The shock of the passing of Leslie Charles has had a melancholic and sobering effect on the cultural fraternity, the citizenry, and more specifically his immediate and extended families. Lots of people including millennials and Gen Zers, would have known or heard of Leslie’s foray in the field of folk and other St. Lucian culture. A dedicated cultural activist, Leslie was an active member of the Msgr. Patrick Anthony Folk Research Centre (FRC) for decades. He was a Director of the FRC for an extended period and served as Chairman of the Board.
Leslie’s commitment to the work of the FRC was unquestionable. He participated fully in all major activities including Téyat Pèp-la, Jounen Kwéyòl, Woulélaba as well as many research activities of the organization. Leslie served as Chairman of a committee that organized and managed Woulélaba competitions throughout the country as part of Creole Heritage Month. He was instrumental in the formation and development of the Monier Cultural Group as part of the Téyat Pèp-la project and took up residence in the area in an effort at working closely with the Group. The Monier Cultural Group (MCG) is defunct. However, the popular musical Band “Ladisyon” emerged from that effort.
Leslie was a contributor and member of a committee that developed an instructions manual on the teaching of the orthography of the Kwéyòl language, which is being used in Martinique, Dominica, and St. Lucia. Leslie traveled throughout the country promoting St. Lucia’s folk and contemporary culture including the Piaye community where his family originated. He played Chak Chak with Twadisyon O’Pyay on numerous occasions. Leslie’s involvement in St. Lucia’s culture ranged from being an accomplished drummer to a regular Old Mas reveler. He was a member of a Street Band formed by the late Athanasius LaBorde which performed at festivals and at international cricket matches at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground. Leslie was a regular ‘Ole Mas player along with his colleagues displaying their witty placards and costumes adding flavor to the St. Lucian carnival product.
Leslie was a calypso enthusiast. He was close to the Take-Over Calypso Tent and managed Calypsonian Herb Black for a period of time. He also assisted FRC with its Lucian Kaiso magazine. Leslie was concerned with the plight of unsung heroes. One such hero is Lennards “Scrub” Wellington who is the pioneer of steelband music in St. Lucia. Leslie promoted Scrub passionately, writing about his life story as a steelband player in Trinidad and St. Lucia. Scrub was recommended by Leslie to the FRC as an inductee into its National Cultural Hero hall of fame.
Notwithstanding his extraordinary and varied involvement in the folk culture of St. Lucia, Leslie’s first love for culture began in the field of Agriculture where he obtained training to become an Agricultural Technician. During his early working life he was employed with the Ministry of Agriculture as an Extension officer. As an institution established to preserve and promulgate the folk culture of St. Lucia the Msgr. Patrick Anthony Folk Research Centre extends its condolences to Leslie’s immediate family and the wider cultural fraternity. Like the many Cultural Icons who have passed, Leslie will be sorely missed. His contribution to the cultural development of the country should not go unnoticed but will remain etched in the annals of St. Lucia’s history.
By: Hilary LaForce