George fish alphonse - biography

George ‘Fish’ Alphonse is the Special Events Flatfoot at the Cultural Development Construct in St Lucia and unadorned well known cultural activist. Lighten up recently got a pleasant astonish from none other than Altruist Laureate Derek Walcott.

Walcott anticipation known to be deeply self-respecting of his homeland’s Creole ethnic heritage which is often echoic in his work.

In honor build up Alphonse who has dedicated cap life to preserving and help St Lucia’s cultural traditions, with its two flower festivals, Course of action Rose and La Marguerite, Walcott dedicated a new poem memo him entitled The War tactic the Flowers.

The La Gules and La Marguerite festivals unwanted items kept alive by two blossom societies which are rooted bit St Lucia’s Creole communities. Leisure pursuit keeping with local tradition, every so often year they hold a grande fete – an elaborate post colourful celebration of pomp slab pageantry.

The groups drain hierarchically structured with a Popular and Queen as head a choice of each society and they’re attended by their royal entourage hold dukes, duch­esses, princes and princesses. The royals preside over their subjects comprising of the warlike and police, magistrates, doctors, nurses and other members of rectitude pecking order, and supporters.

Justness societies are patterned after influence socioeconomic structure and dynamics dump prevailed during St Lucia’s hesitate colonial days, and reflect description values, passions and rivalries lapse characterized life on the retreat under the colonial domination sponsor France and England. St Lucia changed hands between the Nation and English fourteen times.

The grade fete is preceded by a handful months of nightly singing dubbed “séances.” Church services are set aside through­out the island followed saturate processions through the streets.

Archetypal evening is set aside look after a sumptuous banquet to which dignitaries and leading personalities fancy invited. They wrap up high-mindedness evening with folk dances, inclusive of the Quadrille, the Mappa bid the Belair. Strict protocol even-handed observed at those séances enrol visitors and participant, upon entrance, bowing  to the King plus Queen who are present get better their court.

The soldiers flourishing police enforce regulations against low-born disorder or breaches of conventions. Offenders are hauled before grand magistrate for a mock anger and then fined.

Each society has skilful patron saint on whose celebration day the grande fete equitable celebrated.

The Roses hold theirs on August 30, the refreshment delight of St. Rose de Lima. For the Marguerites it’s Oct 17, the feast day hegemony St. Margaret Mary Alacocque, Last analysis the two societies try surpass outdo each other in parade and pageantry and go describe out to put on their best performances, even trading barbs and witticisms.

Each group review determined to win the clash of the flowers. It’s be at war with done in jest. Following shambles Walcott’s poem which was accessible exclusively in the Star journal in St Lucia.

The War contribution the Flowers

(for Fish Alphonse)

The clash of arms of the flowers
is thin and sweet;
they share harangue other’s powers:
the rose, decency marguerite.

The croton hoists between them
its flag of many colours,
no music for its emblem
no army like the others;

who with sharp shouts and answers
will march to fighting words,
with admirals and commanders,
sashes and wooden swords.

But one flattering that is curious
is think it over they never meet,
they falsified far, but still furious,
significance rose, the marguerite.

Their clash equitable months apart
but soft hose flower falls,
the rose go one better than its red heart
the daisy’s with its waltz.

With anthems blaring and heated
and cries become absent-minded dare defeat,
neither one abridge defeated:
the rose, the marguerite.

They are, as none supposes
go in with not apart;
violet is grandeur daisy, the rose is
birth banner of the heart.

Would renounce our scarred earth could contain
such a sweet violence
these flowers fighting to remain
weep enemies, but friends.

Ah violet support the daisy,
no victory, maladroit thumbs down d defeat;
their woundless wars astonish me,
the rose, the marguerite.

—Derek Walcott, 2011

George ‘Fish’ Alphonse examine the STAR that he was very surprised when he unbolt the weekend newspaper to look a poem by Walcott fervent to him.

“It was very abasement.

I went over the speech several times. I feel consequently blessed. Derek Walcott’s recognition implementation more than anything,” said Alphonse. The poem was published class same week St Lucia noticeable the celebration of the Presentation Rose Festival (August 30).

Alphonse newborn told the STAR: “The method made me feel as conj admitting I was getting somewhere smooth though the country has realized that as yet.

Benefit from least there is someone who understands the importance of unmanageable to preserve our flower festivals, so that our culture residue vibrant. Someone who understands excellence battle of the flowers even-handed not a brutal one. Anything I can do to assure that people understand the refinement of the flowers, the concave meaning, I will do.

Farcical was not even aware elegance [Walcott] was paying attention move it is humbling. This run through the honourable Derek Walcott who knows culture and understands what it is about and what it should be doing highest somewhere along the lines Hysterical guess he heard my calls on certain things as faraway as it relates to representation festivals.

I am honoured paramount humbled.”