How is Easter celebrated in Martinique? It’s a question you’re bound to ask yourself if you’re planning to visit the island during this period. In Martinique, the religion with the largest number of believers and followers is Catholic, which is why most traditional festivals and practices revolve around the important days of Christianity. Despite this, local rituals are often very different from those in Europe. So, if you come to Martinique during Easter, you’ll find that local practices have little in common with those in mainland France.
Various migrations, the proximity to the American continent, and the uniqueness of the Caribbean mean that local celebrations are unlike anywhere else. Easter, for example, is sometimes prepared months in advance, with crabs being caught on the first day of Lent.
Easter is a celebration that unfolds over several days. It begins with Holy Week, which kicks off on Palm Sunday—the Sunday before Easter. The Palm Sunday Mass commemorates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, where he was greeted by crowds waving palm branches and shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
The following three days are relatively quiet in the Catholic tradition. On Thursday, the Chrism Mass takes place—this is the Mass of the blessing of the oils. During this ceremony, the bishop blesses the holy oils and also performs the ritual of washing feet, echoing the moment when Christ washed the feet of his disciples before the Last Supper, on the eve of his crucifixion.
Good Friday is considered the most solemn day in Christianity, marking the crucifixion of Christ. It is a public holiday in Martinique, and churches are filled with worshippers. After Mass, many participate in the Way of the Cross, a devotional procession in which hymns are sung and prayers are offered in honor of the crucified Christ. Clergy lead the procession, carrying a cross through various pilgrimage sites across the island. One of the most popular routes is the Way of the Cross on Montagne du Vauclin, which draws large crowds each year.
Saturday Gloria, or Glorya in Creole, is the day when the population breaks with musical abstinence. Since the days of slavery, enslaved people who were not allowed to engage in musical expression during Lent were once again permitted to drum and play the bèlè.
Easter Sunday is, of course, the most sacred day of the week, celebrating Christ’s return to life. It marks the Resurrection and the end of Lent. After Mass, where the faithful wear their finest clothes, families gather to celebrate one of the most important days in Christianity, alongside Christmas. Some indulge a little early and enjoy the traditional matoutou on Sunday.
Easter Monday is the second day of the Easter octave. It is a time of joy, renewal, and celebration after Lent and Holy Week. There are no religious ceremonies on this day. In some countries, festivals and folk shows are held. In Martinique, as in many other Caribbean islands, the day is a public holiday and an opportunity for families to gather and enjoy matoutou on the island’s various beaches.
In Martinique, Easter begins on the first day of Lent, the Thursday following Ash Wednesday. This is when the crab harvest begins. If necessary, men from the same family prepare dobbies made from wooden planks and nails. These are used to catch crabs. Land crabs are caught in rural areas—in cane or banana fields—or in mangrove regions. For this purpose, the mid-Atlantic areas are the most popular: Le Vauclin, Le François, Le Robert, and La Trinité.
In the past, crabs were caught mainly at night. As soon as night fell, the men would set the crab trap over the crab holes (see photo opposite). The trap provided the crabs with bait (food chosen by the crab hunters), and once they had taken it, they were captured. The next day, they would return to take the crabs from the traps and put them in a cage. They repeated the action until they had enough crabs for themselves and their families.
Once caught, the crabs are fed and "cleaned". In other words, they are fed in such a way as to evacuate all the "waste" swallowed in the days preceding their capture. Crabs are fed breadfruit leaves or fruits and vegetables (mangoes, coconuts, chilies, cane, tomatoes, corn, etc.).
On Good Friday, the Friday before Easter, which marks the crucifixion of Jesus Christ for Christians, Martinican Catholics take their families first to mass, then to the island's various Stations of the Cross, making a pilgrimage of song and prayer. At the end of the more religious traditions, they prepare acras made from vegetables, cod, shrimp, fish, sea urchins or other meats.
At Easter, the women prepare the traditional dish: matoutou. The men are often responsible for killing the crabs. The crabs are killed and then brushed. The shells are either discarded or reused to prepare the stuffing, which is served as an appetizer. The legs and claws are the essential ingredients of matoutou. They are seasoned with garlic, onion, salt, pepper and parsley. Some people prefer to leave the preparation to rest for several hours, as the taste is all the better for it.
The crabs are then cooked in the mixture, with the addition of chopped tomatoes and various local spices (colombo, chili, bay leaf, cloves, Indian wood, etc.), according to taste. Once the legs and claws have turned orange, the crabs are ready to be eaten. At the same time, the rice is prepared. The rice is mixed with the crabs and the matoutou is ready! The family can now sit down for lunch.
Matoutou is eaten either on Easter Sunday, although tradition dictates that Sunday is a family meal and consists of meats (coq, mutton stew, pork or mutton), or on Monday with the family by the beach. On Easter Monday, the beaches are crowded with families, and you often have to get up very early if you want a table and benches. Some families anticipate this several days in advance by pitching their tents on the beaches and camping out.
As for desserts, the men prepare coconut sorbets directly on the beaches, using hand-operated ice cream makers that they grind with the strength of their arms. Matoutou competitions are organized on a beach chosen at random.
These are called either the "Patte d'or" contest at Pointe Marin or the "Pince d'or" held on Easter Sunday. If you want to go to the beach on Monday, you'll either have to leave early or be patient!
The Easter meal is also that of Whit Monday, also eaten by the sea.
Happy Easter to all!