Saint Lucia: A Tale of Two Cultures—Torn Between the Rose & the Marguerite

An independent state of the British Commonwealth since 1979, Saint Lucia continues to bear the cultural imprint of the two colonial powers that shaped much of its history, Britain and France. This chapter explores ways in which Saint Lucians negotiate tensions between the enduring British and French cultural legacies, represented by Rose and Marguerite, respectively, remnants of two historic warring cultural societies. Special focus is on the role of language in a context where Kwéyòl, Saint Lucia’s French creole vernacular, vies for recognition with the official language, English. The evolution of this situation shows that the tenacity of the creole culture, through the creation of a third language will not allow a clear victory for English. The chapter examines national identity in the sociolinguistic evolution of creole culture and the importance of language in the development of post-colonial small island states rooted in 1980s, yet of relevance today.