Celebration Of The La Poterie Salaka

The community of La Poterie, St. Andrew’s will once again host the traditional Salaka  Festival. This year’s festival will be held on Friday February 28th, 2025.

Salaka is sometimes referred to as a Feast of the Gods or can be termed a Festival of  Food. Salaka as a cultural relic was kept alive by the presence of the Baptist faith or  what some people would call Shango practitioners. It is usually hosted in the North  Eastern part of the Island with the main ones hosted in La Poterie and River Sallee.  Other areas hosting Salakas include Carrierre, Pearls and now Paradise.

Previously, this practice was done in one of the villagers’ big yard. In the olden times  other villagers would contribute food items popular then. Most of the items contributed  were yard fowls, pigs, sheep, green peas, yams and sweet potatoes, rum or cash. The  villagers collected pots and firewood days before and then assembled in the early  morning hours to help with preparation.

In more modern times, Salaka is no longer celebrated in a yard, it is celebrated  throughout the village. Two of the villages that currently host Salakas, River Sallee and  La Poterie have moved to a level of centralization of activities at their playing fields.

This year’s Festival would also feature the final taping of the documentary “De Drums of  Grenada” featuring the Tivoli Drummers, Conception Dance Theatre and the Spyceland  Dancers.

As part of its mandate to preserve and promote the island’s rich cultural heritage, the  Grenada Cultural Foundation has over the years given assistance to River Sallee, La  Poterie and Carrierre in the execution of their Salakas.