The Observatoire Régional du Carnaval Guyanais (ORCG) is organising the Assises du carnaval guyanais, on Friday 1 and Saturday 2 October, in the auditorium of the ENCRE (Ensemble Culturel Régional) in Cayenne. The event will take place face-to-face, with restricted access due to the health situation, and will be broadcast live on the Facebook pages of the University of French Guiana and the Collectivité Territoriale de Guyane.
C his event, supported by institutional partners*, is a major step in the process of having "Touloulou", the emblematic character of Guyana's carnival, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The conference will focus on 6 themes:
- Passing on the carnival
- The evolution of carnival
- Economic, tourist and cultural development of the carnival
- Carnival, media and digital
- Cultural resistance in times of pandemic
- What does the future hold for Carnival?
All these themes will be examined from different angles: academic, political, social, societal and economic.
The debates and workshops will have the following concomitant objectives:
- Contribute to the UNESCO application file
- To explore ways of safeguarding, promoting and passing on the Touloulou heritage.
Speakers and contributors include qualified personalities, politicians, scientists, carnival workers, tourism professionals and socio-professionals, and cultural players.
Programme
Friday 1st October
08:00 Public welcome
09:00 official opening (speeches)
President of the Observatoire Régional du Carnaval Guyanais, UG University Professor, Monique BLERALD
Holder of the UNESCO Chair in Philosophy Practice with Children, University Professor, Nantes, Edwige CHIROUTER
Director of Culture, Youth and Sport, Cyril GOYER
President of the University of Guyana (UG), Antoine PRIMEROSE
President of the Collectivité Territoriale de Guyane (CTG), Gabriel SERVILLE
09:30 - 11:00 theme 1: passing on the carnival
Chairman: Emmanuel PRINCE, Vice-Chairman for Culture, Heritage and Transmission (CTG) or his representative
Moderator: Sébastien CHAPELLON, MCF Psychology UG
9.30am - Academics: Elsa BANNIS, Doctoral student, MINEA laboratory, UG, Dominique BOISDRON, Doctor of Education, UG
9.45am - Politics: Renée-Lise BRIQUET, Saint-Laurent local councillor
10am - CTG, Culture, Heritage and Identity Unit: Presentation of the Carnival House, Marie-Paule JEAN-LOUIS and Kristen SARGE
10:15 - Carnival actors: Nahel LAMA, anthropologist, Groupe Les Frères de la Krik; Henriette CONTOUT, Les Belles de la Madeleine
10.30 Discussion
11H00 -13H00 theme 2: evolution of carnival
Chairman: Carine SINAI BOSSOU, President of the Chamber of Commerce or representative
Moderator: Linda AMIRI, MCF History UG
11.00 am - Academics: - Isabelle HIDAIR MCF-HDR Anthropology UG and Lydie CHOUCOUTOU, Professor of History, Association of History Teachers of French Guyana
11h30 - Politics : Fidélia BOCAGE, Elected member of the Savannah Community
11:45 - Archivist: Georges RECH, Head of Archives, CTG
12.00 - Carnival players: President of the Carnival Union; President of the La Pompadour Association / Orchestras: Groupe des Mécènes; Karnivor; Blue Stars; Pa gain nom; Dlo coco; Les Chwitteurs...
12.45 p.m. Discussion
2pm-4pm TOPIC 3: Economic, tourist and cultural development of the carnival
Chairman of the panel: Jean-Luc LEWEST, Vice-Chairman for Development, Economy and Tourism (CTG) or his representative
Moderator: Frédéric BONDIL, MCF Law UG
2pm: Academic: Paul ROSELE CHIM, MCF-HDR economics UG
2.15pm: Politics: Seedna DELAR, Vice-President of the Centre Littoral Tourist Office
2.30pm: Actors/Entrepreneurs: Nicaise LETARD, Nathalie PRUDENT, Philippe DI CLAUZEL
3.15pm - 3.30pm: Carnival economic observation strategy, Guiana Tourism Committee (CTG, INSEE, ODEG)
15:30 Discussion
Saturday 2nd October
08:30 Public welcome
09:00 official opening (speeches)
President of the Observatoire Régional du Carnaval Guyanais, UG University Professor, Monique BLERALD: The project to include the Touloulou character in UNESCO's tangible and intangible heritage list
President, Club UNESCO Guyane, George HABRAN-MERY
Chairman of the Fédération des festivals et carnavals de France, Serge RUCHAUD
President of the association of mayors or his representative, François RINGUET, The challenges of carnival for local authorities
9.30am - 10am theme 4: carnival, media, digital
Chairman of the panel: Violaine MACHICHI-PROST, Councillor responsible for the social economy
Moderator: Member of the MINEA laboratory
9.30am - A look at the University Diploma in Arts, History of Carnivals, Testimonials by students
9.40am - Carnival and the media, hosts and journalists from Guyane Première, Radio Péyi: Armand HIDAIR (Main Witness), Collins Joey BARTHÉLEMY, Tano BRASSE, Steeve ÉLINA, Lova Jah, Marie Claude THÉBIA
10am - 11.30am theme 5: cultural resistance in times of pandemic
Chairman of the panel: Serge LONG HI NAM, Delegate Councillor for Regional Languages and Cultures or his representative
Moderator: Mylène DANGLADES, MCF Regional Languages and Cultures, UG
10h - Academics: Thierry NICOLAS, MCF Geography UG and Christian CÉCILE, MCF Regional Languages and Cultures UG
10:30 - Journalist: José BLEZES, Representative of the "Nèg Marrons de Becker" group
10:45 - Carnival performers: Groupe Kouman
11h00 Discussion
11.45am - 1.40pm theme 6: what future for carnival?
Chairman: Roberto OSSEUX, President of the Chamber of Trades or his representative
Moderator: Christian CÉCILE, MCF Regional Languages and Cultures, UG
11:45 - Academic: Elsa BANNIS, UG Lecturer
12pm - Carnival actors: Carnival committees; street groups; tenants
13:00 Discussion
2.00 p.m. CLOSING
* The Territorial Collectivity of French Guiana (LA CTG), the University of French Guiana (UG), the Minéa laboratory, France's cultural and intangible heritage, the Tourism Committee of French Guiana (LE CTG), the EPCC les 3 fleuves, the Saint-Laurent-du Maroni Town Hall.
