Cultural icon Leroy “Wadix” Charles has called on students participating in the upcoming Creole Spelling Bee Competition to become active advocates for the Creole language, encouraging them to expand their knowledge and promote its continued use in Dominica and throughout the region. Charles made the appeal while addressing student-participants at the competition’s press launch, held upstairs at Prevost Cinemall.
The competition is scheduled for November 13, 2026, at the Alliance Française Building. Charles said the initiative is intended to strengthen young people’s connection to Creole and help position Dominica as a global centre for the language. He described Creole as a living part of the country’s heritage, heard in everyday interactions, local music and cultural expressions, and said understanding its origins was essential to appreciating its significance.
Charles encouraged students to practise the language beyond the classroom by speaking with their parents and community elders, reading and writing Creole stories, and composing poems. He acknowledged that English remains the country’s first language but stressed that fluency in Creole develops through consistent practice and a willingness to make mistakes. He compared learning the language to a child learning to walk, noting that perseverance eventually brings confidence and enjoyment.
He also urged the students to embrace their role as cultural ambassadors, explaining that Creole expressions are often used within English conversations without speakers recognising them. Charles said the initiative aims to establish stronger linguistic connections through storytelling, music and language, while creating opportunities for youth leadership, scholarships and educational travel. He encouraged participants to return to their schools and establish Creole clubs to motivate their peers to become involved.
Charles said plans are also being explored for cultural exchanges with Guadeloupe and Martinique, adding that discussions had already begun with contacts in both territories. Such exchanges, he said, could allow Dominican students to experience other Creole-speaking cultures and improve their language skills, while welcoming students from those islands to Dominica. He also highlighted the possibility of inter-school debates as a way to deepen students’ understanding of the language and its importance.
The cultural advocate further challenged students to bring Creole into digital spaces, encouraging them to create podcasts, vlogs, animations, memes and TikTok challenges in the language. He said young people’s familiarity with technology could help broaden the reach of Creole and its culture. Charles also pointed to opportunities for advanced academic study, noting that universities in Guadeloupe and Martinique offer Creole studies at the master’s degree level, which could prepare graduates to teach the language in Dominica.
Charles emphasised that Creole is central to Dominican identity, serving as a cultural link that extends beyond traditional clothing and cuisine. He recalled that earlier generations of young people were sometimes discouraged from speaking Creole because it was viewed with shame, but said that attitude should no longer define the nation. Embracing the language, he argued, is part of understanding the country’s history and building its future, with Creole offering potential benefits in education, cognitive development, tourism and economic opportunity.
