If you visit Martinique between All Saints' Day (November 1) and Christmas, you will certainly hear drum-based sounds and see people singing along. Don't be surprised, these are the traditional “Chanté-Nwel”. Chanté-Nwel is people reunited singing Christmas carols.
This Martinican tradition dates back to the period of slavery. Indeed, the Code Noir required that slaves be "baptized and educated in the Roman Catholic religion". In this way, the traditional Christmas carols, in French, sung in church, were mixed with sounds from Africa, the continent of origin of the slaves, as well as words in Creole which were sometimes sacred, sometimes profane. These carols were accompanied by drums and other musical instruments which they had learned from the Jesuits for religious services.
Several centuries later, in the 20th century, the Chanté-Nwel were sung with friends, families, neighbors and relatives. The Chanté-Nwel can in no way be summed up by the mere fact of being Christmas carols sung in public. It is a real moment of communion between the local population and combines the Martinican tradition, Christianity and all the gastronomy that makes Christmas folklore. Thus, by singing together, the gathered people share a meal where everyone will have contributed in the preparation, often in the form of a buffet. Of course, schrub (a traditional Christmas drink made from rum and citrus), bottles of rum and other local flavors were present and found takers during the evening.
Today, several centuries after slavery, the tradition persists in Martinique. Several new local songs and entirely in Creole joined the existing hymns for example Loulou Boislaville (local singer) created the song "An nou chanté Nwel" (meaning Let's sing Christmas in Creole) which often begins the Chanté Nwel.
Groups such as Ravine Plate (photo opposite), Bakoua Nwel, Rassin 'Nwel, Kantik Vauclin, Mazincoin and others, crisscross Martinique and gather crowds coming with the sole purpose of the green book in which the lyrics of Christmas carols are written.
