I have spent the last few weeks in Haiti. It hasn’t been my usual sort of trip as there has been no ceremony, no going to the beach, and no gathering with chosen family of friends. Instead, I’ve taken care of some pressing business that couldn’t be avoided and otherwise sheltered in place with my husband in our favorite spot in the capital. It’s been quiet and lovely in the middle of the global chaos of this completely avoidable pandemic. I am lucky, but I also got on a plane with a respirator and a whole lot of hand sanitizer.
With business taken care of, we stay in. When it’s shady, we sit on the small balcony that looks down in Pétion-ville, with Gwo Mòn on one side and Jalouzi on the other. S points out the soccer stadium that is lit up each night for an ongoing tournament, and Legliz Sen Thérèse, a tall triangle against the short buildings around it, and the buildings that past president Martelly was responsible for. We negotiate the air conditioning, as 75 feels cold for him and the 95+ outside is too hot for me. It’s quiet and slow, and that’s alright.
In the morning, S makes us coffee and pours it between two cups like every Haitian ever to dissolve the absurd amount of sugar that many Haitians like in their morning wake-up. Later, S gnaws on goat and I eat endless amounts of lanbi boukannen/grilled conch, piled high with pikliz echalot. We play the same clicky games on our cell phones (it’s true love...) and occasionally turn on the TV to watch the news, the French overdubbed telenovelas (El Diablo! La Doña!), and the occasional American movie. You have not lived until you’ve seen Mrs. Doubtfire in French.
We talk a lot about the dichotomy we can see from the balcony; the affluence to the left and the poverty to the right. Jalouzi is called a slum because it is packed full of people, many of whom fled the valleys of Haiti when their homes were destroyed in the 2010 goudougoudou. It became a focal point of a government striving to appease the more privileged when an artist was hired (with PetroCaribe funds....) to paint all the houses in Jalouzi a bright and cheerful color. It was floated as a way to beautify and raise morale in a really difficult place to live, but it was really about appeasing the more affluent folks who were looking out their window at a wide gray swatch of concrete and metal homes and shacks.
Today, Jalouzi has faded back to muted colors and gray buildings again and people continue to struggle to make it through the day. There is no electricity to speak of though the soccer stadium less than a quarter mile away is lit up every single night as are the houses in the more affluent surrounding areas. It’s strategic and it does it’s job; folks who are more poor are isolated to their neighborhoods where the folks who are more affluent don’t have to see. If you don’t have the money to buy a better life, my husband says, you are not just waiting for something better to come along but are pase mizè, or sort of waiting in your misery like other might pass time. Each day is a careful balance that results in the sun rising the next day.
One of the things I find most difficult to write about is the intrinsic balance that must be struck by folks who are learning Vodou and, by extension, learning Haiti. It is easy to enchant what is really the result of a lack of exposure to other cultures in the world, and yet it is equally easy to miss the thing that Haiti has achieved that the West has not: the absolutely seamless lived experience of a cultural religion, which certainly looks like enchantment from the outside. You can’t have Vodou without having your feet in the dirt in Haiti, and you can’t have Haiti without Vodou.
But..it’s a risky balance that we all walk on our journey to seek the lwa where they live. With the explosion of the internet, it’s easy to see narratives about how Haiti is essentially this mythical vacuum where everything is sort of twee and picturesque way. People inevitably come away saying that they found the only ‘real Vodou’ on the island and want to package that for sale and distribution, but it is clear to anyone with eyes to see that they have not yet grasped the reality of what they stood in the middle of.
And--since pendulums swing both ways--there is the other side, where folks discount the importance of Haiti and discount the significance of having your feet in the same dirt that the lwa rise up out of. In similar ways, that experience is packaged for sale with things like the idea of a ‘kanzo’ in the United States and the sale of items called kolye or asson, without really caring or understanding how these are made in context or why someone who is not a legitimate asogwe cannot make them for other people. It is a similar lack of grasping as above.
Who knows the right way out? Probably not me. The lwa take a longview and watch, and we know where the lwa live by the spiritual fruits produced (versus material fruits...’stuff’ and capitalism is never the answer). For me, I just do my work and remember that when I come here, I am both coming home to the lwa in their various homes and I am also arriving to where people live and die and do their work in between. Balance in a difficult place.
Today marks 229 years since the ceremony at Bwa Kayiman that began the uprising that birthed the Haitian Revolution. This was a beginning that has never really finished on the island; the French colonizers were expelled and life moved forward in a different way, but the struggle is still ongoing. Haiti has kept fighting under totalitarian regimes, political corruption, numerous pandemics, hunger, bigotry from across the border, economic famine, and continual foreign occupation.
And yet, the dust is the same. When we are on the island, our feet touch the same dirt that Boukman stood on when he called for the lwa. We stand on the same ground that Mèt Feray Aleman and Metrès Ezili Danto were born from when enslaved Africans said ‘enough’. The revolution lives here and not anywhere else, and that’s why it’s important to come. When we are lifted from the djevo, we are lifted with that revolution born within us to carry into the world.
With all these things in mind, I am listening the murmur of folks living out their lives over the rustle of the palms. The drums are pounding hard today all over the country, and I am seeing the tendrils of smoke from cooking fires that no doubt have some manje lwa on them. My heart lives here part-time or full-time or all the time, and it beats a little stronger when I can put my feet on the dirt and feel the ground still reverberate with the fire of Bwa Kayiman. These things are especially poignant in this time of becoming in the world, where we look at what our global systems of inequality and capitalism has birth while we struggle with this illness that takes what we love most.
Papa Boukman o, nou ap we ase
Each and every blessing is counted today, tomorrow, and always, and I hope the same for all of you: may you find your blessings abundant in this time of upheaval and be able to count them with a full heart.
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So Future Sounds 024: D-DOTs (Guest Mix)
🔊 So Future Sounds is a bi-weekly mix series that invites the most plugged in DJs to give you a taster of the sounds that represent their world.
🔌 Stepping up for this one is emerging DJ and Producer - D-Dots. Dots makes energetic music for the clubs and draws on a diverse range of influences in crafting his sound. With tours from Brazil to Trinidad and support from the likes of Diplo, D-Dots is coming for your eardrums , whether you’re ready or not. Enjoy.
Tracklist:
TC4 - Siento
Uproot Andy - Sabba
Nan Kolé - Drop That (feat. Pynce Mini)
Moon Willis - Gone (feat. LEVi)
Lazy Jay - Float My Boat
D-DOTs - Bam Bam (feat. TT The Artist) [Pedro Remix]
Donaeʼo - Circle (D-DOTs & Pedro Remix)
D-DOTs & LowParse - Rump (feat. Magugu & Dilly Chris)
MC Fioti - Bum Bum Tam Tam (feat. Stefflon Don, J Balvin, Future & Juan Magán)
MC MM - Só Quer Vrau (feat. DJ RD)
Mura Masa, Octavian - Move Me
Baauer - 3AM (feat. Bauer & Jae Stephens)
Dillon Francis, Fuego - We The Funk (GTA Remix)
Afro B - Drogba (Joanna) (feat. Wizkid)
Vybz Kartel - Fever
Stefflon Don - Pretty Girl (feat. Tiggs Da Author)
Major Lazer - Sua Cara (fe3t. Anitta & Pabllo Vittar)
J Balvin - Machika (feat. Jeon & Anitta)
Aidonia - Pon Di Cocky (SNØW Remix)
Tony Quattro - Zulu Carnival
Michael Brun - Jalouzi
D-DOTs - Man Flex (feat. LEVi) [CLB Remix]
Download • Listen on Apple Podcasts • Listen on SoundCloud • Listen on Mixcloud
Connect with D-DOTs: Spotify • SoundCloud • Twitter • Instagram
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JE SUIS TOMBÉE AMOUREUSE D'UN DÉLINQUANT (FEUILLETON EN CRÉOLE HAÏTIEN)
EKRI PA : FADELÈNE AUGUSTIN
TÈKS : 2021
💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗
Partie 1
Bella t ap viv ak paran l' nan yon mezon ki pa t' ni twò gran ni twò piti . Manman l' te rele Sandra e papa l' Grand Pierre . Bella te gen 2 frè avèk yon sè . Grand Pierre te leve yo yon fason ki trè strik paske l' pa t' vle pou pitit fi l' t'al antre anba nenpòt moun . Sitou te gen yon ti baz sou katye a , metye yo se abize pitit fi moun .
Menm Bonjou Grand-Pierre pa t vle pitit li di ti msye sa yo , se tout yon afè pou li . Se li ki pou mennen yo lekòl e se li ki pou al chèche yo . Chak fwa Sandra di l li kenbe timoun yo twò di , li mande si se yon balon dò li vle medam yo pote ba li .
Yon swa , Grand-Pierre t ap bay blag avèk anpe vwazinaj . Te gen anbyans , yo t'ap ri . Bella mande pèmisyon pou l'al achte sosis avèk sè li a , Montana . Kòm gen kèk jou depi ti baz la pa reyini , li kite yo ale men sa Grand-Pierre pa t' konnen , depi lè ti machann nan ap vann nan se bò kote l' la ti msye yo pase nwit yo .
Depi lot bò , Nickson wè medam yo ap vini , kè l' kontan , li pa wè kote pou l' met kò l' .
SCÈNE 1 : NICKSON/JB VALAB
NICKSON(pa sispann souri) : Ki mirak ?
JB VALAB(gade l) : Kote w wè mirak sa la ?
NICKSON : Voye zye w lot bò a w ap wè mèvèy .
Jb valab voye zye l li wè medam yo k ap vini .
JB VALAB : Jan m konn papa yo jalou , ki mirak li pa avè yo ?
NICKSON : A m pa konnen ! Pou dat m ap veye ti zanj sa yo sou katye a , jodya m pa p rate chans sa , fò m pran nimewo youn kanmenm .
JB VALAB : Mwen m pa pran pa avèk tifi fidèl . Talè w pral tande papa yo pa vle yo pale ak ti gason o yo prese sesi sela .
NICKSON : Zafè k gade yo !
JB VALAB : Ebyen ale non wa di m' sa k tonbe aprè .
Nickson leve . Kòm sosis yo pa t ko kwit , medam yo te kanpe ap tann yo .
SCÈNE 2 : BELLA/MONTANA
BELLA(gade Montana) : M sezi lè papa m di nou mèt ale a wi pitit , jan m te anvi manje sosis sa la .
MONTANA(byen boude) : Pa w pral manje l , map pare tann lè w ap banm yon vye ti kal .
Bella ri .
MONTANA : Griyen dan w' .
BELLA(gade wout la ak admirasyon) : Sanble se yon zanj ki te vin touche kè papa m pou l kite nou soti jodya . Deyò a byen fre , byen trankil .
Se sèl Bella ki te gen kontantman nan kè l , Montana li menm se sekond l ap konte pou l ale lakay li .
SCÈNE 3 : NICKSON/ESTALIA
VWA NICKSON : Apa w pa vann medam yo Estalia ?
ESTALIA : Bon w wè sosis yo poko kwit , tou kri m pral ba yo l pou yo ale ?
NICKSON : Ebyen fè rapid .
ESTALIA : Depi kilè w te bon moun konsa ?
NICKSON : M pa p okipe w pou w pa fè jalouzi .
Li avanse kot medam yo .
SCÈNE 4 : NICKSON/BELLA/MONTANA/ESTALIA
NICKSON : Bonswa bèl timoun .
BELLA(gade l) : Bonswa msye .
NICKSON : M poko rive nan stad sa , ou ka rele m Nickson tou senp .
BELLA : A bon , dakò .
NICKSON : Kòm sosis yo poko bon , m pa konn si sa ap deranje w pou n pale .
Montana gade l li vire tèt li lot bò .
BELLA : Sa pa p deranje m non .
NICKSON : Anfèt , sa gen lontan m'ap swiv ou sou katye a men m toujou wè w avèk papa w ...
MONTANA(replike byen rapid) : Yon vòlè w'ap swiv la ?
NICKSON(gade Bella) : Sè w la sanble jalouz anpil.
BELLA : Li pran kot papa l .
NICKSON : Se sa m ap di paske m toujou wè min misye mare , li pa difisil pou yon moun wè misye se yon nèg ki jalou anpil .
BELLA : Bon se sou chans li kite nou vin la ?
NICKSON : Ebyen misye pa gen rival ?
MONTANA : Jamè ni m pa ta swete li janm gen yon lòt moun anfas li tou , papi twò spesyal pou m ta aksepte konpetisyon sa .
NICKSON : Sè w la kare anpil wi .
BELLA : E se youn nan rezon ki fè m renmen pati avè l .
Bella gade Montana , li souri .
MONTANA : Pa mande si sosis la kwit , ret ap pale anpil .
NICKSON(gade Estalia) : Dat sa sosis sa poko kwit toujou ?
ESTALIA : Dat li kwit m wè w te kenbe pitit moun yo nan pale anpil m t'ap tann ou . Bat pou Grand-Pierre pa koupe zòrèy ou nan medam sa yo tande .
NICKSON : Kot pou sa ou gentan ap fè jalouzi a la ?
Estalia pa okipe l li pran kouto pou l fann sosis la .
NICKSON(gade Bella) : Sa pa p deranje w nonplis pou n rete an kontak , petèt na tou lye yon amitye ?
BELLA : Ou konnen li pa p fasil akoz de papa m li jalou anpil .
NICKSON : Ou pa gen telefòn tou ?
BELLA : Non men m konn sèvi avèk pa manman m nan .
NICKSON : Banm ba w nimewo m wa fè m siy lè l nan men w pou m ekri w .
ESTALIA : M mèt mete tabasko ?
BELLA : Wi men pa met anpil .
NICKSON : A la machann vann long !
ESTALIA : Finalman m pa p okipe w tande ti gason !
NICKSON : Ou te ka okipe m tou ?
Estalia pa okipe l li bay sosis la , Montana mande anraje pou l ale .
MONTANA : Ann ale non tifi ! Marengwen tou ap mòde moun la , ou menm ou ret kanpe ap radote a .
BELLA : Fè yon ti tann ! Kot telefòn manman m nan ki te nan men w lan ?
MONTANA : Sa pou w fè l ?
BELLA : Yon nimewo y ap banm sou li ...
MONTANA : Nimewo kisa ? M'ap di papa m sa !
BELLA : M'ap ba w yon ti sosis anplis , tanpri baz .
MONTANA : Yon lòt pou w' achte banm .
Tout sa Bella di l li pa vle bay telefòn nan , lè Nickson wè sa li achte sosis la fè l kado . Yo fè yon bout tan ap pale apresa medam yo ale , Nickson tou pwofite l de moman sa pou l al manke Estalia dega .
SCÈNE 5 : NICKSON/ESTALIA
NICKSON(lonje dwèt li nan figi Estalia) : Epi ou menm gade pou w wè si m pa p fè w kite soumoun .
ESTALIA : Fè m kite non ! Si medam sa yo te konn jan w vakabon , chak yo wè w nan lari yo t'ap kouri .
NICKSON : M'ba w rekreyasyon deja wi , m te deja di w se dekou n t'ap fè , ou pa bezwen fè jalou pou ti sa a .
ESTALIA : Kot pou sa pou m ta fè jalou a la ? Pou vakabon sa a m wè la a ? Adje !
NICKSON : Jodya ou konnen m'te yon vakabon ? Ebyen kit mwen te vakabon ou pa se pa pwoblèm pa w , lesansyèl se kite soumoun.
ESTALIA : M'pa t soumoun non ! Se depi lè m fin bwè krache w la m vin konsa , ou kontamine m .
NICKSON : Mache bay ti lepè bave nan bouch ou epi vin di se mwen ki kontamine w .
ESTALIA : Finalman m pa wè pouki ou rayi m nan la non .
NICKSON : Ou twò soumoun , se senp ! Fè yon ti kite .
ESTALIA : Oke mèsi frè m ! Fè chemen w mwen menm m'ap fè chemen m .
Se toujou konsa , kote w wè l al chita deyò a se pou l nwi Estalia . Jiskamètnan pyès moun pa konn poukisa , yo tankou chen ak chat . Jodi yo byen , demen yo pa byen . Lè l bouke anmède tifi a li al fè wout li . Li te nève nan maten , Nickson pot ko menm leve nan kabann li lè telefòn li sone .
SCÈNE 6 : NICKSON AK BELLA NAN TELEFÒN
NICKSON(li detire) : Kimoun k'ap nwi m granmaten sa la ? (Li dekwoche) Alo !
MOUN NAN : °°°°°°°°
NICKSON : M'pa wè kimoun non .
MOUN NAN : °°°°°°°
NICKSON : Bella ?
Nickson te kouche toujou , li leve chita sou kabann nan . Malgre Bella te di l kimoun li pa t wè kiyès . Anfèt ! Li te tèlman distribye nimewo l jou swa sa menm Estalia te repwoche l .
BELLA : °°°°°°
NICKSON : Jiskounya m pa wè kimoun , epa ti dam ki te al achte avèk ti sè l la ?
BELLA : °°°°°°
NICKSON(pase men nan tèt li) : A bon ! Tèt mwen klè kounya . Kòman w ye ? E nwit ou ?
BELLA : °°°°°°
NICKSON : Mwen la wi , m jus ap pawaze sur la toile .
BELLA : °°°°°°
NICKSON : Manman w pa p fache si l vin jwenn ou ap pale avè m ?
BELLA : °°°°°°
NICKSON : Anh dakò chère , apresa ?
BELLA : °°°°°°
NICKSON : M pa konn Kòman pou m remèsye w pou apèl sa non chère , tande vwa w se pi gwo kado lanati te ka ofri m pou jounen an menm si se apèl ou a ki vin leve m nan dòmi .
BELLA : °°°°°°
NICKSON : Non non ou pa deranje m chère okontrè se yon byen ou fè pou mwen . Reveye m nan dòmi pou m vin tande yon vwa si dous , si sansyèl konsa reprezante yon pakèt bagay pou mwen .
BELLA : °°°°°°
NICKSON : M pa konn sedwi non chère , m ta byen renmen se ou ki montre m fè sa .
BELLA : °°°°°°
NICKSON : Ou pa imajine jan m t ap kontan wè yon bèl ti anj konsa ap aprann mwen yon bagay ki si ekstrawòdinè ?
BELLA : °°°°°°
NICKSON : Se vre chaje lòt fi ki te ka montre m fè sa men se ou mwen chwazi paske nan ou m kwè m ka jwenn e aprann anpil bagay k'ap itil mwen alavni .
BELLA : °°°°°°
NICKSON : Se pa blofe m ap blofe w chère , m jis vle nou alèz . Ou mèt konsidere tèt ou kòm yon moun ki gen chans anpil paske w se premye moun mwen adrese nan yon fason ki si syav konsa .
BELLA : °°°°°°
NICKSON : Mèsi paske w te sousye de mwen enpe bote , m espere wè w jodya ankò .
BELLA : °°°°°°
NICKSON : M pa p sispann priye Bondye pou papa w kite w soti jodya jis pou m ka gen chans admire bèl ti figi ou a yon dezyèm fwa ankò , wè w se yon bagay ekstrawòdinè .
BELLA : °°°°°°
NICKSON : Dakò , a pita chère .
Li dekole telefòn nan nan zòrèy li , li kenbe l nan men l tout an souriyan . Li te fyè de tèt li e kontan anpil paske l te fè yon premye pa .
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