HAITI CULTURE

HAITI 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. IT IS THE 2ND LARGEST ISLAND IN THE CARIBBEAN. THE CLIMATE IS MILD AND THERE ARE MOUNTAINS WITH VARIOUS MICROCLIMATES. THEY HAVE EARTHQUAKES.

IN 1800'S THEIR POPULATION WAS 430,000 AND TODAY THERE AREA BOUT 7.2 MILLION! OVER 1 MILLION NATIVE BORN HAITIANS LIVE IN OTHER COUNTRIES. ABOUT 50,000 LEAVE FOR THE U.S., CANADA, AND FRANCE EACH YEAR. ABOUT 89% OF MIGRANTS COME FROM EDUCATED MIDDLE CLASS AND UPPER CLASSES. SOME FOLKS WORK AT AT LOW INCOME JOBS IN BAHAMAS AND DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. THEIR PRIMARY LANGUAGE IS FRENCH, BUT MOST FOLKS SPEAK KREYOL. KREYOL IS THE PRIMARY LANGUAGE IN 1987.

HAITI IS THE FIRST BLACK RULED NATION IN THE WORLD. HISPANOLA WAS DISCOVERED BY CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS AND WAS THE FIRST ISLAND IN THE NEW WORLD SETTLED BY THE SPANISH. BY 1550 THE TAINO HAD THE ISLAND. BY MID 1600'S THE WESTERN THIRD OF THE ISLAND WAS POPULATED BY FORTUNE SEEKERS, CASTAWAYS AND COLONISTS WHO HUNTED WILD PIGS, CATTLE AND SMOKED MEET TO PASSING SHIPS. BY 1788 THE COLONY HAD BECOME THE JEWEL OF ANTILLES, THE RICHEST COLONY IN THE WORLD.

IN 1789 THE REVOLUTION IN FRANCE SPARKED DISSENSION IN THE COLONY AND IT HAD A POPULATION OF 1/2 MILLION SLAVES, 28,000 FREE BLACKS WHO OWNED LAND, 36,00O WHITE PLANTERS, ARTISTS AND SMALL LAND HOLDERS. IN 1791 35,000 SLAVE HOLDERS ROSE IN INSURRECTION AND MOVED TO THE HILLS. THIRTEEN YEARS OF WAR FOLLOWED! SPANISH, ENGLISH, 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 PEASANTRY DEVELOPED A TRADITION IN IN CUISIO, MUSIC, DANCE AND RELIGION. SOME ELEMENTS OF AFRICA CULTURE SURVIVED, BUT HAITI IS DISTINCT FROM AFRICANS. THEY HAD A LARGE EARTHQUAKE IN THE 1840'S. MOST HOUSES ARE SINGLE STORY, TWO ROOM SHACKS WITH A FRONT PORCH. IN THE TREELESS AREAS HOUSES ARE CONSTRUCTED OF ROCK OR WATTLE AND DAUB WITH NEED OR LIME EXTERIORS. WALLS ARE EASILY HEWN NATIVE PALM HOUSES ARE MADE OF HISPANIOLA PINE. THEY ARE PAINTED IF FOLKS CAN AFFORD IT.

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

RICE AND BEANS ARE COMMONLY EATEN DAILY AND SOME FOODS ARE IMPORTED. THEY EAT SWEET POTATOES AND MANIOC, YAMS, CORN, PEAS,, BREAD AND COFFEE. THEY EAT 2 MEALS A DAY AND ONLY A SNACK AT NIGHT. DURING FESTIVE OCCASIONS THEY HAVE BAPTISMAL PARTIES. THEY DRINK SPICED CONCOCTIONS OF RUM AND OTHER FRUIT 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 ON THEM. REAL INCOME FOR THE FAMILY HAS NOT INCREASED IN OVER TWENTY YEARS AND HAS DECLINED IN RURAL AREAS. ON AVERAGE A FAMILY EARNS $500 PER YEAR.

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

MOST PROPERTY IS PRIVATELY HELD. THERE IS SOME STATE LAND IF RENTED AND IS LEASED TO ALL FAMILIES FOR VARIOOUS PURPOSES. THERE IS A VIGOROUS LAND MARKET. UNOCCUPIED LAND IS TAKEN OVER BY SQUATTERS. LAND SETTLERS NEED CASH TO FINANCE A LIFE CRISIS OR MIGRATORY VENTURES. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CONFLICTS OVER AND BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE SAME KIN GROUPS. WITH THE THRIVING INTERNAL MARKET THAT IS CHARACTERIZED BY FEMALE TRADERS WHO SPECIALIZE IN DOMESTIC ITEMS AS PRODUCE THEY TRADE TOBACCO, FISH, CLOTHING AND LIVESTOCK.

THERE WAS A SMALL BAUXITE MINE BUT IT CLOSED IN 1983. OFFSHORE ASSEMBLY INDUSTRIES OWNED PRINCIPALLY BY ENTREPRENUERS WHO HIRED 60,000 PEOPLE IN THE MID 1980'S.

HAITI EXPORTS COCOA, OILS PHARMACEUTICALS AND COFFEE. THEY ALSO HANDLE ILLEGAL DRUG TRAFFICKING.

THERE IS A WIDE ECONOMIC GULF BETWEEEN THE WEALTHY AND THE MIDDLE CLASS. THE DARKNESS OF THE SKIN IS AN EVIDENCE OF RACIAL SOCIAL DIVISION. CRIME AND VIGILENCE HAVE INCREASED IN THE LAST 14 YEARS.THE U.S. PROVIDES10% OF THE COUNTRY'S NEEDS.

MEN ARE PRIMARILY LABORERS, DOCTORS, AN SPIRITUAL HEALERS. THE MEN TAKE CARE OF LIVESTOCK AND GARDENS. WOMEN TEND GARDENS AND HARVEST FOODS, COOK, TEND TO CHILDREN, AND SOME ARE NURSES. THEY CONTROL THE HOUSEHOLD EARNINGS.

MARRIAGE MAY NOT TAKE PLACE UNTIL A MAN HAS BUILT A HOUSE AFTER THEIR 1ST CHILD. IT IS NOT LEGAL BUT ABOUT 10% OF MEN HAVE MORE THAN ONE WIFE, HOUSEHOLDS ARE MADE UP OF NUCLEAR FAMILY MEMBERS AND ADOPT CHILDREN. THE HOUSE IS ASOCIATED WITH THE WOMEN AND IS THE DECISION MAKERS OF THE FUNDS. THE PARENTS INVITE FRIENDS TO SPONSOR A CHILD'S BAPTISM.

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