Introduction The word “zombie” has been used for centuries to refer to those who continue to live on after they have perished in the real world. Some regions in the Caribbean, like Haiti and Martinique, have their own descriptions and beliefs on what a zombie is and how their citizens have interacted with them. The […]
Category: Slavery
Ninon
Background Ninon is a supporting character in the fictional novel Texaco by Patrick Chamoiseau. While she is only present in the book for a limited period of time, Ninon’s story relates to the historical lives of women who lived on plantations and experienced the first days of freedom after being raised, taught, and enduring the life of […]
Békés
Introduction Békés are the white population of Martinique who have been living there for generations (Bongie 225). As seen with Esternome’s early life stories, békés were originally plantation owners and owned masses of enslaved people. The békés’ forces were harsh, and they continued to push the power discrepancies, which allowed themselves to continue to grow […]
Sugarcane
Sugarcane is a species of tropical grass with a hard, thick stem that can reach several meters tall. Originating from eastern Asia, sugarcane was brought to the Caribbean by Christopher Columbus, and since then has grown exponentially, impacting the Caribbean culture and economy dramatically. Its rapid growth caused the introduction of slavery into the New World, […]
Maroons and Marronage
History Sparking from the traumatizing and damaging slavery experience, individuals, known as maroons, escape their plantation, seeking out a better life. Although the exact date is not clear, the early 1600’s is believed to be the start of slavery. As a result of the awful conditions the enslaved persons endured, they escaped from their plantations […]
Esternome Laborieux
Esternome Laborieux is the deuteragonist of the novel Texaco by Patrick Chamoiseau. His life is characterized by a series of ups and downs and attempts of mediating his want for stability with his feeling of obligation for change. He is the father of the narrator, Marie-Sophie Laborieux. Esternome’s life is recounted throughout the first half […]
Le Code Noir (Black Code)
Introduction Slavery characterized the beginning of globalization by powering the Caribbean economy. However, this positive impact on the economy was accompanied by the negative treatment of the enslaved people. The Code Noir was the governing set of laws that outlined the regulations by which enslaved people were to live in French colonies. This set of […]
