Guadeloupe.

**~~Dominicanese~~** · 07-09-2015, 03:02 PM

Guadeloupe.

Culture:
The Culture of Guadeloupe is of Native, European (French), and African origin.

Guadeloupe's culture is probably best known for the islanders' literary achievements, particularly the poetry of Saint-John Perse, the pseudonym used by Alexis Léger. Perse won the 1960 Nobel Prize in Literature "for the soaring flight and the evocative images of his poetry, which, in a visionary fashion, reflects the conditions of our time."

Guadeloupe has always had a rich literary output, continued today by many living writers, poets, novelists, essayists and journalists, among them Mesdames Maryse Condé and Simone Schwarz-Bart, Ernest Pépin (fr).

Cuisine:
Guadeloupe's cuisine mirrors its many cultures. The local Créole specialties combine the finesse of French cuisine with the spice of African cookery and the exoticism of East Indian and Southeast Asian recipes. Fresh seafood appears on most menus. Other specialties include shellfish, smoked fish, stuffed land crabs, stewed conch, and curry dishes. Guadeloupe is considered one of the true culinary capitals of the Caribbean, with some 200 restaurants recommended by the Tourist Office. Some are in hotels, some in lovely settings by the sea, and some on the front porches of the cooks' homes. Local rum drinks often precede a meal and imported French wines often accompany it. Prices for a three-course meal for one person, without wine, range from inexpensive to moderate to expensive. Guadeloupe's most colorful culinary event is the Fête des Cuisinières held annually in early August. Boiled mashed root vegies are also eaten in Guadeloupe, such as plantains etc...

Music:
Music and dance are also very popular, and the widely accepted interaction of African, French and Indian[22] cultures has given birth to some original new forms specific to the archipelago. Islanders enjoy many local dance styles including zouk, zouk-love, kompa, as well as the modern international dances such as hip hop, etc.

One of his most famous artists it was Henri Debs (1932-2013) a musician and producer of French, origin of Lebanese parents, who made many Caribbean rhythms like Zouk (Soca in Spanish) and Belé were heard throughout the Antilles, North, Central, Suramerica and France.

Traditional Guadeloupean music includes la biguine, kadans, cadence-lypso, zouk, and gwo ka such as Anzala and Ti Celeste. Popular music artists and bands such as Experience 7, Francky Vincent, Kassav' (which included Patrick St-Eloi), and Gilles Floro embody the traditional music style of the island and the new generation of music, while some other musical artists, like Tom Frager (who grew up in Guadeloupe), perform colorful reggae music that defines the Guadeloupe island as paradise-like. Many international festivals take place in Guadeloupe, like the Creole Blues Festival, hosted in Marie-Galante. All the Euro-French forms of art are also ubiquitous. The melting pot is emphasized by other communities (from Brazil, Dominican Republic, Haiti, India, Lebanon, Syria), who live on the island and share their cultures.

While not in the Guadeloupean style, Catherine Quinol ("Katrin"), is known worldwide as the lip-synching icon of the piano-house trio Black Box, who burst on to the music scene in the late 1980s with songs such as "Ride On Time". Katrin is, however, a trained singer and she went on to release her own work.

Another element of Guadeloupean culture is its dress. A few women (particularly of the older generation) wear a unique style of traditional dress, with many layers of colourful fabric, now only worn on special occasions. On festive occasions they also wore a madras (originally a "kerchief" from South India) head scarf tied in many different symbolic ways, each with a different name. The headdress could be tied in the "bat" style, or the "firefighter" style, as well as the "Guadeloupean woman". Jewelry, mainly gold, is also important in the Guadeloupean lady's dress, a product of European, African and Indian inspiration.

French born dancers, choreographers, comedians Laurent and Larry Bourgeois are also of Guadelupean descent. Noted for their fresh take on hip-hop dance, this twin duo made an impression on the dance world while touring with Michael Jackson and Beyonce on the Immortal tour.

Ethnic Racial Composition:
* 71% Black & Multiracial (European, African, East Indian, Amerindian mix)
* 15% East Indian
* 9% White (Beke)
* 3% Chinese
* 2% Arabs

Languages:
The official language of Guadeloupe is French. They however also speak a local dialect, known locally as Creole or Patois (Patwa) in informal situations. Their dialect is French but with influences from African languages. Most French slave masters and colonists that came to Guadeloupe spoke the dialect of French from the Northern part of France, this was than taught and imitated by the African slaves that had to learn, intermarry, and or pickup as they spend their lives among these French colonists. The French dialect of Guadeloupe is French but with some Africanism and pronunciations and some words. But when in formal situations they speak French or proper European French, as is in the educational system.

Religion:
Predominantly Roman Catholic, some Hindu, African vudu, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Prostant, as well as a growing number of Rastafarians.

Sports:
Football (soccer) is popular in Guadeloupe, and several notable footballers are of Guadeloupean origin:

Thierry Henry, a star of the French national team and MLS club New York Red Bulls, often visits, as his father Antoine was originally from the island.
William Gallas (Guadeloupean parentage) visits the island when not playing for Perth Glory FC.
Lilian Thuram, defender for France and most notably FC Barcelona, was born in Guadeloupe.
The former Manchester United, Everton and France striker Louis Saha.
Newcastle United F.C. striker Yoan Gouffran.
Kettering Town goalkeeper Willy Gueret.
Pascal Chimbonda, footballer. Chimbonda was born in Guadeloupe.
Parma F.C. star Jonathan Biabiany.
Stéphane Auvray currently plays for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.
Ronald Zubar and his younger brother Stephane, who are both footballers, were born in Guadeloupe.
Miguel Comminges, who currently plays as a defender for English side Stevenage F.C..
Dimitri Foulquier, who plays as a defender at Granada CF.
Teddy Riner
The national football team experienced success in 2007, advancing all the way to the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-finals, where they were defeated 1–0 by CONCACAF powerhouse Mexico.

National Football League, NFL, *Jacques Chery was undrafted by the Dallas Cowboys and later traded to the Buffalo Bills based in New York, and he also played in the British American Football League for Manchester Titans, Yorkshire Rams and Doncaster Mustangs.

Basketball is also popular. Best known players are the NBA players Mickaël Piétrus, Johan Petro, Rodrigue Beaubois, and Mickael Gelabale (now playing in Russia), who were born on the island. Also known is trainer and former player Paul Chonchon, after whom a basketball stadion in Pointe-à-Pitre is named.[23]

Many fine track and field athletes, such as Marie-José Pérec, Patricia Girard-Léno, Christine Arron, and Wilhem Belocian, are also Guadeloupe natives. Triple Olympic champion Marie-José Pérec, fourth-fastest 100m runner Christine Arron, and fencing champion Laura Flessel were all born and raised in Guadeloupe.

Even though Guadeloupe is part of France, it has its own sports teams. Rugby union is a small but rapidly growing sport in Guadeloupe. France international and RC Toulon centre Mathieu Bastareaud (cousin of footballer William Gallas) was born in Guadeloupe.

The island is also internationally best known for hosting the Karujet Race – Jet Ski World Championship since 1998. This nine-stage, four-day event attracts competitors from around the world (mostly Caribbeans, Americans, and Europeans). The Karujet, generally made up of seven races around the island, has an established reputation as one of the most difficult championships in which to compete.

The Route du Rhum is one of the most prominent nautical French sporting events, occurring every four years.

Bodybuilder Serge Nubret was born in Anse-Bertrand, Grande-Terre, representing the French state in various bodybuilding competitions throughout the 1960s and 1970s, taking 2nd place in both the 1973 and 1975 IFBB Mr. Olympia contests.[citation needed] Bodybuilder Marie-Laure Mahabir also hails from Guadeloupe.

Guadeloupean videos