Submitted by Lisa Pham on the 2016 winter session program in Martinique sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures…
On Saturday, we hiked through the beautiful La Savane Des Pétrifications in the south of Martinique. We saw cliffs overlooking the breathtaking sea and cacti lining our muddy path. Never before have I seen such diversity in nature. Since I’ve begun my studies here, I’ve noticed that Martinique, a small island territory of France, is a wonderful mixture of several types of cultures, lives and people. These aspects don’t blend in together, there’s no overpowering of one over the other; instead, they move and mingle with each other, meanwhile keeping their very distinct characteristics. That’s what I’ve discovered about Martinique: despite having had a gruesome history of slavery and oppression, it has maintained a cultural richness that’s hard to find anywhere else.
Listen to local conversations and one would hear either French or Martinican creole. Tune in on a performance or event and one would hear music from other Caribbean islands, France, and, of course, Martinique. It has, as I had just learned today, an “identité hybride” or a hybrid identity, combining French and Caribbean characteristics into one tiny island. The people here grew up in an environment that embraced all its different influences. They are incredibly welcoming of everyone, including confused American students who mercilessly butcher the French language.
Coming to Martinique from a country that calls itself the “melting pot” of the world, I’m beginning to realize that diversity comes in different forms and that “culture” is something impossible to define. And it’s not necessarily something I want to define. In the next couple of weeks, I simply want to live and experience. Eat foods, listens to people speak about their land, and buy ridiculously overpriced products imported from France. As I continue to traverse through Martinican deserts and plains, I hope to discover more about the diverse people and land of this incredible island.