The Word as Weapon and Witness

"We write to exist," declares Patrick Chamoiseau, Martinican novelist and winner of the Prix Goncourt. "For centuries, others wrote our story—always as slaves, victims, exotic others. Now we write ourselves into being, complex and whole."

In a small gallery in Pointe-à-Pitre, visual artist Kelly Sinnapah Mary's latest installation confronts viewers: traditional madras fabric stretched over digital screens displaying archival footage of sugar plantations, while speakers whisper poetry in Creole. "Art isn't decoration here," she explains. "It's archaeology, therapy, and revolution combined."