Guadeloupe

Population Guadeloupe

The estimated population of Guadeloupe is today of 411 000 inhabitants, for an average density of 227 inhabitant by Km² (in 1990). Composed primarily of blacks or half-caste (nearly 80 %),  they are of African origin from the guinean coasts, for the needs of the sugar cane culture during the XVIIth and  the XVIIIth Century.

Indians from the Indies do not confuse with the Caribbean Indians, in spite of the physical resemblances. They are a few tens of thousands in Guadeloupe and Martinique, mainly in Grande Terre for Guadeloupe, in the area of Le Moule and Saint-François. In spite of a creolisation of their way of life, the coolies succeeded in preserving many elements of their cultural inheritance. One can even speak about cultural exchange between the populations: the colombo of tamoul origin, for example, became the national dish of Guadeloupe, whereas the creole language and Catholicism conquered all the Hindu families; this was not an obstacle with the simultaneous practice of their own religion. The Hindu temples are easy to find in the countryside by the presence of tricolour masts raising the red and blue flags and under which receptacles contain offerings, candles and oil lamps. There are two categories of Hindu temples in Guadeloupe: temples of Kalimal and temples of Mariam mnan. The most significant and spectacular temple is the one of Chanzy close to Capesterre, its architecture is purely Indian.

The Caribbean It was told that the last Caribbean vegetated " protected " or " parked " within the limits of the Qualla River reserve, on the Eastern coast of the island of the Domenica. There still remain amerindian traces of their character on the face of some inhabitants of the Pointe des Chateaux and especially of the Pointe de la Grande Vigie, site where an Indian reserve was officially fixed until 1730.

The Békés : They are not very many and form a real caste, the names of the great families can be seen on the majority  of the frontages of the important companies of Guadeloupe. They always control as lords the economic frame of the island: the culture and the trade of banana, of sugar cane, rum, they also succeded in diversifying their activities.

The Békés, The Blancs Matignon, the Saintois and the Saint Barth, are also called " blancs Pays " or " Creoles " and belong to the history of Guadeloupe, their ancestors were installed in the islands even before the arrival of the blacks in the West Indies.

The Lebanese and the Syrians : They form as everywhere else a community whose essential activity is trade, and hold in the island, the major part of the jewels stores, fabrics and clothing, in particular in the main commercial streets of Pointe à Pitre: the Nozières, Frébault and Shoelcher streets.