The Virgin Islands–Puerto Rico Friendship Chamber Orchestra (VIPRFCO), under the direction of maestro Gylchris Sprauve, presents “Di Waakman Fan Ons Muudataal – The Keeper of Our Native Tongue,” a special cultural concert honoring Dr. Gilbert A. Sprauve, professor emeritus of modern languages at the University of the Virgin Islands, on Sunday, March 22, at 4:30 p.m. at Memorial Moravian Church in Charlotte Amalie, according to a press release.
This performance celebrates Gilbert Sprauve’s contributions to preserving and revitalizing Virgin Islands Dutch Creole, a nearly lost language of the territory. The concert also marks the public introduction of a Virgin Islands Dutch Creole archival and research project that has been in development for the past five years in collaboration with linguists in Europe, the release stated.
Honoring a Vision That Preserved a Language
Gilbert Sprauve established contact with Alice Stevens, widely known as the last native speaker of Virgin Islands Dutch Creole. Born in 1898 and passing in 1987, Stevens shared invaluable linguistic knowledge with him.
In the mid 1980s, recordings of her voice were made, preserving the pronunciation, rhythm, and sound of the language for future generations. Those recordings—combined with archival materials held in Europe and the research of linguists and cultural historians—are helping revive a vital part of Virgin Islands heritage, according to the release.
“This concert honors the ancestors who carried this language forward from the 19th century into the 20th century,” said Gylchris Sprauve. “Because Dr. Sprauve preserved the voice of Alice Stevens, we are now able to rediscover and revive this language as part of our living cultural memory.”
Music From the Archives
The program will feature musical works drawn from the Virgin Islands Dutch Creole archives, including:
- Hymns from historic hymnals dating back to the 1730s
- Folk songs traditionally sung by Virgin Islands children in Dutch Creole
- Musical settings of translated folk songs prepared by Dr. Gilbert Sprauve
- Narratives highlighting the historical development of the language and the story of its preservation
The concert will blend scholarship, storytelling, and music to illuminate both the cultural and linguistic history of the Virgin Islands.
Featured Performers
The program will feature performances by:
- Majestik Estrada-Petersen – Soprano
- Shikima Jones-Sprauve – Soprano
- Robert Chalwell Jr. – Tenor
- Glen “Kwabena” Davis – Culture Bearer (Commentary)
- LéRoi Simmonds – Steel Pan
- Voices of Love Ensemble
- CAHS Concert Choir
- UVI Concert Choir
Tickets are $30 in advance or $35 at the door and can be purchased at the Memorial Moravian Church office- 340-776-0066 and at the Doctor’s Choice Pharmacy, Wheatley Shopping Center- 340-777-1400.
Refreshments will be available for purchase during the event.
