Culture of Martinique

Martinique’s own culture is diverse, unique and characteristic. Despite the ubiquitous French influence on Martinican culture, French-Indian Creole traditions dominate the island's cuisine, language, music and customs. Although French is the official language, most Martinicans also speak Creole, which grew out of the pidgin that early settlers used to communicate with each other.

The language also possesses traces of the many tongues spoken by the African slaves. Music is a large part of the culture on the island. The beguine, an Afro-French form of dance music with a bolero rhythm, originated in Martinique in the 1930’s. A more contemporary French West Indies creation, zouk, draws on the beguine and other French Caribbean folk forms. With its Carnival like rhythm and hot dance beat, zouk has become as popular in Europe as it is in the French Caribbean. Consequently, this vibrant type of music has spread to other islands and to Europe. The waltz and the mazurka also feature in the balls because Martinicans have a very particular predilection for the dance.

The martinican food has tastes of Caribbean, African, French and Indian influence.

The national sports in Martinique are cockfighting and horse racing, which differs from the other eastern Caribbean islands where cricket dominates the athletic sector.

A literary and philosophical movement known as Négritude emerged in the 1930s, largely through the writings of Martinican native Aimé Césaire, a poet and long-time mayor of Fort-de-France. Négritude strived to advance social and cultural values and re-establish bonds with African traditions that had been suppressed by French colonialism.

More than a dozen museums offer visitors a wonderful opportunity to explore Martinique's history and heritage. The museums are small, designed for easy visiting, and are scattered throughout the island. Some are devoted to famous islanders such as the Empress Joséphine (l'impératrice), others to historical events like the eruption of Mont Pelée volcano and still others to prehistoric Martinique, the abolition of slavery, the production of rum, etc.