Bare Feet With Mickela Mallozzi

LET ME SHOW YOU SOMETHING.

MMM, MMM, MMM.

I'LL SHOW YOU SOMETHING.

MMM, MMM, MMM!

MMM!

OH, MY GOD!

MALLOZZI: I'M A DANCER, AND I'M A TRAVELER, AND WHEREVER I GO, I EXPERIENCE THE WORLD ONE DANCE AT A TIME.

I'M MICKELA MALLOZZI, AND THIS IS "BARE FEET."

"BARE FEET" IS FUNDED IN PART BY... ANNOUNCER: ADDITIONAL FUNDING WAS PROVIDED BY KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN THROUGH THE YUEN FOUNDATION, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

[DRUMS PLAYING] MALLOZZI: WELCOME TO THE GUADELOUPE ISLANDS!

I'M HERE IN THE FRENCH CARIBBEAN DURING ITS MOST VIBRANT TIME OF THE YEAR, CARNIVAL SEASON.

CARNIVAL IS CELEBRATED TRADITIONALLY AS THE WEEK LEADING UP TO MARDI GRAS OR FAT TUESDAY, THE DAY BEFORE ASH WEDNESDAY IN THE LENTEN CALENDAR, BUT HERE IN GUADELOUPE, THE FESTIVITIES BEGIN IN EARLY JANUARY RIGHT AFTER THE NEW YEAR HOLIDAY TO CELEBRATE FREEDOM AND THE DEEP HISTORY OF ITS PEOPLE.

FROM THE START OF THE NEW YEAR, CARNIVAL GOES RIGHT THROUGH FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS OF CELEBRATIONS, AND CARNIVAL ISN'T JUST A PARTY HERE IN THE GUADELOUPE ISLANDS.

IT'S A MOVEMENT TO DIG DEEPER INTO ONE'S ROOTS AND RECONNECT WITH ANCESTORS.

I'M HERE TO EXPERIENCE THE BEAUTIFUL AND RICH CULTURE OF THESE ISLANDS, WHOSE HISTORY TRACES ITS ROOTS BACK TO MOTHER AFRICA.

SOMETIMES COMPARED TO THE SHAPE OF A BUTTERFLY, THE GUADELOUPE ISLANDS CONSISTS OF 6 ISLANDS: GRANDE TERRE, THE EASTERN ISLAND AND HOME TO ITS MAIN CITY POINTE-A-PITRE; BASSE TERRE, THE WESTERN AND LARGEST ISLAND, HOME TO ITS LUSH NATURAL RESERVE; AND 4 OTHER SMALLER ISLANDS.

THE GUADELOUPE ISLANDS BECAME A FRENCH COLONY IN 1635 AND WAS PART OF THE TRANS-ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE UNTIL SLAVERY WAS ABOLISHED IN THE FRENCH COLONIES IN 1848.

NEARLY 75% OF TODAY'S POPULATION OF THE ISLANDS ARE DESCENDANTS OF THE ENSLAVED PEOPLE WHO WERE FORCEFULLY BROUGHT OVER FROM WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA FOR OVER 200 YEARS, AND THOSE AFRICAN TRADITIONS ARE POWERFUL IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE LOCAL CULTURE.

[CHEERING] MY FIRST STOP ON THIS FRENCH CARIBBEAN ADVENTURE IS TO THE CAPITOL CITY OF BASSE-TERRE TO CELEBRATE ONE OF THE FESTIVITIES THAT KICKS OFF THIS IMPORTANT WEEK OF CARNIVAL.

TODAY IS THE PARADE FOR THE MERCHANTS.

ALL OF THESE WOMEN ARE SELLERS IN THE OPEN MARKET FOR VEGETABLES AND FRUITS.

IT IS AN ANNUAL TRADITION THAT THEY DO ON THE MONDAY BEFORE CARNIVAL.

THIS MORNING'S CELEBRATION OF LES MARCHANDES DE BASSE-TERRE BEGINS WITH A BEAUTIFUL MASS AT THE BASSE-TERRE CATHEDRAL OF OUR LADY OF GUADELOUPE.

[BELLS TOLLING] [MAN SPEAKING FRENCH] ALWAYS.

IN THE MORNING.

[CONGREGATION SINGING] MALLOZZI: THE ELDER WOMEN MERCHANTS PROUDLY WEAR THEIR BEAUTIFULLY DECORATED HATS, WHICH REPRESENT THE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THEY EACH SELL IN THE NEARBY MARKET, AND THEY ARE DRESSED IN THEIR SUNDAY'S BEST.

THE MASS IS THEN FOLLOWED BY THE PARADE OF LES MARCHANDES DE BASSE-TERRE, A PROCESSION THAT STARTS FROM THE STEPS OF THE CATHEDRAL AND WINDS THROUGH THE STREETS OF THE CITY.

[SPEAKING FRENCH] AND WE'RE MAKING FRIENDS EVERYWHERE WE GO.

LET'S GO!

[DRUMS PLAYING] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: PEOPLE ARE DRESSED IN BEAUTIFUL OUTFITS.

NOW WHAT IS THE TRADITION OF THE PATTERN?

IT'S CALLED MADRAS?

MALLOZZI: THE ICONIC MADRAS PRINTS IN THE GUADELOUPE ISLANDS ARE TRADITIONALLY WORN DURING TIMES OF CELEBRATION.

THEY REPRESENT FREEDOM AND INDIVIDUALITY FOR CREOLE PEOPLE HERE IN THE FRENCH CARIBBEAN AND ON NEIGHBORING ISLANDS.

AND I WOULD ADD THAT IT'S A TRADITION IN GUADELOUPE TO BE WELL-DRESSED.

PEOPLE LIKE WEARING BEAUTIFUL CLOTHES.

YEAH.

[DRUMS AND HORNS PLAYING] [PEOPLE SINGING] MALLOZZI: THE PARADE PROCESSION ENDS IN THE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE MARKET IN BASSE-TERRE, THE LARGEST AND MOST ACTIVE MARKET IN GUADELOUPE, WHERE MOST OF THESE WOMEN WOULD SELL THEIR PRODUCE.

THE MARKET NOT ONLY INCLUDES FRESH AND LOCAL FRUITS AND VEGETABLES BUT LOCAL CRAFTS, SPICES, PERFORMING MUSICIANS AND DANCERS, AND MORE!

WE HAD AN AMAZING MORNING THIS MORNING.

THANK YOU.

THE MUSICIANS, THE DRESS.

THE MASS WAS VERY BEAUTIFUL.

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT THE REST OF CARNIVAL'S GONNA BE LIKE BECAUSE IT'S JUST ONE PART OF THIS HUGE CELEBRATION HERE IN GUADELOUPE.

IT'S ONLY A REHEARSAL, I SHOULD SAY.

AHH.

RIGHT.

MALLOZZI: THE MARKET IS A MEETING PLACE FOR SO MANY ASPECTS OF THE GUADELOUPEAN CULTURE, AND OF COURSE, I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF BUT JOIN RIGHT IN.

[MUSIC CONTINUES] YEAH!

I MEET UP WITH RUDDY, MY LOCAL GUIDE, WHO SHARES WITH ME HIS FAVORITE PARTS OF THE MARKET.

HI.

CAN I HELP YOU?

MERCI BEAUCOUP.

IT'S AN OPEN-AIR MARKET, BUT YOU CAN STILL SMELL ALL OF THESE FLAVORS, INCLUDING THE FRESH FRUIT.

IT'S AMAZING.

FRESH PINEAPPLE.

IT IS SO SWEET.

VERY, VERY SWEET.

MERCI BEAUCOUP!

MERCI!

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: AFTER TASTING SOME OF THE FRESH FRUITS AT LE MARCHE BASSE-TERRE AND BUILDING UP AN APPETITE FROM THE MORNING'S CELEBRATIONS, RUDDY THEN TAKES ME TO THE NEARBY PORT PLACE GERTY ARCHIMÈDE.

HERE, HE BRINGS ME TO ONE OF HIS FAVORITE FOOD TRUCKS TO TRY THE OFFICIAL STREET FOOD OF THE GUADELOUPEAN ISLANDS, BOKIT!

SO BOKIT IS, LIKE, THE STREET HERE... YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

IN GUADELOUPE.

YOU CAN FIND IT IN THE TRUCKS...

EXACTLY.

AND THE OCEAN IS RIGHT THERE, HUH?

EXACTLY.

CARIBBEAN SEA.

CARIBBEAN SEA.

YEAH.

SO BOKIT IS THE DISH WHEN YOU COME TO GUADELOUPE.

YOU HAVE TO TRY BOKIT.

YEAH.

IT'S LIKE IN U.S.A. YOU HAVE THE BURGER, AND WE HAVE THE BOKIT.

THE BOKIT IS OUR BURGER, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S A THING OUR GRANDPARENTS MADE BECAUSE THIS WAS EASY TO MAKE BECAUSE YOU PUT THE CHICKEN INSIDE AND CLOSE IT.

WHEN YOU CLOSE IT, YOU PUT IT IN YOUR POCKET, YOU GO TO WORKING.

AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE HUNGRY...BOKIT.

YEAH, YEAH.

WHEN YOU'RE HUNGRY, YOU TAKE SOME, YEAH.

LET'S TRY A BITE.

YEAH, YEAH.

YOU TAKE IT LIKE THAT, TURN IT, AND... MMM, MMM!

I'M DROOLING EVERYWHERE.

BELIEVE ME, IT'S VERY GOOD.

MMM!

YOU KNOW WHAT THIS TASTES LIKE?

A JOHNNYCAKE.

YEAH.

I WENT TO THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS.

THIS IS LIKE A JOHNNYCAKE STUFFED.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: RUDDY ORDERED HIS BOKIT WITH CHICKEN WHILE I HAD THE MORE TRADITIONAL VERSION WITH CODFISH.

OH, OH, OH.

2.50.

THAT'S ALL IT IS.

$2.50.

YEAH.

2.50, AND YOU CAN EAT THAT--ONLY THAT FOR THE DAY.

THAT'S IT?

YEAH, THAT'S IT.

THAT'S ALL YOU NEED.

THAT'S RIGHT.

AND YOU CAN ONLY GET IT IN GUADELOUPE, SO YOU GOT TO COME HERE.

YEAH, EXACTLY.

COME HERE.

YOU HAVE TO COME HERE TO EAT IT.

BON APPETIT.

BON APPETIT.

OH, MY GOD.

MMM, MMM.

GOOD CHOICE.

MM-HMM.

[SPEAKING FRENCH] TOO HOT?

MM-HMM.

♪ IT'S TOO HOT, ♪ TOO HOT ♪ ♪ TOO HOT, BABY ♪ MALLOZZI: MY NEXT STOP IS TO POINTE-A-PITRE ON THE ISLAND OF GRAND TERRE.

THE GUADELOUPE ISLANDS HAVE A MUSICALLY RICH CULTURE, WHICH BRINGS ME TO AKADÉMIDUKA, A GUADELOUPEAN FOLK DANCE AND MUSIC SCHOOL.

I'M HERE TO LEARN THE RHYTHMS AND MOVEMENTS OF GWO-KA, CONSIDERED TO BE THE MUSICAL IDENTITY OF THESE ISLANDS.

MADAME PATER IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE SCHOOL, AND HER SON OLIVIER EDOMITE STARTS US OFF WITH A DRUM LESSON.

BIG DRUM, BIG DUM.

GWO-KA DRUM.

[OLIVIER PLAYS PATTERN] [STUDENTS REPEAT PATTERN] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: THE NAME GWO-KA TRANSLATES TO "BIG DRUM" IN CREOLE, AND THIS ART FORM EMERGED FROM THE 17th CENTURY SLAVE TRADE ON THE ISLANDS.

ITS RHYTHMIC ORIGINS CAN BE TRACED BACK TO WEST AFRICA.

MALLOZZI: IT'S A BEAUTIFUL STUDIO, AND IT'S VERY OPEN.

I FELT VERY WELCOME, SO I THINK YOU VERY MUCH.

MERCI BEAUCOUP.

BUT IT'S OUT OF SO MUCH RESPECT.

WHEN YOU COME IN, SHOES AT THE DOOR, AND WHAT I LOVED WHEN YOU SAID YOUR MISSION IS TO PASS DOWN THE TRADITION FROM SMALL CHILDREN TO THEIR PARENTS.

OUR DRUM CLASS WAS MULTIGENERATIONAL.

WE HAD CHILDREN, MOTHERS, MAYBE GRANDMOTHERS-- I DON'T KNOW-- BUT THERE WERE MANY GENERATIONS IN ONE CLASS.

YES.

YEAH!

YEAH!

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: THESE WEEKLY GWO-KA DRUM LESSONS ARE THEN FOLLOWED BY GWO-KA DANCE LESSONS.

I'M READY!

[DRUMS PLAYING] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: NATALIE THETIS, OUR GWO-KA DANCE TEACHER, GIVES US A LESSON ON THE DRUM'S COUNTERPART.

GWO-KA MUSIC AND ITS DANCES ARE COMPLETELY INTERTWINED WITH EACH OTHER.

MALLOZZI: TELL US WHAT IS GWO-KA.

SO MAYBE WHEN IT'S JOYOUS IN THE HOLIDAY.

JOY WHEN YOU ARE HAPPY, OK?

TOUMBLAC.

TOUMBLAC.

YEAH.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: THE 7 GWO-KA RHYTHMS ARE THE HERITAGE OF THE GUADELOUPE ISLANDS, AND THEY ARE CLASSIFIED AS AN INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF HUMANITY BY UNESCO.

OUR TEACHER NATHALIE LET ME FEEL 4 OF THE 7 GWO-KA RHYTHMS.

EACH GWO-KA RHYTHM CONVEYS A SPECIFIC EMOTION LIKE JOY AND HAPPINESS WITH THE TOUMBLAC, SADNESS WITH THE KALADJA, THE HARD WORK IN THE SUGAR CANE FIELDS THAT THE ENSLAVED PEOPLE HAD TO ENDURE WITH THE GRAJ, AND THE CELEBRATION OF CARNIVAL, OR FREEDOM, WITH THE MENDE.

WHOO!

[NADIA SINGING IN CREOLE] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: AFTER GETTING A FEEL FOR THESE VARIOUS EMOTIONAL RHYTHMS, IT WAS TIME TO CONNECT THE TWO ELEMENTS, THE DRUMMER AND THE DANCER, TOGETHER.

THE DRUMMER.

YES.

MM-HMM.

SO THE DANCER'S LEADING THE STORY.

YEAH.

WHATEVER THE DANCER DOES, THE DRUMMER REACTS TO.

YES.

YES, YEAH.

RIGHT.

YOU REALLY SAW THAT PERSON'S PERSONALITY IN EACH DANCER WITH THE RHYTHM, AND IT WAS THE SAME RHYTHM BUT DIFFERENT STORY, AND THAT TO ME WAS REALLY SPECIAL.

I FELT LIKE I KNEW EVERYBODY JUST FROM THE WAY THEIR DANCING STYLE AND THEIR STORIES THEY WERE TELLING.

IT WAS REALLY MAGICAL.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: THEN IT WAS MY TURN TO LEAD A GWO-KA CONVERSATION.

CAN ANYONE COME TO A CLASS?

YES.

IF YOU COME VISIT AND JUST COME.

YES.

YOU WALK DOWN THE STREETS, GWO-KA.

EVERYWHERE, YOU HEAR THE RHYTHMS, AND PEOPLE ARE JUST MAKING MUSIC ALL DAY LONG.

I WOULD LOVE TO LIVE HERE.

THIS IS GREAT.

YEAH.

YOU CAN FEEL IT.

YES.

WHAT DOES GWO-KA MEAN TO YOU, MADAME PATER?

YEAH!

THANK YOU!

THANK YOU!

IT FELT LIKE ALL OF THESE RHYTHMS THAT I'VE BEEN LEARNING OVER THESE YEARS JUST KIND OF CAME OUT ALL AT ONCE.

I WAS SO AMAZING AND BEAUTIFUL, AND I FELT SO COMFORTABLE.

I FELT VERY WELCOME, AND I'M SOAKED, AND IT FEELS GREAT.

I LOVE GUADELOUPE, MAN.

THIS IS GREAT.

MERCI BEAUCOUP.

THIS WAS REALLY BEAUTIFUL.

CARNIVAL CELEBRATIONS IN THE GUADELOUPE ISLANDS ARE UNIQUE BECAUSE OF THEIR MAS BANDS, AND ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT MAS BANDS ON THE ISLAND IS MAS KA KLÉ.

THE WORD "MAS" IS SHORT FOR "MASQUERADE", AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF MAS BANDS HERE IN THE GUADELOUPE ISLANDS REPRESENTING PEOPLE FROM EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD.

MAS KA KLÉ IS NOT JUST A BAND BUT ALSO A COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, AND THE HIGHLIGHT OF THEIR WORK CULMINATES DURING THE CARNIVAL SEASON.

JEAN-MICHEL SAMBA, PRESIDENT OF THE GROUP, WAS KIND ENOUGH TO LET ME SIT WITH HIM AND ANOTHER ASSOCIATION MEMBER KARINE FLEMMING AT THE GROUP'S HEADQUARTERS IN LE RAIZET NEIGHBORHOOD IN POINTE-A-PITRE.

[MAN WHISTLING MELODY] [SINGING IN CREOLE] MALLOZZI: GWO-KA IS THE ROOT OF ALL THE GUADELOUPEAN RHYTHMS, AND UNDERSTANDING THE HISTORY OF THE KA, OR THE DRUM, IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS LEARNING THE MUSICALITY OF THE INSTRUMENT.

BEFORE YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT ANY RHYTHM, YOU HAVE TO KNOW ABOUT THE MASTER KA OF GUADELOUPE MARCEL LOLLIA.

PEOPLE USED TO CALL HIM VÉLO.

WHO TAUGHT YOU THESE RHYTHMS?

WITH MASTERS.

A LOT OF MASTER KAS IN GUADELOUPE PLAY IN THE STREET.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE THEY TRAIN.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES FROM A MAS GROUP TO ANY OTHER GROUPS THAT ARE HERE THAT WE'RE GONNA HEAR IN CARNIVAL?

AND HE SECOND DIFFERENCE IS WE ARE PLAYING DRUMS THAT ARE MADE OF SKIN.

ANIMAL SKIN.

ANIMAL SKIN, YEAH.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: MAS KA KLÉ IDENTIFIES AS A "GROUP A PO" WITH "PO" MEANING "SKIN" IN CREOLE, REFERRING TO THE GOAT SKIN THAT IS USED TO MAKE THE MAS BAND DRUM HEADS.

HOW DO YOU KEEP THIS GOING?

WE DO A LOT OF WORKSHOPS, ESPECIALLY WITH CHILDREN.

THE KA IS ACTUALLY A VARIATION OF WHAT OUR ANCESTORS IN AFRICA USED TO HAVE, THE DJEMBE, WHICH HAS A DIFFERENT SIZE.

WHAT THEY USED TO DO IS TAKE WINE BARRELS, AND IT'S FROM THE WINE BARRELS THAT ACTUALLY BUILT THIS.

THEN THEY BECAME THIS SIZE?

YEAH.

THIS KA.

WOW!

AND YOU HAVE SKINS ON BOTH SIDES.

OH, OK.

THERE'S STILL SOME FUR ON HERE.

IT IS STRAIGHT UP SKIN FROM AN ANIMAL.

SO WE HAVE THE BASS, AND THEN YOU HAVE VERY SMALL DRUMS.

THEY'RE ALL SHAPED THE SAME, BUT IT'S DIFFERENT SIZE, AND YOU HAVE A VERY SMALL ONE.

DIFFERENT SOUNDS, YEAH.

AND THIS IS THE ONES THAT BRINGS THE MELODY.

IT'S CALLED A SINGING DRUM.

MALLOZZI: AFTER MY LESSON, KARINE EXPLAINS A VERY IMPORTANT SIGN HANGING IN THE MAS KA KLÉ ASSOCIATION, WRITTEN IN CREOLE.

THOSE ARE THE RULES THAT YOU HAVE TO RESPECT WHEN YOU ARE IN MAS KA KLÉ, WHEN YOU ARE IN THE MAS MOVEMENT.

AND I LOVE THAT IT'S IN YOUR OWN LANGUAGE.

IT IS IMPORTANT.

WE WILL SPEAK CREOLE, WE WILL EXPRESS OURSELVES IN CREOLE, WE WILL THINK IN CREOLE BECAUSE THAT'S OUR ORIGINAL CULTURE.

SO THE FIRST THING IS HONOR WHAT WE CALL THE MOTHER MAS, AND YOU WILL PAY RESPECT AND HONOR, AND YOU WILL FOLLOW MAS A SEN JAN. MALLOZZI: MAS KA KLÉ IS ONE OF THE FEW MAS BANDS THAT SPAWNED FROM AKIYO, THE MAMAN MAS, OR THE "MOTHER MAS" BAND.

THIS YEAR MARKS THE 20th ANNIVERSARY OF MAS KA KLÉ, AND TONIGHT WAS GOING TO BE ONE OF THEIR MOST ICONIC MARCHES.

THE MUSICIANS, SINGERS, AND MARCHERS COVER THEIR BODIES WITH MÉLASSE, OR MOLASSES, TO REPRESENT THE DARKER SKIN OF THEIR ANCESTORS, MARKING THEIR BODIES WITH A PRODUCT MADE FROM THE SUGAR CANE THAT THEIR ENSLAVED ANCESTORS WERE FORCED TO CULTIVATE.

NORMALLY, GROUPS USE BLACK BODY PAINT, BUT FOR TONIGHT'S CELEBRATION, MAS KA KLÉ WAS USING THE REAL THING.

[SINGING IN CREOLE] KARINE: THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT, EVERYTHING THAT YOUR PARENTS LEFT FOR YOU YOU HAVE TO USE IT TO CREATE, AND IT'S GONNA MAKE YOUR STRENGTH TOMORROW.

[JEAN-MICHEL SINGING IN CREOLE] KARINE: YOU ARE MYSTIC, AND YOU PHILOSOPHIC, OK?

SO YOU SEE THINGS, AND YOU'RE NOT JUST-- YOU KNOW, YOU'RE INTO RESISTANCE, SO YOU HAVE TO BE A WARRIOR.

YOU HAVE TO BE CLOSE TO NATURE, TOO.

AND THEN THE LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST, WITHOUT YESTERDAY, THERE'S NO TODAY, AND WITHOUT TODAY, THERE'S NO TOMORROW.

ENOUGH SAID.

YEAH.

THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.

MALLOZZI: A MAS MARCH IS DIFFERENT FROM YOUR CARNIVAL BAND MARCH.

THE PARTICIPANTS DRESS IN TRIBAL-INSPIRED GARB THAT UTILIZE ELEMENTS FROM NATURE AND RECYCLED MATERIALS, AND THEY MARCH IN THE STREETS OF POINTE-A-PITRE EVERY SUNDAY LEADING UP TO MERCREDI DES CENDRES, OR ASH WEDNESDAY.

[SHAKER PLAYING] KARINE: THEY WILL HAVE THIS FREEDOM OF GOING INTO THE STREET AND REALLY MAKE A MOCKERY OF THE WAY THEY WERE TREATED.

MAS ARE CULTURAL ACTIVISTS.

THEY'RE HERE TO DEFEND THE TRADITION, THEY'RE HERE TO DEFEND THE CULTURE, AND MOST PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE MAS AND ESPECIALLY PEOPLE LIKE JEAN-MICHEL ARE REALLY INVESTED INTO THIS, YOU KNOW?

IT'S DIFFICULT TO DEFEND SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN.

OF COURSE.

OF COURSE.

NOTHING AGAINST MODERNITY, BUT YOU HAVE AN IDENTITY.

YOU HAVE TO STICK TO IT, AND YOU HAVE TO BE READY TO DEFEND IT BY PROMOTING WHO YOU REALLY ARE.

MALLOZZI: OVER THE COURSE OF THE MARCH, WHICH CAN LAST OVER 5 HOURS, THE INTOXICATING SCENT OF THE MÉLASSE OVERTAKES THE GROUP.

THAT, ALONG WITH THE DRUMS, SONGS, INCENSE, AND THE COLLECTIVE ENERGY OF THE GROUP, CAN GIVE THE MARCHERS A EUPHORIC HIGH AND PUT SOME EVEN IN A STATE OF TRANCE.

THE PACE OF THE MARCH IS DELIBERATE-- STEADY, STRONG, AND BRISK.

THESE MARCHERS ARE NEVER MISSING A STEP, AND IT IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL AND BEAUTIFUL THINGS I HAVE EVER WITNESSED.

THE GUADELOUPE ISLANDS HAVE TAKEN ME IN AND SHARED WITH ME THEIR RICH AND BEAUTIFUL CULTURE.

THE DANCES, THE RHYTHMS, THE STORIES, THE BEAUTY, AND THE PRIDE OF THIS PLACE ARE WHAT PULL ME IN, AND THIS IS JUST THE START OF MY TIME HERE.

THIS IS CARNIVAL SEASON AFTER ALL, AND WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE TO CELEBRATE.

STAY TUNED FOR OUR NEXT EPISODE AS WE CONTINUE THIS "BARE FEET" ADVENTURE IN THE FRENCH CARIBBEAN TO CELEBRATE THE ULTIMATE FESTIVAL OF FREEDOM, CARNIVAL HERE IN THE GUADELOUPE ISLANDS!

BONNE FETES, EVERYONE!

YOU CAN STAY CONNECTED WITH US AT TRAVELBAREFEELT.COM, WHERE YOU'LL FIND EXTRA BONUS VIDEOS, JOIN OUR "BARE FEET" SERIES CONVERSATIONS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND STAY UPDATED WITH OUR NEWSLETTER.

WHOA!

HOO!

HOO!

BYE!

AAH!

[WOMAN LAUGHING] HA HA!

MALLOZZI: "BARE FEET" IS FUNDED IN PART BY... ANNOUNCER: ADDITIONAL FUNDING WAS PROVIDED BY KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN THROUGH THE YUEN FOUNDATION, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

[BABY BABBLING]