Haiti, from Dumas to Wyclef
Toussaint l'Ouverture
A week after the earthquake that ravaged Haiti experts are calling the disaster the worst humanitarian crisis of the decade. The UN has launched an appeal for a £346 million relief fund and the death toll is estimated at 100 000 people. As aid is finally trickling through, many are wondering why tragedy is once again striking Haiti, one of the poorest nations in the world. With a country plagued by political unrest, violence and at the mercy of tropical storms, it is easy to forget Haiti’s rich cultural heritage. Here is a reminder of what Haiti (formerly Saint Domingue) has given the world, in alphabetical order:
Alexandre Dumas
One of the most widely read French authors in the world, known for his classic novels The Count of Monte Christo and The Three Musketeers. Dumas’ grandparents were a French nobleman, appointed commissaire in the colony of Saint Domingue (now Haiti) and an Afro-Caribbean Creole woman of mixed French/African ancestry.
Chicago
Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable, a man of mixed African and European heritage born in Saint-Domingue founded Chicago’s first trading post in 1779. He was officially recognized in 1968 by the State of Illinois for having been the Founder of Chicago.
Edwidge Danticat
Haitian born American author Edwidge Danticat is known for her critically acclaimed novels ‘Breath, Eyes, Memory’, ‘Krik? Krak!’ and ‘The Dew Breaker’. Danticat still has family ties on the island is a strong advocate on issues affecting Haitians at home and abroad. She refers to the earthquake as “an apocalypse for this small and often tried country.”
Edwidge Danticat: Stories of Haiti
Freedom
Haiti is the only nation in the world whose independence was gained as part of a successful slave rebellion. Haiti also helped other Latin-American nations in their fight to freedom. In 1817, Haiti provided South American political leader Simon Bolivar with soldiers, weapons and financial assistance, which were critical in enabling him to liberate New Granada (now Colombia), Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama and Peru.
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Described by the New York Times as “perhaps the greatest black artist of the twentieth century”, Jean-Michel Basquiat was born in New York in 1960, the son of a Haitian father and a Puerto Rican mother. He first gained recognition in the 1980’s and became part of what was called the neo-expressionist movement. By 1982 he was exhibiting regularly and started collaboration with pop artist Andy Warhol. His excessive drug abuse led to a premature death in 1988, at the tender age of 27. His paintings continue to influence modern-day artists and sell for high prices. A biopic, ‘Basquiat’, was released in 1996.
Kompa
Sometimes written as compas or compass, kompa is a musical genre steeped in the Caribbean music traditions. Kompa is fun and easy to dance to, with a rhythm that’s faster than zouk but less frantic than soca. The genre has been adopted and recognized as the national music of Haiti. In North America, kompa festivals take place in Miami and Toronto.
Michaelle Jean
Jean, the current Governor General of Canada, was a refugee from Haiti coming to Canada in 1968 at the age of 11. The Governor General is appointed by the Queen. Once in office, these individuals maintain direct contact with the Queen, wherever she may be at the time. Michaelle Jean offered an emotional thank you to Canada for the help sent to ravaged Haiti. She described the damage as being like an “atomic bomb” going off.
Stars
Maxwell (soul singer), Wyclef (musician/producer. See below), Pras (hip hop artist), Garcelle Beauvais (actress), Jimmy Jean-Louis (actor – Heroes), Lela Rochon (actress – Waiting to Exhale), Gary Dourdan (actor – CSI) are African-American stars born of a Haitian parent.
Toussaint Louverture
Toussaint Louverture is a former slave and leader in the slave revolt that led to the abolition of slavery in Saint-Domingue / Haiti in 1793. Louverture secured native control over the colony in 1797, expelling the French and British invaders out of the island. He was later kidnapped by the French and imprisoned in France, where he died in 1803. In 1936, Trinidadian historian C.L.R. James wrote a play about Toussaint Louverture, later titled ‘The Black Jacobins’, which was performed at the Westminster Theatre in London and starred Paul Robeson.
Painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat
W.E.B .du Bois
The American civil rights activist and Pan-Africanist was born in 1868 to Alfred Dubois and Mary Silvina Burghardt Du Bois. Alfred Dubois, from Haiti was of French and African descent. W.E.B. wrote many books; his most significant works are ‘The Philadephia Nero’, ‘The Souls of Black Folk’ and Black Reconstruction’.
Wyclef Jean / Yele
The multiplatinum musician, rapper (ex – Fugees) and producer is one of the most recognizable figures of the Haitian diaspora. In 2005, Wyclef established the Yele Haitian foundation to provide humanitarian aid and assistance to Haiti. After the earthquake on 12 January, Jean called on the world to donate to his foundation. The successful campaign has raised more than $2 million so far. As of now, despite being under fiscal scrutiny, Yele is continuing with its campaign to raise money for earthquake victims. Foundation president Hugh Locke says Yele intends to airlift medical supplies and water to Haiti.
Organisations currently providing aid and relief
ActionAid
British Red Cross
Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC)
Oxfam
UNICEF
Check our What’s On – Community section for info on donation drives and fundraisers. This section will be regularly udpated
http://www.uhuk.org is the right one for this London based organisation uniting Haitians here and building cultural strength with direct education and family links in Haiti. Sorry for previous wrong info…. I come back to this page quite often for information… such a good piece
Thanks Tola! I did learn a few things myself while writing this feature. It’d be really interesting to have a regular feature on the African diaspora. I’m making a note of that!
This is great Alice, really enlightening. I had no idea Dumas had an historical connection to Haiti neither was I aware of the island’s assistance to Simon Bolivar. The Chicago connection was a revelation as well. The only historical figure from Haiti of which I was ever made aware was Toussaint L’Ouverture and Dubois although he’s normally associated with the US. Articles like these are essential for the dispelling of myths and educating the masses. Great job. It’s a shame it takes a disaster for this to be brought to our attention. Perhaps we should start a regular feature on the African diaspora in CAV?
Shalom x
sorry it should be http://www.uhuk.co.uk for United haitians UK – very focussed women running this
Of historical interest — You can see a clip of Toussaint’s last moments in prison from the award-winning new short film “The Last Days of Toussaint L’Ouverture” at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2468184/
Thanks for this Alice – I learnt alot and I like your straightforward style. We could add Boukman Experyans who are perhaps Haiti’s finest home based band – who sound as robust now after nearly 20 years in da biz! Lots of musiclinks to google…
http://www.uhuk.com is a useful site for UK Haitians and activities