Submitted by Steve da Cunha on the 2018 winter session program in Martinique sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures…
Martinique is a small island that was a former colony of France. The island remains part of the country, but as a region instead of separate colony. This was not the case as recently as 1946 when activists successfully pushed for the country to become a formal part of France.
The country has an interesting history and, consequently, an interesting mingling of cultures. During its colonial period, Martinique’s main purpose was to grow sugar for the profit of the French empire. African slaves were used in mass after native Americans and other sources of labor delivered little profit. It was not only the French who were involved in the island however, as Jewish exiles from Spain, who went to Brazil via the Dutch, also went to the island to assist in cultivation techniques for sugar production. The legacy of this mingling of races is present in Martinique’s difficulty in crafting its identity.
Identity became a central theme in Martinique’s art and literature for several years, and it is still very much a force today. The balance of slavery, African roots, European ties, and global influence leave the people confused as to who they should be. A central example is the Creole language spoken by many on the island. There was debate as to whether Creole should be taught to children in schools. The portion of the island who was white, and thus had more European ties, typically supported integrating on a voluntary basis. Contrary to what might be expected, many of the black occupants of the island opposed this as they wished for their children to move away from the non-dominate culture and adapt to the globally dominate western style of being. This issue represents the difficulty of appreciating a unique culture and history while also moving forward into a western influenced world.