Belles is a small village in the
Caribbean island nation of
Dominica. It is located at and is a part of the country's
St. Joseph administrative division. Its population is 500.
[Commonwealth of Dominica, ''Population and Housing Census — 2001''. Roseau, Dominica: Central Statistical Office, Ministry of Finance and Planning, Kennedy Avenue, 2001.] Belles is a historical site for a few reasons. It is a major part of the highway system to the northern part of the island. The roads were blocked many years ago by Rastafarians who were not happy with the government. Many of them escaped to Jaco Flats and used it for refuge. This is a site that was used by the
Maroons
Maroons are descendants of Africans in the Americas who escaped from slavery and formed their own settlements. They often mixed with indigenous peoples, eventually evolving into separate creole cultures such as the Garifuna and the Mascogos.
...
hundreds of years ago. As of 2016, the Esprit and Benjamin families own and control a majority of the private land.
History
Name
The
Creole name for the town is Norway (pronounced as "nor-way". Belles previously named Bassinville got its modern name from
Henry Hesketh Bell
Sir Henry Hesketh Joudou Bell (17 December 1864 – 1 August 1952) was a British colonial administrator and author.
Biography
Henry Hesketh Joudou Bell was born on 17 December 1864 at Chambéry in the Savoie department of south-east France. He ...
. This village is located near the center of the island. The main highwa
Nicholas Liverpool Highwayruns north to
Marigot. If the road is taken south, it ends up in
Roseau
Roseau (Dominican Creole: ''Wozo'') is the capital and largest city of Dominica, with a population of 14,725 as of 2011. It is a small and compact urban settlement, in the Saint George parish and surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, the Roseau Ri ...
, the capital of the island. There is a Catholic church in the village. It is dedicated to
Saint Peter Donders (constructed 1929). The feast of Belles 'fete Belles' is celebrated yearly in the village. People come from near and far to celebrate. In recent years, the community, which was heavily dependent on agriculture, remains a significant contributor towards agricultural development on the island.
The Road
An excerpt from
Lenox Honychurch, the islands most notable historian states that; By early 1947 the road cutting had only reached the hill at D'Leau Gommier and all of the money had disappeared. In three years of work the road had only progressed about a mile and a half. The project closed down and it was not resurrected for almost a decade. People spoke of "bobol" and they sang about it in two famous "chantè mas" during the masquerade of 1947: "Sa ki twavai Norway!" and "Si ou té Norway sa ou téké fè?
Local School
Belles houses a small government school. It is government sponsored and a majority of local residents attend. Many years ago, students walked many miles to school. This is no longer the case. The school department chatters local buses for the transportation of teachers and students. The primary school got a donation of refurbished computers in 2013.
References
{{Settlements in Dominica
Populated places in Dominica
Saint Joseph Parish, Dominica