The Prince of Haitian Roots Music

photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

Erol Josué was born into the Vodou tradition and initiated at 17 years of age as a Houngan (Vodou priest). His natural talents and abilities as a singer and dancer were first realized within the religion hence the Vodou repertory that he draws a lot of his inspiration. Erol is also a prolific song writer among other things. He lived in Paris for thirteen years where he established Compagnie Shango, which had thirteen singers and dancers. Excerpt from the rockpaperscissors Archive - In addition to photographing Erol unforgettable performance  at Dakoustik a couple of weeks ago, this past weekend  Gouter Aux Voyages weekly story focused on manjé lwa, manjé kouzen. Click on the link to read Jean Euphel Milcé's story

Kenscoff in all its glory

photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

Once you connect to this majestic place, you will be guided where the energy is strongest and it will show you what it wants to be shown.

I am inspired, again

photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

Amazing slam poet Beo Monteau and talented singer Jehyna Sahyier enjoy a quiet moment

photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

"I always loved to read to the point I even started writing poems when I was a teenager" Beo Monteau who joined the collective Feu vert in 2007 was a guest a couple of weeks ago on the Television show Dakoustik and performed several of his well known intricate poems detailing life in Haiti together with singer Jehyna Sahyier.

Hide out in Gonaives, Hotel Room number four

photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

Je te cherche - Je te cherche toi qui m'échappe encore sans que jamais tu n'es été mien Je te cherche dans les regards des inconnus qui me sourient, dans les regards durs de mépris Et même dans les yeux des enfants j'essaie de trouver ton reflet, un signe de toi Une ombre visiteuse dont la durée est sans importance J'essaie de me faire une idée de ton innocence je te cherche dans les bois je te cherche dans ma solitude, dans ma folie Avec mes peines, avec mes douleurs et cette passion qui s'incruste en moi Avec mes deboires, avec mes silences et mes mots, Je te cherche parce que c'est tout que j'ai de grand qui me reste... un peu de rien, et toute ma folie.  Nice Eliazar

I know where this road leads ...

photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

Viens on y va Danser notre petite folie sous la pluie Suis-moi Mes traces sont la route peu fréquentée Mais celle qu'on aimerait tous emprunter ne regarde pas ailleurs Allons nous d'ici On va s'enivrer d'amour On va fermer les yeux sur ce monde Allons nous en avant que tout s'effondre Tu sais, on dit que c'est fragile ce qui nous arrive... #ForYou - Nice Eliazar

Tribute to our lives...

photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

 " Un Jour je m'en irai. Je m'en irai vers le chemin du vent. je m'en irai vers des terres de feuilles et d'eau. Douces ou salées, peu importe puisqu'elles ne couleront point mes souvenirs. Mais, mes blessures seront-elles des cueillettes d'amandes qui cachent des rêves emportés sur les bords d'un voilier errant sur un sable sauvage? D'harmonie et de feu, J'élèverai les mains vides vers le destin,vers des cieux ensoleillés. Et puis tout bas, peut-être que ce serait dans mon linceul, mais tout bas dans une de ces causeries avec la mort, je dirai à mon âme: je suis lá maintenant. Mes voix intérieures seront une petite colline prés d'un désert. Et il y aura des nuages... des nuages! " Nice Eliazar

Saut-D'Eau, Ville Bonheur

photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

I didn't know what I was going to find in Saut-D'Eau that hasn't already been shown. This very popular place  attracts thousands of Haitian visitors yearly who come on a religious pilgrimage, and over the years has been widely photographed by both local and foreign photographers. On the way up to the water fall, we drove past the woman I photographed bathing in the water. When I saw her again, about an hour later, she was climbing to the fall holding a wooden dish of leaves and flowers. There was something about her composure, definitely not a first-timer, she gracefully and with a lot of ease carefully walked on the wet rocks to get closer to the water. She took off her bra and let the water of the fall wash over her body, then turned and before covering herself she gestured toward another pilgrim in the water. Whatever her favors from the Virgin Mary or Ezulie, I hope they were granted. [ Click on the link to read Jean Euphele Milcé s Gouter Aux Voyages article ]

Carrefour, this agglomération and its two faces - Gouter Aux Voyages

photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

To get to Thor 65, we entered the "heart" of Carrefour by driving  on the main road. Traffic was very slow because of potholes, too many cars, tataps and people driving erratically.  We sort of envy motorcycles backfiring on the worndown road passing smoothly between vehicles, pedestrians and some animals in the wild. (translated from Jean Euphle Milcé's article)