Limonese Creole Conference

     On Tuesday, April 16, 2013, Marisol Joseph, professor and graduate student of UPR Río Piedras campus offered a conference titled "Limonese Creole and Costa Rican Caribbean".  It was held in the Nursing Amphitheater.

     Students and faculty members of the English Department had to opportunity to attend Marisol Joseph's conference about this creole language which is her native tongue.  Marisol shared her personal experience as a native speaker of Limonese Creole, as well as videos of native speakers of Limonese Creole.  The audience also enjoyed of calypso music and poetry where Limonese Creole, standard English and Spanish are interwoven.

     Marisol also shared a book of stories written by her grandfather in Limonese Creole.  She also narrated an Anancy tale in this language.  In addition she also discussed her thesis which focused on Limonese Creole and code switching. Her presentation concluded with a poem titled "Rotundamente Negra" written by Shirley Campbell.

Me niego rotundamente

a negar mi voz

mi sangre y mi piel

y me niego rotundamente

a dejar de ser yo

a dejar de sentirme bien

cuando miro al espejo

con mi boca rotundamente grande

y mi nariz

rotundamente hermosa...

     The response to this presentation was one of great interest and enthusiasm.  Colleagues from the English Department commented and asked questions about Marisol's experience as a native speaker of this language and how she sees its future due to it being mainly an oral language.

     The English Department Library Committee wants to thank students and faculty for attending this conference.  We want to especially thank Marisol Joseph for accepting the invitation to share her knowledge and experience with this language.  We also want to thank Diana Ursulin, graduate student of UPR, Río Piedras who also visited our campus and collaborated in organizing the last details of the presentation.

     This conference represents a new stage in our committee.  The goal is to continue providing this academic experience every semester for the enjoyment of our university community.  The chair of the committee, Prof. Carmen Milagros Torres expressed about this new stage in the following opening words:

       "Welcome to the first conference coordinated by the English Department Library Committee.  The English Department Library Committee members: Dr. Aida Cáceres, Prof. Artemio Peñalbert and I are pleased to have you join us in this special occassion.

     Today is a special day for many reasons.  The UPRH Library begins with  their series of activities to celebrate their week.  And in our department, one of the members of our committee is at this moment in his last stage to obtain his doctorate degree with his dissertation defense. It is a great week to begin a new stage in this committee where we wish to include conferences so UPRH community can enjoy and discover new fields of knowledge."

Reference
Poem "Rotundamente Negra" by Shirley Campbell