Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe: Political System
Guadeloupe is an overseas department and therefore belongs to France and is
therefore also a member of the European Union. The region and the department are
responsible for the same territory, but have separate institutions: the Conseil
général des Departements with its 45 members. The representative of the central
government is the prefect. The country sends four representatives to the French
National Assembly and two to the Senate. According to Article 73 of the French
Constitution, the local characteristics of the overseas departments must be
taken into account.
In Guadeloupe, the region and the département are separate local authorities
that exercise their respective competences independently of one another. There
is also the regional council - Conseil régional-, with 41 members, who are
elected every 6 years according to the same voting rights as in metropolitan
France, and the Generalrat- Conseil général- des Département with 42 members,
which is elected every 3 years. The prefects represent the central government,
so that the executive in Guadeloupe is divided into a total of three
institutions.
According to Digopaul.com,
the official name of the country is:
Département Guadeloupe
National anthem
The national anthem of Guadeloupe is that of France.
The national anthem of France comes from the time of the French Revolution. It
was written and set to music by the composer and poet Claude-Joseph Rouget de
Lisle (1760-1836) on the night of April 25th to 26th of the year 1792 during the
declaration of war on Austria. It initially had the title "Chant de guerre pour
l'armée du Rhin", in English translation "the war song of the Rhine Army". This
song was then sung on July 30, 1792 by the Republican soldiers on their march
from Marseille to Paris. Since then the anthem has been called the
Marseillaise. On July 14, 1795, it was declared the French national
anthem. During the restoration around 1814, the hymn was even banned. It was not
until the Third Republic in 1879 that it finally became the national anthem
again. Stefan Zweig described the circumstances of the creation of the
Marseillaise in his work "Great moments of mankind".
Allons enfants de la Patrie,
le jour de gloire est arrivé
Contre nous de la tyrannie
L'étendard sanglant est levé,
L'étendard sanglant est levé!
Entendez-vous dans les campagnes
Mugir ces féroces soldiers!
Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras
Égorger vos fils et vos compagnes.
Refrain:
Aux armes citoyens,
Formez vos bataillons.
Marchons! Marchons!
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons
National flag
Based on flag descriptions by
Countryaah.com, the national flag of Guadeloupe is the French tricolor, but the country also has
the following regional flag.
Personalities
Musician
Joseph Boulogne (Bologne), Chevalier de Saint-George,
b. 1739 in Baillif near Basse-Terre and died June 10, 1799 in Paris, violin
virtuoso, composer, conductor, fencer and rider of the guard of King Louis XVI.
His actual paternal origin and his year of birth are controversial. The fact is
that his mother was a young colored slave named Manon from Senegal, who became
famous for her beauty not only in Guadeloupe but also in Paris. It is believed
that his father was Guillaum-Pierre Tavernier de Blollongne.
In 1748/49 Joseph and his family arrived in Paris, where his presumed father
quickly made a career as a financial advisor to the court and was known as the
"Treasurer of the Antilles". This also promoted the training of the 13 year old
as a violinist, rider and fencer. His musical teachers were Jean-Marie Leclair
and Francois-Joseph Gossec. Because of his artistic and athletic abilities, he
was an adored personality at the French court in Versailles. He taught the young
Marie Antoinette. In addition to his numerous duties as a violinist, conductor
and rider in the National Guard, he composed a number of sonatas, songs and
operas. Musically, his style can be classified in the early classical period, it
was strongly based on Mozart and Haydn.
Saint-George took over the direction of the Concerts des Amateurs in Paris from
his old teacher Gossecs for eight years and was able to lead the orchestra to
world fame. He was also under discussion as musical director of the Paris Opera,
but because of the opposition of some female singers who did not want to sing
under a mulatto and the concerns of the court that there should be no white
French other than Saint-George to fill the position could, he was denied this
position.
Saint-George was still a member of the Masonic Lodge to the Nine Sisters and
directed the orchestra of the Lodge "de la Prfaite Estime et Société
Olympique". With 65-70 members it was the largest of its time. During the
revolution he fought for the Lille area and led his own army with soldiers from
the colonies and a lay orchestra. In the aftermath of the revolution, he was
denounced and spent 11 months in prison.
In 1797 he accompanied a friend to Haiti, where Francois-Dominique Toussaint
L'Ouverture had set up a regime of mulattos, which allowed purebred blacks and
whites to be persecuted. Saint-George returned to France disappointed, where he
later died impoverished.
His works include around 25 violin concertos, symphonies, string quartets, and
harpsichord and violin sonatas. In 1780 the opera "L'Amant Anonyme" appeared,
which was the only one of his six operas to survive.
Politicians and rulers
Victor Schoelcher (born July 22, 1804 in Paris and died
December 25, 1893), politician
He is one of the most important historical figures in Guadeloupe. He actually
came from an upper-class family; his father was a china manufacturer. He
traveled to Mexico on business in 1830 and visited Cuba from there, where a
slave revolt was taking place. Sensitized to the problems of slavery, he
returned to Paris and published various articles on the subject and called for
its abolition. In 1848 he became a member of the National Assembly and Senator
of Martinique and Guadeloupe and initiated the decree "Le décret d'abolition de
l'escalvage du 27 avril 184" 8. The decree abolishing slavery in the French
colonies. In Martinique, a library in Fort de France and a parish were named
after him.
Writer and poet
Saint-John Perse Alexis Léger or Alexis Saint-Léger,
(born May 31, 1887 in Pointa- à-Pitre and died September 20, 1975 in France),
poet, Nobel Prize laureate and diplomat
Léger, as his maiden name was Born into an upper-class family in Guadeloupe. His
father owned a sugar cane and a coffee plantation.
When the first native governor came to power in 1897 and worked against the
colonists, the family returned to France.
Young Alexis does not feel comfortable in France and spent most of his time in
sporting activities such as hiking, fencing, horse riding and sailing.
In 1904 he started his law studies at the University of Bordeaux, he attended
literary clubs, where he met Paul Cadel and Odilon Redon.
His first publication was the translation of Robinson Crusoe. After three years
he discontinued his studies due to the financial difficulties of his family
after the death of his father. Nevertheless, he managed to finish his studies in
1910 and in the same year he published Eloges.
In 1911 he joined the Foreign Ministry and spent the first few years traveling
to Spain, Germany and England. After the First World War he became a press
attaché for his government. Between 1916 and 1921 the French ambassador was at
the embassy in Beijing. When he attended a conference in Washington in 1921, he
attracted the attention of Aristide Briand, the French Prime Minister, who
recruited him as an assistant.
Back in Paris he regularly attended the literary circles of André Gide and Paul
Valéry, as well as the musical circles in which he met Igor Stravinsky, Nadia
Boulanger and Les Six. In 1924 he published “Anabase” under the pseudonym
Saint-John Perse.
After the death of his mentor Briand, he held important positions in the Foreign
Ministry; between 1933 and 1940, despite the great instability of the
government, he was its general secretary. In this office he pursued the position
of appeasement tactics against Germany. Thereupon he was removed from his post,
his French citizenship was revoked and he lost his considerable fortune. He then
emigrated to the USA, where he took up an apprenticeship at Havard University
with the help of Lilita Abreu.
He stayed in the US long after the war was over and he regained his citizenship
until he was offered a villa in Provence in 1957 and from then on he divided his
time between France and the United States. A year later he married Dorothy
Milburn Russell, a wealthy American.
In 1960 he received the Nobel Prize for Literature. He died in Provence in 1975
and was buried in Giens.
Some of his works:
Athlete
David Sommeil (born August 10, 1974 in Pointe-á Pitre),
football player.
David Sommeil plays for the Guadeloupe national team and also plays for English
club Sheffield United.
Jocelyn Angloma (born August 7, 1965 in Les Abymes),
football player
Angloma played in his youth in the defensive position for Ètoile Morne-à-l'Eau
on his home island. Here he was discovered by the scouts of Stade Rennes,
whereupon he signed a professional contract in Rennes in 1985. After three years
he moved to Lille OSC, where he became a regular player.
Due to his consistently good performance, the big clubs noticed him. In 1990 he
went to Paris SG and became a national player that same year. Since he was not
happy in Paris, he moved to Olympique Marseille after one season. With l'OM,
Jocelyne Angloma was the French winner in 1992 and the Champions League winner
a year later.
In 1994 he moved to the Italian club FC Turin, where he stayed for two years and
then played at Inter Milan. A year later, the defender received an offer from
Valencia CF, for which he then played a total of 120 games by the end of his
career in 2002.
As a national player in various junior teams, he was European champion with the
U-21 selection, from 1990 he played in the French national team, for which he
played 37 games and scored one goal.
When Angloma decided to play on the national team for his home island, it was
possible because Guadeloupe is a member of CONCACAF but not FIFA. With the
selection of Guadeloupe, he qualified for the Caribbean Nations Cup 2007, in
which his country came fourth behind Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti. In
Guadeloupe he has been playing again for his hometown club Ètoile Morna-á-l'Eau
since 2006.
Guadeloupe: animals
Mammals
One of the few mammals on the islands are the mongooses, which were brought
to the islands long ago to fight the snakes.
However, the small predators were not only successful in the desired direction,
but also dealt a severe blow to the native bird world, so the parrots were
practically exterminated.
The mascot of the national park on Grande Terre is the raccoon.
Reptiles
Lizards and iguanas are found on each of the nine islands, but are mostly
found on Petite Terre and The Saints.
Poisonous snakes and other snakes no longer exist on the islands. The mongooses
had done a great job.
Poisonous animals
The scolopender, which belongs to the family of arthropods, can become
uncomfortable for humans. This ground-dwelling, crepuscular or nocturnal
centipede has a flat build and can grow up to 30 cm long and 2.5 cm thick. You
can find it under stones, roots and in crevices. Its bite is not fatal, but it
can be very painful and sometimes even lead to paralysis.
Also under water there are some species that urge caution, for example the black
sea urchin with its hard and pointed spines and the orange-colored fire corals,
which can inject a painful poison into the skin with the help of their nettle
cells, which in most cases leaves clear scars. These species, which are also
dangerous for divers, are particularly common on reef slopes.
Birds
Even though many bird species became extinct due to the importation of
mongooses, there are still numerous species that can be admired in the
rainforest as well as in the mangrove forests. While grouse are at home in the
latter, black woodpeckers and black thrushes are more likely to be found in the
treetops of the rainforest. Pelicans, wild ducks, herons, cattle egrets,
seagulls, boobies and frigate birds live near the water.
Blackbirds, golden finches, robins and hummingbirds can be found on all
islands. The latter are among the smallest warm-blooded animals and not only can
they stand in mid-air, but they are the only birds that can fly backwards. Their
low weight and the very fast flapping of the wings (approx. 80 beats/sec.)
Contribute to these flying skills.
Hummingbirds mainly feed on nectar to provide the energy they need for strenuous
flying. What is striking is their very long beak, which is a perfect adaptation
to their diet, as the nectar required is usually deep in the calyx of the
flower.
Insects, spiders, amphibians
Butterflies and the arachnid crabs are very common on the islands.
Mosquitos and millipedes are particular tormentors.
Flies, wasps and a number of spiders can also be found on the islands.
After dusk, the millions of frogs and toads are unmistakable.
Underwater world
The waters around the nine islands of Guadeloupe are ideal for diving or
snorkeling, because there is a lot to see here. Parrot fish, officer fish and
coral fish are just a few of the tropical specialties.
Baracudas, moray eels and rare species of jellyfish can be found here, as well
as schools of tuna, sailfish and dolphins.
The Lamentin - a freshwater seal - was unfortunately completely destroyed. The
place Lamentin was named after the animal.
Numerous species of shark also live in the surrounding waters. And if you are
lucky you will see the up to 18 m long and peaceful whale shark.
Guadeloupe: plants
The flora of Goadeloupe partly differs between the individual islands and
depends on the respective climate, proximity to the sea and altitude.
Trees
Along the marshy coast there are dense mangrove forests and on the beaches
you will find coconut palms every few meters. In contrast, trees with twisted
trunks and wild pineapples tend to grow at higher altitudes.
Dense rainforest stands on the slopes of a volcano on one of the largest islands
in Guadeloupe, the Basse-Terre, up to 1000 m high. There are around 1000
different tree species, including kapok and rubber trees, as well as hardwoods
such as mahogany and chestnut trees.
Crops
In addition to bananas, sugar cane, which is the traditional main crop, is
one of the most important crops. The largest plantations are on the island of
Grande-Terre. But also other tropical fruits like pineapples, oranges, lemons,
passion and star fruits make up an important part of the economy.
Poisonous plants
The 15 m tall manzanillo tree is one of the most poisonous trees in the
world. It is widespread in the Caribbean and grows mainly along the beaches,
where it is also quite useful for windbreakers and sand stabilizers. It can be
recognized by its grayish bark and the bright green leaves. It is particularly
dangerous to stand under the tree when it rains. Its strong toxins, which are
mainly contained in the milky sap of the tree, lead to the formation of
blisters. It is also dangerous to get the smoke that arises when the wood is
burned in the eyes, as it is very likely to lead to blindness. In the past,
arrowheads were dipped into the juice to ensure greater hunting success through
the poisoning.
The golden trumpet is a climber from South America with striking bright yellow
and trumpet-shaped flowers. All parts of the plant, which belongs to the dog
poison family, are poisonous and are particularly irritating to the mucous
membranes and the skin itself.
More plants
The rainforest does not consist exclusively of trees, of course, but is
enriched in its diversity by various types of fern and moss. All year round
blooming plants such as bougainvilleae, orchids, philodendrons, lilies,
hibiscus, poisonous gold trumpets and bird of paradise flowers are also found
here in large quantities. The long stalk of the latter can grow up to 1.5 m
tall, but what is more impressive is the shape and color of the petals than the
size of the plant. Orange-yellow and blue petals grow out of the bract, which
can often be varied in color, and are reminiscent of the head of a tropical
bird.
Most of the native plants, especially the fruits, were brought to the islands
a long time ago. Papaya and coconut once came from India, litchis from China,
guavas and avocados from Brazil, star fruits from Indonesia, plums brought by
the Polynesians and flamboyant and breadfruit trees were imported from
Madagascar.
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