VICTORIA, Seychelles — The Kreol Academy of Seychelles marked International Mother Language Day on February 21 with a series of awareness activities held at the bus terminal, the National Library and the Rivière Anglaise health centre. Staff sold bookmarks featuring Creole proverbs and proverbs, as well as game books containing blended words, cross-words and short stories.
Director for Language Development, Literature and Translation at the Kreol Academy, Erica Fanchette, said the academy is also raising public awareness of the importance of the mother tongue, just as it does with schoolchildren. She said the response has been mostly positive, with a few negative reactions. ‘I was very surprised because there were people asking where we are going with Creole, and yet they are speaking Creole with me,’ Ms Fanchette added.
A large book sale was also held at Camion Hall, featuring poetry and short stories. The academy said it is committed, under the guidance of the National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts, to develop, preserve and promote the Seychellois Creole language and culture, the language of the Seychellois majority. This year, the academy has organised several activities for primary and secondary students, including quizzes, dictation competitions and the Regina Melanie competition.
