(Seychelles News Agency) - The 32^nd edition of the Creole festival opened Friday evening at the replica of a Seychellois Creole village in the capital, Victoria.

A ceremony filled with Creole music from traditional to the modern fusion performed by locally known Seychellois artists started from 7 p.m, taking the crowd on a Creole journey. 

In her address for the official opening, the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mitcy Larue said, “We must all come together, all Seychellois, young and old to continue to preserve this way of life, the Creole way of life.”

Larue said the Creole culture must be preserved at all times as it is the soul of the Seychellois nation.

“Let our cultural diversity unite rather than divide us,” said Larue, adding that “as Creoles, we are one nation regardless of our race, colour, origin, economic or social status. This is reflected in our dances, our food and music.”

The official ceremony was filled with Creole music from traditional to the modern fusion performed by locally known Seychellois artists. (Jude Morel) Photo License: CC-BY

The Creole festival of Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, is one of the oldest and biggest celebrations of the island nation’s cultural heritage which takes place every year in October.

The minister said that through the Creole festival, “There is no exclusion rather a unity that brings us together.”

Among invitees at the launching was Didier Robert, President of the Regional Council of Reunion – a French department in the Indian Ocean. Mauritius is the other island nation from the region taking part in this year's festival, as Madagascar had to pull out because of the plague outbreak.

In her address, Larue also announced that the culture department is working on a new strategy and updating its culture policy to meet national and international norms. She added that programmes are also being developed to bring culture at the community level.

This year’s festival is being held under the theme ‘Fyer mon lidantite’ – proud of my identity.

For the first time, the event is taking place over the whole month of October and includes traditional dance competitions, fashion show, literary contest, musical performances and theatre nights.

Activities are taking place at several locations on the main island Mahe while some are also being organised on Praslin and La Digue, the second and third most populated islands respectively.

The 32nd edition of the Creole Festival promises locals and visitors a variety of activities to revive the Seychelles’ rich and diverse culture which makes these islands a melting pot of cultures.