Cultural Exploration at Lakou A

Our second takeaway was that time flows very differently on the island, and we have started to lean into that. The workers at the Lakou A didn’t give us a distinct schedule at the beginning of the day, and they let us have time to explore and play games. This stressed a lot of us out at first, because we are all used to keeping strict schedules. However, we too were able to let go of our rigidity and flow through the day, taking time to compete in memory games and talk to the cats. 

After an intense day yesterday, we were all happy to spend today in one place and not walking too much. We visited Lakou A in Gros-Morne. The Lakou A gets its name from Lakous, which were villages where enslaved people and other Africans were able to join together to socialize and celebrate their culture and traditions. We got a taste of these traditions at Lakou A.

Bèlè culture was very important during times of slavery and emancipation to lift spirits, and still lives on to be prevalent and integral to Martinque today. Their heritage is shown primarily through music: drums, rhythms, and singing. We started our day at Lakou A in a circle with the leader singing the verse, and us singing the chorus. We also learned all of the important types of instruments involved, mainly the drums. This showed us very soon how important song and music is to Bèlè culture.

Our first station at Lakou A was visiting the garden. We were given a tour by the Lakou A’s “wise man,” and he not only introduced us (in French, but our guide Jessica translated) to many plants, but also let us sample some of them. He told us about the properties and benefits of plants such as mint, bananas, cacao beans, and thyme. One thing that stuck out for many in the group was the way that coconuts are used in Martinican culture. Not only do they drink the water, but they also cook and eat the meat and use the husk to assist with their sewage. This demonstrated the island’s commitment to using their natural resources sustainably, which is a common thread that we’ve seen throughout our trip.

When we returned from the garden, we split into two groups; one group was taught by Lakou A’s leader to weave leaves from bakoua trees, and the other group helped prepare our lunch. The weaving group was taught a technique that is traditionally used to make hats, but we made bracelets instead. The other group joined the chef in making a traditional sauce for our salad and grating a version of butternut squash that we also got to eat. People in this group were happy to see that the chef was very passionate about teaching them, which made them more passionate about what they were doing.

During downtime and after lunch, we played a lot of games that originated during times of slavery for entertainment. All of the games were wooden, and versions of games we play today, such as memory games. Another game we played as a group was a version of hot potato with rocks, but everyone has a rock and you must pass your rock to the rhythm of the music. If you had any number of rocks but one in your hand when the song ended, you were out. An important thing that was highlighted for us is that all of the experiences we had today were all they had during times of emancipation and slavery. This is their culture, and they have carried on all of the unique things about it with them to this day. 

One of the most impactful cultural things we did today was tilling the soil. Tilling the soil is a practice that originated during slavery when they were planting a lot, and trying to find efficient practices. Members of our group participated in it, learning the way in which they do it, the things they say, and how they sing and play drums at the same time. 

Finally, we ended with a brief dance lesson. We got in two lines, and did simple steps with our partners to the bèlè rhythm. 

We had two main takeaways from today. Our first takeaway came from the fact that the workers at the Lakou A didn’t speak English. However, even though most of us speak very little French, we were able to understand and communicate with them. By the end of the day, each of us had inside jokes with the group leader, and many of our cheeks hurt from laughing. When reflecting, someone in our group commented that “humor and humanity transcend language,” which encapsulates something that we have observed our whole trip. 

Our second takeaway was that time flows very differently on the island, and we have started to lean into that. The workers at the Lakou A didn’t give us a distinct schedule at the beginning of the day, and they let us have time to explore and play games. This stressed a lot of us out at first, because we are all used to keeping strict schedules. However, we too were able to let go of our rigidity and flow through the day, taking time to compete in memory games and talk to the cats. 

Both of these lessons were incredibly valuable to us, and we will keep them in mind not only for the rest of our trip, but also into our daily lives.