Bonjour! Alo! Hello!
Welcome to Martinique. Brace yourself because you have just entered an island filled with colorful scenery and an even more colorful past. Take this journey with me and experience a glimpse of Martinique's history, culture, and people!
Orientation
"Maschismo," strong masculine pride, is a tradition in West Indian society that still takes place in Martinican society today. Although the male Chauvinism is powerful, there is a long history of households being controlled by the women. This matrifocal culture is usually funded by government family allowance funds, allowing women to retain power in the private domain.
Since the 1980s, more than half of Martinican women have entered the workforce as servants, clerical workers, and teachers yet there are still three times as underemployed and more underemployed than men. One-fifth of women have achieved middle class economic status, but the amount of unmarried women in the economy has created pressure for marriage where the women are left in a position where they are forced to submit to male chauvinistic attitudes and behavior. Martinique, also known as Ile aux Fleurs ("Island of Flowers") or Pays des Revenants ("Land to Which One Returns"), is located in the Lesser Antilles of the Winward Islands in the Caribbean, neighboring countries such as Dominica and Saint Lucia. The Carib Indians who once inhabited this island were eradicated by the French in the 17th century, and following their eradication was the beginning of Martinican history and culture. Due to its surrounding cultures and French colonization, Martinique has both African-slave and French creolization. France, being a large part of Martinique's history, has influenced much of the island's demography and language! 30% of Martinicans reside in France, almost 50% are born in France, and only 5% that hailed from France reside in Martinique. All of which who speak the official language of Martinique... you guessed it- French!
Identities and Relations
Compared to the other Caribbean islands, Martinique's society is definitely like none of the others. The nation's society is heavily influenced by France to the point where the majority of its inhabitants prefer autonomy within the French Republic. Most Martinicans also preserve French West Indian cultural identity through Creole language, music, and cuisine, while the others prefer not to have a connection with the French nation at all.The white descendants of the original French settlers (békés) have long had varying degrees of envy and resentment with the ethnic relation due to racism. Although many hold positions in government, civil service, and education, whites from France (metropolitans) are seen as outsiders by all Martinicans.
Compared to the other Caribbean islands, Martinique's society is definitely like none of the others. The nation's society is heavily influenced by France to the point where the majority of its inhabitants prefer autonomy within the French Republic. Most Martinicans also preserve French West Indian cultural identity through Creole language, music, and cuisine, while the others prefer not to have a connection with the French nation at all.The white descendants of the original French settlers (békés) have long had varying degrees of envy and resentment with the ethnic relation due to racism. Although many hold positions in government, civil service, and education, whites from France (metropolitans) are seen as outsiders by all Martinicans.
Religion
Ever since French rule, Roman Catholicism has overwhelmingly been the predominant religion in Martinique. Alongside with Christianity, during the slave era, was Hinduism and quimbois. Quimbois was a practice and belief based on plant and herb remedies, sorcery, and spiritual healing. In recent years, Protestant, Jehovah's Witnesses, Bahai, Jewish, and Muslim faiths have grown to have their own sites of religious and cultural congregation. With the talk of religion and death, the afterlife is always involved. In Martinique, death announcements are fairly common, being a regularly scheduled part of the daily official radio program. Though there are multiple religious practices within the island, funeral rites invariably follow Roman Catholic practices. Martinicans even celebrate a "Day of the Dead" (Jour des Morts) on the 2nd of November, the day after All Saint's Day.Works Cited
"Martinique." Countries and Their Cultures. Advameg, Inc., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2016. <http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Martinique.html>.
