Martinique 2015 - (Page 13)

Island of the Arts Martinique offers high-end shopping. Shopping The quality of both European (especially French) and fine locally crafted goods in Martinique is exceptional. For the latter, visitors to Fort-de-France can explore the Fort-de-France authentic marketplace, where they'll find indigenous straw-made goods and wood carvings ranging from traditional to contemporary. They'll find yet more handcrafted goods at the Centre des Métier d'Art, which is also a good source of Madras fabrics. (Why Madras? Plantation owners brought over indentured servants from India after the 1848 emancipation of slaves.) Visitors also enjoy Le Grand Marché Couvert, or Covered Market, designed by Picq in 1901. Its vendors sell beautiful fruits, vegetables, some crafts and freshly ground spices. As for French and other European goods-Baccarat, Cartier, Lalique, etc.-Fort-de-France's Rue Victor Hugo is a good place to start. Other streets in the capital with world-class shopping include Moreau de Jones, Antoine Siger and Lamartine. Fortde-France has a Galeries Lafayette, too, as well as a full-blown mall, La Cour Perrinon, with both luxury goods and stores selling more practical items such as food, books and electronic gear. Fashionable boutiques can be found in the capital, of course, but also at marinas and in towns like Trois-Îlets and Saint-Pierre. One other shopping experience in Martinique that everyone enjoys, an experience that has elements of both European and Martinican traditions: the shops at the rum distilleries. Another great location for shopping enthusiasts is La Galleria, a shopping mall of more than 100 boutiques, one of the largest in the Lesser Antilles. La Galleria features famous French brands, jewelry stores, designer clothing, fine food products, and high-end beauty retailers. g Every island nurtures its arts, but with writers such as Patrick Chamoiseau, Edouard Glissant, and Frantz Fanon, Martinique is in a league of its own. This island is an epicenter of dynamic cultural activity: cinemas, theatrical performance, exhibitions, music festivals, national cultural events, etc. Many Martinican artists bear Martinique's colors abroad and comprise the island's cultural heritage. Aimé Césaire Home to the late poet and playwright Aimé Césaire, Martinique inspired Césaire's writing and his leadership in the international Négritude Movement, which has encouraged African Diaspora culture. Césaire also served as mayor of a prominent city-Fortde-France-for decades. In fact, in 2013-the centenary of his birth-many tributes were paid around the world to poet Aimé Césaire, recognized internationally as one of the greatest poets ever. Buried in Fort-de-France, he has been among the personalities of the Panthéon since 2011. Bench by the Road The gardens of the Fort-de-France city hall also house a bench from the TONI MORRISON foundation, inaugurated in 2013 in honor of Aimé Césaire, a great figure of Martinique. This is the 10th Bench by the Road inaugurated in the world for the African-American writer and is aimed at celebrating the abolition of slavery. Filmmaking Star Martinique is also home of director, writer and producer Euzhan Palcy, who has produced and directed over 15 features and documentaries beginning with "Rue Cases-Nègres" (Sugar Cane Alley) in 1983, which won a "Silver Lion" award at the Venice Film Festival. Her work explores themes of race, gender and politics from a decidedly feminist perspective, and features performances by Marlon Brando, Susan Sarandon, Donald Sutherland and Alan Alda. Music, Song, Dance: The Backbone of Martinican Society West Indian traditions and culture derive from the mixed nature of its society (African, Indian, Amerindian and European). Traditional dances such as bèlè and damier (or ladja, simulated fighting by men) continue to have their place during celebratory festivities, and to them have been added mazurka, zouk, biguine, chouval bwa, haute-taille and others. Martinique, A Place of Creation Owing to its geographical location and island features, Martinique is an inviting place, a genuine crossroads of all sorts of influences: Western, American, African and Asian. The local wildlife and culture are sources of inspiration for everyone from painters, draftsmen and sculptors, to video artists and photographers. Campus Caribéen des Arts IRAVM (the Martinique Regional Institute of Visual Arts), created in 1984 by the Regional Council, is the driving force behind the new multidisciplinary cluster "Campus Caribéen des Arts (CCA)." The CCA (campuscaraibeendesarts.com), formerly known as IRAVM, is the visual arts division of an institution that has four others: living arts (music, dance and theater), audiovisual cinema, applied arts and prospective research. g 13 http://www.campuscaraibeendesarts.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Martinique 2015

A Quick Tour of the Island of Flowers
Historic Sights & A Thrilling Backstory
Food & Rhum
Shopping & Island of the Arts
Active Pursuits
Cruising Destination
Accommodations
Calendar of Events & Essential Facts

Martinique 2015