Latest posts by Fabienne Flessel
Global: International Creole Month
October has become the month of the worldwide celebration of Creole language and the Creole blogosphere is paying attention.
Guadeloupe: The Water Days
In The French-speaking Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, also dubbed “the Island with Beautiful Waters”, water is vital. Bloggers share their thoughts on the recently concluded les Journées de l'Eau en Guadeloupe (Water Days in Guadeloupe) conference.
Guadeloupe: Erika Delays School
The first day of school was seriously challenged by Tropical Storm Erika: les Cantin en Guadeloupe [FR] expresses fear as the alert levels are raised, Critiqart Guadeloupe [FR] can't see the need for delaying the first day of school because of some rain and wind, and Shakazulu [FR CR] thinks...
French Caribbean: Farewell Mickael
The news of the death of the King of Pop was like an earthquake felt around the world. The shock wave reached the French Caribbean, where bloggers from Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, all pay homage to the late artist.
Caribbean: Following the path of the Caribs
Since the beginning of 2009, French West Indians have questioned their identity, their national heritage and their present-day situation in different ways. Kintamingo Ema, a Martinican blog, presents an initiative which mixes a social insertion, historical and archeological project with an identity quest. Dubbed "Kintamingo Ema, sur le chemin de nos ancêtres" (Kintamingo Ema, following the path of our ancestors), the project was launched by Association Karisko , an association focusing on social integration.
Guadeloupe: In May 2009, keep May 1802 and May 1967 in mind
2009 will definitely be a "new" year in Guadeloupe - at least judging from a pun that people used as their New Year's wish, since in Creole "new" is pronounced "nef" and "nine" is also pronounced "nef". The first social movements in December 2008 foreshadowed the massive mobilization which took place from January until March 2009, which resulted in 45 days of an all-out strike on the island. Although an agreement was signed, the situation still has not been properly settled - and May, traditionally a month of protest in the French and Guadeloupean social history, is particularly hot this year.
Guadeloupe: May Day demonstrations
In a photo-post, Guadeloupean Chien créole [Fr] blogs about the first massive demonstrations since the end of the recent social turmoil in the French West Indies: May Day celebration in Petit-Canal; meanwhile, Shakazulu [Guadeloupean Creole] reports on the number of demonstrators.
French Overseas Departments: Questioning the “Estates General”
Guadeloupean Mycho blogs [Fr] about her doubts concerning the “Estates General of the French Overseas Departments” to re-think the status of its distant departments, while bloggers Anba pyé mango-la and indiscrétions [Fr] also report on developments.
Martinique: Celebrating Aimé Césaire
It is with great reverence that Martinican bloggers celebrated the first anniversary of the death of Aimé Césaire, who passed away on April 17th 2008.
Guadeloupe: Sarkozy & Guadeloupe
After the 45-day mobilization in Guadeloupe, French President Nicolas Sarkozy made many promises – Mycho, who blogs at Critiqart Guadeloupe [Fr], expresses her disappointment about the President's attitude.
Martinique: Homage to Aimé Césaire
Today, Martinique celebrates its greatest personality, the self-entitled “Nègre Fondamental”: the late author and politican, Aimé Césaire. Montray Kréyol [Fr] publishes three posts about his life, accomplishments and homages paid to him.
French Caribbean: “Les Scoops d'Or” Competition
On the blog Les Scoops d'or, Lagencedecom’ and Scoop announce the launch of a new blog and website competition in the West Indies!
France, Americas, Africa: The “Y'a Bon” Awards
On March 17th 2009, a group called les Indivisibles [Fr] launched the “Y'a Bon Awards”, a dubious honour bestowed upon politicians, journalists, or any public officials who have contributed to the spreading of racism in France. The Awards have sprung from reactions to a century-long advertising campaign that has not sat well with most black people in France.
Guadeloupe: Songs to support the strike
Kam who blogs at Fwiyapin shows [Fr] how instrumental music and chants have played a part in the recent social movement in Guadeloupe, by quoting the latest songs of Guadeloupean artists, in a post entitled “Lyriks kont Pwofitasyon” [Creole] (lyrics against all sorts of abuse).
Martinique, Guadeloupe: “Threat” of Independence
Martinican blogger Imaniyé expresses [Fr] her surprise at the fact that whenever French West Indians speak out to claim their rights, the French Government replies with a “threat” of independence.
Haiti: Carnival or Nothing!
The succession of disasters in Haiti in 2008 like the hurricanes Ike, Hannah and Gustav and the tragic collapse of a primary school in November, in Pétionville, has probably made the celebration of Carnival even more relevant and necessary in Haiti this year.
Guadeloupe: Police “Blunder”?
Amidst the confusion of the month-long social conflict in Guadeloupe, two nights of violence took place on February 17th and 18th. Apart from acts of arson in shops and numerous burning roadblocks, the climax of these violent clashes has been the as-yet unsolved assassination of a man. Trikess, who blogs...
Martinique: Violent clashes in Fort de France
Martinican bloggers Imaniyé and Bondamanjak both note the recent degradation of the social conflict in Martinique, as clashes between the police and young people took place in the capital city of Fort-de-France, on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
Martinique: President Sarkozy
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has finally met with elected representatives of French Guiana, Martinique, Guadeloupe and Réunion, regarding the crisis which has been shaking the French West Indies for the last month. Martinican bloggers Imaniyé and blogde[moi] are dissatisfied and note that his TV address raised two questions: Why was...
Guadeloupe: Local media under pressure
Guadeloupean CaribCreoleOne is the first blogger to talk about the political pressure put on Guadeloupean media RCI and Canal 10. Some journalists even seem to have been summoned by the Local service of the Judiciary Police [Fr].
Guadeloupe: Where is it exactly?
French West Indian blogger Fwiyapin questions the way in which traditional French media are dealing with the Guadeloupean crisis – images of Guadeloupe and Madagascar mixed up on ITélé, or Guadeloupe suddenly being located in the Asia-Pacific column, in LeMonde.fr.
