MARTINIQUE POEMS

Poems: douard Glissant

1. Cold Weather Fever

Ashes canebrakes oh your days
By eternity are foresaken
And like fancy dress our lies
Are tears mirrored into life
Shallow mirror and high tower
Death-water no ocean can confine
Beyond the digging hoe the plow
The fever and the furrowed clay
Weep that my space may bind
Space more complete upon you
Than any ocean makes an exile
My fevers furrow canebrake dead
And ash again for all such lies
More than eternity are clay.

2. Cities
On the wool of sound some object of silence one so immense.
The issue is love, its turning towards solicitous shop windows.
Who stops who gazes? Here thought arranges the display of rags, and
charm lingers on and on.
There, giant cats scratch the earth, the steel of silence and faith with
no object.

Calendar of cultural events, sporting events and important dates in

Martinique
January
New Years Day Annual Public Holiday in Martinique.

February
Martinique Carnival 19 - 22 Feb 2012 Carnival in Martinique take
place every mFebruary and the island comes alive in celebration.
March

Schoelcher Nautical Week. Sailors and Sailing enthusiasts attend each

year
April
Le Pince d'Or Crab Festival Head to Grand Rivire for the annual
Pince d'Or and sample the delicious Mautau a spicey crab stew.

May
Abolition of Slavery Day Every year on the 22nd May, locals celebrate
across Fort-de-France

June
Madiflora Flower Fair This annual event celebrates th orchids and
tropical plants of the region.
July
Sugarcane Harvest Festival Every year in July
Tour de Martinique Top cycylists from around the world come to
MArtinique to comoete in this event.
August

Biguine Jazz Festival Biguine Jazz Festival

November
International Deep Sea Fishing Contest International Deep Sea
Fishing Contest in Martinique bring expereince anglers from around the
world to bring in the biggest catch.
December
Martinique Jazz Festival - December - Martinique's best musicians
come to perform at Fort-de-France for this event.
Rum Festival Discover the world of Rum at the Saint James Distillery,
The North Loopvent.

http://www.itzcaribbean.com/events_calendar_martinique.php

National Cuisine

National Dish
Vacationers will find that the distinctive culinary styles of Martinique
are as delicious as they are innovative.
Martinique National Dish is one of its most famous dishes is the
Colombo, a unique curry of chicken (curry chicken), meat, pork or fish
with vegetables.
Local restaurants can pick their choice of either cooking this curry with
wine or coconut milk. This rather spicy dish is traditionally served with
fried plantains.
Make sure to check out the menu for Colombo dishes at your favorite
local restaurant, its definitely worth your time and money.
Recipe
Pork Colombo
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons Tamarind Sauce
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Scotch bonnet (or habanero) chile, seeds and stem removed, minced.
2 medium eggplants, peeled and chopped
2 chayotes, peeled and chopped (or substitute small hubbard squash).
1 cup cooked navy beans
2 pounds lean pork, diced
1/4 cup butter
1 cup chopped cabbage
2 onions, chopped
1 green (or slightly ripe) mango, sliced
1 cup white wine or coconut milk
2 tablespoons Colombo Curry Paste
Method:

Brown the pork in the butter for four minutes over medium heat in a
large skillet. Add the cabbage, onions, and mango and stir-fry for 3 more
minutes.
Add the wine
or coconut milk and enough water to cover the meat mixture and bring
to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat, stir in the curry paste, tamarind,
garlic, and habanero chile and cook, covered, over low heat for 1 hour,
stirring occasionally.
Remove the cover and add the eggplants, chayote, and navy beans.
Cook, uncovered, over low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
The curry sauce should be fairly thick. This will serve at least four adults
and should be served while it is hot.