Saint Lucia
Sons and Daughters of Saint Lucia
1967
1979
Charles Jesse
Leton Felix Thomas
🌿 Nature ✝ God / Faith ❤ Love of homeland 🤝 Unity |
Key Facts
- 1. Saint Lucia is the only country in the world named after a woman, specifically Saint Lucy of Syracuse
- 2. The island changed hands between the British and French 14 times before finally becoming a British colony, earning it the nickname 'Helen of the West Indies'
- 3. Saint Lucia has produced two Nobel laureates, the highest per capita of any sovereign nation: Sir Arthur Lewis (Economics, 1979) and Derek Walcott (Literature, 1992)
Lyrics
Sons and daughters of Saint Lucia,
Love the land that gave us birth,
Land of beaches, hills and valleys,
Fairest isle of all the earth.
Wheresoever you may roam,
Love, oh love your island home.
Gone the times when nations battled
For this Helen of the West,
Gone the days when strife and discord
Dimmed her children's toil and rest.
Dawns at last a brighter day,
Stretches out a glad new way.
May the good Lord bless our island,
Guard her sons from woe and harm!
May our people live united,
Strong in soul and strong in arm.
Justice, Truth and Charity,
Our ideal for ever be!
Translations are non-official and intended to convey meaning, not replace originals
Analysis
EditorialWritten by Charles Jesse with music by Leton Felix Thomas, the anthem was adopted when Saint Lucia gained independence from the United Kingdom on February 22, 1979. The anthem celebrates the natural beauty of the island and calls on its citizens to love their homeland wherever they may be.