‘Education is the key that opens the second door to our freedom’
JZ in Martinique
Our CGE colleague, JZ, has recently returned from Martinique, the French Caribbean island where she was born. She was taking part in celebrations marking the centenary of her father’s birth. Joseph Zobelis a renowned Caribbean novelist and poet who wrote about the lives and struggles of his island’s poorest. His most famous novel, ‘Black Shack Alley’, was made into a prize-winning film and has become a Caribbean classic. It tells of his childhood on a sugar cane plantation, where he was brought up by his grandmother, a field worker. Although illiterate, she realised that although slavery had long been abolished, those without an education were still bound by poverty. She was determined that her grandson would not grow up to share her miserable fate and she made great sacrifices so that young Joseph could get an education and gain access to a decent future. Zobel remembers his school teacher saying, referring to Martinique’s past of slavery and emancipation: ‘Education is the key that opens the second door to our freedom.’
JZ says: ‘I was invited to take part in some of many exciting events marking my father’s centenary throughout 2015, among them: exhibitions, performances, film ѐshows, workshops, debates and conferences. Martinique is also honouring his memory and legacy with a range of stunning murals and paintings made by young local artists, as you can see on the photos.To be honest, it was quite weird for me to see my Dad’s face smiling down at me like a kindly giant in hotels and schools receptions and even unexpectedly from the front of municipal buildings!My father was also an artist and many of his original watercolours, sculptures and pottery are also exhibited throughout the island. On top of this, he was an outstanding performer of African and Caribbean poetry; so I thought I would add my contribution by running a series of poetry performance workshops during my visit.I delivered 4 workshops: ‘Say it like Zobel’, in the beautifully - designed library of Riviѐre-Salée,my father’s birth place. It was a rewarding experience as I worked with a lovely multi - generational group full of interest, intelligence and talent. The choice of poems was taken from the texts my father used to perform during his recitals, most of them from key writers from the Black Diaspora. We completed the course with a mini-recital and a party. The course was so well received that I’ve been asked to come back to run it again, and the mayor of Riviѐre-Salée awarded me with a medal!