Haiti: Its History, Its Culture and Present Day Challenges Louis J. Auguste, MD

1. Haiti: Its History, Its Culture and Present Day ChallengesLouis J. Auguste, MD CHI ETA PHI Sorority Inc.’s Black History Month Program February 20, 2011

2. Haiti Center of the Caribbean Archipelago

3. Haiti – Quisqueya – BohioBefore the Arrival of Colombus Five Kingdoms - 250,000 inhabitants (Tainos-Arawaks) Guacanagaric: King of Marien Caonabo – King of Maguana Bohechio – King of Xaragua Guarionex - King of Magua Cotubanama - King of Higuey

4. The First Documented Voyage to the New World • Aug. 3, 1492: Colombus sets sail from Spain aboard the Santa Maria, Pinta and Nina (200 sailors) • Oct. 11, 1492: lands on San Salvador • Oct. 21, 1492: reaches Cuba • Dec. 5, 1492: sees Haiti and calls it Hispaniola • Dec. 25, 1492: A storm destroys the Santa Maria. • He builds a Fort with the wreckage • Jan. 16, 1493: Returns to Spain

5. Slavery – Colonialism-Arrival of the French • Indigenes forced to dig for gold • In 19 yrs, local population down to 14,000 • Bartolomeo de Las Casas pleads for the Indians, gives moral grounds for enslavement of Africans. • 1511: Arrival of African slaves • Arrival of French Buccaneers on Tortuga Island and northern Hispaniola • Sep. 20, 1697: Treaty of Ryswick – France gets the occidental part of the island and calls it Saint- Domingue • 1763: 30,000 Africans imported per year –Richest colony in the World • 93 millions lbs of raw sugar – 70 millions lbs of refined sugar – • also coffee – cotton, cocoa

6. The Color Pyramid • European (White) – 30,000 • …………………………… • ……………………………… • ……………………………….. • …………………………………… • Quintroon (Octoroon & White) • Octoroon (Quadroon & White) • Quadroon (Mulatto & White) • Mulatto (White & Black) • Africans (480,000)

7. Legacy of Colonialism • In America • The Blue Vein Society • The Brown Paper Bag Test • If you are White, you are alright – If you are brown, stick around – If you are Black, stand Back • In Egypt • In India • In Haiti : The color issue is intimately interwoven in Haiti’s political history

8. Legacy of Colonialism • The colonialist system… was an exploitation of the New Continent, of its inhabitants and of Africa, as a supplier of slaves, in order to transfer capital which was going first to render possible the initial accumulation of riches in Europe and eventually fuel the famous “Industrial Revolution” , i-e, the definitive consolidation of European Capitalism. • Andre Charlier, Dec. 2007 • In Preface to the 2nd Edition of • Apercu sur la Formation Historique de la Nation Haitienne

9. Path to Independence • 1789: French Revolution • Declaration of Human Rights • 1791: Slave revolution - Bookman • Toussaint Louverture conceives that St-Domingue should be autonomous. • Fought against the French for Spain who had promised the end of slavery and equal rights • Then fought Spaniards and English and occupied the entire island • He is named Governor General for Life • Constitution of 1801 abolishes slavery. • Napoleon sends 45,000 soldiers to defeat Toussaint • 1802: Tousaint deported to France

10. The Independence and the Aftermaths • November 18, 1803: Vertieres battle • Napoleon’s Army defeated • January 1, 1804: Independence Declaration – Dessalines head of State – then Emperor • Orders the erection of Forts around the country to protect against return of the French • 1807: Dessalines assassinated • Haiti divided in three countries

11. Map of Haiti Mode of Government: Republic Head of State: President elected for 5 years Population: 9 000,000 9 Departments + Diaspora Money: Gourdes ( 40 gdes = 1 dollar)

12. A Glorious Past

13. Contributions of Haiti to the World • Young soldiers and officers fought at Savannah for the Independence of the United States of A. • First to fight for the notion that ALL MEN WERE CREATED EQUAL. • First successful Slave Revolution • Alexandre Petion, first president of Haiti supported Simon Bolivar in his fight to liberate South America from Spain. He gave: • Asylum when he was initially defeated • Soldiers – Money – Printing Press - Arms & Ammunitions • With the sole condition that Slavery be abolished in all the liberated territories

14. Decolonization and Independence Movement in the Americas

15. The Impact of Haiti's Independence • After losing most of Canadian territories to the British • Ended France’s ambition to establish an Empire in America • 1812: The Louisiana Territory was sold to the U.S.A., doubling the size of the country

16. Response of the World To Haiti's Independence • Thomas Jefferson refuses to recognize Haiti’s Independence • Embargo on Haiti until The American Civil War – No access to American ports • Haiti disinvited to 1st Pan-American Congress – 1821 • 1838 -Haiti forced to pay indemnity to France =90,000,000 gold francs ($21,000,000, ooo) • 1862: Recognition by the US: No taxes on US ships in Haitian ports • Haiti humiliated repeatedly by US - Germany • American Occupation – 1915-1934

17. Haiti - the enemy • The American Occupation • FDR: If we can keep the Haitian with shoes fighting against those without shoes, we have nothing to fear from Haiti • Reinforcement of Color Segregation • Four mulatto presidents : Dartiguenave–Borno–Roy–Vincent • After the Occupation: Lescot only promotes light skin officers and his cabinet includes almost exclusively mulattos • Attack on Haitian identity • Anti-superstition campaign – destruction (Theft) of Taino figurines • 1937: Slaughter of 20,000 Haitian and Haitiano-Dominican farmers on the Border Zone – No reaction in US or Haiti

18. New Hope for Haiti • 1946: “Black” Revolution • 1946: Dumarsais Estime is elected President of Haiti • 1947: The Indemnity to France is paid (122years) • New Beginnings for Haiti • Modernization of downtown Port-au-Prince • Bicentennial of Port-au-Prince World’s Fair • Participation of France, US, Italy, etc… • Marian Anderson performs at the Theatre de Verdure • Ambitious Agro-Industrial projects and Power plant • Haiti is with Cuba the top touristic attraction of the Caribbean

19. Peligre Dam and the Development of the Artibonite Valley

20. Irrigation of the Artibonite ValleyFor Rice Production Enough rice to feed the population and export

21. Socio-Economic Impact of Rice in HaitiODVA – 1/3 of the population in Artibonite region(Organization for the Development of the Artibonite Valley)

22. The destruction of Haitian Economy • 1939-1960 Replacement of Food crops by Cash Crops • 1981: African Swine fever epidemic – destruction of all local Creole pigs –Replacement by US porkers )four footed princesses) • The cost of the return of J-B Aristide • Reduction of the tariffs on rice to 3%(the lowest) • Interdiction by IMF to subsidize rice farmers • Destruction of the poultry industry (market is flooded with US chicken claws, necks and gizzards) • The repatriation without trials of all illegal immigrants to US • Consequences: Farmers migrate to the cities(slums) • Boat People to Florida and the Bahamas • Migration to the Bateys in DR

23. Price Comparison of Local Variety to Imported Rice Tariffs on Rice Trade Imposed by IMF

25. The Roots of the Problem • Environmental Degradation • Unsustainable Agricultural techniques • Deforestation • Soil Erosion • Oil Embargo (Aristide-Clinton) • Economic Policies: Local and International • Lack of Access to Capital • Lack of Mechanization • Lack of Transportation • Lack of Storage Facilities • Inability to purchase high yield rice seeds • Land Tenure System • Lack of Governance • Poor condition of Irrigation Canals • Lack of Access to education and health care • Lack of security for farmers • Societal Factors • Lack of Support of Haitian Farmers

26. The Downward Spiral • 2004- Aristide sent to exile - Haiti declared failed state – under UN control • Haitian Government marginalized • Bill Clinton and Paul Farmer = Rulers of Haiti • January 12, 2010: 7.1 (rs) destroys Port-au-Prince and surrounding localities

27. Hatian Culture : Two Components • African Contribution • French (European) Contribution • Results: • Language: Creole • Normand French Syntax • Vocabulary: French, African, Taino, Spanish, English • Religion : Vodou – (Makumba- Santeria – Obia) • West African religious rituals (Fon, Ewe) • Catholicism imposed by the Europeans and adopted in order to preserve ancestral practices  Religious Syncretism

28. Mardi-Gras/Carnival

30. The Arts: Pre-Colombian EraTaino Sculptures and Cave paintings

31. The Arts • Painting” • “Naïve” or Primitive School • Dewitt Peters - 1943 • Centre d’Art – 1944 • Best known: Prefete Duffaut, The Obin Brothers(Seneque and Philome), Castera Bazile, Jean-Baptiste Bottex • Favorite themes: Voodoo -Landscapes – Rural Markets- Historic events

32. Modern Haitian Artists • They are painters with artistic education. They are artists who have been educated, trained, and learned from other masters on how to refine their crafts. Most of those artists were molded in the French tradition. H. Lesser, Curator of Exhibits at the Charles Summer School Museum and Archives in Washington, D.C., pointed out that although there is the European influence in those that went abroad, "the Haitian elements are also visible". Today, modernism transcends into vivid colors, renowned artistic styles such as surrealism, pointilism, and impressionism.

33. The new Generation of Artists Jean-Claude Garoute Christ Patrick Vilaire Paper Cut-Outs

34. The Plastic Arts • Pottery • Ceramic • Wood Carving (Mahogany) • Stone Carving • Metal (copper jewels)

35. Music and Dance • Double tradition: • African: Drum at the center • Other instruments: Vaksin – Maniboula, Tcha-Tcha, Tambou marengwen • Ibo, Petro, Congo • Twoubadou (Troubatour) • Catherine Dunham • European: Piano and Violin • Waltz, Minuet, Quadrille • Composer: Ludovic Lamothe • Lina Mathon Blanchet

36. Music and Dance • Fusion – Original Haitian • Carmen Brouard • Lynn Rouzier – Lavinia Williams • Meringue: Issa-El-Saieh, Jazz des Jeunes • Compas Direct: Nemours Jn-Baptiste • Kompa: Mini-Jazz

37. Assault on Haitian Identity • 1825: Youth Education entrusted to French Clerics • Our Ancestors were Barbarians • Anti-Superstition Campaign • Lescot • 2010 - Creation of School in Haiti (Labadee ) teaching in Esperanto • 2010 - Creation of University teaching in Spanish • Pat Robertson: Haiti’s problems stem from pact they made with the Devil to secure their independence • Dominicans: We are White and God-fearing Catholics; Haitians are Blacks and Devil-worshippers

38. Assault on Haitian Identity • Media portrayal – always slums and political strife • Ever seen a positive image of Haiti on TV or in the • Constant repetition of key phrases: Haiti the poorest country of the western Hemisphere • Young Haitian-Americans ignorant of their ancestral past and ashamed of their country of origin

39. The Dessalinian – Haiti National Anthem Pour le pays Pour les Ancetres Marchons unis (bis) Dans nos rangs, point de traitres Du sol, soyons seuls maitres Marchons unis(bis) Pour le pays Pour les ancetres Marchons, Marchons, Marchons unis Pour le pays Pour les ancetres For the country For our forefathers Let’s walk together (bis) Within our ranks, no traitor Of our soil, let’s be the only masters Let’s walk together (bis) For the country For our forefathers Let’s walk (ter) together For the country For the forefathers