The department seeks to have an official pavilion supposed to represent it during sports or cultural meetings. Enamelled with twists and turns, the tortuous process of appointing a new emblem is finally about to succeed.
by Jean-Michel Hauteville (Fort-de-France ( Martinique), correspondence)
The psychodrama of the question of the flag of Martinique finally reached his outcome? Elected officials from this West Indian department want to believe it. Monday, January 16, during a press conference organized at the Museum of History and Ethnography of Fort-de-France, two territorial councilors presented the result of the popular online consultation during which, during the previous two weeks , the Martinicans had been invited by their territorial community in Martinique (CTM) to designate a flag and a hymn. About twenty emblems, preselected by an ad hoc commission among several hundred proposals, were in the running.
Against all expectations, Internet users have not acclaimed the independence standard, known for a long time. During the second round of the participatory election, it is a pavilion with the same Pan -African colors – red, green, and black -, but adorned with the black silhouette of a hummingbird, which has largely imposed itself, obtaining 73 % of the votes from Some 27,000 participants. He has ahead of the historic flag: a symbol created by the anti -colonialist movement in the 1960s which, over the decades, has become omnipresent in many political or cultural demonstrations, despite its unofficial character and its always sulfurous meaning in the eyes of a large number of Martinicans, who see it as a sign of rejection of the Republic.
The Colibri pavilion “was chosen by the Martiniquais, so it is the Martinican flag. It will be everywhere in public space”, reaffirms the territorial advisor Michelle Monrose, who oversees the process since its beginnings, in November 2022. After its final adoption by a vote in the Assembly of Martinique, in early February, this emblem “will be present during sports events, during cultural representations, during international cooperation events”, adds M me Monrose.
Meaning of the hummingbird “misunderstood”
It has been several years, in fact, that local sports federations claimed a properly Martinican pavilion, intended to be hoisted, in place of the tricolor flag, during the meetings organized in the Caribbean region in particular. But, over the twists and turns, the search for new colors has been sought after. Even Emmanuel Macron interminated in this endless soap opera: during his last visit to this West Indian department, in September 2018, the President of the Republic had been arrested about the old flag, inherited from the time of the slave trade. Subsequently, the Head of State had asked the gendarmerie services to no longer use the honored badge in the four snakes. Franck Robine, then prefect of Martinique (2017-2020), had praised “a appeasement decision” from the Head of State.
You have 45.61% of this article to read. The continuation is reserved for subscribers.