Culture of Martinique descended from African slaves brought to work on sugar plantations during the colonial era, white slave owners or from Carib or Kalinago people. Today, the island enjoys a higher standard of living than most other Caribbean countries. The finest French products are easily available, from Chanel fashions to Limoges porcelain. Among young people, studying in France is common. For the French, Martinique has been a vacation hotspot for many years, attracting both the upper class and more budget-conscious travelers. Music contributes a great deal to Martinique's culture. The most popular style is zouk, which originated in Martinique and Guadeloupe by
Caribbean elaenia Caribbean elaenia The Caribbean elaenia ("Elaenia martinica") is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae found in the West Indies and parts of Central America. Its natural habitats are tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, and heavily degraded former forest. In 1760 the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson included a description of the Caribbean elaenia in his "Ornithologie" based on a specimen collected on the island of Martinique. He used the French name "Le gobe-mouche hupé de la Martinique" and the Latin "Muscicapa Martinicana cristata". Although Brisson coined Latin names, these do not