May : Haitian Heritage Month

Why do we celebrate?

''Choublak'', the unofficial flower of Haiti

How do you plan on celebrating Haitian heritage month this year? I came upon that question from scrolling around on Instagram the other day. To be honest it caught me by surprise and that's because I'm not used to celebrating it in that context. The Haitian Heritage Month celebration originated in the United States and it was designed by the Haitian-American community to promote and celebrate Haitian culture.

Although I am less familiar with the whole month of may being dedicated to Haitian culture, I remember celebrating Haitian flag day back in my school days. We would dress up for parades and or talent shows. I particularly enjoyed signing our national anthem or 'Mon drapeau po po, mon joli petit drapeau..." on the school yard with all the students and staff. It really brought a sense of patriotism. That was the exact intention of Dumarsais Estimé when he started the annual celebration of the creation of the Haitian flag on may 18th with parades and cultural events throughout various cities in the country. The flag is a country's ID card, and in a lot of cases, it is also symbol of independence, courage and freedom. Another celebration in May in Haiti is <<La fête du travail et de l'agriculture>> (labor and agriculture day) on May 1st.

History of the Haitian flag (Source: http://www.historic-haiti.com)

I think Haitian Heritage Month is a great way for Haitians of the diaspora community to reconnect with their culture, and for non-Haitians to discover and learn about it. It is important to keep a society's culture alive. It unites us and gives us a sense of identity as a society. And it is important to discover the cultural heritage of other nations as well.

''Cultural differences should not separate us from each other, but rather cultural diversity brings a collective strength that can benefit all of humanity'' - Robert Alan

What is our Haitian heritage?

Well, the answer to that question could be a whole book series or Netflix series, but let's do a quick overview of the matter. What I can tell you is that Haitian culture is rich and our history is beautiful, dark and complex. From the lessons we can learn from our ancestors who fought for our independence, the flavorful foods, the arts, the landscapes, our traditions, to our norms and beliefs, the list goes on. It is rich, you guys, and I think that it is our duty to pass that on from generations to generations, no matter where we live on this planet.

Looking at the positive traits, to be Haitian for me is linked with:

• Hospitality - can't describe it, you must experience it;

• Resilience - we have been through so much and are still standing <<wozo mèt pliye, li pap kase>>;

• Creativity - have you explored Haitian art and literature? WOW! Blog post on that will come later on;

• Agility and adaptability - real hustlers.

I truly believe that we have the ability to shift Haiti's narrative if we work harder at being united moving towards a common vision. That is literally the motto on our flag: L'union fait la force (strength in unity).

How do I celebrate my Haitian culture?

When I saw that question about how I planned on celebrating, I started to think about planning a zoom party with close friends around a Haitian menu, some Haitian music, and a Haitian culture themed trivia - cool right! Then I thought about the planning of the Trivia and the million things I have to do before moving day, and thought I'll plan it for another time. Feel free to be inspired by the idea and let me know how it went if you plan one (or already have) with friends and family.

If, like me, you don't plan on doing anything special for Haitian heritage month, that's okay, because all year long we have the opportunity to celebrate and share our culture.

Here is how I do it:

• Buying and promoting Haitian art, clothes, accessories, and other products. All in all, supporting #HaitianOwned businesses;

• Taking folklore dance classes from time to time. The drums just give me a sense of connection with our ancestors. More on Folklore on another post;

• Listening to Haitian music, old and new. I even randomly buss out some konpa moves with Oli in the living room 😋;

• Speaking creole with friends and family - and that one culturally curious colleague at work. Plus, occasionally I like to learn a new creole proverb. I think it is a pretty cool way to discover our norms, traditions and beliefs historically passed down through storytelling;

• Having meaningful conversations about our culture and do research when I am not familiar with something. I am not an avid reader, so I really enjoy sitting around the <<granmouns>> (elders) or any resourceful person really to hear them talk about our history and culture. Get-togethers, videos, and podcasts are the best ways for me to learn;

• Incorporating Haitian food in my meal prep sometimes. Oh, and homemade Haitian remedies! That might be a post on its own as well;

• Last but not least, I am always proud to say "I am Haitian" when the question pops up.

Your turn! What is your cultural heritage and how do you like to celebrate it in your everyday life? Let me know in the comments!

Thank you for reading.

With love, - Cyn