Country Pride

Lenyn Leonce
Jason S Kirkmeyer
English 1210
October 9, 2009
Blue, black, white and gold; put these colors together in a certain order and you will get the flag of my home country, the beautiful island of St.Lucia. I was born and raised on this island, of course with the exception of regular travelling occasions, having being a national athlete; but no moment in any other country could ever come close to the jubilant ones I had in my home town. The blue reflects our tropical sky and also our emerald surrounding waters— the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The gold represents the sunshine. The white and black signify the races of the affable people it shelters. The flag is organized in an intricate isosceles triangular shape which represents the land on which the people of St.Lucia walk on a daily basis, but more specifically, the triangles represent our World Heritage Sites, the twin pitons.

Saint Lucian artist Dunstan St. Omer who is a personal friend of mine created this exquisite masterpiece, one which I look at everyday and reminisce on the times which I shared with my friends , neighbors, track team mates and most importantly , my family. The island of St.Lucia, located in the West Indies, which is also called the Helen of the West, is known for its tropical climate, many white sand beaches and for its World Heritage sites, the twin Pitons- Gros Piton and Petite Piton. For any patriotic individual, whether living in the island or living abroad, there is always a sense of pride and allegiance to their country. As an athlete representing my country around the World, I have come to acknowledge the importance of my own national flag, especially when I see it hoisted up among the many flags of the countries around the world when I attend a track meet.

The frequent traveling I did representing my country as an athlete has also allowed me to conjecture my own feelings and meanings to our different national symbols, particularly, our National Flag. I came from the small city of Castries, to be specific, a community called Carellie Gardens, which can be described as a very active and social place. This is what the land part of the flag reminds me of. The many times I tumbled on the hard dusty surface, not at all similar to the land of Wyoming ( my current residence ), while at track practice or at the regular cricket matches which I shared with my classmates or neighbors. The frequent visits to the beach were one of my many personal favorite natural ventures. I could still feel the salty cool water brushing against my face or entering my mouth and ears, and the sand trapped between my toes, while running, hands extended with clustered sand particles in them, usually aiming towards my friends back or head on the more violent occasions. I remember the one time of my eighteen years of existence ,that I climbed one of the twin peaks ,Gros- Piton which mean “ big peak “ in English. It was a very ecstatic adventure having seeing and hearing all the birds and other creatures chirping was a wonderful feeling. The trees swaying in the early morning breeze, and me, being at the higher points where the wind was really strong, was an experience I would never forget. The best part of the hike was reaching the summit of the mountain and seeing the whole southern side of the island right at my feet but mainly seeing the only drive-through volcano in the world bubbling a few miles away.

Like all other national flags, there is heavy symbolism in the design of the flag and its colors. The designer of the flag has described it as “A device consisting of a white and black triangular shape, at the base of which a golden triangle occupies a central position. The triangles are superimposed on one another; the black on the white and the gold on the black. The black ends as a three pointed star on the centre of the flag” (contributors). The black and white of the National Flag represents the kind, peaceful, helpful, and neighborly people who reside in this Helen of the West. As is seen on the flag, the triangular black area is evidently larger than the triangular white area. This signifies that here in St.Lucia, the majority of people who reside here are of African origin, therefore, giving them their rich, dark color. The white represent the small number of Caucasians who also reside there. Together, living in harmony, the people are the most important aspect of the growth of this developing country. However, personally and from experience, the black and white of the flag signifies the diverse races which I come into contact with every time I travel. This shows that talent has no color or race and this outlook has enabled me to form many lifelong friendships.

In connection with the people, comes the aspect of culture. My grandparents would always teach me (the rituals) of their time so that their traditions would continue for many generations to come. Grandparents were the best, they can always relate to any problem I had which made me very comfortable and secure in their presence, of course with the exception of the recent technological improvements of the world which they have no knowledge of. I remember the many times my family and I attended the numerous national festivals and traditions which were celebrated on the island, such as the La Rose and La Maguerite celebrations, Jounen Kweyol, which means Creole Day, among many others which would go into the wee hours of the morning. These festival activities could be considered to be dangerous, but in St.Lucia this is not the case. I always felt safe during these times. In my small island, where ‘everybody knew everybody’ and where it takes a community to raise a child, safety, being important in any place, can be taken for granted. Doors could be left unlocked, even pots being on fire with the certainty that the house would be taken cared of by members of the community. All this reflection on community and traditions has instilled in me a greater appreciation towards my county; not only in the aforementioned ways but it made me more appreciative towards our year round sunshine.
Being here in Wyoming has affected my own appreciation for the climate of my country. For some, the island is blessed with a tropical climate, resulting in sunshine all year round, but for others, this sunshine can become scorching heat and very crippling, causing everything and everyone to be slowed down. However, the tropical climate has allowed for beautiful and natural flora and fauna. This greenery beautifies the country all year round. Hence, the gold part of the flag represents the prevailing sunshine that shines on the country, causing everything to be green and fresh. Also, this gold signifies the prosperity in St.Lucia and the Caribbean. The blue backdrop of the flag represents the many oceans and seas surrounding this Helen of the West, as well as the blue sky.

I am a very proud St.Lucian and everywhere I go I try my best to bring a little bit of my country with me. Whether it be sharing our culture with others, or simply speaking about this little island of the West to my colleagues, I represent my country in everything I do. Just like the islands’ famous twin Peaks, rising out of the sea towards the sky, symbolizing the hopes and aspirations of me and the people of my country, I too will rise and shine.






Works Cited
contributors , Wikipedia. "Saint Lucia." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. , 2009. Web. < title="Saint_Lucia&oldid="319708167">.