Aunty Tek Festival to showcase Grenadians’ creativity and culture through words

The Grenada Cultural Foundation is all set to celebrate the notable folklorist, late Thelma Phillip by hosting the annual Aunty Tek Spiceword literary festival from Monday, 7th to Saturday, 12th October, 2024.

This festival is celebrated every year to capture Grenada’s history and culture through the spoken and written word. It plays a huge role in highlighting and showcasing Grenadian culture, creativity, and history throughout the word.

This annual event is geared at indulging Grenadians in the creative industry of playwriting, folklore, and just simply tapping into the creativity of the mind.

While shedding light on this festival, the Chief Executive Officer of Grenada Cultural Foundation, Livingston Nelson stated that what they have decided to do this year is to broaden the scope and involve all the aspects of what they have referred to as the spoken word.

He added that this year they have introduced several new facets, such as short stories, poetry, Schatz, dramatization, Takah Calypso, and extempo, into the Aunty Tek Spice Word Festival.

Moreover, this year, the Grenada Cultural Foundation is also working with parish-based organization and groups with a vision to promote the festival at the parish level. The CEO stated that they are involving all the parish schools and have asked them to be a part of this celebration from October 7th to 12th, 2024.

Therefore, he has asked all the citizens to contact their parish bases, where they have organized activities. He stated that some are doing bonfire, games, ring games or some are doing spoken word, poetry, night of poetry and dramatization.

“So you need to get in contact with your parish based organizations that we want all schools across the island, primary schools and secondary schools to have the owned, word festival, the own celebration of the Grenadian word, what we call the Grenadian spice word,” noted CEO Livingston Nelson.

A panel discussion will be held on October 7th at the GBSS auditorium, followed by a bonfire and storytelling at Saint Paul’s on October 11th.

Notably, Thelma Ermintrude Knights, Aunty Tek is a pioneer among women in Grenada who broke long-held stereotypes, from being among the first women to own and drive a car on the island, to a career as a teacher and principal.

But her career was defined more as a raconteur. She was also honored with a special award at the inaugural Spice Word Festival last year, which has been renamed in her honor.

The Grenada Cultural Foundation stated that though they mourn the passing of Aunty Tek, they are pleased that they are able to honour her by naming the Spice Word Festival after her.