by Kezia, age 8 from Roseau, Dominica, asks Santa about Christmas zoo lights, Dominica’s boiling lake, and Kalinago heritage.
Dear Santa, my name is Kezia, and I am eight years old. I live in Roseau, Dominica, where my mama says our island has a lake so hot it actually boils, tucked away in the mountains.
Dear Kezia, a boiling lake tucked into the mountains sounds like one of the most dramatic natural sights on my entire Caribbean route, your mama picked a truly wild and wonderful hometown.
Santa, I have three questions.
Do you like Christmas zoo lights? My cousin visited one last year and said the animals seemed just as excited about the lights as she was.
I love zoo lights, Kezia, and I like to think the animals do enjoy a bit of extra sparkle in their enclosures too. A zoo glowing with holiday lights is one of my favorite unexpected stops on the whole route.
My teacher says Dominica is nicknamed the Nature Isle because of its rainforests and volcanic landscape. Is that true?
It is true, Kezia, Dominica’s lush rainforests, hot springs, and volcanic peaks have earned it that lovely nickname. I always fly a slower pass over your island, there is simply too much beauty to rush past.
My mama says a lot of our traditions come from the Kalinago people, who lived here long before anyone else arrived. Is that true?
It is true, Kezia, the Kalinago people have a deep and important history on Dominica, and their culture continues to shape the island’s identity today. Honoring that history is a good reminder that every place carries stories worth remembering, Christmas and every day.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Kezia Lawrence
Roseau, Dominica
P.S. Would you ever fly close enough to see the boiling lake yourself?
From a very respectful distance, Kezia, boiling lakes and sleighs do not mix well.
