Nèg Dafrik

First came across this group a few weeks ago, but my memory was refreshed by the 'Legends of Haitian Music' Facebook page. Although the band, Boulpik, uses twoubadou instrumentation, this song is more in the realm of compas. The band's album was even reviewed in a British paper! To learn more, check out their page on Lusafrica.

Frank Guridy on African-Americans and Afro-Cubans

Check out this fascinating interview with Frank Guridy on African-American and Afro-Cuban relations. The importance of Tuskegee, transnational racial solidarity, Langston Hughes and the Harlem Renaissance's connections to Afro-Cubans (poetry, music), and even unexpected ways for Afro-Puerto Ricans to assert their rights are mentioned. I am dying to read more of Guridy's perspective on why Afro-Puerto Ricans were less likely to foreground their race in political struggles for equality (as in civil rights, race-based organizing). The ways in which the Garveyite movement also shaped Afro-Cubans is also alluded to as an important movement for the African Diaspora in Cuba, the Anglophone Caribbean, and African-Americans.

Cléante Valcin

Cléante Valcin, an important figure in Haitian letters and feminism. Valcin's 1929 novel Cruelle Destinée became the first novel by a Haitain woman to be published. She was also one of the founders of the Ligue Feminine d'action sociale in 1934 and a women's journal, Voix des Femmes, which commented on political and gender issues. As a part of the growing feminist movement in 1930s Haiti, Valcin contributed to a broader movement that endeavored to transcend class divisions among Haitian women by promoting education, sought political and civil equality for women, fought for children's rights, and demanded a minimum wage. Partly successful in these regards, the early 20th century phase of feminism in Haiti was not solely centered on the elite, and engaged Haitian political and economic inequality.

Valcin also broached similar subjects and themes of gender, race, class, color, and identity in her writings, particularly the 1934 novel, La Blanche Négresse. As explained by Haitian-Canadian scholar Myriam Chancy, through criticism of the brutal, racist and sexist US Occupation of Haiti (1915-1934) and the ways in which indigeniste Haitian ideologues could go too far in embracing 'African roots," Valcin sought to find a 'middle way' for the identity of the Haitian women that was empowered, not subject to the confines of patriarchal marriage, and open to the multiple cultural and racial elements of Haiti. In short, Valcin's novel weaves together themes of race, gender, sexuality, the 'tragic mulatta,' and Haitian national identity. I highly recommend Myriam Chancy's "Framing Silence: Revolutionary Novels by Haitian Women" to learn more about the accomplishments of the pre-Duvalier feminists as well as the various ways women novelists have challenged the subordination of women. Her work is the source of the interpretation of Valcin's work shared here, as well as the broader context of the feminist movement.

Sources

http://haitist.com/5-giants-of-classic-haitian-literature/

http://www.lehman.cuny.edu/ile.en.ile/paroles/valcin.html

http://islandluminous.fiu.edu/part09-slide22.html

http://www.windowsonhaiti.com/windowsonhaiti/w99101.shtml

Marabout de mon coeur by The Josephs

Lovely instrumental take on the classic "Marabout de mon coeur" by Roumer (with music from Legros). Although I have blogged about this meringue lente before, the only sung version I had located then was by Joe Trouillot from the 1950s. Anyway, while hearing this song, one could not help but note the overwhelming similarities between this meringue and Cuban danzón (or the Puerto Rican danza).

Choubouloute

Gerard Dupervil sings the lovely "Chouboulute," which sounds like a meringue lente. I am not sure who authored this love song, but Orchestre Citadelle also recorded it in the early 1960s in a big band setting. Dupervil's version is a little better for the extended length and attention to bringing the lyrics to life, however. Regardless, both are excellent recordings of excellent Haitian music. 

From Douglass to Duvalier: U.S. African Americans, Haiti, and Pan Americanism, 1870-1964

Millery Polyné's From Douglass to Duvalier: U.S. African Americans, Haiti, and Pan Americanism, 1870-1964 manages to examine U.S. African-American-Haitian collaboration and solidarity through the lens of Pan-Americanism in a variety of fields, such as international relations, economic uplift, black nationalism, tourism, dance, and education. In some ways quite indebted to Plummer's work on Haiti and U.S.-Haiti relations (as well as reminiscent of her work on the role of African-Americans in shaping US foreign policy), Polyné introduces the reader to several interesting figures who shaped African-American relations with Haiti, and in turn, U.S.-Haitian relations. Pan-Americanism as an important area for the African Diaspora of the Americas also has relevance here.

Moton, Barnett, Lavinia Williams, Frederick Douglass, etc. all shaped US relations with Haiti in important but understudied ways. Black nationalist sentiment, African-American sincere belief in US-centered Pan-Americanism (but critical of white supremacy and imperialism), and Haiti's legacy as a testament to black freedom motivated U.S. African-American involvement with Haiti, but due to the aforementioned motivations, sought to improve Haiti's economic and political turmoil from the late 19th century to the rise of Duvalier. Although I felt the chapter on Douglass was initially overly long in its coverage of Douglass's support for annexation of the Dominican Republic in the 1870s, one can see that chapter's relevance to later chapters of the text (specifically, some of the shortcomings of African-American Pan-Americanism that favored U.S. rule or capitalist development under inter-American policies dominated by the U.S.).

In the case of some African-Americans, inter-American relations were further weakened by a reluctance to criticize sovereign black leadership abroad, as in the case of Claude Barnett's influence in the U.S.'s black press and a refusal to repudiate Duvalier (something Polyné refers to as a nadir of African-American-Haitian relations). African-American deviance from Anglo-American Pan-Americanism, however, is another important theme in the text that illustrates how African-Americans have played a significant role in challenging US imperialism. In addition, African-American Pan-Americanism faced the economic constraints of the Great Depression (which undermined business initiatives connecting African-American capitalists and Haiti, though the success of Major R.R. Wright's investments in coffee and the African-American pilot, James O. Plinton, in starting a small airline and laundry service in Haiti demonstrate important examples of how African-Americans with capital and skill contributed to Haiti's economy, albeit not helping much with the rural sector).

Nonetheless, African-American dancers (Lavinia Williams, Haitian dancer Destiné, Moton, and Walter White (of NAACP fame) played an important role in promoting Haiti's tourism industry and cultural heritage (by bringing 'discipline' to folkloric dance, capital and advertising in tourism, and commissions to recommend changes in education during U.S. Occupation (besides uncovering and disseminating news of racial oppression, violence, and economic disaster under U.S. rule). African-American criticism of the paltry aid given to Haiti during the early Duvalier years, calls for increased investment, debt relief, cultural programs, defending Haitian sovereignty (exemplified by Douglass during the negotiations for the Mole St. Nicolas) and appreciation for Haitian history (as well as other forms of solidarity and intellectual exchange, such as cultural, literary, and Pan Africanist programs and movements) indicate additional ways African-Americans have shaped US-Haitian ways for the better.

Son Dominicano

Joan Soriano has quickly become one of my favorite bachata artists. His excellent guitar playing and 'authenticity' with bachata's Afro-Dominican roots appeals to me, as well as his excellent performance with Puerto Plata. This "Son Dominicano" seems to be quite derivative of the Cuban son, except played a little faster. 

The Coptic Church and Nubia

Check out an interesting interview with a scholar on Nubian Christianity, one of the least known Christian traditions of African antiquity. Salim Faraji is interviewed by a Coptic host on the subject of relations between the Coptic Church and Nubia, how a Nubian king initiated Christian conversions in Nubia, and other aspects of Nubia's history. As the host says, an understanding of the intertwined, interdependent histories of the Coptic, Nubian, and Ethiopian Orthodox traditions is necessary for comprehending the Copts in their proper African context. Check out this interview, too, on the study of Egyptian and Nubian Christianity.

La cama tiene candela

Robin Cariño's hit, "La cama tiene candela," is excellent bachata. Moreover, Cariño is supposedly a Dominican of Haitian descent (according to an NPR program), thus a great example of Caribbean music transcending ethnic and national boundaries. Regardless, the invariably beautiful guitar and lovely lyrics make this a memorable bachata number.

Voy Pa' lla

A beautiful bachata classic from Antony Santos with stunning guitar playing. Bachata is growing on me as a genre, particularly in how 'familiar' this new genre should be to me. It bears more than a passing resemblance to Cuban and Haitian twoubadou music, which is not surprising given the mutual Cuban influences in twoubadou and bachata. Nonetheless, some of the older styles of bachata feature excellent guitarists with infectious rhythms. This song, "Voy Pa' lla," was a hit with the Dominican diaspora in New York, perhaps because the title resonated with the immigrant experience, according to Afropop Worldwide's special on bachata. Another excellent feature of bachata is the adaptation of the bachata guitar style to merengue, something exemplified in tracks like "Cojelo Ahi" or "El Tomate" by Luis Vargas. The guitar style is quite reminiscent of Cuban tres as well as Congolese styles due to, again, shared Cuban and African influences. To be honest, I am now ashamed of my previous dismissive attitude toward bachata without really hearing it.

Men Kalot

An excellent twoubadou song from the talented Beethova Obas. As usual, he adds a touch of jazz and sophistication to anything he plays, along with irresistible melodies. "Men Kalot" is a deep twoubadou groove that I have already played several times this evening. While in a twoubadou fixation, enjoy Jackito's "Lanmou Doudou" as well. 

Cheri Amou

I don't care much for bachata, but this bachata in Haitian Kreyol is infectious. "Cheri Amou" has an endearing music video, lovely guitar sounds, and hand percussion. Although I will probably never be a huge fan of bachata, I am grateful to the music forum Islandmix for opening my eyes (and ears) to some beautiful Caribbean music. In some ways, this is not that different from twoubadou because of the prominence of the guitar and similar playing styles. Check out this video for Toni Tomas and bachata legend Joan Soriano singing "Cheri Amou" live.

Hispaniola: Caribbean Chiefdoms in the Age of Columbus

Although I was expecting a much lengthier tome on the Taino sociopolitical system before and during contact with Europeans, Wilson's Hispaniola: Caribbean Chiefdoms in the Age of Columbus is a good reminder and review of the 'ethnohistorical' sources on the indigenes of Hispaniola. As Wilson states in his conclusion, Hispaniola set the framework for European-Native relations throughout the Americas, so a keen understanding of the Arawak peoples and their decimation by European colonialism is important to study. Moreover, Wilson's text is a succinct overview of scholarship and writings on the Taino from the 1490s to the 1980s, providing archaeological and ethnohistorical sources in order to show the complexities of indigenous 'sociopolitical' systems on Hispaniola, the island of the Greater Antilles where the Taino polities were probably the most complex. From Columbus making contact on the northern coast of Hispaniola (modern Haiti) to the campaigns in the Vega Real, to the Adelantado's contact with Xaragua and the eventual subjugation of the entire island in a tribute system, it becomes quite clear that Hispaniola featured the most complex Taino societies, with larger villages, fine craft production of ritual goods (zemis and dujos, seemingly produced by women), and linguistic diversity.

Wilson also does an excellent job recreating Columbus's first and second voyages and how European perceptions of the Taino political system were filtered through early modern European notions of feudal kingship, Christianity, and gender norms (the practice of polygyny among the Taino elite and the alleged power of women caciques in Hispaniola & Puerto Rico certainly stood out, as well as women's general nudity). Moreover, the complexities of cacicazgos in Hispaniola from 1492 to the early 1500s are well detailed (though I would have liked more info about cacique Mayobanex and the peoples of Samana who were labelled 'cannibals' and ethnic diversity on the island). Likewise, what exactly happened with Behecchio and Anacaona was an interesting example of how some caciques were able to play off Spanish renegades to undermine the Adelantado (Columbus's brother, who represented Spanish 'rule' in Hispaniola) for a decade. The nuances of Taino inheritance among the elite also seems unclear, perhaps being a combination of patrilineal and matrilineal.

Unfortunately, we all know how the tale of indigenous peoples and political systems collapsed: disease, forced labor (for gold mining) that took cultivators away from their conucos (manioc cultivation as practiced by the Taino required constant maintenance and about a year for the crop to mature), population and food pressure to feed the growing European presence ravaged the indigenous population's autonomy and subsistence strategies. Even the strongest caciques fell over time, such as Guarionex, Anacaona, and Caonabo, due to Spanish treachery, warfare, and the killing of Taino elites. It's a shame the written sources are not detailed or sufficient enough to provide a clearer picture of how elite marriage structures and sociopolitical systems functioned (it seems like the caciques, even the strongest ones, were dominant firsts among equals rather than 'kings' or 'queens' in the European sense).

Also interesting for its relevance to European colonization in the Americas, Polynesia and parts of Africa, however, is the likely Taino perception of the Spanish as beings from the sky, as gods. Their vast caravels, horses, guns, metal weapons or tools and otherworldly appearance across the sea must have shaped Taino relations with the Spanish, just as it had done so in future decades with the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs in Mexico. If the European documents can be trusted, the capture of Caonabo as a result of tricking him with metal shackles (perceived as turey by the Taino, that is, objects from the sky or gods), demonstrates how early relations between the Taino and Europeans were shaped by the indigenous view of whites as supernatural beings, making outright war or resistance less likely.

Indeed, Wilson suggests that one of the reasons caciques like Behecchio and Anacaona may have hosted resplendent welcome feasts for the Adelantado and other Spanish leaders was due to their perceived godliness, which would explain the zemi rituals some caciques called for when visited by Europeans. The indigenous view of the bell (a bell in Isabela or one of the inland fortalezas) and other turey from Europe as divine objects clearly influenced trade relations, since the Europeans wanted gold (and later on, food) while the Taino were happy to take cheap objects of tin, thereby paving the way for an exploitative trade on unequal terms.

Last, but certainly not least, Wilson avoids providing a firm estimate for the number of people on Hispaniola in 1492, saying it was probably more than a million. Due to a number of reasons alluded to by Wilson, there is no way to arrive at an exact estimate, but what is known is the rapid decline of the Amerindian population by the 1520s. Hispaniola, as the center of Spanish expansion in the 'New World' from 1492 until the conquest of Mexico and the mainland, saw its indigenous population disappear by the middle of the 16th century and soon after, Spanish attention focused on more lucrative colonies in the hemisphere. It would seem that Anacaona and the cacicagzo of Xaragua (covering modern Haiti) was the last of the Taino sociopolitical systems to fall on the island, It's quite amazing to think how rapid the demographic decline of Hispaniola was under just a few decades of Spanish rule...

Cape Town Goema Orchestra and Sathima in Cape Town

Enjoy this lovely video of the Cape Town Goema Orchestra playing Benjamin's "Music." One of my great regrets is not speaking to Sathima despite being in the same room on UCT's campus after a performance by Abdullah Ibrahim. After taking the time to appreciate Sathima's approach to song, sometimes I think I made the wrong choice by focusing on Abdullah Ibrahim as my sole South African jazz artist. Oh, and how could I forget that just weeks after I left Cape Town, Sathima performed in the intimate (and somewhat cramped) setting of Tagore's. To hear the original, click here.

La Cúcara

Delectable merengue classic, "La Cúcara" seems to be one of the early merengues a lo maco style mentioned in the video description (as well as in Paul Austerlitz's book on merengue). Austerlitz book mentions a Dominican musician claiming a Haitian and/or Puerto Rican influence on the perucssion of this song, the Haitian konpa influence in the cowbell and the Puerto Rican influence in Cortijo y Su Combo's arrangements of plena. Merengue a lo maco is just a different rhythm, but still recognizable as merengue. For other great songs by El Negrito Truman, check out "Las Virgen Lloraba"and "El Papelón."

Che Che Cole

Classic salsa with 'cute' lyrics that deserve a listen. Enjoy el ritmo africano!

Living Space

Came upon this excellent Coltrane piece I never heard before via Rethinking Africa, a great blog I occasionally read. In addition to African and Black history, the aforementioned blog includes several jazz pieces and music history. Returning to "Living Space," one finds Coltrane at one of those transition moments (1965 was a great year for Coltrane's recorded music) as he branches out to free jazz on the Living Space LP while retaining some of his older aesthetics and style. For instance, several musical phrases in "Living Space" seem to echo earlier pieces (such as "Spiritual", and the tone bears an undeniable resemblance to parts of A Love Supreme. Regardless of some of the pieces lack of uniqueness, I find it fascinating to listen to jazz musicians at the crossroads in their musical journeys. Enjoy!

Puerto Rico in 1940 and 1965

Watch these two videos from the US that depict Puerto Rico in 1940 and 1965, pivotal years in the economic and political transformation of the island (as well as the rise of the mainland Puerto Rican Diaspora). The videos consist of, essentially, propaganda for US rule and the economic policies ushered by Gov. Marin in the Operation Bootstrap. Thus, the rise of cheap factories and corporations offered tax holidays, the tourist economy, the modernization of plantation agriculture, and the necessity for Puerto Rico to function by exporting nearly half its population to the mainland are discussed here, even as the narrators declare the benefits of Puerto Rico's economic relationship with US corporations. We also hear in the 1965 the repetition of the myth of racial democracy in Puerto Rico, something any informed scholar of Afro-Latin America knows to be false and one of the insidious ways to check the growth of Afro-Puerto Rican mobilization or address racial inequalities. It would seem, as Bellegarde-Smith illustrates in Haiti: The Breached Citadel, that the Puerto Rican economic model can only work because of the special relationship with the US, and even with the touted benefits of the 'Puerto Rican model,' poverty, high dependency on welfare, unemployment, and continued migration are necessary to sustain Puerto Rico.

After the Dance: A Walk Through Carnival in Jacmel, Haiti

Though I read After the Dance several years ago, it is now, after finally seeing Jacmel for the first time last month, that I appreciate Danticat's explorations of Jacmel's historical, cultural, artistic, literary, and architectural legacies. Alas, I did not spend enough time walking around the city, but from what I saw of its city center, the historic buildings with doors dating back over a century, the lovely beach and Lakou New York, Bassin Bleu, the delicious food, and the lush, green mountains in that part of Haiti, Jacmel lives up to its reputation as a tourist center and more livable place than the crowded (and filthy) Port-au-Prince.

Indeed, we found out that one of my mom's cousins now stays mostly in Jacmel for precisely that region, and my mom told me about how her aunt and uncle (they lived in Carrefour in the 1950s and 1960s, before it became what it is today) used to vacation in La Vallee de Jacmel during the summer, so we have family connections in the Jacmel area and Bainet. In addition, several people I met discussed various aspects of Jacmel's heritage and history that Danticat covers, including Hadriana dans tous mes reves. The following are things I will have to do next time I am in Jacmel: see the house where Bolivar stayed, experience carnival, see the cemetery, see the Habitation Price steam engine, visit Fort Oge, and explore the city's historic character, neighborhoods, and go to a Jacmel market. Living up to her talents as a storyteller, Danticat wrote a short, accessible, and informative account of Jacmel's charms.

Sidney Mintz on Haiti and Puerto Rico

Watch this lecture on Haiti from renowned anthropologist Sidney Mintz. Mintz is, with good reason, one of the pioneer scholars in anthropological studies of the Caribbean and African-Americans. Mintz's lecture here focuses on history, giving an overview of Haiti's history from the colonial days to the present. Though performs more introductory than anything else to Haitian history, Mintz's lecture is useful for disseminating information on important themes in Haitian history: race, slavery, peasantry formation, coffee's importance in the export economy, despotism and the predatory state, and the market system. 

The rest of the lecture covers Mintz's research in Haiti, and it is quite enlightening for the role and importance of the peasantry in Haiti's economic history and systems of exchange. The significance of women in Haitian markets and trade is also covered in this lecture, traveling to regional markets, sleeping in the markets, carrying food and other goods, linking the rural and urban economies. These market women, overtaxed and facing precarious situations, invigorate the Haitian economy and reveal women's economic autonomy.The dire times in Haiti since Mintz's initial research in the 1950s have reduced the Caribbean peasantry to a slow, gradual death. Mintz, who conducted research in Puerto Rico and Jamaica as well, knows this better than anyone, even as women have kept their importance as market actors in Haiti. 

Later in the lecture, Mintz touches on the subject of cultural creolization, emphasizing survival, trauma, and a new setting that prompted the process of creolization. The Q&A section is quite interesting, too, largely because of the tense exchange between Mintz and Skip Gates. One might take issue with Mintz claim that Haiti has not attracted many immigrants historically, however.

After watching this lecture, check out his thoughts about Puerto Rico. Lots of useful historical and anthropological data on Puerto Rico from the 1500s to 1900s, especially Mintz's research in Jauca in the late 1940s. He personally observed and witnessed the aftermath of US conquest of Puerto Rico and the rise of sugar plantations financed by American capitalism. The utter depths of Puerto Rican poverty, low wages for workers on the modernized plantations, and case study of Mintz friend certainly illuminates the experience of what Mintz calls 'rural proletarians.' Clearly, the people of the coastal lowlands in areas like Jauca were far from peasants like Mintz studied in Haiti or Jamaica.

Mintz also offers useful commentary on the differences in gender and racial norms in Haiti, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. In Haiti, women were economically autonomous, while in Puerto Rico, women who worked outside the house in Jauca were employed in the sugarcane estates. Women who did not work outside the house, did domestic work. All women in that region were denied mobility and the community in Jauca was obsessed with virginity and being moral Catholics, even if nobody went to church or was legally married. Moreover, in terms of race, one can see how US rule has imposed a specifically US brand of racism and classification while local forms of Puerto Rican racial classification continue to define blackness differently in ways that inhibit broad-based Afro-Puerto Rican movements (a point I have read elsewhere in discussions of racial inequality in Brazil).

Platano Maduro

A merengue classic recommended to me about a year ago when I first began listening to (some) Dominican music. I find these types of merengue irresistible for their dark tones, prominent horns, pulsating rhythms, and catchy vocals. This song also shares the strong emphasis on the bass, like Gran Manzana's "Tus Besos." Indeed, perhaps the 1980s was the best decade for merengue music.

Age of Iron

I read Coetzee's Age of Iron while traveling a few weeks ago, so my memory of the novel is fleeting. Nonetheless, I will share a few thoughts that lingered these past weeks. Like the last novel by Coetzee reviewed on this blog, this one is set in Cape Town during the last days of apartheid, and structured as a letter by a dying white woman to her daughter in the States, so written in second person. Stylistically and in terms of setting, it is reminiscent of Life & Times of Michael K in that the reader is treated to lengthy prose, similarly themed inner thoughts of the protagonists, and the landscape of Cape Town and its environs.  The narrator, Mrs. Curren, is a former professor who begins to befriend a homeless man whose race is not specified, Verceuil.

The title of the text refers to the 'iron generation' of black youth who are resisting apartheid while losing out on education, the innocence of childhood, and the decline of 'traditional' family life. This seemingly callous generation that is capable of great violence, shocks and disturbs the dying Curren, who sees the disillusionment, inequality, and hypocrisy of her own liberalism. Still, white South Africans have walked on the iron graves of the ancestors of black South Africans for generations, thereby causing this current generation of South African youth to lose their innocence to struggle for social equality in their country. Other themes of the novel include motherhood (Curren's relationship with her daughter, the use of motherhood to express the burdens of privilege and race white South Africans inherited long before apartheid), humanity, race, retaining humanity in the face of apartheid, death, animal rights (the graphic description of Florence's husband job of killing chickens for a living in an animal factory is quite chilling, or the power of animals as companions in the relationship between Verceuil and his likely stolen dog), as well as companionship.

Through Florence's son and his friend, children from Guguletu who are skipping their substandard schools and out in the streets resisting apartheid, Mrs. Curren is forced to examine her own relationship with white supremacy, her own complicity in the status quo. She experiences the death of Florence's son's friend at the hands of the police, witnesses the violence, roadblocks, and anger in the townships, befriends the homeless Verceuil for companionship and a friend to mail her letter to her daughter. Verceuil's race is never stated, perhaps because his ultimate role in the novel is to show the universality of the human experience and how companionship can transcend racial divisions in conditions of apartheid (although throughout the novel it is quite unclear what Verceuil's motivations are or if he will ever mail Curren's confessing letters).

I must say, some of the same themes of whiteness in South Africa and disillusionment recur in Coetzee's Disgrace, even in the similarities between the two protagonists (aged white academics). Coetzee seems to suggest that in Age of Iron, however, that there is more optimism and hope for a post-apartheid South Africa, even though Curren does not make it. Moreover, it is fascinating to see Coetzee tackle an older, female protagonist as a younger male writer. Just as thought provoking or troubling, is the disagreement Curren has with Florence's cousin, Mr. Thabane, a former teacher in support of the youth embracing anti-apartheid activism, a disagreement that symbolizes the seemingly unbridgeable gap between black South Africans and sympathetic white liberals who see black South Africans as going too far. One cannot help but think of the US Civil Rights Movement and how white moderates and liberals at various times endeavored to curtail or limit black mobilizing and activism.

Perhaps one day I will return to this novel, which clearly has much more to say on the state of affairs of South Africa (and the rest of humanity) below the surface. Likewise, Curren's relationship with Verceuil continues to fascinate me, perhaps suggesting what one New York Times critic suggests is the need for white South Africans to love the 'unlovable' to find redemption. The question of white South African liberalism also remains relevant to post-apartheid South Africa, just as the plight of the homeless and urban poor like Verceuil retains relevance to the social inequities, lack of love, and maintenance of an 'iron age' impedes actual reconciliation. Check out this for a well-written essay exploring Age of Iron, too.

Farewell, Fred Voodoo

I finally read Amy Wilentz's commendable Farewell, Fred Voodoo. Unfortunately, it lacks the biting punch of Jonathan M. Katz's investigative journalism on the subject, but compensates by bringing great affection, a longer history of commitment and interest in Haiti, and providing portraits of some of the leading figures in the reconstruction effort with great depth. Indeed, I had no idea who Megan Coffee is, the power of Digicel in Haiti, or the nuances of Sean Penn's work in Haiti. If you do not expect something of great academic or historical meaning, this is a well-written love letter to the people of Haiti. Alas, Wilentz probably repeats some historical errors (can one really say Haiti has never had a 'good' government?) and at times I wish she delved deeper into her thoughts on Aristide, but she has written an excellent text on the relief efforts, the innate problems of how humanitarian aid and NGOs are part of a long history of globalization and exploitation in Haiti.

Haiti, The Reign of the Informal Economy

Check out this worthwhile documentary on Haiti's informal economy, the peasantry and labor movement, recommended by a Haitian professor. It is also of note for showing how cooperative organizations and farmer associations come together to resist rising prices, share resources, and protect themselves. Indeed, the poor security for market women necessitates organizing amongst themselves, and once unionization or organization spreads across different sections of the informal economy, Haitian workers will have a stronger voice and more power to compel the state to provide protection. 

Mi Gente

Salsa classic for Puerto Rico and the Diaspora. To be honest, I don't think I heard this one until watching the lecture in the last post.

Sounding Salsa: Performing Latin Music in New York City

An interesting lecture on the problems facing salsa musicians in New York nowadays, personal anecdotes, and the broader cultural context of salsa. Washburne discusses women musicians (La India), Hector Lavoe, drugs, the former underground economy that supported salsa (now erased as illegal after-hours clubs were targeted), etc. Although not a Puerto Rican or Latino musician himself, Washburne played with salsa bands himself and has an insider perspective to salsa musician life in New York City.

Débaké

Perfect music for a Friday evening with one of the best in Haitian music.

Haiti in 1975

Check out this short video from US news in 1975 on Haiti under Baby Doc (and part 2, here). It's amazing how Baby Doc's men could lie so easily about corruption, as well as the obvious continuities of the 'cruel' Papa Doc and the tonton under Baby Doc. Again, one sees how the economic goals of Baby Doc are remarkably similar to the Collier Report and Martelly's administration. Anyway, just ignore some of the glaring historical errors (Henri Christophe forced a quarter million ex-slaves to build the Citadel!).

Charlie Rose and the 2004 Coup

Now that Aristide is in the news again for being placed under house arrest, let's watch this video (and the second part) about the 2004 coup in Haiti that unseated Aristide. It's interesting but of course expected to see how Mark Foley and the US Ambassador to Haiti tote the line for the official US stance on what exactly happened without incriminating the US at all. Needless to say, I am more in agreement with Montas and Sachs, particularly in how the US curtailed the numbers of options and policies Aristide's presidency could implement. 

Haiti in the Early 1970s

Haiti one year after Papa Doc's Death (early 1970s) in a 60 Minutes Special. Worth watching for the not quite accurate US narrator's summary of Haitian history and the use of 'transformation industries' as a phrase to describe sweatshops. Naturally, it's hardly an authoritative source, but another example of the many ways the US media approaches the subject of Haiti through exoticizing, primitive lens. It's frightening how so many of the same economic policies introduced under Baby Doc are being attempted again by the current Haitian government, although one can be glad that there is no longer a business in selling Haitian plasma and cadavers anymore (good riddance, Luckner Cambronne).

The Caribbean at the Epicenter of History: Haiti, the Earthquake, and Tr...

A worthwhile (and short) video to watch.

Michèle Bennett

A good video to learn more about one of the reasons Baby Doc's regime fell apart. Although hardly an authoritative source, many 'insiders' and subaltern masses attributed their disgust and eventual push for dechoukaj to the avarice of Michèle Bennett, who chose to broadcast lavish parties, spend millions, and essentially kick out Mama Doc and other Duvalier family who previously dominated the Baby Doc regime. In my opinion, there is much more nuance needed to elucidate the fall of Baby Doc than blaming it on his wife, particularly because Haiti has a long history of corrupt governments using the state as the path to enrichment. 

Additional underlying causes for Baby Doc's regime losing all legitimacy include the following: deteriorating economic conditions, a shift in perception of the Duvalierists by the middle-class and other groups who found themselves increasingly alienated by Baby Doc's embrace of the upper echelon of the elite, and, perhaps, a conspicuous alignment with light-skinned people symbolized in Baby Doc's marriage. 

In short, their marriage was part of a broader process of economic liberalization, impoverishment and a gradual shift in alliances that did not find its base in the same manner as Papa Doc. Naturally, attributing the problem of color to a political and economic moment of change is not sufficient because of the greater relevance of class, but perhaps color retained some salience given Papa Doc's lip service to noiriste thought. 

Nevertheless, this video features interesting interviews with members of the Haitian elite and middle class juxtaposed with footage and demonstrations from the lower class demanding political change. Some of the subaltern masses' accusations against Michèle Bennett do not seem realistic (would she really have ordered a makout to poison the water supply? I guess anything's possible...), but given the vast amount of 'eating' Baby Doc and his wife committed, it is not a surprise. 

Given Baby Doc's return to Haiti without any human rights abuse charges and his son's employment in the Martelly administration, Duvalierism without Duvalier in power reigns to this day. As Fatton explains, the 'authoritarian habitus' of Haitian political history replicates in successive governments and little has changed, despite several waves of democratization. Michèle Bennett is doing fine, I'm sure, and will not receive punishments for her sins anytime soon. 

Haitian Art in 1950

Short video on the Centre d'Art in Port-au-Prince and Haiti's art scene in the early 1950s. 

Contemporary Dominican-Haitian Relations

Watch Bernardo Vega speak on Dominican-Haitian relations here. As Vega explains, there are very few cases around the world of an island divided into two separate states, so Dominican-Haitian relations are very interesting. As Vega states, the relations between the two states have, of course, shifted over time, and until around the 1930s, Haiti used to have a much higher population, had a stronger tourism sector (until the 1950s decline and the rise of Duvalier) was seen as more important, established, cosmopolitan and possessed a stronger economy According to Vega, the Haitian economy (in terms of exports and fiscal revenues) was "much more vibrant." Also, until 1992, Haiti also exported more textiles than the DR because of low labor costs

Moreover, Vega delivers a relatively impartial and informed summary and analysis of current relations between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Obviously critical of the lack of Dominican recognition of citizenship or rights to education for Dominicans of Haitian descent (and the Dominican military's raids, deportations and exploitation), Vega also presents some objective facts. The current Haitian migrants do not come from the poorest of the poor, about half send remittances to relatives in Haiti, many return to Haiti at least once a year, about 75% of migrants are males, their economic impact is greater than recognized, etc. (he cites a poll from a Latin American research group). Oh, and 85% of Haitian migrants consider themselves Haitian, 61% have never been asked for papers, most prefer to marry Haitians, only 18% have been captured in migration raids. In addition, the Dominican diaspora in the US is more favorable to the plight and mistreatment of Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian descent, something which, as Vega observes, will likely shape the political discussion in future years. 

The importance of the US in shaping relations is clearly important, too. The US occupations shaped the military forces in both Haiti and Dominican Republic, as well as weakening Haitian agriculture, which led to more Haitians seeking work in the DR. The US occupation also established the pattern of migrant cane cutters in the DR from Haiti. Where I differ with Vega is in his hope of seeing Haiti as a future 'Hong Kong' or 'Taiwan' of the Caribbean for cheap assembly of textiles and other goods for foreign companies, as if that would somehow provide enough jobs and income to lift people out of poverty. I would like to see some future collaborative projects in tourism, though (something I can agree with Vega about, because Haiti and the Dominican Republic could support each other's tourism sector through closer partnerships). Since he does not delve deeper into the question of 'sweatshops' and unions, I am unsure how he can be so certain that a garment/textile industry returning to Haiti in larger numbers could build an economically stronger Haiti. I do appreciate the nuances of how Dominican individuals and companies could also profit from and help Haiti in ways that improve their own economy (he mentions one Dominican textile company that has a factory on the Haitian side of the border, employing over 3000 workers, to do the labor-intensive part of garment production, and the rest of the job is finished in Santiago and exported). 

However, without the Haitian presence, agriculture would collapse in DR but salaries would rise. Dominican employers openly favor Haitians, as Vega states, for their cheap labor. Likewise, the Dominican economy thrives from a neighboring and open market that depends on eggs, poultry and other exports of the DR. Furthermore, what of the high profits made by Dominican construction companies in post-quake Haiti, leaving out many Haitians in the reconstruction of their own country? Or the problematic legal decision of the Dominican government, defending anti-Haitian prejudice and legal repression? I think more discussion is needed on the question of unions, living wages, and restoring Haitian agriculture besides just assuming things will improve with the return of a garment sector and 'political stability.' Clearly, political stability under the Duvaliers combined with low wage 'sweatshop' garment assembly work did not improve conditions for the Haitian poor, and vicissitudes in the market as the race for the bottom roars meant foreign investors and brands quickly moved on to cheaper locales when given the chance. 

Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate and understand the need for greater solidarity between Dominicans and Haitians, but what I would love to see is more concern and collaboration between the lower classes on both sides of the border. For instance, how have Dominican garment factory workers organizing amongst themselves envision cooperative projects and campaigns with Haitian workers? Those kinds of questions seem of more import to me as a path for eradicating poverty on the entire island, as well as providing employment, strengthening tourism (in a limited, responsible way that does not lead to displacement), and combating deforestation and the decline of agriculture in a mostly agrarian economy like Haiti. 

Haiti in the 1940s

An interesting video from the 1940s about Haiti. I like how one of the songs used in the short film is actually one of Sidney Bechet's Haitian-inspired records. The information shared is mostly basic, introductory facts and observations, but some nice views of Milot and the Citadel. The narrator is actually quite positive in his review of Henri Christophe, and Haiti's contributions to the history of the Americas, particularly in the spread of freedom and the Louisiana Purchase.

Buscando Fiesta

The perfect music for those searching for a party! I have blogged about my love for Angel Viloria's older-styled merengues multiple times, but this might be my new favorite song from his conjunto.

Anacaona Live

A live performance of Cheo Feliciano's "Anacaona" that will get you moving tonight!

Gerard Dupervil

A lovely video of Gerard Dupervil performing. I know this is not "Manman," but more likely, "Ce Ke Map Kimbe." Dupervil and the band are excellent, with an almost Cuban-sounding trumpet. The band's real talent is in their ability to get that old woman to 'get down.' You can also listen to it here, at the excellent repository of Haitian meringues and older musical styles.

Ti Jacques

Lovely Haitian music from Ti Jacques and his Tropical Combo. Simple, elegant, sweet, and beautiful.

Del Cafetal a la Tumba Francesa

CubAyiti. A brief documentary on Saint Dominguan and Haitian influences in eastern Cuba. Franco-Haitian influences played a large role in the coffee plantations, Afro-Cuban cultures, and music. Lots of beautiful footage of tumba francesa and background information on its African cultural influences (Angola, Congo, Yoruba, Dahomey, etc.). Here is a version with English subtitles.

Anakaona

A Haitian tribute to Anacaona. Though not as good as Cheo Feliciano's tribute to the Taino woman, this video has its merits. Enjoy!

Worthwhile Documentary

An American nurse I met in Port-au-Prince who is researching community empowerment recommended this documentary to me. Made by a Haitian-German, it is endearing and tragic. Great way to introduce Haiti to folks who probably don't know much about the problems it faces.

Placing Haiti in a Caribbean Context

One of the interesting aspects about being in Haiti is discussing Haiti's relationship with the Dominican Republic and other Caribbean nations with Haitian people, not Haitian-Americans. For instance, when the issue of Dominicans treating Haitian-Dominicans and Haitian migrants like slaves came up, some middle-class Haitians my mom spoke to were very silent. It was as if they were reluctant to reveal their true feelings about it and chose silence as the best option. One upper middle-class Haitian man who has family in Florida actually said something along the lines of, "Well, who could blame them" for Dominican animosity toward lower-class Haitians coming to the Dominican Republic without skills or money.

It seems that Haitians who go to the Dominican Republic for education do not face discrimination, at least according to that older Haitian man and a younger, educated Haitian doctor. Undoubtedly, classism and class privilege of some Haitians shields them from Dominican 'anti-Haitianism,' but even some of them opposed the high numbers of Dominican construction companies in Haiti after the earthquake. And those from poorer families in the smaller towns and countryside frankly told my mother and I that many of them end up going to the Dominican Republic to find work, even though it clearly pains them. Alas, if history were better taught in the Caribbean, I am sure Haitians would have a more critical stance on the Dominican Republic's treatment of marginalized Haitian labor, as well as how the Haitian state has profited from the exchange for decades.

It was interesting to hear from these Haitians about their travel experience in the Dominican Republic, too. Many had been to Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata, and Santiago. The young doctor told me that many Haitian women are in Puerto Plata, and one of their sources of income across the border is actually braiding hair. The roads in the Dominican Republic are better, too, so driving to Santiago or Santo Domingo is not a problem at all. I also had the fortune to meet a lower-class Haitian with education who lived in Santo Domingo for years. He spoke Spanish, Portuguese, English, and, naturally, Kreyol, with ease. He told me he had found work with a Brazilian embassy in the DR, and picked up Portuguese while there. Unfortunately, I did not get to interrogate him on what brought him back to Port-au-Prince or his thoughts on that recent discriminatory ruling against Dominicans of Haitian descent.

Besides the Dominican Republic, Cuba came up a few times. I met a Haitian doctor who trained in Santiago de Cuba. Of course, he spoke fluent Spanish so I tried my best to conjure my Spanish skills and fall back on Kreyol and English to ask him about the Cuban medical program in Haiti. It seems like Haitians get medical training and experiences out of it, while Cubans get a chance to leave Cuba. Indeed, the dormitories at the state hospital I saw once housed a Cuban medical team! Oh, and there are still many people of Haitian origin in Santiago, according to what he said. They seem to be proud of their Haitian heritage, according to Dr. Patrick Bellegarde-Smith, and the Haitian culture survives to some extent. Anyway, the Cuban medical teams have done excellent work in Haiti training doctors and already being on the scene when the earthquake struck. Alas, a US nurse told me that the Cuban-trained doctors are seen as better by the Haitian people than doctors educated in Haiti, just as white doctors were considered better than Haitian-American or African-American doctors by Haitians (according to a Haitian professor I spoke with recently).

Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean also entered discussion a few times. Jamaica's influence looms large in Haitian music because of reggae (I heard a live reggae band perform at Yanvalou in Port-au-Prince), but also a brief discussion of tourism and Bob Marley with one young Haitian. I admire his love for Haiti and his own business plan (he wants to take in more clients and show them around Haiti, as well as study in the US to help himself and his country), but it sounds like there are lessons from Jamaica's tourist economy that should serve as a warning to Haiti. As for the rest of the Caribbean, Guadeloupe and Martinique came up because the guesthouse owner's parents lived in Guadeloupe for several years. Indeed, Haitians seem to be more easily integrated or accepted in Guadeloupe because of language, or so we were told. Maryse Conde's novels set in Guadeloupe reveal a more nuanced picture, but it sounds like Guadeloupe is a lovely island where many Haitians find work and better circumstances than in Haiti.

Yon Bel Ayiti

I think I heard this RAM song at least 5 times in Port-au-Prince. The guesthouse owner loves RAM and plays it quite often, but I heard it elsewhere, too. Haitians of my demographic, just as South Africans I met who were in my generation did not show much interest in earlier forms of popular music. I only met one Haitian person who absolutely loves 1970s konpa, otherwise most of the younger Haitian folks I spoke with loved nouvelle generation konpa, rasin, and hip-hop. Indeed, one young woman in Jacmel played various examples of Haitian hip-hop for me, but most of it sounds too derivative. For that reason, I think older styles of Haitian music and 'distinctly' Haitian forms like RAM are excellent examples of Haitian music. 

My love for older styles of Haitian music probably impressed my uncle and a few other folks I met, but I can get into RAM, too. Still, I prefer older styles with jazz, Cuban, and Caribbean influences, as well as konpa. I suppose I should listen to Zenglen after shaking hands with one of their members in Petionville, but I'll take things one at a time. Oh, and I forgot to mention Wanito. A very kind American woman I met at the guesthouse actually met him through a friend, and showed me a video of him performing. His music reminds me of US pop and R&B (simple, sweet, overproduced), but in Kreyol. Sometimes he has a reggae and acoustic influences (listen, this too) . Read an interview here.