HAITI CULTURE

HAITI CULTURE IS A NAME THAT MEANS MOUNTAINOUS COUNTRY. THE TAINO INDIANS INHABITED THE ISLAND BEFORE EUROPEANS CAME. THEY GAINED INDEPENDENCE IN 1804.AFTER REMOVING THE FRENCH. IN 2000 MOST OF THE POPULATION WAS AFRICAN DESCENT. THERE IS A STRONG SENSE OF HAITIAN NATIONALISM. THE ISLAND COVERS 10,714 SQ. MILES IN THE CARIBBEAN. THE CLIMATE IS MILD AND THERE ARE MOUNTAINS. WITH VARIOUS MICROCLIMATES. THEY HAVE HAD EARTHQUAKES.

IN 1800'S THEIR POPULATION WAS 431,000 AND IS ABOUT 7.2 MILLION TODAY! OVER 1 MILLION NATIVE BORN HAITIANS LIVE IN OTHER COUNTRIES AND ABOUT 50,000 LEAVE HERE FOR U.S., CANADA AND FRANCE. ABOUT 80,0000 OF MIGRANTS COME FROM EDUCATED MIDDLE CLASS AND UPPER CLASSES. SOME FOLKS WORK AT LOW INCOME JOBS. BAHAMAS AND DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. THEIR PRIMARY LANGUAGE IS FRENCH, BUT MOST FOLKS SPEAK KREYOL AND IT WAS GIVEN OFFICIAL PRIMARY LANGUAGE IN 1987.

HAITI IS THE FIRST BLACK RULED NATION IN THE WORLD. HAITI WAS DISCOVERED BY CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS AND WAS THE FIRST ISLAND IN THE NEW WORLD SETTLED BY SPANISH. BY 1550 THE FIRST TAINO HAD LEFT. BY THE MID 1600'S THE WESTERN THIRD OF THE ISLAND WAS POPULATED BY FORTUNE SEEKERS, CASTAWAYS AND COLONISTS WHO HUNTED WILD PIGS, CATTLE AND SMOKED MEAT TO SELL TO PASSING SHIPS. BY 1788 THE COLONY HAD BECOME THE JEWEL OF THE ANTILLES, THE RICHEST COLONY IN THE WORLD. IN 1789 THE REVOLUTION IN FRANCE SPARKED ABSTENTION IN THE COLONY AND IT HAD A POPULATION OF 1/ MILLION SLAVES.28,000 FREE BLACKS WHO OWNED WHO OWNED LAND, 36,000 WHITE PLANTERS, ARTISTS, AN DE SMALL LANDHOLDERS. IN 1791 35,000 SLAVE HOLDERS ROSE IN INSURRECTION AND MOVED TO THE HILLS. THIRTEEN YEARS OF WAR FOLLOWED! SPANISH ENGLISH AND FRENCH TROOPS WERE SOON BATTLING ONE ANOTHER FOR CONTROL. BY 1804 THE LAST EUROPEAN TROOPS WERE SOUNDLY DEFEATED BY AND DRIVEN FROM THE ISLAND BY FORMER SLAVES. HAITI WAS THE FIRST BLACK COUNTRY IN THE MODERN WORLD TO GAIN INDEPENDENCE FROM EUROPE.

DURING THE CENTURY OF RELATIVE ISOLATION FOLLOWING INDEPENDENCE THE PEASANTS DEVELOPED TRADITIONAL CUISINE, MUSIC, DANCE AND RELIGION. SOME ELEMENTS OF AFRICAN CULTURE SURVIVE, BUT HAITI IS DISTINCT FROM AFRICA. THEY HAD AN EARTHQUAKE IN THE 1840'S. MOST HOUSES ARE SINGLE STORY , TWO ROOM SHACKS WITH A FRONT PORCH. HOUSES ARE BUILT IN THE TREELESS AREA OF ROCK OR OR WATTLE AND DAUB WITH MUD OR LIME EXTERIORS. WALLS ARE EASILY HEWN FROM NATIVE PALM. THE BEAMS ARE OF HISPANIOLA PINE. THEY ARE PAINTED IF FOLKS CAN AFFORD IT.

MOST FOLKS KNOW ABOUT THEIR DIET NEEDS , AND THEY KNOW ABOUT INDIGENOUS FOOD CATEGORIES.THEY DO NOT WORK SUBSISTENCE FARMS. PEASANT WOMEN SELL MUCH OF THE HARVEST IN OPEN AIR MARKET PLACES AND USE MONEY TO BUY HOUSEHOLD FOODS.

RICE BEANS ARE EATEN DAILY; SOME FOODS ARE IMPORTED. THEY EAT SWEET POTATOES, MANIOC, YAMS, CORE, PEAS, BREAD AND COFFEE THEY EAT 2 MEALS A DAY AND ONLY A SNACK AT NIGHT,DURING FESTIVE OCCASIONS THEY HAVE BAPTISMAL PARTIES. THEY DRUNK SPICED CONCOCTIONS OF RUM, AND OTHER JUICES. THEY ALSO HAVE NATIONAL AND IMPORTED BEERS.

HAITI IS THE POOREST COUNTRY IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE. THEY HAVE PEASANTS WHO WORKED PRIVATE LAND HOLDINGS AND DEPEND UPON THEM. REAL INCOME FOR THE FAMILY HAS NOT INCREASEDIN OVER 30 YEARSAND HAS DECLINEDIN RURAL AREAS ON AVERAGE A FAMILYEARNS $5000 OER YEAR.

THIS COUNTRY IS HEAVILY DEPENDANT ON FOODS IMPORTS - RICE, BEANS,FLOUR FROM ABROAD. THEY HAVE A BIG INTERNAL MARKETING SYSTEM AND DOMINATES THE ECONOMY TRADES AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE, LIVESTOCK AND CRAFTS.

MOST PROPERTY IS PRIVATELY HELD. THERE IS SOME STATE LAND IF RENTED IS LEASED TO ALL FAMILIES FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES. THERE IS A VIGOROUS LAND MARKET. UNOCCUPIED LAND IS TAKEN OVER BY SQUATTERS. LAND SELLERS NEED CASH TO FINANCE A LIFE CRISIS OR MIGRATORY VENTURE.

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