Building Confidence Through Culture: How LAKAY Helped Young People Reconnect with Language, Identity and Creativity

For the 18 young people who participated in St Lucia’s LAKAY workshop series, the project provided a life-changing opportunity to learn more about their culture. The result was an increase in confidence noted by their parents and facilitators.

Led by Saint Lucian artist and educator Curmiah Lisette St Catherine, LAKAY worked with participants aged eight to sixteen. They were drawn from primary and secondary schools across Saint Lucia, helping to create connections among young people from different communities. The programme was delivered through partnerships with organisations including Twossaints, Tropical Theatre, the Department of Probation and Parole, Micoud Secondary School, St. Lucy’s Steel Pan Orchestra, the Folk Research Centre, and other community partners.

Through workshops focused on Kwéyòl language, theatre, dance, creative writing, history, design, steel pan, and performance, LAKAY encouraged participants to engage with their heritage while developing new skills and forms of self-expression.

One of the project’s most significant outcomes was the personal growth observed among participants. Young people gained confidence speaking and writing Kwéyòl, expressing themselves through poetry, song, dialogue, and performance. They also shared knowledge of traditional games and local folklore, while facilitators observed improvements in literacy, critical thinking, and cultural identity.

The changes extended beyond the workshop space.

Parents reported that their children returned home eager to share what they had learned. Some taught family members dances they had practised during sessions, while others began using Kwéyòl more confidently in everyday conversation. One parent reported that their son, who previously struggled to speak Kwéyòl, was now speaking full sentences after participating in the programme. Another parent’s response was simple: they wanted to know when the programme would happen again.

Many participants entered the programme with different learning needs and experiences, including literacy difficulties and developmental challenges. Facilitators found that the culturally rooted approach created opportunities for engagement, particularly for young people who may not always thrive within traditional academic settings.

During their internal review, the project team reflected on the value of extracurricular opportunities that allow children to develop through creative expression.

The participants, despite their age range, all learned more about their culture, and how it plays a role in everyday life- whether speaking or playing games or learning their country’s history.

The workshops also helped them to be more outgoing and show an interest in art and culture when presented in a new way.

The programme culminated in a public showcase titled Idle Drums, where participants presented work developed throughout the workshops to family members and the wider community.

Support for the initiative grew alongside the programme. One parent offered sponsorship towards a future edition, while local organisations and cultural practitioners contributed expertise, venues, resources, and facilitation.

The project also generated outcomes beyond direct participation. An ethnographic review of the programme was accepted for publication in the Journal of West Indian Literature, creating an opportunity to contribute to wider conversations about culture, education, and community-based learning in the Caribbean.

To learn more about the LAKAY project and the work of its founder Curmiah Lisette St Catherine, visit https://tropicaltheatre.com/

and the Journal of West Indian Literature https://www.jwilonline.org/