Djab-Djab (Traditional Carnival Masquerade played across Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique during the annual carnival festivities)

Drumming and Drum Making (across Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique)

Fishing (Seine and Long-Line fishing across Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique)

Dancing of the Flags and Cake (Wedding ceremony in Carriacou and Petite Martinique)

Maroon Festival (Carriacou and Petite Martinique)

Maroon and Sugaring the Piton (Petite Martinique)

Maypole Dancing (Grenada and Carriacou)

Quadrille Dance (Carriacou and Petite Martinique)

Saraka Nation Dance (Grenada)

Shakespeare Masquerade (Carriacou)

Shortknee Masquerade (Grenada)

Stringband Music (Carriacou and Petite Martinique)

The “Proud of my Heritage: transmission and safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage in Grenada through inventorying and education initiatives” was a national project officially approved and funded by UNESCO to identify, register and promote our Living Heritage around the tri-island of Grenada. Any intangible cultural heritage element which reflects our identity and national pride that we recognize to be important and/or is under threat, deserves to be safeguarded and transmitted to next generations as:

Language and oral tradition: any way of expression or communication, storytelling.
Traditional knowledge about nature and the universe: knowledge that human groups have generated and accumulated over time in their relationship with our territory and the environment.
– Traditional medicine and botanical: knowledge and traditional practices of diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases including psychological and spiritual aspects.
– Techniques and skills associated with the manufacture of handicraft objects, musical instruments, tools.
– Traditional production: knowledge, practices and innovations of local communities related to traditional agricultural, forestry, fishing production and the collection of wild products and community exchange systems.
– Popular arts: music, dance, literary, audiovisual and plastic traditions that are perpetuated by our communities.
– Traditional religious of a collective nature: social and ceremonial events and rituals for religious purposes.
– Culinary art: traditional practices of transformation, conservation, handling and consumption of food.
– ICH associated with cultural spaces, including tradition bearers and cultural practitioners.
Festive and recreational events.

The project had three key objectives. Firstly, pilot inventorying exercises conducted in the tri-island of Grenada. During this stage, capacity building workshops on the 2003 Convention, mechanisms to safeguard living heritage, and community-based inventorying methodologies were held with 150 local participants.

Secondly, the “Proud of My Heritage” education programme for primary school children is implemented to raise awareness and transmit intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in pilot-schools in Grenada, Carriacou & Petite Martinique.Over 135 students and 20 teachers have been involved in this programme by discovering and learning the ICH elements in their respective schools and communities. One pilot school in Grenada and some schools in Carriacou are integrating living heritage within the school subjects as a cross-cutting approach by using the ICH Resource Guide. The Heritage Education Committee has created the ICH Resource Guide and lesson plans for Grace Lutheran School and some schools in Carriacou and Petite Martinique who are currently integrating the Proud of my Heritage Education Programme with enthusiasm and on a volunteer basis.

Thirdly, the Proud of My Heritage media campaign was launched to raise awareness about Grenada’s living heritage. As part of this objective, a WhatsApp group has been created with local stakeholders to share and express their opinions about intangible cultural heritage. The campaign also involves TV and radio spots and interviews, press releases, social media ads, 2022 ICH-photo contest, 2023 Proud of my Heritage Calendars distribution and heritage events during February-March 2023 for general public awareness.

The ‘Proud of my Heritage’ project could not have successfully documented the twelve (12) Cultural/Living Heritage elements without the participation and special collaboration of the ICH/Living Heritage Practitioners and Bearers of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique. Thank you for being very keen, receptive and for sharing valuable knowledge for present and future generations. Special thanks to:

Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Bearers & Practitioners:

Dancing of the Flags & Cake: Gloria Roberts, Lucy Deroche, Fedeline Bethel, Dwight Logan, Niel Matherson, Ella Patrice, Clint John, Tyrone Bethel, Randolph Harrison Fleary, Alban Enoe-Stewart.
Djab-Djab: Colin Dowe, Glenn Forsyth, Clary Joseph & Vaughn Thomas, and La Fillete.
Drumming & Drum Poetry: Nigel De Gale, Dionel De Gale, Alim De Gale, Godfrey Luke, Irwin Francis, Glenn Forsyth, Livingston Nelson. Drum maker: Monteith Drayton.
Fishing Boats: Desmond Gill & David Phillip.
Maypole: Lady Cheryl Antoine, Reginald Brizan, June Paul, Marilyn Thompson, Tyrelle Paul and Olive Paul, Gary Antoine & Arlene Joseph.
Maroon Festival: Lucy Deroche, Faithman Simon.
Quadrille Dance: Cosmos Bristol, Kwame Hamilton, Marilyn Samerson.
Saraka Nation Dance: Anika Edwards, Cadisher Edgar-Lewis, Elizabeth Thomas.
Shortknee: Captain Chantuelle/Hennessy Jeffrey & Hensley Jeffrey, Captain Andy Purcell “Lakay”, Lionel Alexander, Alister Thomas, Davis Richards. Mask Makers: David Lewis and Frank Bartholomew.
Story Telling: Lucy Deroche
String Band Music: Tyrone Bethel, Randolph Harrison Fleary, Anderson Matherson, Anslem James, Evris Noel.
Sugaring the Piton: Lucy Deroche.
Teachers and Students: Grace Lutheran School, St. Joseph Roman Catholic School and Schools in Carriacou.

The Proud of my Heritage Team:

ICH Project Principal: Darryl Brathwaite – President of Grenada National Trust
ICH Project Management: Adriana Rojas Kerezsy – Executive Director of Grenada National Trust.
ICH Project Planning, Logistics, Oversight Support: Carlton Peter Antoine
ICH IT Project Director: Conny Herrmann
ICH Project Public Relations, Marketing & Communication Agency: Chrislyn Lashington
GNT Social Media: Eugenia O’Neal
ICH Proud of my Heritage Education Committee: Adriana Rojas Kerezsy; Darryl Brathwaite; David Hopkin; Gloria Bonaparte; Rev. Ib Meyer; John Angus Martin; Mary Alma DuBois Calliste; Nailah James; Terrance Louison; and Susan Mains.

ICH-Research & Fieldwork:

Zone 1: Gloria Bonaparte, Marlene Neptune, Delysia De Coteau, Maria Mafla & Ingrid Lewis.
Zone 2: Judy Antoine, Norris Henry, Amonie J. Holas, Jadie Allard & Newton Alexander.
Zone 3: Brenda Phillip, Rechelle Finlay, Teheria Viechweg, Maria Davies
Zone 4: Nadina Williams, Dexter Miller, Antonia Peters, Dione Leggard, Andre Matherson, Naiah Ogilvie, Akeisha Clarke-Frank, Gloria Wells, Stacy Bedeau, Sashelle Alves.
ICH Research Expert: John Angus Martin
ICH-Research & Team Support: Carlton Peter Antoine

The local key stakeholders and sponsors:

Bay House Boutique Hotel; Cell & Beats; Coyaba Beach Resort; FLOW; Grace Lutheran Church & School; Grenada Cultural Foundation; Grenada Trade Center; Grenada National Commission for UNESCO; Grenada National Museum; Grenada Tourism Authority; John’s Unique Resort (Carriacou); Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports & Culture; Ministry of Education in Carriacou; Osprey Ferry; Paradise Beach Restaurant (Carriacou); Pixel Perfect Apps; PKF Grenada; Sea Breeze Hotel; Resource Center (Carriacou), and Schools in Carriacou & Petite Martinique; Tom and Denise Hebson, The Wisconsin Lutheran High School, and the UNESCO-ICH Headquarter and UNESCO Caribbean Cluster Office for supporting, sponsoring and funding this Project.

All these people and organisations have been crucial to successfully ensure the intangible cultural heritage activities during the implementation of this 18 months-project and for transmitting our Living Heritage to local communities and younger generations.