Kassav' & Jocelyne Béroard

Kassav', the legend of the West-Indian zouk, came into existence in the late 70s. The group has since gone through various phases, from the carnavalesque fascination to the closer links with rock and funk. They are nevertheless famous for popularizing of the culture of the Antilles, and particularly its Creole language - so present in the Kassav' songs.




















As soon as I arrived in Guadeloupe in July 2008, I hurried to buy the ticked for the concert in Baie-Mahault, celebrating 30 years of the group. The concert was an unforgettable event. Although at the time I could only sing along: "Zouk la sé sel médikamen nou ni", the Kassav' music is so vibrant that after the 3 hours I immediately became a fan.















After its 30 years of existence Kassav' is present everywhere. Its artists, whetrher they are still members of the group or not, continue performing and encouraging other musicians to work on new innovative melodies. Jocelyne Béroard, Kassav' lead female singer, has had a flourishing group and solo career. While still in Guadeloupe, I saw her perform at the concert "Women Sing Gwoka"...




















...When I took the pictures abouve and below. Later on I also met Jocelyne in... Seychelles - where she was invited as a special guest of the cinema festival. What is more, one could hear the famous Kassav' rhythms on the radio - both in the West Indies, and in the Indian Ocean!

The Legacy of Aimé Césaire

I first heard about Aimé Césaire in the Francophone Cultures course that I took at Hamilton College my freshman year. We learned about the "Négritude" and the two other founders of the movement, Léopold Senghor and Léon Gontian Damas. We read Cahier d'un retour au pays natal. We watched a movie about Césaire's life. It was then that I heard the famous phrase for the very first time: "Il est beau et bon et légitime d'être Nègre."
As a senior at Hamilton I chose to examine Tropiques, a cultural revolutionary review published by Césaire, his wife Suzanne, and other intellectuals under the Vichy regime in Martinique. Tropiques were a collection of short texts, poems, and letters that portrayed the particularities of the West Indies, but at a closer look - criticized the regime. The authors used surrealist writings as a means to convey the "second meaning." Publishing of Tropiques was interrupted in 1943 and the review depicted as "révolutionnaire, raciale et sectaire." More issues came out of press by 1945.Poet, playwright, and politician, Aimé Césaire is one of the most influential authors from the French-speaking Caribbean. In his works he promoted his homeland, and his racial and cultural heritage. He aimed at "restoring the cultural identity of black Africans." (http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/cesaire.htm)

Below I am pasting Césaire's abbreviated biography
(based on: http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/594):

Aimé Césaire was born June 25, 1913, in Basse-Pointe, a small town on the northeast coast of Martinique in the French Caribbean. He attended the Lycée Schoelcher in Martinique, and the Parisian schools Ecole Normale Supérieure and the Lycée Louis-le-Grand. As a student he and his friend, Léopold Senghor of Sénégal created L'Etudiant noir, a publication that brought together students of Africa and the West Indies. Later, with his wife, Suzanne Roussi, Césaire co-founded Tropiques, a journal dedicated to American black poetry. Both journals were a stronghold for the ideas of Negritude.He served as Mayor of Fort-de-France as a member of the Communist Party, and later quit the party to establish his Martinique Independent Revolution Party. He was deeply involved in the struggle for French West Indian rights and served as the deputy to the French National Assembly. He retired from politics in 1993. Césaire died on April 17, 2008 in Martinique.

During my week-long stay in Fort-de-France in September, on numerous occasions I noticed that Aimé Césaire is still present in the life of the Martiniquais. Streets, cultural centers, and the Town Hall, all directly or indirectly carry the poet's thought. The selected photos are just a sample of this presence.

Martinique

Biblioteka Schoelcher, Fort-de-France



















Cmentarz w Fort-de-France















Targ w Fort-de-France




















Saint-Pierre



















Morne-Rouge z Montagne Pelée w tle















Habitation Clement, Le François















Bellefontaine

Music and Cultures in Gosier

Fête du Gosier was the highlight of the last week of August. With the theme «la diversité notre richesse, la solidarité notre force,» the Fête celebrated the minorities present in the region, and particularly the importance of peaceful and friendly cohabitation. Numerous events of the week included a special service at the local Church of St Louis, vin d'honneur (a toast) at the Town Hall, a concert of spiritual music by Lina Racon, a Lewoz, and many other attractions...

As a choir member, together with about 30 other choristes, I sang celebratory chants in French as well as in Creole during the service. The rehearsals began in mid-July. We'd meet every Friday night to first learn and then revise the songs. Mme Cessy was a wonderful choir teacher. I loved her enthusiasm and the passion for choir singing. I thought it was particularly funny when during the rehearsals, annoyed with our poor performance (:-), she would abruptly switch to Creole yelling that she's going to have us all soak in the rain and that she cannot stand such a disorganized group. Nevertheless, the performance was great afterall. It was easy to see that the audience (the locals and the officials) present during the service was very touched. I had great time singing too...
I love how here, during major celebrations, the church becomes a local arts scene. Not only did the choir clap and dance when singing "Sen sen se ou Sen o!" ("Saint Saint Vous etes Saint oh!"), but we also shared the joy with the entire church community. We had a small band too - a pianist (Mme Cessy's husband), a guitarist, and a drummer Gwo Ka. Shame on all those who resisted swinging during the celebration!
I was truly touched when another choir member lent me one of her beautiful madras dresses. At first slightly afraid that wearing the dress will provoke some nasty comments (like "Do you think that wearing madras will make you a community member?"), I quickly realized that the local people truly appreciate my festive image. And indeed, when dancing the zouk later in the afternoon, I did feel I was a member of the community in Gosier!
The concert of Lina Racon, a recognized spiritual Creole singer, began without surprises. A traditional choir, gospel rhythms, spiritual atmosphere...

Everything changed however, when a group of talented dancers started their show in front of the Altar. Ensuite, Lina's dance performance! Sitting in the first row I was truly surprized but also enchanted with the show...
Yet a true show was yet to follow. Approximately at midnight, at the nearby parking lot of Belle Plaine, a magical Lewoz took place. Lewoz is a traditional Gwo Ka performance, where a group of drummers, dancers, and singers gather for a mysterious celebration. Dancers appear from the crowd, and disappear after their demo; the musicians like in a trance continue drumming inviting more and more performers to come and join. The audience gathers around the enchanted group. Some listeners clap and dance rhythmically; tourists take photos; elderly people bring small chairs and without a word or a gesture observe the show.

I returned to Belle Plaine the following day. The parking lot lost all of its mysterious charm. Yet the drumming, still pulsating in my head, did not cease.

The Fête culminated with representatives of different minorities present in Gosier signing a pact on intra-cultural solidarity. After a panel discussion during which everyone was welcome to express both positive and negative comments on minority co-habitation in the region, Jean-Pierre Dupont, mayor of Gosier, invited representatives of different nations and cultures to sign the pact to reinforce the community spirit. A simple yet a praiseworthy act, the pact has later been referred to on numerous occasions.

Indeed, to me Gosier seems an open and welcoming community, with various international influences. A new Western trend or the multicultural roots of West Indies?

Fête des Cuisinières

Już od ponad 2 tygodni noszę się z myślą, by zamieścić tu garść fotek z tradycyjnej Fête des Cuisinières, czyli – Święta Kucharek! Od ponad 90 lat kucharki z Gwadelupy rokrocznie paradują w sierpniową sobotę po Pointe-à-Pitre, prezentując swój kunszt i fantazję.

I’ve been thinking of uploading this bunch of photos from the traditional Fête des Cuisinières for over two weeks. The Fête des Cuisinières – aka The Cooks’ Festival – has been celebrated for over 90 years now. On a Saturday in August the local cooks parade through Pointe-à-Pitre, demonstrating their talent and fantasy.

Nie będąc pewną, o której godzinie odbędzie się tradycyjna msza ku czci Świętego Wawrzyńca (haha, ciekawa jestem, czy sami organizatorzy to wiedzieli, bo mimo wytrwałych dociekań – z trudem zbierałam informacje), pod katedrę pod wezwaniem Św. Piotra i Pawła przybyłam o 9.00. I znakomicie sie złożyło, bo – jako ze msza ostatecznie miała się rozpocząć dopiero o 10.00 – na tyłach kościoła miałam okazję przyjrzeć się przygotowaniom do uroczystości i cyknąć parę fajnych fotek.

I was not sure what time the service celebrating Saint Laurence was to take place (I wonder whether even those in charge could tell me, ‘cause despite asking around, I could not really get any precise info). Thus already by 9am I was at the St Peter and Paul Cathedral in Pointe. The mass was to begin at 10am and I spent an hour observing preparations for the festival and taking pictures behind the church.

Tuż przed 10.00 dumne kucharki tłumnie przemaszerowały przed zgromadzoną pod kościołem gawiedzią. Następnie zajęły zarezerwowane w świątyni miejsca. Msza była spektaklem kolorów i muzyki (z udziałem uznanego tu piosenkarza, Rony Theophile – widocznego na zdjęciu poniżej).

Just before 10am the crowd of proud cooks slowly walked before those gathered by the church. Then the women took their places inside the cathedral. The Mass was a show of colors and music (with the participation of a recognized local singer, Rony Theophile who can be seen in the photo below).

Później wesoły tłum powoli wylał się ze świątyni. Kucharki rozdały małe tradycyjne ciasteczka i inne wypieki. Publiczność podzieliła się „zdobyczami”, by następnie zmieszać się z kolorowym pochodem defilującym po ulicach Pointe-à-Pitre. Zarówno atmosfera défilé jak i słowa nuconej przez kucharki piosenki, „Ouvé la wond bèl kuizinier” (otwórzcie [tańczący] krąg, śliczne kucharki:-), na długo pozostają w pamięci…

Then the merry crowd slowly left the church. The cooks distributed small traditional cookies and other goodies. People shared the snacks and joined the colorful défilé marching through the city. Both the festival atmosphere and the lyrics of the cooks’ chant, „Ouvé la wond bèl kuizinier” (open the [dancing] circle pretty cooks:-), will surely remain in my memory.

Tribute to Guy Tirolien

Le 7 et 8 août à l’île voisine de la Guadeloupe, Marie-Galante (qui fait d’ailleurs partie de la commune Pointe-à-Pitre), on a rendu hommage au poète Guy Tirolien. Décédé en 1988, Tirolien a eu une grande influence sur la construction de l’identité guadeloupéenne dans les années 60. Son écriture, marquée par l’ouverture sur le monde, est aussi une réflexion politique. Elle balance entre l’observation et l’engagement ; entre l’univers africain et antillais.
(photo: http://www.lehman.cuny.edu/ile.en.ile/paroles/images/tirolien.jpg)

Ensemble avec Aimé Césaire, Léopold Sédar Senghor et Léon-Gontran Damas, Tirolien s’est engagé dans le combat de la Négritude (la Négritude a été un mouvement littéraire et idéologique initié dans les années 30. à Paris et caractérisé par une réaction à la periode de colonisation, la mise en valeur de la race noire et des racines africaines, ainsi qu’un style littéraire réaliste). De plus Tirolien a été un des fondateurs de la revue Présence africaine publiée dès 1947. Il a sorti deux recueils de poésie : « Balles d’or » et « Feuilles vivantes au matin ». Dans « Balles d’or » on retrouve son poéme le mieux connu, « Prière d'un petit enfant nègre ».

L’œuvre de Tirolien continue à influencer les générations des intellectuels antillais. Elle est étudiée tant en France qu’aux Etats-Unis (et ailleurs, j’en suis sûre). Le colloque à Marie-Galante a eu pour son but rendre l’hommage à l’écrivain, mais aussi démontrer l’influence de son œuvre sur la pensée et la politique guadeloupéenne à présent. On s’est concentré autours du thème : « Guy TIROLIEN à la source de notre identité ». Sous le parrainage de l’écrivaine Simone Schwartz-Bart, la Commune de la ville de Grand-Bourg a organisé un vernisage des photos et des publications par/sur Guy Tirolien, ainsi qu’un colloque.

J’ai participé à la manifestation avec beaucoup d’intérêt. J’ai eu le plaisir de parler avec Simone Schwartz-Bart, dont le mari (qui en 1959 a d’ailleurs gagné le prix Goncourt) était d’origine polonaise. J’ai aussi eu l’honneur de faire connaissance d’un fils de Guy Tirolien, Alain. De l’autre côté, les organisateurs ont exprimé leur joie du fait que l’œuvre de l’écrivain est connue par les étrangers...

De plus, j’ai profité de mon sejour à Grand-Bourg pour visiter un peu la ville. Marie-Galante m’a paru très différente de la Guadeloupe. Elle a son charme particulier. Voici quelques photos :

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Tribute to Guy Tirolien

On August 7-8, the inhabitants of an island neighboring with Guadeloupe, Marie-Galante (under the administration of Pointe-à-Pitre), paid tribute to Guy Tirolien. Deceased in 1988, Tirolien strongly influenced the formation of the Guadeloupean identity in the 1960s. His writings are characterized by the opening-up to the world, and at the same time they are a reflection upon the political situation. They blend the observation and the engagement, the universe of Africa and the one of the West Indies.

Together with Aimé Césaire, Léopold Sédar Senghor and Léon-Gontran Damas, Tirolien was an active member of the Négritude (Négritude was a literary and ideological movement initiated in the 1930s in Paris; it reflected reactionary attitudes against the colonial period, promoted the Black race and its African heritage; it was characterized by a realistic literary style). Tirolien was also one of the founders of the magazine Présence Africaine published since 1947. He released two collections of poems: « Balles d’or » and « Feuilles vivantes au matin. » Tirolien’s most famous poem, « Prière d'un petit enfant nègre, » can be found in « Balles d’or. »

The writings of Guy Tirolien continue to influence generations of the West Indian intellectuals. They are studied in France and in the US (and elsewhere, I’m sure). The aim of the conference organized in Marie-Galante was to pay tribute to the writer, but also to manifest the influence Tirolien’s writings continue to have on the Guadeloupean thought and the politics. The theme of the event was: « Guy TIROLIEN à la source de notre identité » (Guy TIROLIEN at the source of our identity ?) Under the patronage of the writer Simone Schwartz-Bart, the commune of the city of Grand-Bourg organized a vernissage of the exhibition of the photos and publications by and about Tirolien, followed by the conference.

I participated in the event with great interest. I had the pleasure to chat with Simone Schwartz-Bart, whose husband (the recipient of the Goncourt Prize in 1959) had Polish ancestors. I also had the honor to meet one of the sons of Guy Tirolien, Alain. At the same time, the organizers seemed quite pleased that Tirolien’s poetry is known abroad...

Obviously I also took the opportunity to visit Grand-Bourg. In general, Marie-Galante to me seems very different from Guadeloupe. It has its own particular charm. You’ll find some snapshots above.

Gwo Ka

One of the particularities of Guadeloupe, gwo ka refers to a group of traditional drums as well as the music played with them. As soon as I arrived on the island, people would ask me whether I have already seen a traditional lewoz - a community performance usually organized on Friday evenings. Whenever there is a festival or a fête, even from afar one can hear the distinct deep drumming. Gwo ka music can also be played to accompany oral folk tales...

Although it seems completely spontaneous at first, gwo ka is a structured performance where the musician playing on the biggest drum, the boula, provides the central rhythm and the markeur interplays with it. There are seven rhythms of gwo ka. Each transmits a different message and has its distinct characteristics. The Gwadeloupeans like to contemplate upon the variety of meanings that can be conveyed by the gwo ka music.


What particularly fascinates me in the gwo ka performance is its spontaneity and the personal touch. Rather than a show in front of the audience, gwo ka is like a dialogue with the listeners. It can be communicated through music only, but is often accompanied by guttural and rough singing. As soon as the school year begins in September I want to take some gwo ka singing lessons. I will share the experience with you later on...

Dance in Guadeloupe is just as natural as walking in Poland. I have not yet been to a soirée where once the traditional zouk is played, people would not get up and start dancing. I particularly remember when - just arrived in Guadeloupe - I participated in the celebrations of the July 14 in Pointe-à-Pitre. A crowd of predominantly elderly ladies gathered in the room where instrumentalists and singers performed both modern and traditional music. The second they began playing a more rhythmic hit, the ladies moved the chairs aside and started balancing their hips rhythmically:-) One of the youngest in the audience, I could not help but join them in this melodic euphoria!

As zouk does, gwo ka also provokes dancing. Here however, a certain skill and preparation are required. The girl in the picture below may be 4-5 years old. I presume that she has been exposed to the distinct gwo ka drumming since she could walk. Believe me - her dancing was simply amazing. She was perfectly at ease while maintaining eye-contact with the markeur (gwo ka dancing is a form of non-verbal communication). You could see the passion in her eyes when she skillfully passed from one gwo ka figure to another. Without any shyness she looked at the audience as if she were saying: "dancing gwo ka is as natural as breathing."

Well, I have yet to learn how to breathe in Guadeloupe...