On Thursday 17 December 2015, from 7pm to 10pm, the Culture Committee is organising a chanté nwel for the entire university community on the Troubiran campus in Cayenne. The Bois Chaudat campus in Kourou will also host its own event on 16 December 2015.
The Cayenne evening will feature a number of highlights:
- Fashion show presented by student Jetro,
- Musical performance by student Érick Brito,
- Chanté Nwel with the Chiré Band,
- A tasting of Creole Christmas flavours with Monique Auguste.
It's a great opportunity for everyone to get together before the holidays and enjoy a friendly, relaxing moment at the end of this hectic school year.
The history of Chanté Nwel
Chanté Nwel, or "singing Christmas carols", is an A tillo-Guyanese tradition that brings people together to sing classic Christmas carols throughout December.
In the Catholic tradition, Christmas carols or canticles date back to the 16th century. To celebrate the arrival of the Christ Child, carols were sung in churches to proclaim the Good News. The songs were set to the rhythm of rounds evoking the Nativity. In the colonies, the songs were imported by the missionaries and were adapted slightly over time.
Cantiques de Noël are small booklets containing the words of Christmas carols. The texts and melodies of these songs originated in medieval France, more specifically in the regions of Lyon and Avignon. The texts are in French and Creole (with occasional passages in Latin). However, each song has its refrain in Creole (which does not appear on the hymnal) and this is the moment to let off steam, with drums, "ti-bois", "siyak" and clapping coming into full effect.
The "chanté Nwel" remains a time for sharing and solidarity, values that are fully embraced by the University of Guyana.
Further information at : culture@univ-guyane.fr
