During the first half of October, a Guyanese delegation visited China. Led by Monique Blérald, president of the Guyanese Regional Carnival Observatory, she took part in the French Gannat International Art Festival in Qingxu. Its mission: to promote Guyana through some of its dances, its music, its outfits, with a specific spotlight on its emblematic touloulou. Stylist, couturier, president of the Mo association, Auguste Horth looks back on this trip.
The public particularly appreciated the character of the touloulou • ©DR
Touloulous parading in the streets. The scene may seem surprising in the middle of October. It is even more incongruous when we know that what could be an out-of-season carnival is happening in the Middle Kingdom. Originally, there was an invitation made to Monique Blérald. In her capacity as president of the Guyanese Regional Carnival Observatory, she was invited to the French Gannat International Art Festival, an event that gives pride of place to world cultures in Qingxu, an administrative district of Shanxi province in China. “I then invited several other groups”indicates the university professor, doctor in French, Francophone and comparative literature. Taking part in the trip: part of the folkloric group Châtaigne by Émilie Sébéloué, the Association Mo with Auguste Horth, the Divas paré maské de Paris by Katia Sébéloué, six musicians from the To ké mo association, directed by Emile Cibrélus . “I also invited a doctoral student from the Minea research laboratory at the University of Guyana, Aurélia Chang Roque Ling, whose father is Chinese and whose mother is Creole” adds Monique Blérald.
Monique Blérald, surrounded by a delegation of Chinese dancers • ©DR
On site, everyone endeavored to highlight a part of Guyanese cultures and in particular Touloulou. A few days after the group’s return to Guyana, Auguste Horth is still overcome with emotion.
« We had incredible success. When I talk about it, I still get goosebumps. When people saw the touloulou dances, they wondered what it was. As soon as we got off the podium, we were very surrounded. Everyone asked us questions while discovering the dances, the dresses, the tied heads… The interpreter transmitted the questions to us, Madame Blérald was questioned by a journalist. When people found out I was the one who designed the outfits, they told me I was a great designer ! »
In addition to the touloulou dresses, Auguste Horth made some of the dresses worn by the dancers of the Châtaigne group. As with the touloulou outfits, the designer wanted a maximum of « beautiful dresses, pretty, showy. »
The delegation presented part of Guyanese cultures • ©DR
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I left home with my head full of ideas for my future creations!
If the Chinese public appreciated our carnival, our costumes and our dances, they are not the only ones. Proof of this is this group of Auvergne musicians who enthusiastically cover one of the classics of the Guyanese street carnival. For their part, the Guyanese were able to discover the arts of other countries in the world or regions of France.
Auguste Horth, too, became rich during this trip. « I’m not going to reveal my next creations, but I can already say that I have made purchases, especially fabric, for the next carnival period. I left home with my head full of ideas for my future projects. ! »
For this trip to China, Auguste Horth wanted as many “beautiful, pretty, showy dresses” as possible • ©DR
Faced with the enthusiastic welcome given to the Guyanese delegation, the designer did not hide his joy: “When I saw how people appreciated the costumes, the dances, I said to myself that Guyana defends itself very well in the festivals. Touloulou has made its way and I believe that it will continue to do so so that we can reach UNESCO. » This UNESCO World Heritage listing is in fact one of the missions of Monique Blérald and the Carnival Observatory. « Through this delegation made up of several groups, explains Monique Blérald, we wanted to show cohesion, unity around touloulou, as stipulated in the 2003 UNESCO convention. Because the touloulou, already registered in October 2017 on the national inventory list, is still in the race for inclusion on the representative list of humanity at UNESCO. »
The delegation attended a conference on intangible heritage • ©DR
