Soon, a voodoo school to train the "little vodouizants"

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 The Vodou sector in Haiti is undergoing a serious intimidation campaign. Between péristyle burned down in Carrefour and increase false information on social media, vodouizants felt the need to react "to reassure the servants who operate in different Lakous". The officials met the press on Monday to present their specifications."We must not be intimidated by acts of provocation from other religious sectors," insists Woldson Bertrand, denouncing at the same time texts on social networks that aim, in his opinion, to weaken or affect the image of vodou.  LoopNews 

Jacmel to celebrate its annual carnival this Sunday, February 4, 2018

photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

The City of Jacmel is preparing to welcome thousands of visitors from Haiti and elsewhere during its national carnival which will be held on February 4, 2018.

Haitian Art

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Haiti is world famous for its distinctive art which continues to receive critical acclaim. Haitian art consists of mostly visual arts, such as paintings, sculpture and drum metal sculpture, an art form endemic to the country. A great number of Paintings and sculptures depict some sort of Vodou scenery, ceremony, and deities. The Boundless creativity of Haitian has never ceased to amaze art critics and collectors around the world. hougansydney.com

“Religion is the opiate of the people.” Karl Marx

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The African heritage in Haiti

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The Voodoo celebration in Souvenance begins on Good Friday, and continues for a week. Every year hundreds of people assemble this tiny village . It is one of the holiest pilgrimages for believers in voodoo. Souvenance is located between Gonaïves and Cap-Haïtien, about 20km north of Gonaïves.Voodoo was brought to Haiti by slaves from West Africa, but did not become a recognised religion by the Caribbean country until the 1960s.

Haiti, time for your deliverance has arrived

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Regularly, there are prayers going on in Port-Au-Prince and elsewhere throughout the country.  The first week of 2018 began with an evangelical crusade at the Sylvio Cator soccer stadium in Port-Au-Prince, which thousands attended. A week later, 3 days of prayers was organized by Pastor Joelle Pierre of the Union Baptiste church, to deliver the country of all its difficulties —which was printed on T-shirts worn by hundreds of participants.

In Response to US President Donald Trump inflammatory comments, Haitians march toward US Embassy in Port-Au-Prince

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The daily grind, a thing of the past in the Caribbean

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Island life isn't like living in a rushing city, a much slower lifestyle with fewer commitments and more time to concentrate on the things that are truly valuable and important to us.

Vodou practitioners take to the streets in the Haitian capital

photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

"This  movement is called: The struggle of the Vodou religion has begun - Each and every single vodouist / vodouizan that you see here today marching, are very angry about what's going on in the country, and especially the recent aggression against our culture, and the call of President Jovenel Moise demanding that 11 million Haitians in the country  follow in the footstep of Christians. We are also marching to send a message to the President that Haiti is Ayibobo country and it's because of our ancestors' struggle that we are free today, and they were not Christians." Vodou Priestess  Marie Jeanne

Mural of Odette Mennesson-Rigaud at the National Office of Ethnology

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French-born became a Haitian citizen following her marriage to Milo Rigaud. Odette Mennesson-Rigaud lived in Petion Ville and became a great connoisseur of Vodou. Alfred Métraux who dedicated to her his book, Le Vaudou Haitien, Paris, Gallimard,1958 described her as a tall rich looking woman, with an inspired, authoritative air of a Popess. Ethnomusicologist Harold Courlander who studied in Haiti during the 1930's through the 1950's described her as being the ultimate insider. She knew everybody, and was the best informed of all the researchers and scholars.  

Thomassin Communal High Scool students take to the streets

photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

Lycée Municipal de Thomassin is housed in a building  which has been abandoned for the past 40 years. On December 21, before Christmas break, a justice of the peace accompanied by police officers of the police station in Thomassin 25, and  unidentified men wearing masks broke into the school  and destroyed everything from school benches, to a TV monitor in the conference room. This morning, January 18, 2018, students take to the streets to demand justice and reparation.

Maxime Faveur, hougan (vodou priest) tells his story of attempted murder

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On the night of Wednesday, January 3, 2018, Maxime Faveur's voodoo temple  was burned to the ground, after a woman complained to the Police that Mr. Faveur casts spells so she can turn into an ox. Subsequently, Christians in the area took matters into their own hands and reducing the temple to ashes.

Spontaneous protest

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Several dozen  students of public schools protest while walking toward the bus stop around the National Palace. Some bang on the main gate fences and chanted "we won't leave and go to Chile" fix our classrooms and pay the teachers. Schools reopened today, January 15, 2018, following Christmas break.

The reconstruction of Government ministries in Port-Au-Prince is still ongoing

photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

The ceremony of laying down the foundation stone to rebuild the National Palace, took place on the 8th anniversary of the earthquake, January 12, 2018. The Palace, which was built in 1918 by Haitian architect Georges Bossan, was badly damaged during the earthquake of January 12, 2010. The reconstruction of Government ministries in the Haitian Capital is still ongoing.

A much higher, quality education for all, to change Haiti's future

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Fort Dimanche survivor Stephen Narcisse

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In 1963, Stephen Narcisse was arrested for his involvement in a farmer association, Union Paysanne, which the main objective was to teach farmers in the surroundings of Kenscoff how to read and write. "leu ou pa kon li ak ékri ou cé yon zombi" When you can't read and write, you are a zombi—Our association had spread throughout Kenscoff, and in 6 months we had reach far away places all the way in Bonga, Nouvelle Tourainne, Belle Fontaine and Callebasse. I was first taken to Petion Ville where I was severely beaten, and then I was transfered to Fort Dimanche.

Transporting Haitian Nationals like human beings is long overdue

photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

When the safety of those who depend on public transportation to get around is no longer  a national priority, that society is morally bankrupt. It must be said: Officials have shown little interest in providing safe, quality public transit service in Haiti. Everyday, Haitian passengers risk their lives in unsafe buses. According to OAVCT(government-run insurance), between 2000 and 2010, 45,780 road accidents have been registered throughout the country. The number of fatalities yearly, 4,500 to 5,000, should have resulted in a national debate. It is imperative for government officials to take measures to not only reduce road accidents but to modernize as well public transportation. 

Demonstrations demanding Haiti's President resignation have resumed

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Men and Women of Courage

 

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Statistics are difficult to determine for the Caribbean nation, but some estimates put Haiti's unemployment rate as high as 70 percent. These men and women who fill our streets doing business and selling a variety of goods, live a stressful life. These street vendors operate through exorbitant credit rates and have no recourse to any governmental  regulatory structure. With the little money they put aside, they manage to educate their children and make ends meet to the best of their abilities. Many highly trained professionals who hold prestigious jobs are the sons and daughters of small merchants.

The glory of waking up early

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The early hours of the day is influential in setting the tone of your day. About an hour before sunrise, before the sun crests a nearby mountain, a boom of pure energy emerge in the atmosphere. Serenity, inspiration and tranquility manifest at this time.

The holidays are now over

photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

The grind of everyday life is slowly picking up its pace, the bumper to bumper to traffic during the holidays has subsided, the streets are less crowded and school will reopen next Monday. I've often heard the end of the holiday season can lead to sadness, personally, I am super excited to wake up to the alarm sound at 5:30am, and be out the door and living a fulfilling creative life once again.