Predominance of Catholicism
In Martinique, if the religious confessions are numerous, it is the catholic religion which predominates. It is a huge part of daily life, it plays a fundamental role in Martinican culture. There are about fifty parishes throughout the country and each village has its own church. Destroyed by fire and then rebuilt, the Saint-Louis Cathedral in Fort-de-France is one of the most beautiful in the Caribbean, a true masterpiece of metal, destined to resist forever the whims of Mother Nature forever.
Sunday mass attracts large faithful crowds who take pleasure in meeting and singing liturgical songs in chorus. In addition to the pilgrimages and processions, each funeral brings together the whole community, and the funeral notices are announced daily after the news.
Religious holidays. All the Christian feasts are scrupulously celebrated, starting with All Saints' Day, when all the cemeteries are illuminated and candles are lit at home in memory of the deceased. Families come to the cemeteries to drink toasts in memory of the deceased, by pouring a small drop of rum on the ground to involve the dead.
In the same way, restriction linked to Lent is particularly respected. The people have a habit of meeting on Easter Sunday and Monday around the traditional dish, “matoutou” crab. This tradition originates from slavery: not very fond of the spicy crab that the Natives used to prepare, the colonists forced the slaves, who had been forcibly converted to Christianity, to eat a lot of shellfish during Lent, rather than fatty meats. On Easter Sunday, the slaves celebrated the “right” to eat beef and poultry again by gathering around a huge feast intended to finish the crab reserves. This is how “matoutou” crab became the traditional Easter dish in Martinique.
From mid-November, the whole island vibrates to the sound of the countless “chanté Nwel” that brighten up the streets and public squares at nightfall, these traditional religious songs that celebrate the birth of Christ.
A diversity of confessions
Although very practiced (more than 80% of the Martinican population is Catholic), Catholicism coexists in Martinique with other more confidential religions, such as Jehovah's Witnesses, Baptist evangelists or Seventh Day Adventists (2nd religious community after the Catholics), who have their own places of worship (the Ephesus temple for example). The Indians have also preserved their rites, such as the sacrificial ceremony of Bon Dié Coolie, where for four days animal sacrifices and colorful ritual dances follow one another. Martinican countryside is home to Hindu temples, such as in Basse-Pointe, the cradle of the Tamil community that came between 1858 and 1885 to replace the slave labor force. The city is home to two Hindu temples that can be visited on Sundays.
The Jewish and Muslim religions are also represented. The Jews even have their synagogue in Schoelcher, and the Muslims have their mosque and their Koranic school in Fort-de-France. La Trinité, Saint-Joseph and Sainte-Marie are the high places of Martinique's mysticism where Hindu and voodoo cults, African and European beliefs are mixed and joined. The mixture is quite jarring and is closely involved in daily life, each gesture, each event or each ceremony having its share of spirituality. However, what counts is above all the religious fervor.
"Z’esprits", "quimboiseurs" and black magic
In Martinique, superstitions are legion. Essential to the Antillean civilization, they reflect the history and the diverse components of the population. Miracle, magic and other incantations are part of the strong beliefs, even if the Antilleans often pretend not to know anything about it.
The “quimboiseurs”. The local “quimboiseurs” or “gadé z'affaires” are very popular in Martinique. These sorcerers count fortunes by interpreting the lifelines on the palm of the hand, and prescribe all sorts of body baths, decoctions and amulets to ward off bad luck, ensure happiness and prosperity, bring back a loved one or even relieve panic attacks! The “quimbois” is none other than a “charm” or magic potion that was administered in the past by healers. This ancestral medicine, complete with Native Indian and African knowledge, has long been practiced on the houses and in the hills. Its transmission was ensured from generation to generation by the oldest person in the family, most often a woman, who acted as therapist.
To find the source of evil, the “quimboiseurs” often resort to communication with the “z'esprits”. The myth of the “zombis” and “dorlis”, the famous undead creatures who terrorize sensitive souls in B movies, is still very much alive in West Indian mythology. It refers to diabolical characters, the dead who wander around and who appear at night at the bend in the dimly lit roads and dense forests.
The magic plants of Creole gardens. Creole gardens, a small ecosystem typical of the West Indies, is the fruit of a tradition inherited from the Native Indians, Europeans and Africans. It is intended for the survival of the family that cultivates them, and it also shelters plants cultivated for mystical reasons, arranged in a precise order, according to their symbolism or their use. Some of them are supposed to bring protection, luck and happiness (garlic, banded wood, pigeon pea), others bring health and are associated with prayer, others ward off evil spirits (Indian reed, acacia, mugwort, parsley), and still others are said to help a soul pass on its way to death (fishtail fern). Creole gardens are making a strong comeback in Martinique and thus carries a very strong magic-religious aspect. It is no coincidence that it is the women, the guardians of traditions, particularly in Martinique's matrifocal society, who have exclusive responsibility for the garden.
The strong comenback of traditions
Faithful to its traditions, Martinique boasts a strong intangible cultural heritage, passed down orally from generation to generation, to which the population is very attached. These include traditional costumes, cockfighting, solidarity practices and, of course, Carnival.
Martinique costume. The result of a meeting between Indian style (madras cloth) and European style (bodices and petticoats), Martinican costume was long the preserve of slaves. This luxury was initially resented by the colonial administration. Made from a shiny fabric, the large ceremonial suit features a gathered bodice and a wide skirt pinched to one side to reveal the petticoat. Less and less worn, the traditional feminine costume has been progressively abandoned in favor of more contemporary outfits. A few silhouettes, however, can still be seen adorned with jewels, headdresses and madras petticoats for special occasions or mass. Some early models can be seen at the Musée Régional d'Art et d'Ethnographie in Fort-de-France.
Cockfighting, a controversial tradition. Commonly known as "pitt" in English, cockfighting is one of the favorite pastimes of the Martiniquais, or rather of a certain generally male public. In the fiery atmosphere of a "dimanch bomaten", two roosters are released into the arena to engage in a sometimes bloody battle. Sensitive souls beware! Although this attraction is part of Martinique's tradition, it is controversial for obvious reasons of animal welfare. The French Constitutional Council has confirmed the ban on opening new gallodromes in France. This implicitly authorizes existing gallodromes to continue operating. The aim is to see them disappear little by little, and for this tradition to fade over time. Even if they never emerge unscathed from these fights, the animals rarely die (they're worth too much!). The "pitt" often ends with an improvised bèlè in the center of the arena, which turns into a dance floor.
The bèlè. For some years now, Martinique has been reconciling itself with its past. Practices long considered shameful because inherited from colonial times are resurfacing and enjoying a revival. Such is the case of bèlè, an ensemble of music, Creole songs and dances set to the rhythm of the tambouyé (drummer). Also known as "bel air", bèlè first appeared during the colonial period, providing a musical backdrop for working the often distant fields, while telling the story of the island and its communities. Long neglected, the bèlè, a symbol of mutual aid and sharing, is now making a strong comeback in Martinique, which has three main centers: in the Caribbean north (Basse-Pointe and surrounding area), in Sainte-Marie, and in the south of the island, at Anses-d'Arlet.
Lasotè. Lasotè (literally, "land grabbing") is a tradition that emerged after the abolition of slavery in 1848, when a small, low-income peasantry inherited sloping land that was difficult to farm. They called on their peers to lift their tools in chorus and crush them into the earth, encouraged by the rhythm of the drum to keep up their efforts. In the second half of the 20th century, this practice of collective ploughing, which increases solidarity and fraternity tenfold, withered away as people moved to the cities. But thanks to a few enthusiasts, such as the Lasotè association in Fonds-Saint-Denis, it is making a remarkable comeback in Martinique, in a spirit of exchange and transmission of these skills and know-how.
Carnival in Martinique. Last but not least, it's impossible to talk about Martinique's traditions without mentioning Carnival, the biggest popular festival of the year, a veritable jubilation that sweeps the whole island in its wake. Originating in Europe, Carnival was introduced to the island by French settlers in the 17th century, and the slaves immediately took a liking to the euphoric celebration of the last days before Lent. Disguised (sometimes as masters), the slaves marched in convoys (the forerunner of the vide) and experienced this moment as a break in their freedom. Since the liberation of 1848, this tradition has been celebrated every year in euphoric fashion. It was in the streets that the main characters of Martinican carnival were born (Caroline Zié Loli, Mariann La Po Fig...). From 1950 onwards, the Place de la Savane could no longer contain the ever-growing carnival crowds. From the Sunday to the Wednesday before Ash Wednesday, Martinique comes to a standstill and lives only for and through its carnival, a symbol of truce in daily life. The event kicks off on the Friday following Epiphany and ends on Ash Wednesday. In the weeks leading up to the carnival, elections are held for the kings and queens of Martinique's communes, high schools and neighborhoods, who will proudly represent their localities in the grand vidés (street parades to carnival rhythms and the sound of floats or bands on foot) of Fort-de-France or the Parade du Sud. At the heart of carnival, each day is unique: Monday and its burlesque weddings, Mardi Gras marked in diabolical red and black, Ash Wednesday in black and white as a sign of mourning (this is the day when Vaval, the king of carnival, is burned). Days and nights follow one another in an atmosphere of frenzy and joy, expiatory before the much-observed Lent.
