Distinguished Dominican Ionie ‘Ma Hubort’ Philogene of Colihaut celebrated 100th Birthday Saturday

Photo: Dominica News Online

​Distinguished Dominican Ionie ‘Ma Hubort’ Philogene from the community of Colihaut, celebrated her 100th Birthday on Saturday.  Dominica is therefore graced once more, with another centenarian. His Excellency the President of Dominica Charles Savarin and his wife Mrs Savarin, Social Services Minister Catherine Daniel, President of the Dominica Council of Aging, Mrs. Zetma Toussaint and others, were all present to celebrate her, at a special ceremony to mark her grand occasion.
 
Philogene’s daughter says her day-to-day living is instructive, as she consumed little meat, but feasted on fish whenever it was available. She worked hard to sustain her family of six children, and her devotion to God helped shape her lifestyle.
 
Ionie Philogene, also known as ‘Yo-Yon’ and ‘Ma Hubort’, was born Ionie Sebastien on March 4th 1917 in Colihaut, to Rita Ravariere and Aldie Sebastien. She had eight siblings, seven of whom have passed. She lost her mother at the age of 16, so she faced challenging times from her youth.
 
She married Hubert Philogene in 1944, at the age of 27. They were married for 69 years. They had six children, three of whom are deceased, and three daughters are alive today. Her husband died 3 ½ years ago, two weeks before his 99th birthday. She is now blessed with 14 grand-children, and 9 great grandchildren.
 
She was considered to be an expert in the tending of vegetable crops and was engaged in all aspects of the husbandry; sowing, planting, weeding, watering, mulching, reaping, and also marketing. She also grew lots of corn, pigeon peas, and red beans on her tiny holdings in the heights and at the back of her house.
 
She ate the crops that she cultivated, uses very little salt and sugar, drinks lots of water, and goes to bed very early. She is said to have always been healthy, and was hospitalized only twice in her lifetime, once for pneumonia 47 years ago in 1969, and once for a foot injury 9 years ago.
 
100-year-old Ionie ‘Ma Hubort’ Philogene is said to be a reverent person; who loves God, prays a lot, and never missed church services when she was able to go. She is said to love life, happy to be alive, thanks god for her healthy lifestyle, attributes her long life to the grace of God, and continues to ask for his blessings.