by Jeanne Joseph-Ortega
October is Creole Heritage month, and while celebrations take place throughout the month, ending on 28 October 2025 — International Creole Day — I would like to remember and pay tribute to my sister, Dr Marguerite-Joan Joseph, who passed away last year.
Dr Joseph was one of the few authors who have written about the history and language of French Creole in Grenada. She was passionate about reviving the French Patois language and went to great lengths to effect this. She did her part.
Dr Joseph was not only a medical doctor, specialising in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G), but she was also an author and a teacher. On her medical side, she had her private clinic at Tanteen Terrace and built her own hospital, also at Tanteen — Old Trafford Medical Centre. As an O&G specialist at the General Hospital from 1992 to 2012, she left an indelible mark on the medical community at large (she was the first female O&G Consultant for the Ministry of Health in Grenada), and O&G in particular, where, under her watch, the mortality rate of pregnancies was greatly reduced.
Dr Joseph, affectionately known as MJ, was interested in the creole language from an early age, tried to learn as much as she could and as an adult, she researched, learned and taught the language. In 2009, in Dr Joseph’s words: “a group of us with a stated mission came together and created the Grenada Creole Society, whose mission was to research, document and promote, the Grenada Creole language.” She said, “Grenadians would see themselves as beneficiaries by heritage of a valued and wonderful creole language.”
La Castaigne House, home of the Grenada Creole Society. Photo: Jeanne Joseph-Ortega
Dr Joseph renovated an old family house in Concord, located on the way to the Concord Falls, a great tourist attraction. She put her heart and soul into renovating that “old family house,” which became the home of the Grenada Creole Society, where, with the help of other teachers, she taught the language. This is where she held many training classes, Patois classes, many documentation workshops and other functions related to the Grenada Creole language. Jill Paterson was involved with these workshops. There are videos of most of these events at the Concord location. I have looked at these videos. Videos of her great efforts to revive the creole language of classes in progress and workshops. There were also events and functions at The UWI Global Campus Marryshow House, including patois quizzes with several schools taking part, as well as the distribution of trophies by Dr DeVere Pitt. Videos of schools with their students singing in patois or doing skits, such as the Sacred Heart School of Tivoli and Bonair School, all sponsored by The Grenada Creole Society. Remember, all these videos are available on YouTube or Facebook.
Dr Joseph was the author of 3 books, 2 academic publications, (all patois-related,) and many articles on Grenada French creole. She also wrote many creole songs, including the patois version of the Grenada National Anthem, Christmas carols, and hymns for the church. One of her patois songs “Pale Patwa” was performed with members of The Grenada Creole Society on Grenada’s Independence Day in 2010. I refer to it as her signature song, whether or not it was meant to be that. For me, it is her signature song. It has that catchy tune, which, once you hear it, it keeps coming back to you. You keep humming it without realising it. The Grenada Creole Society also performed the National Anthem in patois.
A book written by Dr Joseph touches on the history of the creole language. Photo: Jeanne Joseph-Ortega
Dr Joseph wrote the first Grenada Patois Grammar book titled “Un-Tying the Ancestors’ Tongue” which was successfully launched on Zoom, in April 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, despite physical and logistical limitations. This is a comprehensive grammar book, which includes a patois dictionary, and a QR code with a link to the audiovisual tutorial, which book, according to the editors, is extremely user-friendly, inspirational, and a book that should be a part of the Grenada school curriculum, an educational tool, and, as another editor suggested, it is something “I would like the ministry to take on board.” This, of course, was also Dr Joseph’s wish, her goal, and she approached the Ministry of Education in that regard. Last year, when I was in Grenada, I also approached the Ministry of Education on behalf of my sister and endorsed her request. At her book launch, the Ministry of Education, through its representative, supported this initiative, and in a letter, the ministry expressed “its willingness to co-operate with The Grenada Creole Society in the endeavour to promote the patois language.”
The whole launch can be seen on YouTube today, under the book’s title “Un-Tying the Ancestors’ Tongue” with the remarks of all editors and guests, together with a presentation by its author, where she zoomed into the book to show how the QR code worked. To understand fully, I urge everyone interested to take a look at and listen to Dr Joseph’s presentation at the book launch (at the control line on YouTube, go to line no. 1.03. This line takes you directly to Dr Joseph’s presentation.) Most or all of these video events can still be seen on YouTube under the caption “Grenada Creole Society.” Just Google it; very easy. They are also on Facebook.
In 2012, she wrote the book “Lingering Effects of an Afro Romance language on common Speech in the Caribbean Island of Grenada.” This is an essay on the socio-linguistic aspects of the disappearance of the French Creole language. The book takes us through the history of the creole language, influenced by African languages and the Walloons. This language reflects the cultural inheritance and historical experiences of the Grenadian people through slavery and on to independence.
In 2017, she wrote another book for kindergartens: “Kite Nou Konte” Let us count, which helps to teach young children how to count in patois — beautifully designed and using pictures of local fruits and vegetables as counters to which children can relate. This is another book which should be of interest to the Ministry of Education.
I/We would like, if possible, to continue the work that Dr Joseph started, if nowhere else but to have her grammar book as part of the Grenada school curriculum. For that, she had great expectations. This way, her legacy would live on, and her passion and great efforts to revive the Grenada French Creole language would not be forgotten, would not be in vain, would not be lost in the fading pages of newspapers.
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