If you visit Martinique between All Saints’ Day and Christmas, you will certainly hear drum-based sounds and see people singing together in chorus. Don’t be surprised—these are the traditional “Chanté-Nwel.”
This Martinican tradition dates back to the time of slavery. The Code Noir required that enslaved people be “baptized and instructed in the Roman Catholic religion.” To the French Christmas hymns sung in church were added sounds from Africa, their land of origin, as well as ritournelles—lyrics in Creole, sometimes sacred, sometimes secular. These songs were accompanied by drums and other instruments learned from the Jesuits for religious services.
Centuries later, in the 20th century, Chanté-Nwel was passed into the family and social sphere: neighbors, relatives, and friends gathered to sing together. But Chanté-Nwel is not just simple Christmas carols sung in public. It is a true moment of communion that unites Martinican tradition, Christianity, and festive gastronomy. While singing, everyone also shares a meal to which all have contributed, often in the form of a buffet. Shrubb (a traditional drink made with rum and citrus), bottles of rum, and local flavors naturally accompanied these evenings.
Today, several centuries after slavery, the tradition endures in Martinique. New songs, entirely in Creole, have enriched the repertoire. Among them, “An nou chanté Nwel” by Loulou Boislaville, which often opens the celebrations.
Groups such as Ravine Plate, Bakoua Nwel, Rassin’ Nwel, Kantik Vauclin, Mazincoin, and others travel across Martinique, gathering crowds who come with only one essential item: the green booklet where the lyrics of the Christmas hymns are written.