Tentative Activities (cont’d):
2. Mont Pelée Volcano, the highest point in
Martinique (1395 m), looms over the
Northern part of the island. An active
volcano, Mount Pelée erupted on May 8,
1902, destroying the nearby city of SaintPierre and killing thousands of people. The
volcano is currently in a quiet phase and
visitors can hike to the summit and enjoy
spectacular views of the Atlantic and the
surrounding mountains on clear days. A
paved road leads from Morne Rouge for two
kilometers to the trailhead.
3. Rum distillery & museum or Habitation
Clément, dates from the 18th century. The
museum comprises a working distillery, the
equipment of the old distillery, the renovated
buildings of the plantation owner (18-19th
century furniture) and other buildings, and a
rum shop. It also doubles as a contemporary
art museum, exhibiting Caribbean artists’
paintings and sculptures. You can also learn
about plantation life, Martinique flora, creole
traditions, slavery, the economy of sugar cane
and rum throughout the island’s history, as
well as
how rum
is made.
J-TERM STUDY/TRAVEL COURSE 2018
FLET 246
Martinique:
The Identity of a
Caribbean Island
Instructor:
Professor Aouicha Hilliard
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: (804) 752-7277
Last Updated 4/11/2017
FLET 246
Martinique: The Identity of a
Caribbean Island
Course Descriptions:
In this course, taught in English, we will
read novels and essays by writers from
Martinique (Caribbean). These novels
present characters with a varying sense of
identity. Writers such as Aimé Césaire and
Frantz Fanon present the cultural and
psychological damages inflicted upon native
populations by colonization, and reject the
assimilation demanded by the French.
Instead, they propose a revalorization of
Black culture in a movement called
"Négritude." Writers from a later period,
such as Edouard Glissant and Patrick
Chamoiseau, who first adhered to the
principles of Négritude, eventually pointed
out its limitations, and opted instead for
"Caribbeanness" (Antillanité). This concept is
based on the notion of an identity that is open to
the world and experienced in relation to other
cultures. The result, "Creolization," brings together
diverse cultures into a new sense of self that is
enriched, rather than "diluted," by diversity.
Three hours.
Prerequisites:
None
[Note] FLET 246 and FREN 284 are traveling
together. Students are permitted, but not required,
to enroll in both courses.
Estimated Cost :
$3,400 per student
(100% due Sept. 21, 2017 and non-refundable
thereafter)
Tentative Travel Dates:
January 21-February 2, 2018
Faculty:
Dr. Aouicha Hilliard
Office: Haley 5
Professor Aouicha Hilliard
teaches courses in French and
Francophone literature. She
has led several J-Term Study/Travel courses
to France . She is eager to teach this course
on Martinique, which will allow her to add a
comparative element to her research on
France’s former colonies.
Tentative Activities:
1. Fort de France, the capital of Martinique, is
the main port. The city is laid out around
Place de la Savane, a central park with
palms, pathways, and statues, including one
of Empress Josephine (Napoleon’s wife).
Architectural attractions of the city include
Fort Royal (Fort Saint Louis), dating from
1638; the Palais de Justice, and the
Cathédrale Saint-Louis. The Neo
Romanesque Bibliothèque Schoelcher is a
highlight. Named for Victor Schoelcher, an
activist for the abolition of slavery in the
French colonies, the building was
dismantled and shipped to Martinique from
Paris in 1893. The Musée Départemental
d'Archéologie in Fort-de-France displays the
island's pre-Columbian history while the
Musée Regional d'Histoire et
d'Ethnographie features Creole furnishings,
clothing, jewelry, and musical instruments.
Pastorales Martinique by Paul Gauguin
Last Updated 4/11/2017