Thursday, August 11, 2022

Just an ordinary day at an elevation of 4,772 feet in Kenscoff

                                                         photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

                                                         photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

                                                        photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved                                                   


Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Belle-Anse, Southeast Department

                  photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

Belle-Anse, Southeast Department - We stopped briefly to grab something to eat and we were on our way.  Located near the sea, it’s a major contributor to the fishing industry. Fishermen sell fish to other nearby towns and Port-au-Prince.
 

Friday, March 11, 2022

Anse-à-Pitres, Haiti.

          photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

           photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

            photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

Anse-à-Pitres is a commune in the Southeast Department of Haiti. Its border crossing to Pedernales is one of the four land crossings to the Dominican Republic.



 

Saturday, February 12, 2022

The vaksen plays a repeating rhythm

          photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

         photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

                  photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved
“The vaksen: All rara music centers around a large set of cylindrical bamboo trumpets called vaksen. These impressive woodwind instruments may also be made of metal, making them more boisterous brass instruments. The vaksen plays a repeating rhythm in a monotonous, trance-like way, generally at a tempo fast enough to move one’s body to“  haitianmusic.net  - 

Tuesday, February 8, 2022

Colorful Celebrations

         photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

  “In Haitian tradition, rara, a brilliant and colorful music festival, takes place throughout this holy week. This genre is said to have begun in the 1700s, most likely in the latter part of the century, when French colonization was still strong but African-Haitian sugar plantation workers were riling up. In order to gain independence, Haitian slaves fought literally (during the Haitian Revolution) and culturally (through new art, music, and dance forms)”haitianmusic.net  

Sunday, February 6, 2022

Rara Celebrations

 

                                           photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved


            photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

            photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

Rara celebrations generally begin on Ash Wednesday and end at Easter Weekend. During rara, revellers dance and march in the street while the band plays. Each band has their own rhythm that defines them even while marching in the dark.

Thursday, January 20, 2022

I will always be coming back...

           photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

No other place I'd rather be on the whole island at this time, and I can still smell the aroma of eucalyptus.


 

Monday, January 3, 2022

A refuge of tranquillity

                   photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

                photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

                 photo © patrice dougé All rights reserved

 And even in the midst of chaos there lies beauty and peace,  a refuge of tranquillity surrounded by unspoiled nature.