Danmyé in Martinique - cadre

<body stylesrc="danmye_e.htm" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">  <p align="center"><font size="4"><b>FRENCH TRADITIONS AND FESTIVALS </b></font><a name="introduction"></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="5"><b>The danmyé in Martinique</b></font><font size="2"> <img src="../images/martcoul.gif" alt="La Martinique" width="52" height="53"></font></p> <p align="left"><font size="2"><em><img src="../images/colorbar.gif" WIDTH="600" HEIGHT="1"></em></font></p> <p ALIGN="CENTER"><img src="image4.gif" alt="Deux jeunes du lycée luttent" align="top" WIDTH="352" HEIGHT="288"></p> <b> <p><a name="historique">Historical background :</a></b></p> <p>Danmyé, also called Ladja, is the first martial art to be practised in Martinique. It was born from the impact of two words meeting each other. The slaves from Senegal and elsewhere who passed in transit through the island of Gorée created an art of fighting inspired by the initiation ceremony of "Ngolo" which symbolised the passing from adolescence to adulthood and consisted of a confrontation which took the form of a fight. The main source of inspiration is unquestionably the Lamb (Senegalese fight).</p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The cultural melting pot confirmed the transformation of modes of expression. The quadrille, a traditional Martinican dance, is inspired by the dances at the Kings court.</p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The owner (béké) used his black stallion, usually a Mandingo (African tribe) as a fighting cock that he could exhibit during celebrations. Yet, the loss of his best slave or his being temporarily disabled lead the béké to put an end to this kind of events. Still, fights between "majors" went on at the occasion of village fairs or appointed fights. After the 1947 "departmentalisation" however, municipal decrees banned the practice of Danmyé.</p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The growing importance of folk ballets during the sixties, with the notable contribution of Le Ballet Martiniquais (Martinican Ballet) and its choreographic contests brought this martial art into fashion again.</p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">With the seventies and the emerging independence movement, the phenomenon became more extensive to the point of getting more and more concrete thirty years later. Nowadays such cultural associations as the AM4 are working to update the knowledge connected with this activity. Furthermore, Sully Cally, working in partnership with Jacqueline Rosemain, has been carrying out thorough research on this subject.</p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">It is worth noting that Danmyé only developed in Martinique. As for Guadeloupe, it gave birth to a dance called "Le Lérose" and a fight with sticks known as "Mayolet".</p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">There are many places for practice: "pitts" (cockpits), a spot in front of the BNP (a bank) in Fort-de-France during Carnival, and bèlè events. Traditionally, the evening starts with Danmyé fights then the bèlè takes over and the attendants keep in communion through the night. The event ends at daybreak with the "ting-bang".</p> <p align="right"><a href="danmsummary.htm" target="_self"><em><u>Back to the summary</u></em></a></p> <b> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><a name="danmyé at school">Danmyé at school</a></b></p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">At Lorrain high School, an educational experiment was born from three summer schools and enabled the definition of contents of this martial art.</p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">What does this activity consist of? A wrestler has to get the upper hand of his opponent while respecting the drummers pace.</p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><img src="image3.gif" alt="Deux jeunes du lycée face à face" width="135" height="111">How to win the fight? There are many solutions: it comes either from the referees ruling after a decisive blow or from one of the opponents being hit once more than the other, or from his being immobilised on the ground.</p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The Danmyé has the distinctive feature of being the only martial art which combines prehension(seizing) with percussion (blows)</p> <u> <p ALIGN="right"><a href="danmsummary.htm" target="_self"><em>Back to the summary</em></a></u></p> <b> <p><a name="sound">The sound</a></b></p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">It is composed of several elements, which play a deciding part in the proper course of the fight. It acts as an incentive on the wrestlers as in Capoeira (Brazil).</p> <ul> <u> <li><a href="tambour_e.htm" target="principal" name="cocoye">drum</u> (cocoyé)</a></li> <li><a href="tambour_e.htm" name="ti-bwa">ti-bwa</a></li> <li><a name="singing">singing</a></li> </ul> <blockquote> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The singer spurs on the wrestlers by means of provocative lyrics. These lyrics are derived from the history of Martinique. They either praise a famous "major" or highlight the qualities of courage, strength or even wickedness of one of the wrestlers.</p> </blockquote> <ul> <li>the <a name="chorus">chorus </a>(la vwa):</li> </ul> <blockquote> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The chorus is made up of the attendants who take up the refrain, with the effect of stimulating the wrestlers.</p> </blockquote> <u><b> <p ALIGN="right"></b><a href="danmsummary.htm" target="_self"><em>Back to the summary</em></a></u></p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><b><a name="ring">The ring </a></b></p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><em>The <a name="fighting space">fighting space</a></em></p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The wrestlers determine the fighting space by dancing round in a ring to the rhythm of the drum (introductory stage of the fight). Then each wrestler in turn draws an invisible circle which represents a magic space. Any person entering that circle is an opponent.</p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><em><a name="Rising">Rising</a> to the drum</em></p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">After dancing in a ring each wrestler comes to the tambouyé to size him up. Thats the moment when the collusion between tambouyé and wrestler can become effective and enable him to win the fight more easily.</p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">During the rise to the drum each wrestler tries to impress his opponent and outdo his litheness, strength and agility.</p> <p align="right"><a href="danmsummary.htm" target="_self"><em><u>Back to the summary</u></em></a></p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><a name="fight"><b>The fight :</b></a></p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Danmyé is the only martial art which combines prehension with percussion.</p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The strokes must be restrained and given without intending to hit. As a matter of fact they must be shown rather than given except when it is necessary to drive back the opponent to refuse a hand-to-hand fight.</p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><em>How to <a name="win">win</a> ?</em></p> <ul> <ul> <li><a name="cou lan mô">After</a> the referees ruling, if he considers a blow was decisive because it might have led to a KO if it had really been carried out (cou lan mô).</li> <li><a name="Lifting">Lifting</a> the opponent off the ground (lévé féssé)</li> <li>Counting the amount of points that were scored during a two-minute fight.</li> <li><a name="Kakan">Immobilising</a> the opponent (Kakan)</li> </ul> </ul> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><em> How to <a name="how to fight">fight</a> ?</em></p> <ul> <ul> <li><a name="harmony">Being</a> in harmony with the sound :</li> </ul> </ul> <blockquote> <blockquote> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The wrestler has to hit and move in harmony with the duple time rhythm. If this condition is not respected the fight is stopped and the guilty wrestler is disqualified.</p> </blockquote> </blockquote> <ul> <ul> <li><a name="opponent">Using</a> the opponents strength.</li> </ul> </ul> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><em>The <a name="score">score</a> :</em></p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The body is a target. Thus:</p> <ul> <li>a kick at the face means 5 points</li> <li>a kick at the chest means 3 points</li> <li>a kick at the leg means 1 point</li> <li>a punch means 1 point</li> <li>a series of punches means 2 points</li> <li>a sweeping blow means 5 points</li> </ul> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The aim is to score more points than the opponent does and hit without being hit.</p> <p align="right"><a href="danmsummary.htm" target="_self"><em><u>Back to the summary</u></em></a></p> <p><font size="2"><em><img src="../images/colorbar.gif" WIDTH="600" HEIGHT="1"></em></font></p> <p> </p> <p> </p>  </body>