Iole A. Apicella
MARTINIQUE
Martinique was discovered during Christopher Columbus’ fourth trip to the New World. Martinique was conquered by the French on September 15, 1635. Soon the Governor, Belain d’Ensambuc, started to exterminate the Caribe Indians, the original inhabitants of the island. The island was afterwards taken over by people of all ways of life: nobles and protestants exiled after the revocation of the treaty of Nantes.
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The island of Martinique was originally called Madinina, The Arawakan Indians were the first inhabitants followed by the Carib Indians. Slaves working in a sugar plantation. Martinique was known as a sugar island.
Introduction of slavery in Martinique
In the middle of the 17th century the original structure of the island was completely changed with the culture of sugar cane. The society was split in two powers : the Grands Blancs (Big Whites) and the Petits Blancs (Small whites). The first ones had the protection of the king’s Council which allowed them to have all the political and economic power. The second ones called also
Obligés
(obligated) had to follow the orders of the other class and were generally bound by a three year contract from which their name was derived. Under these circumstances the introduction of slaves was welcomed because they would provide all the help the
Obligés
were required to give. As a direct result the use of “Engagement” was abolished by a decree on September 10,1774. (Engagement was the technical word to define specifically the three year contract which bound the workers coming in the island to work as labourers).
According to records approximately 50 million, maybe more, black slaves were transported during the trade with a loss of about 20% during the trip. In 1664 the count was 3.158 slaves against a population of 2.904 whites.
The working day of a slave began at sunrise with little rest, which according to the historian Gaston Martin for the period 1752-1776 would cause the death of 1/3 of the slaves. Also, according to a chronical writer of the time, Hillard d’Auberteuil, their lifespan was no more than fifteen years due not to sickness, but rather to the tyranny of their masters.
Apparition of Mixed Blood
Sexual encounters between masters and black slaves were frequent. The offspring of such unions were called mulattos. There were however other definitions to stress the differences between the levels of inhabitants of the island:
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Bekes or Z’oreille—a white person coming directly from the metropolitan areas of France.
-
Créole
—Whites born in Martinique or living in Martinique for several generation with direct origin with the mother country.
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Blacks—Black people with black complexion and black or brown eyes.
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Mestis—Offspring of white and blacks.
At the end of the reign of Louis XV Mulattos were the core of the island as important in number as the whites. They did not however have a strong political and economic power. Among the restrictions:
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Mulattos were forbidden to be called Monsieur (gentleman, sir) and Madame (lady).
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Mulattos were forbidden to meet even for wedding parties or dances
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Mulattos could not take particular seats during ceremonies.
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Mulattos could not walk on public walks.
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Mulattos could not infiltrate the kingdom no matter for what reason.
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Mulattos could not call themselves with a name reserved for whites (Julien 1955, T,I, p. 83).
Even if the children came from the union with a slave and were given lands, they were generally of low worth making them therefore merely little farmers.
On May 15, 1791 it seemed that all colored people born from free parents would obtain that freedom. But they were betrayed when the same decree was overturned on September 24, 1791 by another decree stating that all the rights concerning the political-status of the colored people and of the free blacks would be handled by the several assemblies of the Colonies.
The colored people had therefore no alternative but to turn to an organization called “The Society of the Friends of the Blacks (La Societe des Amis des Noirs”. They joined also the abolition party and the party of the Republic.
Life in Martinique during the 17th century is well described by R.P. Tertre and R.P. Labat.
Slavery was finally abolished in 1848 through the initiatives of the French reformer Victor Shoelcher and all the inhabitants became French citizens. Martinique became a department of France in 1946.
Important political figures of Martinique
Among the figures who played an important role in Martinique we can find Bissette, Victor Shoelcher and Josephine Bonaparte.
Bissette
He was the main figure of “mulatto” politics. He was a free black and a little slave owner. He was exiled in France where he became a strict abolitionist. Back in Martinique in 1849 he campaigned with the rich white creole
Pécoulle
.
Josephine Bonaparte (1763-1814)
Josephine was born in Martinique under her family name of Marie Rose Josephine Tacher. She married the Vicomte de Beauharnais in 1779 and she transferred in Paris. During the French Revolution her husband was guillotined but Josephine escaped the execution. In 1796 she married Napoleon Bonaparte. She became empress of France in 1804 bur five years later the marriage was annulled because the lack of an heir.
