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Martinique - 2023 flag introduction

Last modified: 2023-03-04 by rob raeside
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[Flag] image by Olivier Touzeau, 2 January 2023


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Development of the flag

A process to introduce a flag aimed at "representing Martinique in international culture and sports events" was inaugurated on 10 May 2019.

On November 15, 2021, the administrative court of Fort-de-France ruled that this flag and the anthem chosen in 2019 by the former president of the executive council of the territorial collectivity of Martinique, Alfred Marie-Jeanne, should no longer be used. The judges demonstrated that he had made this choice alone, ignoring the legal functioning of the community. "This decision therefore disregards the rules of jurisdiction between the different bodies of the territorial collectivity of Martinique and is therefore illegal", wrote the magistrates. Source: https://www.lepoint.fr/politique/martinique-le-tribunal-administratif-supprime-le-drapeau-ipseite-16-11-2021-2452285_20.php

The territorial community of Martinique launched, from November 7 to December 2, 2022, a popular consultation to choose an official flag and anthem of the island for sporting and cultural events. She called on all Martiniquais to make their proposals on these sites:
https://consultation-hymne.collectivitedemartinique.mq for the anthem
https://consultation-drapeau.collectivitedemartinique.mq for the flag

Before submitting their proposals, participants must complete a questionnaire intended to guarantee that they are indeed Martinican, since they must have resided in Martinique for at least five years or exercise their main activity on the island. Or, failing that, have "a personal or family link with the territory". The form restricts postal addresses to the 34 municipalities on the island.

In a petition launched online at the end of October, a group of citizens is already demanding recognition of the red-green-black flag. Serge Letchimy, who currently chairs the executive council of Martinique, pleads for official recognition of this emblem. “I am not in an extremist position, but I am for a specific color that everyone knows. I am for the recognition of the struggles that have taken place for decades. I am in favor of the red-green-black flag,” he said on October 28.
Source: https://www.leparisien.fr/martinique-972

Olivier Touzeau, 14 November 2022

1,215 contributions were received for the flag (1,204 online and 11 by post or at the polls); 464 contributions were received for the anthem (including 457 online and 7 by post or at the polls).

A technical committee made up of experts from civil society and qualified Martinican personalities, commissioned by the ad hoc Commission, analyzed the proposals received within the framework of the call for projects, on the basis of the selection criteria decided by the Assembly of Martinique. This committee wrote a technical report proposed to the ad hoc Commission which designated the proposals for anthems and flags that the Assembly of Martinique could then, sovereignly, decide to submit to the consultation of the population.

19 flags were selected, and the Assembly of Martinique approved their submission for consultation on December 22. The vote is organized in 2 rounds: - First round: from Monday January 2, 2023 at 9 a.m. to Saturday January 7, 2023 at 7 p.m.; the two anthems and the two flags having obtained the greatest number of votes are put to the vote of the population for the second round - Second round: from Sunday January 8, 2023 at 9 a.m. to Friday January 13, 2023 at 7 p.m.

Voters must be adults or be authorized by their parents in the case of minors, and be domiciled in the Territorial Collectivity of Martinique for at least 5 years or have a family link with Martinique. The vote is organized online (at https://vote-hymne-drapeau.collectivitedemartinique.mq) and physically at the headquarters of the community and the assembly of Martinique.

The anthem and the flag will be used to represent the people of Martinique locally and abroad, on the occasion of sporting and cultural events, as well as on the occasion of exchanges within the framework of Caribbean and international cooperation.

Olivier Touzeau, 2 January 2023

Voting on the national symbols of Martinque has resumed after a cyberattack last week brought down the consultation site.
https://la1ere.francetvinfo.fr/martinique/drapeau-et-hymne-la-deuxieme-phase-du-vote-est-en-cours-1355558.html

The two finalists are the traditional rouge-vert-noir flag and the hummingbird flag. The winner will apparently be known by the end of the week.
Brendan Hennessy, 11 January 2023


Initial successful proposal

[Flag] image located by Olivier Touzeau, 2 January 2023

The Territorial Collectivity of Martinique, during a press conference, Monday, January 16, 2023, unveiled the results of the consultation of Martinicans on its anthem and its flag. The chosen flag is red-green-black with a hummingbird and for the anthem the choices fell on "Ansamn".
The press conference, announcing the results of the public consultation, was held on Monday at the Museum of History and Ethnography in Fort-de-France. The choice of the new Martinique flag was decided by 26,633 voters on the CTM website. With 72% of the votes, flag number 242 obtained the approval of the voters. it is the tri-color flag (red, green and black) with a black hummingbird in the center. The new flag will be used during sporting and cultural events where Martinique participates as a territory, for example at the Carifta Games. It will also be hoisted to the headquarters of the OECS, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States in Saint Lucia, of which Martinique is an associate member. The anthem "Ansanm" Hymn number 296, entitled Ansanm, composition in Creole, obtained 53% of the votes. A total of 10,289 people voted in the anthem category.
Olivier Touzeau, 2 January 2023

Martinique has been nicknamed "l'île aux fleurs", island of flowers, for years: hence the attention given to the hummingbird. The Blue-headed hummingbird is found only on the islands of Martinique and Dominica. The hummingbird is already on the logo of the Territorial Collectivity, and was before on the logo of the regional council. The hummingbird is met in many occasions on local emblems. For example, the local digital space for schools, colleges and high schools in Martinique is named "colibri" (hummingbird in French):
https://colibri.ac-martinique.fr/
Olivier Touzeau, 22 January 2023

A few days before the final vote of the elected members of the Assembly of Martinique, on the choice of the flag and an anthem, the emblem chosen by the 26,000 Martinicans is no longer in competition:

Victim of cyberbullying, its designer Anaïs Delwaulle throws in the towel.
Cyberbullying is a form of digital violence characterized by harassment, which can take place through various digital channels. The red, green, black flag adorned with a hummingbird in flight had won 72% of the votes of the popular consultation organized in Martinique. 26,633 people took part in the vote, with 19,400 voting in favor of the flag adorned with a hummingbird. It immediately raised many questions about the use of the hummingbird, a royalty-free image, the use of which is regulated by Shutterstock under very specific conditions.

This Monday evening (January 23, 2023), the president of the executive council of the territorial collectivity of Martinique takes note of the decision of Mrs. Anaïs Delwaulle, winner of the popular consultation for the "Flag of Martinique" to withdraw from the competition.
"A new classification will be established with this withdrawal, flag n°891 taking the first place. This classification will be transmitted to the Assembly of Martinique, which will deliberate freely on the final choice of the anthem and the flag of Martinique. The elected representatives of the Martinique Assembly will make their final decision on February 2 and 3, 2023."

Serge Letchimy, Chairman of the CTM Executive Council.

According to https://www.instagram.com/anaisdelwaulle (Instagram account of the author of the hummingbird flag), Mrs Delwaulle was accused to have stolen the design to a local association, Madousiwo, a very similar flag having been observed during the carnaval in 2020. Mrs Delwaulle explains that in fact she had drawn the flag in January 2019 (for the first consultation on the flag of Martinique), published if on social networks in April 2019, and had been modified and flown during carnaval 2020 by an association.

More informations from:
https://viaatv.tv/drapeau-de-la-martinique-la-creatrice-de-letendard-au-colibri-sexprime-apres-la-polemique/

"The designer indicates besides that she purchased a royalty-free image available on Shutterstock to modify her original creation and modernize the hummingbird. If this license authorizes unlimited use for printing, advertising, packaging or merchandising, it does not allow its modification. The hummingbird that appears on the new emblem chosen by the Martinicans uses a royalty-free image of the Uzbek designer "FoxyBear". The color of the hummingbird, initially multicolored on the image bank, has been retouched. It is therefore a black hummingbird that appears in the center of the banner. "In all transparency, I did not know that it did not come into account in the license", defends the designer.

On social networks, the hummingbird has sparked controversy. There is even talk of a "Colibri Gate". Many questions and testimonies of dissatisfaction arose. "Serious???? Our flag is the hummingbird! No I refuse", wrote a first on Twitter. "I don't know about you but on my flag there is ZERO hummingbird and there never will be", protests another on the same network. Everyone went there with their explanation. In an attempt to put an end to it, Anas Delwaulle justified this choice. "We go from the nasty snake to the nice hummingbird," she begins. "Due to the fact that the hummingbird has the ability to fly backwards, it symbolizes the ability to look to the past, while continuing with one's life. It symbolizes the faculty of the heart to open up again and to heal itself despite the wounds and to continue to move forward. The energy of the hummingbird symbolizes vigor and constant activity. The movement of its wings can be seen as an infinite symbol. The hummingbird also symbolizes peace and respect thanks to its noble and quiet character, she develops."
(end of the article)

It should be added that, although contacted by the French Vexillological Society (SFV) who offered its help before the consultation, the Territorial collectivity of Martinique did not answer the offer.
Olivier Touzeau, 25 January 2023


Final Selection

[Flag] image by Olivier Touzeau, 3 February 2023

The flag proposal no.891 is the famous Red-Green-Black flag flown by autonomists and independantists in Martinique.

From https://la1ere.francetvinfo.fr/martinique/l-assemblee-de-martinique-approuve-le-drapeau-rouge-vert-noir-1363026.html:

The elected representatives of the Assembly of Martinique spoke during the plenary session of February 2, 2023 on the Martinican flag. They voted unanimously for the flag representing a red triangle and two green and black quadrilaterals. It will be visible in cultural and sporting events. Used for a long time by Martinicans in the fields of sport, culture or politics, although it was only unofficial, the Red Green Black flag is officially recognized by the elected officials of Martinique.

Before the vote, Catherine Conconne, leader of the group "La Martinique Ensemble", wanted this theme to be accompanied by speaking time to hear the different points of view. Lucien Salibert the President of the Assembly finally granted 10 minutes to the various groups of the hemicycle.

Francis Carole (Gran Sanblé Pou Matinik), first responder, wished the procedure to be cancelled. "The procedure is tainted with irregularity. Break of neutrality of the person who engages the contest and who makes the decision. The choice of a flag must meet rigorous standards. (...) Another plenary must be organized on the basis of a report."

Catherine Conconne (La Martinique Ensemble) declared that the flag which is submitted to the vote, is for her solemnly legitimate. "The desire to involve the people in the choice of the flag is commendable and I will not question it.(....) To accept these colors is to pay homage to the people of Martinique. These three colors have arisen from our time. My Martinican conscience guides me. (...) I ask the president to find all the means so that there is an agreement both between the elected officials and also in the population so that the red, the green and the black are the emblematic and symbolic colors of Martinique."

Marcellin Nadeau (Ansanm Pou Péyi Nou), strongly attached to the flag of historic struggles, emphasized the procedure chosen by the majority. "Admittedly, there were a few hiccups. That this procedure be the subject of an annulment. But this flag is the continuity of the battles fought. In addition to the identity dimension, this flag speaks of the dignity and struggles of Martiniquans."

For Jean-Claude Duvergé (Allians Matinik), the people have spoken. "I belong to a party which says that the best technicians are the people of Martinique themselves. We interviewed the best business technicians in Martinique. The people have spoken."

For Didier Laguerre (Allians Matinik), "the question of the day, leads Martinican elected officials to take their responsibilities. We are taking an additional step towards the awareness of our Martinican reality.

Two votes were organized at the end of the debates. The elected officials rejected the proposal to cancel the procedure by 31 votes out of 46 voting votes . They approved the choice of the red green black flag by 45 votes and one abstention.

Serge Letchimy President of the CTM Executive Council, declared:
"This Thursday, February 2, 2023, we are living a historic moment of awareness, overcoming and unity of the Martinican people. It is in no way an act of independence, autonomy, or from sterile abandonment to separatism. On the contrary, it is a question of associating, linking, gathering, putting together new fervor to allow our youth to better look to tomorrow. We are a people with a history, a culture and an  identity. It is a question of conquering a broader fraternity. It is about opening a new page for our country."

Olivier Touzeau, 2 February 2023