Slide One

Building a greater sense of national cultural identity and self-esteem among the
Dominican populace and to harness and employ skills and talents to further
develop arts and culture

Slide One

Building a greater sense of national cultural identity and self-esteem among the
Dominican populace and to harness and employ skills and talents to further
develop arts and culture

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Our Mission

To promote, develop and preserve Dominica’s culture and to encourage a greater awareness of the culture of the Caribbean and that of the wider world

Mr. Earlson Matthew
Chief Cultural Officer

Our Responsibilities

  • Preservation and promotion of Dominica’s cultural heritage and all its various expressions
  • Provision of support for Dominica’s cultural industries’ sector
  • Encouragement of cultural exchange with other countries
  • Assistance with poverty alleviation through arts and culture
  • Building of the institutional capacity of the Division of Culture
  • Management and maintenance of Dominica’s arts centers
Honorable Roselyn Paul
Minister

the grand father vulture – a pyai man song. A good spirit song is the Touki song for warriors. Songs were also made for celebrations, to tell stories about survivals and successes.

Traditional musical instruments were used in ceremonies and to communicate with the spirits. The instruments were made mainly from local raw materials found in the environment.

Instrument Source of Material
Drums Goat Skin
Maracas Calabash and seeds
Flute Bamboo stick
Stick Conch shell

Dance

Dances have played a vital part in the culture of the Kalinago people. Some dances depict different elements of nature, such as the rain dance, wind dance, eclipse dance and moon dance. Many of the dances, such as the bird dance, would imitate animal movements. There were also dances which depicted the Kalinago way of life, such as cassava grating, fishing and hunting. In addition, dances were made for special purposes, such as the inauguration of a chief.

Dances Purposes
Bird dance Hunting (bird movements in flight)
Snake dance Ceremonial for guardian spirit (snake movements)
Sisserou dance Celebration (Sisserou movements in flight)
Moon dance Ceremonial (different phases of the moon)
Eclipse dance Ceremonial (appearing of spirits)
Marie Marie dance Ceremonial (wedding)
Cassava grating dance Stages of cassava preparation
Harvest dance Stages of any crop production
War dance Ceremonial (preparation for war)
Bow and Arrow dance Ceremonial (preparation for war)
Marouka dance Dream dance
Shack Shack dance Celebration (the use of Maracas a musical instrument)
Fan dance Celebration (the use of fans made from the Larouma reed)
Kala kala dance Celebration (the use of calabash)
Fishing dance The demonstration of fishing movements

Article by Gerard Langlais

Cultural Institutions and Groups

Arawak House of Culture

The refurbished Arawak House of Culture has been opened to the general public since 1994. It is located on Kennedy Avenue, opposite the new Financial Centre in Roseau...

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Dominica Festivals Committee

The Dominica Festivals Committee (DFC), a Division of the Discover Dominica Authority (DDA), has special responsibility to ...

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Kalinago Barana Autê

Kalinago Barana Autê, the Carib Cultural Village by the Sea, honors the diversity, history and heritage of the Kalinago people by presenting ...

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The Dominica Institute for the Arts

The Dominica Institute for the Arts is a premier arts training institution serving Dominica and the Eastern Caribbean...

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The Dominica Pan Association

The Pan Association was set up in the early 1980’s by the Cultural Division and is the umbrella body...

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The Dominica Writers' Guild

The Writers’ Guild was established by the Cultural Division to strengthen efforts geared at encouraging writers in Dominica ...

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The National Cultural Council

The National Cultural Council is a semi-autonomous cultural body set up by in 1981 to formulate cultural policies ...

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The Old Mill Cultural Centre

The Old Mill Cultural Centre was officially established in 1985 to provide facilities for the administration of the arts ...

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Books For Sale

Heritage Dominica—A Collection of Old Dominican Photographs Vol 1 $50.00 $20.00
Heritage Dominica—A Collection of Old Dominican Photographs Vol 2 $50.00 $20.00
National Dress of Dominica
By Aileen Burton
$40.00 $15.00

View All Books For Sale

CD's For Sale

Sound of Dominica Vol 1 $30.00 $12.00
Sound of Dominica Vol 2 $30.00 $12.00
Sound of Dominica Vol 5
(Mabel Cissie Caudeiron’s—Kairi Artistic Troupe)
$30.00 $12.00
Sound of Dominica Vol 6
(Lawonn—Ring Games of Dominica)
$30.00 $12.00

View All CDs For Sale

DVD's For Sale

DVD of Dominica's Traditional Dances

$60.00

$24.00 

DVD of The Bele Dance of Dominica

$30.00

$12.00

DVD of The National Wear of Dominica

$30.00

$12.00

View All DVDs For Sale

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