by Michael Bernard Beckwith, we are
convinced that you are well on your way.
adults) both at home and
those living in the
diaspora will read the
Thank you so very much for sharing your
work with us. We are incredibly proud of
you and your work and wish you,
Manmay LaKay, the very best with this
much needed project.
Wyetta series and learn
to nurture their cultural
Thank you Manmay LaKay Magazine for
celebrating my vision.
selves through indigenous
literature. "

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Julius
GOZILAY
Peter

Manmay LaKay
The'Born Lucian'
GOZILAY
By: Monica Victor
hen GOZILAY was a little boy
growing up in the little tight knit
community of Praslin, Mon WRepos, he dreamed of becoming a policeman –
he did. After serving his country for several
years, GOZILAY resigned from the police force
and immigrated to New York.
Soon after arriving in the Big Apple, an
opportunity to perform with some well known
artistes presented itself and GOZILAY, who had
been singing in church with his brothers ever
since he was 8 years old, grabbed it.
Today, GOZILAY is an international singing
artiste most notably known for his wildly
popular and patriotic Country and Western
song “BORN LUCIAN” – an anthem both young
and old, in and out of St. Lucia sing and dance
to, love and appreciate.
We caught up with the 'Born Lucian' GOZILAY
who this year celebrated 10 years in the
business, to find out how his stage name came
about, life as a young boy growing up in
Praslin, his inspirations and aspirations among
other things.
My candid interview with the Born Lucian,
Manmay LaKay, GOZILAY.

So I have to ask, your legal name is
Julius Peter, how did your stage name
'GOZILAY' come about?
LOL. While attending the Seventh Day
Academy, I used to live in Gros Islet
with one of my uncles on weekdays and
would go to Praslin on weekends. One
particular weekend, one of my uncles
convinced me to spend the weekend in
Gros Islet. The first weekend I was so
excited to see all the tourists happily dancing
and partying in the streets, that I became
fascinated. I then decided to spend three
weekends in Gros Islet before returning to
Praslin, lol.
Upon my return to Praslin, one of my friends
shouted “Mi Gros Islet wevay,” (“look, Gros Islet
has arrived”). From then on my friends started
calling me Gros Islet lol. I liked the name, so I
changed my nickname to GOZILAY.

LOL. The creole version sounds much
better. It's amazing how our
nicknames are born, most often from
the silliest of things.
So what was life like growing up in
St. Lucia, in Praslin?
The best thing about growing up in
Praslin, was having my family’s love,
respect, support and unity that I have
been blessed with. My family values,
our faith in God and the teachings that
I’ve learned from church, has positively
shaped me to become the person that I
am today.
Growing up in a small community like
Praslin, was lovely for me because we all
lived like one big happy family. Back
then, growing up in St. Lucia, children
did not have to worry so much about all
those senseless crimes and robberies
that are currently affecting some areas
of St. Lucia.
Every little kid has a dream of
becoming "something" when they grow
up, what did you want to be?
As a child, I wanted to become a police
officer, and I did accomplish that.
Dreams do come true when we actively
pursue them. So now you’re an
international singing artiste. Did you
ever dream of becoming an artiste? At
what age did you start singing?
I started singing in church with my
brothers at eight years old.

Ahh. Many artistes attest to starting in the
church choir. Do you remember your first
performance?
Oh yes.
Tell me about it?
Brooklyn, New York in 2008. This was my first
time ever on stage and I had the privilege of
performing with artists like Patrice Roberts,
Sugar Aloe, Lord Nelson, Super P and other
well-known soca artists.
Must have been a performance of a lifetime.
So, when did you decide that hey, I want to
sing for a living?
In 2008, when I started
getting hired for my
performances.
The first song I ever wrote was “Pote
Gwan Moun Wespe” (Respect your elders).
The inspiration came from me getting
tired of seeing all those disrespectful
children on the street,
because in my household, that was never
allowed. Discipline was strictly enforced.
It is upsetting to see or be around
disrespectful children, and adults.
From where else do you draw
inspiration?
My inspiration comes from my genuine
concern and passion about certain life
issues that affect most people in general.
Also, the undying love that I have for our
lovely island St. Lucia, is always an
inspiration for me.
Your songs are catchy and
carry very powerful
messages, like "Koute
Manmanw", "Born Lucian."
Do you write your own
songs?
Yes, I do. However, I have
used the help of co-writers
like my cousin, Kevin Charles,
and my manager, Marna
Martinez. They both
contributed towards the "Born
Lucian" lyrics.
Do you remember the first song you
wrote and performed? Describe the
feeling.
Which of your songs are you most proud of?
So far, "Koute ManManw" and "Born
Lucian." "Born Lucian," has and continues to
touch the hearts of many proud Saint Lucians of
all ages. Also, because this song transports and
connects us to our beautiful island – St. Lucia.

How did the idea for "Born Lucian" come
about?
I’ve always considered myself to be very
patriotic when it comes to St. Lucia. The "Born
Lucian" song came to mind during one of those
times when I was missing home.
I wrote it in collaboration with my manager,
Marna Martinez, who is a published writer. My
cousin, Kevin Charles, also gave me some ideas.
It is such a beautiful song, one that has been
referred to as the unofficial anthem of Saint
Lucia. Did you think that Born Lucian would
be such a hit?
No, I never imagined that the "Born Lucian"
song would become such a big hit, especially
because it was my first country & western song.
Because your genre of music is more calypso
and soca. How does it make you feel when you
hear people, especially little kids singing "Born
Lucian?"
I rejoice, I give thanks and praise to God every
time that happens. To hear our lovely Lucian
children sing this song with so much pride is
confirmation that this song is patriotic.
Whenever my fans, especially the
elders sing along and dance so proudly to this
song, I feel a profound and overwhelming sense
of joy and love and pride. I believe that this
song will be everlasting.
During the Independence Gala in New York,
you were recognized. Tell me about that.
I was awarded by the St. Lucia House
Foundation in Brooklyn, New York for my
artistic contributions.

How wonderful. Any other awards?
Back in 2011, the WAVES radio station
gave me an award for one of my songs –
"Koute Manmanw" – being among the
top 10 songs in St. Lucia.
So, this year, you're celebrating 10
years as an artist, congratulations and
thank you for entertaining us for an
entire decade. Following the
Independence celebrations in New
York, you boarded an early morning
flight to celebrate with the folks in
Miami.
GOZILAY and Allen Chastanet (Prime Minister of Saint Lucia)

I enjoyed myself and felt
so welcomed and loved
by everyone who
attended this event.
They made me feel extra
special.
OMG, I was pleasantly
surprised when some of
the children joined me
on stage to sing
the "Born Lucian" song.
I have to give special
thanks to you Monica,
(President of the
St.Lucian Association of
South Florida), your
executive and all the
members for giving me
the opportunity to
perform in Miami.
I am also thankful to
Mrs. Suria Plante, and
her wonderful staff of
Residence Inn, Fort
Lauderdale Airport and
Cruise Port for the
special welcome. It was
delightful and
memorable. I felt like a
celebrity.
I had such a great
experience in Miami
with all my Born
Lucians. I thank you all.
Stay blessed and
continue on striving.

St.Lucia Association of South Florida, Inc.
Independence39
2018
Miami

Where do you see yourself in the next 10
years?
I see myself performing around the world, and
proudly representing St. Lucia everywhere I go.
Ahh - no matter where you roam...Are you
living your dream?
Yes, so far it’s been good, thank God. Because I
don’t do this on a full time basis, I think that I
have accomplished a lot more than I ever
expected. Of course, I wish and plan to
accomplish much more with my music career,
in due time.
Nothing in life comes easy and I assume
getting to where you are today perhaps was
rife with many challenges. What are some of
the challenges you’ve had to overcome to be
right where you are today?
Having to deal with very negative and
pessimistic people. If I had entertained or
listened to those people who told me that I
should not become an artist, I would have
never become GOZILAY – the proud Born
Lucian!
What would you say has been or is your
biggest accomplishment in life thus far?
Expanding my fan base, becoming an
international Artiste and being able to give back
to my community.
If you were in St. Lucia, what would you be
doing?
Most likely, I would be getting ready to retire
from the police force.

Would you say that migrating to the
U.S. changed your life course or made your
dreams possible?
Absolutely. If I had stayed in St. Lucia, I would
have remained working in the police force. I
don’t think I would have considered pursuing
my music career, which has enabled me to
become an international artiste.
What advice do you have for folks who are
perhaps afraid of following their dream?
Never give up. No matter what happens,
stay focused and committed. Work hard to
improve your talents and give it the best
you've got. Follow your heart and dreams,
because
because haters are hoping and patiently waiting
for you to give up, they do not want you to
succeed. Believe in yourself and stay away from
negative people.
I know you try to give back to your community
as much as you can. Tell me about your
philanthropic work?
Whenever possible, I choose to help those who
are financially disadvantaged because, most of
these people do not have the money to afford
medical care or basic school supplies, which are
a necessity. Our communities need to have
healthy and educated children and adults, in
order to make any progress.

Do you have a motto or favorite quote
that inspires you?
"POSITIVE IS HOW I LIVE!” I try my
best to stay away from all negativity.
Any messages for your fans?
I have been blessed by the ongoing love
and support of my loyal fans, friends
and family. Of course, no matter how
much I try, I can never please
everyone. I love and appreciate each
and everyone one of you very much. I
cannot succeed without you. I am so
grateful for your love and honest
feedback, which helps me grow as
an artiste. I love and appreciate you,
my fans. Thank you.
Where can people purchase your
music and apparel?
My music and apparel can be purchased during
most of my performances.
We also take orders via email at:
gozilaymanager@gmail.com
Music can also be purchased electronically and
downloaded
from: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/gozilay9
www.amazon.com,www.soundcloud.com
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/gozilay/496
030586
Connect or book GOZILAY for your upcoming
events on Facebook
at:www.facebook.com/gozilayofstlucia
Thank you GOZILAY. We are incredibly proud
of you wish you continued success. Cheers!
Cheers! Thank you Manmay LaKay Magazine.

A Poem by
Eustecia
Herman

morning sun casting its rays at the break of dawn
The
rainbow of promise after the rain
The
vibrant, so illuminating, so magnificent
So
beauty is behold in colors
Your
white, yellow, Black
Blue,
land, the people, the light
The
White, Brown, Yellow
Black,
bouillion of one people
A
red, blue, grey
Green,
Amazona Versicolor, Jacquot reigns supreme
The
pink, green, orange
White,
Anthurium lilies, Bird of Paradise creating a
The
red, white, yellow
Purple,
Bougainvilleas blooming, perfuming the
The
atmosphere
clear, shimmering blue and white
Crystal
Atlantic, Caribbean seas & sand offering relief
The
a sweltering tropical day
from
beige, black, ash
Grey,
Smoke meandering lazily from your one and only
The
orange, coral, tangerine
Gold,
evening sun cascading to sleep over the majestic
The
black, yellow, white
Blue,
black, yellow, white
Blue,
heart bleeds for my love
My
sweet St. Lucian Home.
My
MY BREATH-TAKING
MAJESTIC ST.LUCIA
A vision through a kaleidoscope of colors
from his perch in the rainforest
portrait of exquisite beauty
drive-in volcano
twin pitons

Visual
Stories
Miss Independence 2018
Mon Repos Combined School
Hena Lee Fevrier

you judge my size, or mind my age
Don’t
I am here to set this stage ablaze.
because
a golden fire and a cerulean wash, I
With
touch your hearts with my Lucian touch.
will
Lee Fevrier is my name. Ten years of
Hena
Confident, friendly, fun and artistic. I
age.
dancing and trying new creations from
enjoy
YouTube.
judges, ladies and gentlemen,
Esteemed
contestants, I bid you a warm
fellow
I will colonize your minds and
welcome.
your hearts as we journey through
liberate
Fleur Ki beinyen lordere(a beautiful
Belle
highly scented flower). Get ready Mon
and
Get Repos as I inject you with my
Repos,
feveeerrrrr.
independence
A glimpse of what those present experienced
and those absent well, missed.
Hena Lee's winning introduction...
1979 to 2018.
Haha...WOW! It isn't any wonder that this ti
Manmay LaKay captured the hearts of the
judges, the crowd and the crown. Hena Lee also
won Best Introduction, Best Interview, Best
Talent and the People's Choice awards.
What does this precocious little girl want to be
when she grows up and why?
"A pediatrician because I want to help sick
children and if I can’t get to do that, I want to be
a veterinarian. Children and animals must not
suffer."
Aww congratulations Hena Lee! Your future
looks as bright as your radiant smile.

IMMIGRANT TALES
Bliss
Blizzard
Photo Credit: Everything St.Lucian (FB)

Claudette
Ubekha
Charles

From a tropical
bliss to a
torrential
blizzard
B Y M O N I C A V I C T O R
magine leaving a beautiful
tropical island with clear blue
sky and sunny days and landing Iinto a country with white
blowing snow, low visibility and cold
wintry nights. That certainly was the
case for Manmay LaKay Claudette
Ubekha Charles and her sister the day
they landed in Brooklyn, New York 40
years ago.
The year was 1978 and the purpose of
their trip was to reunite with their
parents who had migrated there a year
earlier to pursue economic and
educational opportunities.
The transition was not an easy one and
proved challenging from day one. As
they endeavored to acclimate to a new
culture, a new way of life and a new
school, Ubekha and her sister
encountered many challenges and
numerous culture shocks along the
way.
From being fascinated by the
beautifully lit supermarket isles and
riding the train instead of walking, to
getting frostbites and fighting bullies at
school.
Here's Bekha's Immigrant Tales story.

So, describe Claudette Ubekha
Charles?
I am an inquisitive free spirit, who is
an adventurous, sometimes silly, bighearted,
self-aware, strong-willed,
imaginative soul. In my ideal world, I
would live by my own rules, eliminate
clocks, sleep in the daytime and work
at night. I would travel to every
destination on the planet and write
about it.
Lol. An interesting person you are
Bekha. So, where do you live now?
I was born in St. Lucia, grew up in
Brooklyn, lived in Fort Lauderdale for a
number of years, and currently live in
St. John’s Antigua.
Ahh, it isn't any wonder this globetrotter
considers herself a citizen of the world. So at
the age of 10 you left St. Lucia to reunite with
your parents. What was your first day like in
the Big Apple?
My sister and I arrived in February of 1978 in
the middle of a blizzard, so getting used to the
snow and the extreme cold was one of the
most difficult things for us from the very start.
I can only imagine. What was it like seeing or
playing in snow for the first time?
The very next day after arriving, my sister and I
padded up with our new snowsuits and
mittens and went out to play in the snow. I
remember taking our gloves off to get a better
feel of the snow and to make snowballs. Our
hands got so red and felt like they were on fire,
lol, that we quickly ran up, back to our

apartment and placed our hands on the
steaming heater. Let me just say, that was
the last time I ever touched snow without
gloves.
Oh my! Lol. The two sisters were culture
shocked once again...
Assimilating to the American culture had its
pros and cons. My sister and I were excited
about the never ending, brightly lit isles in
the supermarkets and riding on the trains in
the subway. That meant we didn’t have to
walk in the hot sun to reach desired
destinations.
Like school? Lol. What was it like
going to school in the States...
The public school experience took a
little getting used to. There were
several students and teachers that did
not look like me and they spoke in
a "strange way."
The teasing ensued and the
sisters were teased from their accents
to their hairdos...
My sister and I were teased on a daily
basis because of our accents. My
classmates were curious about where
we were from and why we spoke
the way we do.

Some classmates would mock my
speech when I shared answers in the
class. The teasing did not deter me
from sharing. We were also teased
because of our hairdos. My mother
would put fresh curls in our hair every
day. Some curious girls would pull and
tug at our curls to watch them bounce
back; they didn’t understand how our
curls were made.
They fought back with their fists and
curses in french creole...
I got into fistfights almost
on a daily basis to protect
my sister and me. I would
remember who the
teasers were and meet
with them after school
(lol). I would even curse
them out loudly in
patois. They had no
idea what those words
meant, but it made me feel
better. Thank goodness my
parents were not around to hear
those curses.
Haha…
My teasers and bullies faced
consequences for their undesirable
actions and were warned against
continuing their behavior. Thankfully, I
had teachers who were nurturing and
went above and beyond to help
acclimatize me to the classroom and the
American school system. I was given
classroom responsibilities such as
watering classroom plants and feeding
the pet rabbit, gerbil and snake.
My teacher also made me line leader
sometimes.
Bekha survived the school environment and
went on to becoming a teacher herself...
I am an educator and have taught for 18 years. I
am currently a clinical reading specialist and
teacher trainer, working at my own business
in Antigua. And recently became an author.
But that was not always been Bekha's dream...
My earliest dream was to
become Miss Universe and
then a radio disc jockey, but
both those ideas died quickly
(lol).
I thought about
becoming an actress, and
I still have some
thoughts about it (side
eye with a grin). Just
acting in commercials
though,
not motion pictures. I think I’m quite shy,
yet sometimes I love to perform on a stage
or in front of a camera. I can’t explain this
phenomenon (lol).
After high school I still had not a clue what I
wanted to do. Becoming a doctor or a lawyer
or any of those high profile jobs that appeal to
Caribbean parents, I felt were quite overrated.
I wanted to pursue a career that I was
passionate about, not a career that my parents
can brag about, but I had no interest in.
Some of her earlier jobs...
I started out by working for several years in

the high paced restaurant industry in New
York. I loved the flexibility and the dynamic
pace.
However, I finally realized that teaching was
of great interest to me and therefore I
committed to pursuing my education in that
field, and earned two master degrees –
reading education and varying
exceptionalities (teaching students with
special needs).
Would you say that you're living your dream?
Speaking with the voice of an experienced
adult, yes, I am living my dream (smiling). I
recently resigned as a schoolteacher from the
Florida school system where I spent 18
productive years.
Along with my lifetime partner, we have
established an education consulting
company where we provide clinical services
for children and adults who are struggling
with the core academic subjects such as
reading, writing and math. We also provide
professional development training to
teachers and principals in hope of
improving the education systems here in the
Eastern Caribbean.
Having my own business allows me to
design a life in paradise in which I can
create my own schedules, spend time at the
beach and create more stories to share with
the world. Yes! I am living my dream (huge
smile with sparkling eyes).

It's a blessing to be living your dream
and enjoying what you do. Where do
you see yourself in the next five years?
Education and writing are my passions.
I hope that my work in education
development will expand to all of the
OECS states to help ensure that all
children receive a quality education
through well-trained, highly effective
teachers.
Also, continuing the Wyetta series will
remain a priority, since I see it as one
of my legacy projects. Wyetta will grow
up and move to Brooklyn, and
eventually travel the world. So there is
a whole lot more to write about.
Any advice for folks who are perhaps afraid
of following their dreams or putting their
work out there?
No one will follow your dreams for you. You
are the only candidate on this planet that
can do that job. If you don’t follow your
dreams, they will die with you.
You are responsible for the one and only life
you have. So build that confidence, quit
trying to please everyone, don’t fear change,
don’t overthink, stop working jobs that
drain your time and talents. Immerse
yourself in your passion taking one step at a
time, even if it means working that 9-5 until
you find your footing. Just take some action,
take the plunge. Grow!
WOW! Great advice Bekha. "Immerse
yourself in your passion."

Bekha followed her own
advice and made one of
her dreams of 20 years a
reality.
Last year, she became a
published author of books
highlighting her
St. Lucian culture and
childhood experiences.
Read all about it on
page 44.

travels
Bekha
the
around
world with...
India
Malaysia
India

sidekick -
...her
Lucia's most
Saint
symbol
emblematic
its flag -
Australia
China
Singapore
Japan

child can
“Every
not on
learn…just
same day or
the
same way.” –
the
fast to your vision and do something
"Hold
day to bring it into manifestation.”
every
don’t have
"You
have it all
to
out to
figured
forward.” -
move
“Where
goes,
attention
flows” -
energy
Hardy
Darren
Bekha's
favorite
quotes…
George Evans
–Michael Bernard Beckwith
Anonymous

L
Lingo
oo
shan
SALÒP
It is regarded as the unofficial national
word of St.Lucia.
Salòp is most commonly used as an
exclamation when something exciting or
funny has happened or is about to
happen.
In anticipation of something happening,
"hees" is added to the word making it
"hees salòp or hees hees hees... salòp until
that 'thing' happens.
But generally salòp means nasty, dirty.
"Ou salòp." "You are nasty."
It's also used to describe someone who is
promiscuous.

Morrison
James

Tale of a West
Indian Sugarcane
Worker in the ’60s
B Y M O N I C A V I C T O R
O It
Florida in 49 years.
n Feb. 28, 2014, Morrison James
flew from Vieux-Fort to Miami.
was his first flight to
“How was your flight Dada?” we asked.
He recounted a moment on the plane.
“The flight attendant asked if I wanted a snack,”
he recalls. “’No, thank you,’ I said – I have no
teeth!” James smiled as he spoke, revealing less
than a half-dozen he’s held onto.
When James was 25 years old, he had all 32 in
his mouth and was looking forward to his first
trip to the states. That was 1965, the same year
the EC$ began circulating in St. Lucia, replacing
the British West Indies dollar. It was also a time
when young West Indian men were “chosen” to
go overseas to “cut cane.”
But the selection process wasn’t easy. It
involved blood tests and background checks.
Applicants had to be in tip-top shape, drugfree
with a squeaky clean record…
James took a shot and applied.
While listening to the radio one day
James heard that recruiters would be in
his neck of woods to scout young men
interested in going to America to cut
cane. At the time he worked in
construction but he made himself
available that day. James met the height
and weight requirements and so he was
handed a card to go get his blood work
done. Soon thereafter, the results were
in, and James and countless other
young men from across St. Lucia were
on a flight to Florida.
Being selected was a huge deal. Family
members and friends often gathered in
the "yard" anxiously awaiting the news
of whether their loved one made the cut
or not.
“Mwen fè’y” (I made it) those selected
would say. Or, “Mar fè’y coo sala. San
mwen pa té bon," (I didn’t make it this
time, my blood work wasn’t good),” said
the unlucky ones. For those who were
not selected, often a lack of potassium
was to blame and the prescription to
make their blood "good" again was to
eat lots of green bananas and spinach
among other things. But James didn’t
have to take those measures because
his blood was "good."
Leaving behind his girlfriend and two
kids, James made the trip to Belle Glade
to assume his duties as a migrant
sugarcane worker.

Stock Photo
Life in the barracks…
“We were paid US$400. In today’s dollars it
may not seem like much but back then it was a
lot of money,” he says. “We were given an
allowance and the rest of the money was sent
to our bank accounts at home.”
James said the forced savings was a way to
make sure they had money when their
contract ended and that their dependents
were taken care of.
And although second and third jobs were not
allowed, special privileges were given to ‘good’
workers to work on other fields. James earned
that privilege but that was after getting caught
sneaking out to another job.
“The Super noticed that I was gone every
weekend so he decided to wait for me
around the building one morning,” he
remembers. “But, I had been working on
that other job for about two months
already.”
"'Where are you going?' the Super asked
me.
“'To work,' I said. ‘He didn’t like us
working for other companies.’
“'Let’s go back. Come over here, make
some breakfast,' he said to me as he
opened up the kitchen. 'And from now
on let me know when you’re going.'”
James earned special privileges not
only because he was a good worker but
because, well…

“I had a bunch of family photos in my
wallet. Among them was a photo of one
of my sisters who lived in Barbados at
the time. The Super saw the photo and
fell in love,” James chuckled.
“We were paid 50 cents for the first
couple of hampers. The others would
be 75 cents and a dollar for the last
one. The plantations were infested
with snakes but we were only allowed
to kill the rattle snakes,” he recalled.
“When the snakes saw us they’d hiss
away except for the rattle snakes.”
James never got bit but he didn’t
always feel well. He recounts when
illness kept him from working.
“I needed clearance to go back to the fields,
but my Super wouldn’t let me. He said I
wasn’t well enough. I told him that I needed
money to feed my children. And within two
days as opposed to several days I was given
my money, and was told I could go back to
work.”
James said it was a no work, no pay policy.
And with mouths to feed and the ultimate
sacrifice to fulfill, he reported back to work
and worked every day until his contract
ended and returned home.
Now almost 50 years later, he was back on
American soil
On January 28th 2014, James turned 75. To

celebrate, his three youngest daughters and
granddaughter thought a trip to Florida would
be ideal. He accepted our invitation this time.
Once a vibrant youth and efficient sugarcane
cutter, he now struggles to climb the stairs
due to the arthritis or (‘afferitis’ as he calls it)
in his knees – his salt and peppered hair and
receding hairline signifying wisdom gained as
they say, and indicating the loss of youth. He
was in America again. But one thing remained
unchanged – his memories of Belle Glade.
About a week into what we thought would’ve
been a six month stay, it was time to revisit old
memories and create new ones.
“Dada, would you like to go to Belle Glade to
visit the sugarcane plantation?”
“Along the canal was the hardest to harvest,”
he remembered. “And whoever worked there
would get paid more money. Each person was
given two rows of sugarcane to cut and was
paid $50 per row. If you didn’t finish your rows
you didn’t get all your money.”
And even though the place had changed quite
a bit he recognized the routes and street
names…
“This area was called South Bay. Thieves often
lurked there to rob unsuspecting migrant
workers. But I never got robbed,” he said.
“We’d go to the Royal Store and Consignment
Store to buy clothes. Men’s suits were $5 and
work clothes $1. Lee jeans were $5 and
Wrangler was $2.50.”
“Awa,” (not really or no),” he responded.
Awa to Belle Glade?! A place that came up in
every conversation and he didn’t care to go?
But this was our house and what we say go, so
we are going to Belle Glade (lol).
It was a Sunday morning, a bright and
beautiful day in sunny Florida, perfect, just
perfect for a road trip. We all jumped in that
SUV and off we went to embark on the less
than two hour expedition with our dad. The
first hour into the journey was pretty quiet but
that would soon change. Once we ventured
into familiar territory and he saw sugarcane
fields and recognized street names, he came
alive!
Gazing out the window, pointing and lifting
from his seat at times, James recounted life as
a sugarcane cutter…

How we consume sugarcane...

They ate three meals a day neither of which
was St. Lucia’s National Dish green fig and
saltfish…
“We grew tired of eating rice day in and day
out. So, in between meals we’d often steal
sugar to make sweet water to eat with
crackers and cake.”
And even when their palettes craved for
something more scrumptious, they couldn’t
just walk into any café to satiate their cravings.
Because it was 1965 – a time when skin color
dictated where you were welcome and where
you weren’t…
“There were two camps, one for the whites
and one for the colored. Whites were allowed
near the black camp but the blacks couldn’t
dare venture into the white camp,” he recalled.
But times have changed. And the efforts of
activists like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa
Parks are now more evident…
While in Belle Glade we stopped at a
playground so his three year old
granddaughter could play a while. Then we
stopped at Lake Okeechobee, a place he and
his comrades frequented. About three hours
later, we left Belle Glade and headed back
home.
But, there was at least one more stop to be
made…
About 30 miles from Belle Glade, we were now
in Wellington. We spotted a shopping center
that housed numerous restaurants and shops.

For some reason we agreed to dine
at a Carrabas restaurant closest to the
highway. With a welcoming smile and a
friendly disposition the hostess
(Caucasian/white) escorted us
(black/colored as my dad, a product of
the '60s would say) to a table.
“Can I get you guys anything to drink?”
she asked.
“Water, please,” James responded. She
continued around the table taking our
orders.
“Ready to order?” she later asked.
“I’ll have the salmon and mashed
potatoes,” James ordered.
And much like all the other patrons – a
diverse group might I add – James sat
to partake of his meal until he was
done (and… yes they accepted our
money.
I didn’t ask him how that felt. In fact, I
didn’t have to. The look on his face
conveyed content, happiness and
gratitude. We and [he] will forever be
grateful that he made that trip.
Witnessing our dad get excited about
the place he once labored long before
any of us were born was simply
sublime.
Although we had hoped that he would
spend at least 6 months with us, two
months into his vacation he was ready
to go back to St. Lucia. There is no
doubt that he loves us dearly and if he
could be in two places at once he
would. But, he is an islander, an older

island guy used to having windows and
doors open with fresh sea breeze all day
long. And here, being cooped up in a locked
house, idle, just wasn’t for him.
“I have to go take care of my garden,” he
often said. His yam and plantains and even
sugarcane. “I don’t like being in a closed
house doing nothing. ”
One year later, tragedy struck and James
had to make the trip again…
Fast forward to March 2015 and James
would find himself traveling from Vieux-
Fort to Miami again. Not to cut cane or
celebrate his birthday this time, but to
celebrate life, the life of his youngest
offspring whose life was cut short by this
darn Lupus. Lupus stole her from us. She
was only 30 years old.
The stories of moms and dads, uncles and
aunts, grandpas and grandmas immigrating
are abundant and their experiences perhaps
similar. When they weren’t en route to the
sugarcane fields, they were traveling to
reunite with relatives or friends who paved
the way for them. Often taking jobs, albeit
unattractive, paid the bills and took care of
the family they left behind.
While we received the barrels and new
clothes and perhaps a transistor radio
(every cane worker came back home with a
radio–lol), the experience on the field was
either poignant, pleasant or both. And for
this West Indian sugarcane cutter, Morrison
James, it was both.
Everyone has a story, what’s yours?

Did you
know…

hat our early ancestors called
St. Lucia“Iyanola” which means
tLand of the Iguanas? St. Lucia is
such a gem that the English and
French fought for ownership of the
island 14 times. They both ruled seven
times each. And, because it switched
between British and French control so
many times, Saint Lucia has been
nicknamed ‘the Helen of the West
Indies’, a reference to the battle over
Helen of Troy.
at Vigie, Castries, Saint Lucia.
Barracks
Credit: Everything St.Lucian on Facebook
Photo
Who was Helen of Troy?
The most beautiful woman in the
world, a representation of ideal beauty
according to Greek mythology. And,
just in case you’re wondering where
the capital of St.Lucia got its name –
well – in 1785 it was named after the
French Minister of the colonies,
Charles Eugène Gabriel de La Croix,
marquis de Castries.
Castries, Saint Lucia.
Vigie,
Credit: Everything St. Lucian on Facebook
Photo
But Castries wasn’t always the capital
of St.Lucia – Soufriere was. And
"Soufriere" by the way is a French
term that means, “sulphur in the air."
What does St. Lucia mean?
Saint Lucia was named after the patron
saint of Syracuse, Saint Lucy, who by
the way is the patron saint of the blind
and those with eye problems. And so, it
is by no coincidence that our National
Day, Dec. 13, is also called the Festival
of Lights.
Saint Lucia.
Soufriere,
Credit: Everything St. Lucian on Facebook
Photo

The Amerindians called it, “Ioüanalao”
meaning “there where the iguana is
found," and the Arawaks, “Hewanorra."
But in the 16th century when the
French took over the island they called
it Sainte-Lucie.
Fun facts about
Iyanola,
the St. Lucia
Iguana...
can only be found in the dry forest
They
the north east coast in places like
of
and Grande Anse.
Louvette
are approximately 1000 iguanas
There
left in the wild and thus the St. Lucia
iguana is now an endangered species.
They are vegetarian and like to eat leaves
and soft fruits.
Picture / Te-Hsin Tsai
They grow up to 6ft / 1.82m.
Article / Nicole La Force
They can live as long as 20 years
http://forestryeeunit.blogspot.com/2011/0
The females can reproduce at three years
6/iyanola.htm
old and can lay about 20 eggs.

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Nazzy's
Puzzles
&
Quizzes!
Delisha Joan Victor

In the
issue

Across:
Puzzle Answer Key:
Down:
5. Troumasse
1. Died
6. Soufriere
2. John Compton
7. Independence
3. OSHUN
9. Farmer
4. Demedrius Charles
10. Saint Lucia
8. Knighted
13. GOZILAY
11. Iyanola
16. Saint Vincent
12. Salop
17. Claudette
14. Iguanas
15. Saint Lucy