Former Executive Director of the World Creole Music Festivals Val Cuffy has issued a call for Dominicans to “fully support Dominica’s Lady of Song Ophelia Maria who celebrates 40 years this year as an artist.
Dubbed “Mama Creole” on the weekend of Mother’s Day a two day event which brings together Swinging Stars, First Serenade, local artist and Cool Sessions out of the USVI a musically concert will be staged in honour of Ophelia.
Cuffy called on the government and the Ministry of tourism and culture to change the names of streets in recognition of local artists.
“We really have to celebrate our icons, and I want to challenge the Ministry of tourism & Culture, the government of Dominica. It is time to change Kennedy Ave, Virgin Lane and all the names that don’t belong to us,” he said.
He continued saying, “We have 90 years of music of Gordon Henderson, Ophelia (Maria) the late Jeff Joe (Jeff Joseph). We walk to Guadeloupe, Martinique, Paris and these people are living legends. If the French had to come to fix the grave of the late Jeff Joe in Dominica we can do better than that.”
“We must stop talking and saying what we are going to do and do it, we can build an international airport, we can build a hospital but the only therapy you will hear at the airport and the hospital what the nurses are listening to is music,” Cuffy a music promoter stated.
Music he said “is the greatest therapy that you can have and we have to give that support to our artist. We are happy for this event and look forward to celebrating Gordon Henderson, Chubby and Halbut in the same way.”
Cuffy said that “forty years in the musically industry is indeed a milestone and we can’t let it go unnoticed and I want Dominican to come out in large numbers if we have to shut down the country so be it. You have to be there to support Ophelia and others and we need a Mama and Papa creole every year.”
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