Seychelles Arts Award 2004-Artistes honoured |13 February 2006

Selected as the best of the best in their respective categories, the artistes received trophies, R5,000 cash prizes and certificates in a grand ceremony held at the International Conference Centre. The ceremony was attended by Vice-President Joseph Belmont, government ministers and members of the public.

Those honoured that night were selected after having participated in the first National Arts Festival in 2004. Their performance and progress made over the past two years, closely monitored by the facilitator of the event, the National Arts Council (Nac), were also taken into consideration.

Jany de Letourdie took away two prizes that evening for her contributions made to the development of theatre in Seychelles. Jany, who started her acting career in Patrick Victor's play Castor in which she stunned the audience with her performance as "Amina", received the Actress of the Year Award. Her latest role was in the En Temwen Pour Prosekisyon. She was also awarded the Director of the Year Award for having directed nine plays over the past few years.

In the same category, the Playwright of the Year title went to Christian Servina, the leader of theatrical group Veyez. Mr Servina has written 12 plays and produced 25. The Actor of the Year award went to Steve Joseph, the lead actor in En Temwen Pour Prosekisyon. His acting talent was first discovered when he participated in the Youth Festival. The Young Performer award went to humorist Verna Payet, while Nicholson Edmond, an actor, grabbed the Meritorious award.

Telly's Modelling Agency also clinched two awards in the Fashion category, namely the Designer House award and the Model of the Year award which went to Lise Athanase one of the agency's models. The Young Designer award went to Santasha Larue, a former College of the Arts student.

In the category of Music, Joenise Juliette who has just released her 10th album, grabbed the Live Performer award. The Lyricist award went to Clifford Alexis, alias Mellow, recognised for being the first artiste to write and sing rap in Creole, while Michelle Marengo won the Female Vocalist award.

The Group of the Year award for popular music went to La Mezcla, whereas Jerris Souris Trio Quartet took the Group of the Year award for classical music. Gilles Lionnet alias El Manager received the Producer of the Year award, in recognition for promoting the talent of several young artistes as well as the Creole music overseas.  The Young Talent of the Year award went to singer Mary-May Larue, stage name Marime.

In the Dance category, the Group of the Year award went to LBG's a group with 15 dancers from La Digue.
Nac also presented Dezil Group, who is enjoying remarkable success on the international arena, with a Special Achievement award, in the form of a framed certificate.

In the category of Literature, Tony Joubert alias Raspyek, took home the Poet of the Year title, whereas famous local novelist Lise Morel, the popular author of Letranze dan Mwan, seized the Sonia Grandcourt award.

Leon Radegonde, a canvas artist originating from La Digue, won the Artist of the Year, award in the Visual Arts category, whereas Alcide Libanotis of Anse Poules Bleus, won the same award for sculpture. The Young Artist of the Year title went to 21-year old Juliette Zelime, who is now pursuing her studies in China.

In the category of Cuisine, the Creative Chef of the Year award went to Gelase Dookley, a sous-chef with 20 years experience, whereas the Young Chef of the Year title was won by Richard Rideau, a chef with eight years experience. Both recipients work with Berjaya Resorts.

Seven individuals and one organisation grabbed the Honorary awards, presented by Vice-President Belmont, for their outstanding contribution to the development and promotion of arts in Seychelles.

They are Peter Pierre-Louis (Visual Arts), Myriam Hoareau (Fashion), David Philoe (Music), Guy Lionnet (Literature), Marie-Therese Choppy (Theatre), Pierre Hokan (Cuisine), Marietta Matombe (Dance) and the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (Media).

The ceremony was also marked by the address of the chairperson of the Nac, Ms Marja Karjalainan, who said the Arts Award was "an instrument through which society is acknowledging the cosmopolitan role of the arts as one of the humanising factors affecting the cultural quality of development."

Commending all artists for their contributions to the development of arts, Ms Karjalainan said that unlike sports, arts was not competitive in nature.

"A work of arts or performance either triggers a sympathetic response from the its audience or it does not," she said, pointing out that arts could not be measured as it had no "supreme authority and no quantifiable hierarchy."

The ceremony ended with a cocktail.