HAITIAN MUSIC

 HAITIAN MUSIC

The music of Haiti combines a wide range of influences drawn from the many people who have settled on this Caribbean island. It reflects French, African rhythms, Spanish elements and others who have inhabited the island of Hispaniola and minor native Taino influences. Styles of music unique to the nation of Haiti include music derived from Vodou ceremonial traditions, rara parading music, twoubadou ballads, mini-jazz rock bands, rasin movement, hip hop kreyòl, the wildly popular compas, and méringue as its basic rhythm. Haiti hadn't had a recorded music until 1937 when Jazz Guignard was recorded non-commercially. One of the most popular Haitian artists is Wyclef Jean. His music is somewhat hip-hop mixed with world music. Haitian music is influenced mostly by European colonial ties and African migration (through slavery). In the case of European colonization, musical influence has derived primarily from the French.
One of Haiti's musical traditions is known to outsiders simply as compas. But in the former non-standardized Haitian Creole, Haitians identify it variously as compa, conpa, and konpa-dirék. Regardless of its various spellings, compas refers to a complex, ever-changing music genre that fuses African rhythms, European ballroom dancing, and Haitian bourgeois aesthetics. The word may have derived from the Spanish compás, which relates to the musical rhythm of the "beat" or "pulse." One of the most distinctive features of Haitian compas music is the steady, pulsing drum beat, which makes it easy to dance to.
Haïti Chérie is a traditional patriotic and most recognizable song of Haiti that was written and composed by Dr. Othello Bayard de Cayes and was initially called Souvenir d'Haiti. It represents the pride Haitian people feel for their country and culture. Within the Haitian community, at home and abroad, it is widely considered as a second national anthem to La Dessalinienne and the song has recorded several different versions.

  THE MOST POPULAR HAITIAN TYPE OF MUSIC IS ''COMPAS'' 

Compas, short for compas direct, is the modern méringue (mereng in creole) that was popularized in the mid-1950s by the sax and guitar player Nemours Jean-Baptiste. His méringue soon became popular throughout the Antilles, especially in Martinique and Guadeloupe. Webert Sicot and Nemours Jean-Baptiste became the two leaders in the group. Sicot then left and formed a new group and an intense rivalry developed, though they remained good friends. To differentiate himself from Nemours, Sicot called his modern méringue, cadence rampa.
In Creole, it is spelled as konpa dirèk or simply konpa. It is commonly spelled as it is pronounced as kompa.   

 A FLYER OF THE HAITIAN COMPAS FESTIVAL

We have also Haitian Hip Hop, Rap Kreyol in Creole that is quite popular in Haiti. The local homegrown Haitian hip hop movement is rising in popularity in Haiti and other Haitian communities. It is becoming more and more popular with Haitian youth, often communicating social and political topics as well as materialism. Kompa as well as other popular local music beats are used frequently with urban sounds. Recent years have seen a rise in popularity for Haitian Hip-Hop artists such as Barikad Crew and Jimmy O. Other Haitian hip hop artists have yet to evolve.

  ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS HAITIAN HIP HOP BAND? ''BARIKAD CREW''

Apart from ''COMPAS'' and HAITIAN HIP HOP'' there are other types of music in Haiti but they are less listenned than those two main one. We have for example Folk music, Zouk and also Spiritual Music.

     Here is a Compas song by Carimi And Mikaben, '' Baby i missed you''

Here is a song from the band Barikad Crew

HAITIAN MEDIA

   HAITIAN MEDIA

In many developing countries, radio reaches the widest audience in Haiti. Estimates vary, but more than 300 radio stations are believed to broadcast throughout the country. Talk show programs serve as one of the few ways in which ordinary Haitians can speak out about politics and the government. A law passed in 1997 declares the airwaves to be the property of the government, but at least 133 unlicensed radio stations operate freely. In addition, there are 50 community-based stations throughout the country.
Television has experienced in the last 12 months, a dramatic expansion. In the metropolitan area, no fewer than 25 stations broadcasting on the airwaves. Tele Haiti, the oldest TV station, offers on its cable network offers many foreign channels.
Haiti’s three French-language newspapers have a total circulation of less than 20,000. Small, Creole-language newspapers are printed irregularly.

                                       

                              Brief History Of The Haitian Media

The media sector in Haiti has a long history and its situation today might be understood in the light of its progress through the years.

• 1724: Media existed for the first time in Haiti, with the newspaper of French journalist Joseph Payen who received an authorization from the King of France.
• 1764: Antoine Marie, a printer from France, founded in Cap-Haïtien the weekly publication: "Gazette de Saint-Domingue". The publication was forced to change locations to Port-au-Prince. lt had 1500 subscribers in 1788.
• The French Revolution in 1789 brought some freedom for the press, and other papers went into print. In 1802, fifty newspapers have been listed in Saint-Domingue.
• 1804: The « Gazette politique et commerciale d'Haïti», the first publication in the new independent country. This publication dropped out of circulation.
• 1806: When the Emperor Jean-Jacques Dessalines died on October 17, 1806. «Sentinelle d'Haïti» took the place. lts name will change several times but spreading the government ideology remained its main objective.
• From 1804 to 1949. Max Bissainthe has counted 885 newspapers some of which exist until today like Le Moniteur (1845), Le Nouvelliste (1898) and Le Matin (1907). The period before the American occupation was characterized by the breach and violation of ethic and professional rules. The successive government as its opponents seized the press sector to their profit.
• Between 1914 and 1934, during the American occupation, three laws were adopted to regulate the press sector. These laws restricted freedom of the press. The more outspoken journalists were put in jail, like Georges J. Petit, who went to prison seventeen times between 1915 and 1960. He wrote an article in Le Petit Impartial, along with Jacques Roumain who was also critical of the occupation and advocated that the youth take a stand.^[2]
• 1930: Emergence of the broadcasting media. Print media was almost completely abandoned. Broadcasting imposed itself as a real alternative in the country where nearly 85% people were illiterate. Several of today's well-known stations were created during this time period, such as Radio Haiti (1935) and Radio Caraïbes in Port-au-Prince (1949). The provinces, Radio Voix du Nord (1945), Radio Citadelle (1950) and Voix Évangélique in the North department and Radio Indépendance in Gonaïves/Artibonite (1953) emerged.
• 1957-1986. The coming of TV established the domination of audiovisual media. Télé Haiti, in 1959, became the first cable TV in the country. During the twenty-nine year Duvalier dictatorship, there is systematic violation of basic freedoms of the press; harassment, torture of journalists, censorship. Many journalists went into exile.
• In 1979, the government launched the Télévision Nationale d'Haïti (TNH) a TV real mass media. Unfortunately, since its creation TNH has remained an instrument of propaganda for the government.
• Since 1986, the press sector has experienced constant change. Indeed, several journalists have been imprisoned or killed for their ideology, their affinity for political groups or their objectivity.
• The hope for a free media vanished with the military coup against Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

When Aristide returned from exile in 1994, the press was expecting an improvement in freedom. The assassination of Jean-Léopold Dominique, owner and director of Radio Haiti-Inter in 2000, and Brignol Lindor, political columnist and editorial director in Radio Echo 2000 in 2001 showed that the hope for assuring press freedom was disillusionment

 

The Haitian Media landscape

In Haiti, three news agencies, two daily and two weekly newspapers published in the capital, Port-au-Prince, form the core of the written press. Other periodicals (political journals and varieties magazines) exist, but appear to be very irregular.

Nearly 400 radio and TV stations broadcast on Haitian territory. Only half work legally, with a license of Conatel, the agency that regulates communications.

Experts talk of a large territorial coverage by those 400 media, for a country of 10 million people and 27,750 sq km. However, the statistics for measuring the audience ratings and penetration are non-existent. In a country where the literacy rate is 53% and the standard of living low, we know that radio is the most popular medium.

The majority of 400 radios and TVs are small independent businesses, mainly concentrated in big cities. They broadcast on FM. AM transmitters are too costly to operate.

Public media, grouped in the consortium RTNH (Radio Télévision Nationale d’Haïti), despite the out datedness of their equipment, cover much of the territory.

Haiti has thirty community radio stations, which are located in rural areas. They are managed by farmers' organizations. They diffuse news, educational programs on health, agriculture and environment.

The religious stations are present in many localities. Excepted the stations of the Baptist network Radio Lumière, these Christian media are managed by local churches or dioceses.

Unlike other countries in the region, there are no big press groups, with large financial resources in Haiti. However, a movement of grouping of stations begins with the constitution of two groups of media, from the two dailies in the country: Le Nouvelliste group and Le Nouveau Matin SA group, which manage each a daily journal, a weekly magazine (respectively, Ticket Magazine and Spotlight Magazine), one or two radio stations, and soon television channels.

Another group, Caraïbes FM, consists of seven radio stations and two TV channels network. There is a trend for most important radio stations to have their own TV channel.

Many stations of the capital work in network with radios of province, through the country. They broadcast especially news.

All major Haitian media have their own websites, which distributes audio or written contents. These texts or audio signals are widely relayed by other media in the Haitian Diaspora. Three television channels are broadcast by the site JumpTV.com.

Three news agencies publish only on the Internet: Agence Haitienne de Presse, Haiti Press Network and MediAlternatif.

HAITIAN ART AND SCULPTURE

 HAITIAN ART

Haitian art is a complex tradition, reflecting African roots with strong Indigenous American and European aesthetic and religious influences. It is an important representation of Haitian culture and history.
Many artists cluster in ‘schools’ of painting, such as the Cap-Haïtien school, which features depictions of daily life in the city, the Jacmel School, which reflects the steep mountains and bays of that coastal town, or the Saint-Soleil School, which is characterized by abstracted human forms and is heavily influenced by Vodou symbolism.
Saint Soleil school is a famous art school in Haiti whose the founder members are Levoy Exil, Prosper Pierre Louis, Louisiane Saint Fleurant, Dieuseul Paul and Denis Smith. A second generation member is Magda Magloire, the daughter of Louisiane Saint Fleurant.

 Painting by Prosper Pierre-Louis, 1990

The main haitian painters are from Artibonite, north western department of Haiti. They are considered as such beacuse they developed their own style, which is quite recognizable.

The style began with Saincilus Ismaël (1940–2000), who was influenced by Byzantine art he had seen in books. Ismaël began to paint in 1956 after visiting the Centre d'Art in Port-au-Prince. His paintings are marked by exquisite detail. Every article of clothing, house, or tree is painted with a different intricate geometric pattern.
Délouis Jean-Louis grew up in Petite Rivière under the influence of Ismaël. Although he worked under Ismaël for 15 years, he never had formal painting lessons. He began painting to make money, but gradually began to paint carefully executed scenes from his imagination.
Alix Dorléus also learned to paint with Ismaël and Mrs. Mellon. He paints all day long and will paint anywhere he feels the spirit to motivate him. His best paintings are detailed depictions, like activity maps, of daily life in the Artibonite Valley.
Ernst Louizor is considered one of the best impressionist painters of Haiti. Louzor was born in Port-au-Prince on October 16, 1938. After high school (Lycee Toussaint L'Ouverture '57) he worked in the tax section of Customs. Louizor's painting career began in 1951 when at the age of 13 he joined the Centre d'Art and studied under Wilmino Domond. He later entered the Académie des Beaux-Arts shortly after its founding in 1959 and furthered his studies with Georges Remponeau. Louzor has many disciples including his wife Gerda Louizor. He has exhibited in Europe and the U.S..

There also haitian painters out of the country. 
Notable artists of Haitian descent and members of the diaspora include Jean-Michel Basquiat , Hersza Barjon and Ernst Registre.
The market painting is a Haitian archetype, originating with Laurent Casimir. It typically depicts a Haitian market and is done in the trademark colors of Casimir red, yellow and orange. The motive is often dense with people. These paintings were mass-produced by Laurent Casimir and his apprentices in the mid-70's, all signed by Casimir. This archetype is later taken up by contemporary Haitian artist like Jean-Louis, many of which studied under Laurent Casimir.


Here is a painting by Jean Michel Basquiat

 

HAITIAN SCULPTURE

 Haitian sculpture is made of natural materials, traditional art mediums, and recycled materials.

"Haitian Steel Drum Sculpture" The village of Noailles in Croix-des-Bouquets is home to over a dozen artisan workshops producing countless pieces for over two decades. The work is created out of recycled oil drums. In August 2011, the Clinton Global Initiative along with Greif Inc., donated 40 tons of scrap metal to the artists in Croix-des-Bouquets. After the earthquake in 2010, artists had a difficult time finding material to work from. According to Deputy Jean Tholbert Alexis, 8,000 people in the area are directly or indirectly benefit from the villages' artisans.

The most famous sculpture in Haiti is ''Nèg Mawon'' by Albert Mangonès, 1959

 

 

 

 

SPORT IN HAITI

SPORT IN HAITI 

Football is the most popular sport in Haiti, though basketball is growing in popularity. Hundreds of small football clubs compete at the local level. Stade Sylvio Cator is the multi-purpose stadium in Port-au-Prince, Haiti where it is currently used mostly for association football matches that fits a capacity of 30,000 people.
Haitian football player Joseph Gaetjens, who played for the United States national team in the 1950 FIFA World Cup, scoring the winning goal in the 1–0 upset of England.
In the early 20th century, it was reported that cockfighting was also a popular sport, though its popularity has since fade.

                                            The Sylvio Cator Stadium

                     The Haiti National Football Team

  The Haiti National Football Team (French: Équipe Haïtienne de football) represents Haiti in international men's association football. Haiti is administered by the Fédération Haïtienne de Football (FHF), the governing body for football in Haiti. They have been a member of the FIFA since 1934, a member of the CONCACAF since 1961 and a member of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) since 1978. Haiti's home ground is Stade Sylvio Cator in Port-au-Prince and their head coach is Patrice Neveu. Haiti has one of the longest football traditions in the region and were the second Caribbean team to make the World Cup, after qualifying from winning the 1973 CONCACAF Championship. It was their only appearance in 1974, and were beaten in the opening group stage by its other three teams, who were all pre-tournament favorites; Italy, Poland, and Argentina.

                       
                             The Haitian Football Team In 2016

                         Haitian National Basket Team 

The Haiti national basketball team is the national basketball team representing Haiti. It is administrated by the Fédération Haïtienne de Basket-Ball (Haitian Basketball Federation).

                        

 

                      Haiti At The Olympics

  Haiti made its first appearance at the Olympic Games in the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris. The 1924 games in the same city, marked Haiti's first Olympic medal, when the seven members of Haiti's shooting team took third place in the free rifle competition. The next games, in 1928, saw another medal for Haiti; Silvio Cator took the silver in men's long jump. While Haiti has participated in several Olympic games since 1928, no other medals have been won. Haiti has never competed in the Winter Olympics.


                
                             Medals By Summer Games

Year	Sports	Competitors	Events	Entries	Medals				Rank
					Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1900 Paris	1	2	1	2	0	0	0	0	—
1924 Paris	2	9	8	11	0	0	1	1	23
1928 Amsterdam	1	2	3	3	0	1	0	1	30
1932 Los Angeles	1	2	2	2	0	0	0	0	—
1960 Rome	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	—
1972 Munich	1	7	7	7	0	0	0	0	—
1976 Montreal	2	13	14	14	0	0	0	0	—
1984 Los Angeles	3	4	3	4	0	0	0	0	—
1988 Seoul	2	4	5	5	0	0	0	0	—
1992 Barcelona	2	7	8	8	0	0	0	0	—
1996 Atlanta	4	7	7	7	0	0	0	0	—
2000 Sydney	3	5	5	5	0	0	0	0	—
2004 Athens	4	8	8	8	0	0	0	0	—
2008 Beijing	3	10			0	0	0	0	—
2012 London	2	5	6	6	0	0	0	0	—
2016 Rio de Janeiro	7	10			0	0	0	0	—
2020 Tokyo	future event
Total					0	1	1	2	124

 

RELIGION IN HAITI

      RELIGION IN HAITI 

Haiti, for much of its history and including present-day has been prevailingly a Christian country, primarily Roman Catholicism, although in some instances it is profoundly modified and influenced through syncretism. A common syncretic religion is Vodou, which combined the West African religions of the African slaves with Catholicism and some Native American strands; it shows similarities to Cuban Santería.
The largest Christian denomination in the country is Roman Catholicism, which is estimated to be about 80 percent of the population according to the 2015 CIA World Factbook. The historical background is very much due to the French influence brought about through the newly conquered territories.
Since 2001, other studies suggest that the Protestant population had grown to perhaps one-third of the population in 2001.

 

 

 

  Catholicism

 

 Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption in Cap-Haïtien

The predominant denomination is Roman Catholicism. Similar to the rest of Latin America, Haiti was colonized by Roman Catholic European powers such as the Spanish and the French. Following in this legacy, Catholicism was in the Haitian constitution as its official state religion until 1987. Between 80 and 85% of Haitians are Catholics. Pope John Paul II visited Haiti in 1983. In a speech in the capital of Port-au-Prince, he criticized the government of Jean-Claude Duvalier. It is believed that the impact of this speech on the Catholic bureaucracy in Haiti contributed to his removal in 1986.
According to the Catholic Church in Haiti, the 10 dioceses of the 2 ecclesiastical provinces of Haiti include 251 parishes and about 1,500 Christian rural communities. The local clergy has 400 diocesan priests and 300 seminarians. There are also 1,300 religious missionary priests belonging to more than 70 religious order and fraternities. Vocations to the priesthood are plentiful.

 PROTESTANTISM

The 2015 CIA FacEbook reports Protestants made up about 16% of the population (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%). Other sources put the Protestant population higher than this, suggesting that it might have formed form one-third of the population in 2001.
The Episcopal Diocese of Haiti is the Anglican Communion diocese consisting of the entire territory of Haiti. It is part of Province 2 of the Episcopal Church (United States). Its cathedral, Holy Trinity (French: Cathédrale Sainte Trinité) located in the corner of Avenue Mgr. Guilloux and Rue Pavée in downtown Port-au-Prince, has been destroyed six times, including in the 2010 Haiti earthquake. It is the largest diocese in the Episcopal Church (United States), with 83,698 members reported in 2008.


However the most common syncretic religion in Haiti is Vodou. Its known worldwide as a specific haitian religion.

 

VODOU

The New World Afro-diasporic religion of Vodou is also practiced. Vodou encompasses several different traditions, and consists of a mix encompassing African, European and indigenous Taíno religious elements. In this way, it is very similar to other Latin American syncretist movements, such as the Cuban Santería. It is more widespread in rural parts of the country, partly due to negative stigmas attached to its practice. During the season of Lent, Vodou societies create parading musical bands for a festival called Rara, and fulfill religious obligations in local spaces such as streams, rivers, trees.
According to the CIA World factbook, about 50% of the population practices Vodou. This figure is, however, contested. Note that this overlaps the practice of other religions, particularly Roman Catholicism. Haitian Protestants are less likely to practice Vodou, as their churches strongly denounce it as diabolical.

A group of people during a Vodou ritual.