Cultural programme a hit with Cayman kids

| 25/06/2012

309378_239251652782593_3765437_n.jpg(CNS): More than 300 Year 6 children in Cayman’s primary schools participated in a specially designed after school programme this year focused on local traditions and culture. “Bringing Heritage to Life” is a programme created and delivered by Chris Christian of Cayman Traditional Arts, which comprises three twelve week courses: Marine, Silver Thatch, Cuisine & Culinary Skills and Games & Entertainment. 97% of the students gave the initiative the thumbs up and want the programme to continue for the next school year and suggested including years 7 and 8. 100% of  teachers and principals gave an excellent rating for the classes.

Premier McKeeva Bush will be at Sir John A. Cumber Primary School Hall today Monday 25 June from 9:00 am to 10:00 am to award certificates to the  students who completed the course.

“We need to ensure that every Caymanian child knows who they are and where they come from; to have a deep understanding of heritage and culture, taught through history and art traditions of the Cayman Islands,” Bush said.

Maria Martin, Principal George Town Primary School, commended Christian and his team of teachers and said it had a “great impact in promoting Caymanian Culture”. She said the students had thoroughly enjoyed the hands on sessions.

Gloria Bell, Principal Prospect Primary, said, “The programme has been a resounding success. It has allowed the students of year six to be able to have a greater appreciation for their Caymanian culture and heritage and life in the yesteryears. As the principal of the school, I want to recommend that this programme be continued in the next academic year.”

For further information, please call Chris Christian at 926-0119 or e-mail artcayman@gmail.com.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Great job Mr. Christian and team. Education is key to the success of any nation. I note some of the comments above regarding your course, and note the writers who are against their children spending some time learning these very essential areas of life. If you cannot cook for yourself, someone will have to do that for you, then the question would be why do we have to import cooks?

    Did anyone read the article with the children from the Cayman Prep making the great achievements they did recently with the robots? We all were happy to read about those children's accomplishments when they traveled overseas, why are we not equally as happy that the children in the Govt schools can learn to be creative with their hands while learning what it was like for their grandparents. We boast of products of the Silver Thatch Palm, our national plant, but unless we pass the tradition of this great craft to our children, this too will die.

    Come on Cayman, we are so diverse, yet we allow for all other art forms, but speak against our own? 

    Keep up the great work, teach our children well, in all areas; academics, vocational, technical, the arts and more. Hopefully in the not too distant future, when visitors and locals dine out and ask for local cuisine we will see some of the best chefs with the vibrant smile come to the dinning room to greet you and it will be one of these same children that not only attended these classes but paid attention and learnt well.

    What would be great also is to see our children, go on to be professional toy designers, and be able to have a patent on their products; could be the next COE of a great business!

    We need to think positively and well into the future, if we are going to survive in our own country, the beautiful Cayman Islands where so many desire to call home.Cayman is our home, let's make it the best place ever!  

     Thank you!

  2. Anon. says:

    No insult to Mr. Christian and his abilities to work with the students but WHY is Government funding this while cutting the budgets of the National Museum, National Trust, National Gallery, National Archive, CNCF etc., when all these organizations assist in educating our youth about their history, heritage, culture etc????

    Is Cayman Traditional Arts a private business? If so, why is government funding it?

     

    • Anonymous says:

      As a parent of one of the childen benefitting from this programme, I am personally insulted by this comment. Thank God for Mr. Christian and this programme. He has done more for my child in knowing his roots than any of those government run/sponsored agencies. I may not agree with everything the Premier does but this one thing he has certainly gotten right. Every week, my son says he looks forward to Mr. Christian’s arrival, anticipating what he has to teach them that day. In my opinion, this is where I want my money to go. Know who you are so you know where are you going. Mr. Christian and his team are providing a much needed service that is hard to come by.

      • Anon says:

        Are you a member of any of the organizations mentioned above?  Do you know what they offer?  When last did you participate in any of their activites? When last did you volunteer to assist? There is a lot being offered by all of the organizations and they too need your support and thanks.

    • Anonymous says:

      It is the selective programmes that bother me more.  The Museum, Trust, CNCF and others need to get up to speed with current demands and must be more proactive.  Good solid programmes that support the whole child are being left in the dark.

      I agree, spinning a gig has little cultural value.  Its a blasted game most everyone on the planet has played at some point.  Whats uniquely Caymanian about it????

      • Anon says:

        If you don't like the gig… I hope you don't support batting a ball, kicking a ball, running with a ball, bouncing a ball, punching someone's brains out, kicking the crap out of people, scrubbing ice with a broom, wacking pucks around, dancing, running, jumping, swimming etc. either.

  3. Bal says:

    This program must go on and should be continued because it has relevance to our kids and to all of us caymanians.

  4. caymanshorty says:

    This is wonderful and important not just for Caymanian children and ALL children on island.  I'd like to see this program in all the schools one day soon.

    • Frog Juice says:

      I disagree.  I would not want one minute of my child's education wasted on irrelevant nostaligic pseudo-nationalism.  The restrospective construction of a "national" heritage is a well known tool of nationalists the world over. 

      • Anonymous says:

        Frog juice, your comment is just ridiculous. Patriotism is something that is sorely lacking in the Cayman Islands. In a country where children are being taught the Renaissance before learning about their own history is a travesty. This sounds like a hands-on approach to teaching children their roots, something you clearly missed out on s a child.

  5. Mrs. Evergreen says:

    This is great! Very glad to hear that efforts are being made to ensure our Caymanian traditions do not die with the older generations. There is such importance in teaching this to our youth! The programme should definately be continued.

    • jsftbhaedrg says:

      We have Grandparents and a National Museum to teach the kids traditions.

      Good to see the current government is throwing money at pointless courses teaching kids the art of thatch rope making and how to play with a gig, clearly skills needed in this day and age.

      Any wonder they can't compete with the expats?

      • Anon says:

        The Museum, the Trust, CNCF, Gallery and what about the schools?  I thought school had history teachers and history class was still a requirement?? or am I wrong about that??

        What is wrong with the history teacher, teaching Cayman history??  For goodness sake, do the schools also need a rocket scientist to come in and teach science?  Wow!!

  6. Teddy Bear says:

    "We need to ensure that every Caymanian child knows who they are and where they come from" In 95% of cases the answer to this question is Jamaica.

    • Anonymous says:

      Why?  Why would you need to write this?

      • Anonymous says:

        I agree with 'teddybear'….it goes to our identity and even our leaders have been stating Cayman was a dependency of Jamaica..slight twist on fact that it was the UK that possessed Jamaica AND Cayman and due to size of Cayman's population & economy smaller islands like Cayman (& even T&CI) were ADMIISTERED  viaJamaica. Hence the Jamaicans themselves did not 'legally possess' Jamaica so how coudl they possibly claim after becoming independent that they had controlled otehr islands when they were controlled by another country?

         

        Important to understand actual history, culture and identity…… or else others will be glad to change it for you!

         

      • Anonymous says:

        The same reason you write about your culture where you come from.

  7. Whodatis says:

    Kudos to Mr. Christian and all others involved with this program!

    " … comprises three twelve week courses, Marine, Silver Thatch, Cuisine & Culinary Skills and Games & Entertainment."

    This is a welcome, rare bit of positive news to start off what is sure to be a turbulent week.

    I am happy to read of our kids enjoying the program as neither WoW or HALO have provided me with even half the fun and pleasure of splitting open a rival's guava gig!

    🙂