United Colors of Guadeloupe?

With the population of only about 420,000, Guadeloupe is unusually diverse. The White population constitutes only 3% and is particularly present in the southern archipelago of Les Saintes. Among the Whites, there are so-called Blancs-Pays - the descendants of the first French colonizers, coming predominantly from Bretagne and Normandie, born in America (and who speak both French and Creole) and the Métros – often only temporary residents of the island coming from metropolitan France (who speak only French).

The Mulattos constitute the majority (65%) of the population. They are mostly in charge of public administration and local politics (the Whites manage public domain, work in the real estate sector, as well as in the hotel and restaurant business).

The Black population constitutes 28%. Together with the Mulattos, the group inhabits the “continental” Guadeloupe (Grande-Terre and Basse-Terre – which I like to call the wings of the Guadeloupean butterfly). The Blacks and the Indians (4%) usually work in the sector of agriculture and public service. The latter group is said to be particularly separated from the others, having kept its traditions and rituals.

(Source: http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/axl/amsudant/guadeloupe.htm)

Below, a glimpse at the local diversity…

Medusa Scyphozoa

Pobyt na Gwadelupie to nie tylko poznawanie ludzi i obyczajów. Ciekawostką wyspy są też różnorakie żyjątka – od niemal fluorescencyjnych jaszczurek po muszle-kraby (haha! patrzę: o, ładna muszelka; a tu muszelka nagle dostaje nóżek i zaczyna spacerować po posadzce!). Dopóki dziwactwa te tylko sobie koło mnie maszerują, jak wyrzucam śmieci, nawet i im dzień dobry powiem. Jeśli jednak poparzy meduza, już mniej mi do śmiechu.

Jak wspomniałam kilka dni temu, po parnym dniu z wielką przyjemnością chodzę sobie popływać. Szybko się jednak nauczyłam, że w wodzie to nie ja jestem panią. Dość niedaleko brzegu w ciepłych nurtach wygrzawają się też meduzy...

Photo: http://p.prince.free.fr/media/taifish/meduse.jpg

Pamiętam jak pływając w Adriatyku już z daleka dostrzegałam białe kapelusze. Szybki odwrót i po sprawie. Tu o tyle trudniej dokonać uniku, że meduzy są małe i niemal przeźroczyste. Nawet pływając w okularkach jestem w stanie dostrzec jedynie zwiotczały pęd – coś jakby glon. I to już będąc poparzoną:-(

Na szczęście poparzenie to zwykle tylko nieprzyjemne podrapanie, coś jakby muśnięcie pokrzywą. Niekiedy pojawiają sie małe bąble, jak po ukąszeniach kilku komarów. Bąble te szybko znikają. Sama jednak świadomość, że meduzy są gdzieś w pobliżu, jest dość nieprzyjemna – zwłaszcza że ocierają się non-stop. Pieczenie odczuwalne jest dopiero po chwili, więc na początku ma się tylko wrażenie że to glony.

Morskie żyjątka dały mi do zrozumienia, że to one górują nad pływakami. W obawie przed mocniejszym ciosem specjalnie nie oddalam się od brzegu. Czas kąpieli uzależniam też od stopnia poparzenia. W momencie kiedy czuję, że meduzy niemal dosłownie zalazły mi już za skórę, mówię sobie basta i wychodzę z wody...

Le Gosier

I now live in Le Gosier (Eng. throat; Pl. gardziel:-), about 10 km east of Pointe-à-Pitre. Le Gosier is located on the eastern wing of the Guadeloupean "butterfly" - Grande-Terre. The city is one of the island's major resorts. Conveniently located and panoramic, it has a nice, sandy but narrow beach, stretching west to Pointe. We're now in the low season (mid-April to mid-December); nevertheless during the day the Gosier beach is crowded with Métros fleeing the continent to get some Caribbean sun...
(Map: http://www.les3epices.com/images/carte.jpg)








Le Gosier has a realtively compact center (bourg), with the city hall, a post office, several pharmacies, a few grocery stores, and bakeries. The city has a population of approx. 25,000 and is the third most populated commune in the French DROM.








Let's now take a short walk around the place where I'm staying...

The building used to serve as a police station (apparently some people still come here in emergencies; thus the surrounding area is supposedly quite safe). From its 2nd floor there is a nice view on the city. It's been rather foggy recently - on a nice clear day one could see from here the Soufrière, an active volcano on the west wing of the "butterfly" - Basse-Terre.



My two lovely neighbors... Apparently they have a nest right in front of my window. I once spotted them in flagranti:-)

I took this picture on my first morning in Guadeloupe. The peaceful atmosphere can be misleading here. From the dusk the streets are full of life. Because of the heat and the humidity, most people adjust their lifestyles to the pace of the day. For example Martine, a woman I sat next to on the plane, gets up at dusk and is ready for bed by 8-9pm! It was only past 7am when I went on the first stroll. Looking though the windows, the locals greeted me with a certain curiosity...

It takes only 3 minutes to get to the beach. It's like heaven here. After a humid day, tired having walked around, I love my daily swimming routine! The major downside is the jellyfish but it's a topic of its own...

L'Îlet du Gosier is located within approximately 500m off the Gosier coast. It is a small, picturesque coral island, since 2003 under the auspices of the Conservatoire du littoral. Actually, the name takes its origin in the pelicans (pélicans d'eau-grands gosiers) that used to hunt here.

Hector Poullet

Je viens de faire connaissance d’une grande authorité dans le domaine des créoles antillais, Hector Poullet. Hector est d’abord l’auteur de mon manuel pour apprendre le créole guadeloupéen, Le Creole Sans Peine (Methode quotidienne Assimil). Je l’ai aussi reconnu dans une photo en lisant le guide Evasion-Guadeloupe de Hachette. Mardi j’ai finalement eu la chance de rencontrer Hector en personne !

Né en 1938 en Guadeloupe, Hector Poullet milite pour l’introduction de la langue créole à l’école et pour le statut du bilinguisme en Guadeloupe. Prof de mathématique, aujourd'hui à la retraite, il continue toujours à donner des cours de langues et culture créole, tant pour les Antillais que pour les Métros. Hector est auteur de nombreuses publications, traductions et adaptations consacrées à la langue créole et sa promotion, telles que le Dictionnaire créole-français de Guadeloupe. Récemment Hector a collaboré à la sortie du numero 12 de Titeuf en créole Guadeloupe/Martinique.

Dès que je suis arrivée devant le Centre des Arts à Pointe- à-Pitre (ou Pointe, comme on dit ici), j’ai aperçu un monsieur aux cheveux gris, mais quand même énergique et (rare en Guadeloupe !) souriant. Il venait d’essayer de m’appeler sur mon portable, mais j’avait ignoré l’appel, en sachant que ça peut être lui. Avec nos boissons fraiches, nous nous sommes assis devant un restau chinois. Là nous avons commencé notre première (et j’éspere que pas la dernière) discussion. En fait, c’a été plutôt une échange des idées sur le créole. Hector voulait savoir pourquoi je m’interesse à cette langue et qu’est-ce qui m’a mené à continuer ma recherche en Guadeloupe. Et moi, j’ai posé des questions linguistiques, tout en sachant que Hector aime bien se plonger dans la langue pour faire remarquer ses nuances.

Pendant la première leçon j’ai appris une chansonnette martiniquaise qui commence par les mots : « Asiparé an pa bèl ankò… » Mon devoir c’est de l’apprendre par cœur pour puis pouvoir la chanter. En plus, j’ai appris quelques structures grammaticales, comme par exemple la répétition du verbe dans une phrase. Là donc c’est parti ! En attendant la prochaine rencontre avec Hector je vais me plonger dans des petits textes (les mémoriser ?), pour que la prochaine fois je puisse lui pale kreyòl.

(Photo: http://www.gensdelacaraibe.org/medias/photo/hector-poullet.jpg)


* * *

Just recently I have finally met Hector Poullet, an authority in the field of the Creole languages of the West Indies. Hector is the author of my Creole textbook, Le Creole Sans Peine (Methode quotidienne Assimil). I have also just spotted his picture in the guidebook Evasion-Guadeloupe, Hachette. I have not yet met a Guadeloupean who would not have heard about Hector. Also, all sociolinguists and cultural activists interested in the linguistic situation of the island(s) contact Hector for help.

Born in 1938 in Guadeloupe, Hector Poullet campaigns for the bilingual status of his island and for the introduction of Creole in the academic program. Today a retired math teacher, Hector continues to share his passion for language with both the locals and those coming from metropolitan France. He is the author of many publications, translations, and adaptations concerning the Creole language and culture, such as the Guadeloupean Creole-French Dictionary. Hector is a co-author of the recent version of the Numero 12 of Titeuf in Creole of Guadeloupe/Martinique.

When I arrived at the Arts Center in Pointe-à-Pitre (or Pointe, as they say here), I noticed a grey-haired man, yet seemingly quite energetic and, what is rare here, smiling! He had just tried to reach me on my cell (I don’t think I was late though), but I ignored the call seeing him with a cell phone in his hand. With ice-cold drinks we sat by a Chinese restaurant, and began our first (and hopefully not last) discussion. It was actually more of an exchange of ideas about the language. Hector wanted to know why I want to study Creole and what has led me to continue my endeavor in Guadeloupe. Myself, I asked many purely linguistic questions; I noticed that Hector was particularly enthusiastic about sharing those nuances with me.

During this first lesson I also learned a little song of Martinique, “Asiparé an pa bèl ankò…” Now my homework is to memorize the text and try to sing it. I actually believe that singing is a great way to learn a new language. Hector promised to share with me a new song each time we meet. That day, however, we later just continued to discuss grammatical structures. I am going to work on the song in the days to come, so that the next time I meet with Hector, I can already “pale kreyòl” (speak Creole).

First impressions

Since I got here, to the Gosier, four days ago I've participated in a traditional baptism ceremony, swum to the Ilet du Gosier some 500 meters off the Gosier coast, watched an African dance show, had dinner at the Marina, gone to a presentation about the traditional drums Gwo-ka, marched in the parade of the Batille Day, spoken Creole (yay!), and listened to it at all times. These have been truly intense days. But I have to say I couldn't wish for a better beginning of my journey. Although it will still take quite a few days (if not weeks) till I really start feeling at ease here - but thanks to the people I have met so far, and to the exceptional hospitality of my local host, Wilfrid, I already love this island.

Above is a preview of my Guadelouean life...

Watson Fellowship

My Watson adventure begun last Thursday, on July 10, when I first boarded the plane from Warsaw to Paris, and then from Paris to Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe). Ahead of me - twelve months of "decouverte du monde." But what is this all about?

"The mission of the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship Program is to offer college graduates (...) a year of independent, purposeful exploration and travel outside of the United States in order to enhance their capacity for resourcefulness, imagination, openness, and leadership and to foster their humane and effective participation in the world community."
(http://www.watsonfellowship.org/site/what/what.html)

And a few words about my personal project:
In the World of Words: Exploring Creole Culture through an Oral Lens
French Creoles are primarily oral languages of limited official recognition, but whose examination brings new light to cross-cultural sociolinguistics. By engaging in social and cultural activities in Guadeloupe, Seychelles, French Guiana, and New Caledonia, I will learn about cultural and demographic diversity. Participating in daily activities and traditional festivals, and working with Creole cultural preservationists I will examine the importance of oral cultural transmission in the modern world.