Alpacas Collective and Neg Madnick denounce toxic colonialism in ‘Movéfèzè’ (from the album ‘Big Words’)
The images for this video were mostly made around a place called Chalvet in the North of the island Martinique. There, in February 1974, agricultural workers protested for better working conditions in the banana and sugar cane plantations; And for the first time called out the use of toxic pesticides that made people sick. 50 years later there is still no justice for victims of this intense pesticide use. The famous ‘Chlordécone scandal’ has left the beautiful island and it’s people polluted. Some of the images you see are made at a big demonstration held in Fort de France end of October under the slogan ‘Matinik Debout’. It was an outcry against the fact the French state nor agro-businessmen do not take up their responsibility for the damage done. But unfortunately the ‘Chlordécone scandal’ is not an isolated case: today many European countries allow agrochemical companies to produce at least 80 different toxic pesticides that are banned for use in Europe because they are too dangerous, but which are still exported from Europe to countries in the Global South. Thousands of tonnes of toxic products every year. This toxic colonialism of the ‘Movéfèzè’ needs to stop!
For more info see: https://www.corporateeurope.org/en/2022/11/need-eu-wide-ban-export-banned-pesticides-and-hazardous-chemicals
Filming and editing : Hugues Moray | Script: Hans van Scharen | Lyrics: Neg Madnick | Music : Alpacas Collective
Now available!
“BIG WORDS”
Released November 2023 on Catalpas Records