Ep2 - The Border (part 1)

Mèlé interviews Keith Franca on the history of tourism and hospitality on the island. We really enjoyed the feedback we received from last week’s episode with Marcel Gumbs and decided to bring you another episode of ‘A Walk Through History’. Join us as Mr. Franca talks to us about the development of hotels on the island and how it related to the lives of everyday St. Martiners.Intro/outro and audio mix by D'mitri Beats

Mèlé takes you on ‘A walk through history’ with none other than Marcel Gumbs. After weeks of hearing our interpretations on historical events, we wanted to take you all straight to the source. So join us in our first interview episode as we talk about St. Martin back in the days (with someone that actually lived through it😂)!Intro/outro and audio mix by D'mitri Beats

In this episode, we will talk about the history that is documented in calypso music. Where did this music genre originate from and what is its significance within the broader Caribbean region? What role do calypsonians (and Caribbean artists in general) play as political and cultural influencers? And what about the youth of today’s involvement with this tradition? Then let’s finally have some mèlé and talk calypso controversies on St. Martin 😂. All this and more on this week’s episode!Intro/outro and audio mix by D'mitri Beats

This episode is an anniversary of sorts, so we've taken the opportunity to reflect on why exactly we started a history podcast. From the purpose of learning history, our personal relationships with history, what St. Martin history we received in school, and where else we were able to learn about St. Martin history. It's going to be a jam packed episode! Join in on the discussion and share with us the history you know and how you came to learn St. Martin's history!Intro/outro and audio mix by D'mitri Beats

From formal contexts to everyday use, the Mèlé team is looking at the various questions surrounding language on St. Martin: is our mother thongue a form of English or a different language? WHat is its history? What place do we give to our mother thongue today? What are the efforts made to teach it and preserve it? How has our language and its place evolved over time?Intro/outro and audio mix by D'mitri Beats

On this second episode on the border, the mèlé is on the local challenges regarding the border: was is closed after Irma? What's the issue with Oyster Pond? Are there ulterior motives regarding the management of the border in recent years?Intro/outro and audio mix by D'mitri Beats

It's impossible to talk about St.Martin without mentioning that it is the smallest piece of land shared between two States. These 2 states meet at the separation between the French side and the Dutch side: the border. In this episode, Mèlé does the origins story of the border: its purpose, the treaty of Concordia and the challenges and paused through centuriesIntro/outro and audio mix by D'mitri Beats

The Mèlé team decided to start their conversation on St.Martin history on July 1st for a specific reason: it is the day of commemoration of Emancipation from Slavery for the Dutch Caribbean, including St.Martin. However, the crew of local history amateurs decide to take a specific angle: the period between the abolition of slavery on the French side (1848) and Emancipation on the Dutch side (1863)Intro/outro and audio mix by D'mitri Beats