They don't understand Haiti, the members of a mostly inglorious media never took the time to study its brave and noble History and never bothered about the plight of its people - except as media fodder to the dumbed down, mind controlled automatons which still waste their time (time, which they have not much of , time which may have run out) in the United States of Amnesia, as writer/historian Gore Vidal defined the country he loves despite - despite - despite.
Pat Robertson, reductio ad nauseam of the so called Christian Right, who are anything but Christians in my not so humble opinion, had the ignorant gall to demonize Haitians. He declared Haiti deserved its terrible loss of life and its eternal misery because their Leaders made a pact with the Devil 230 years ago in order to drive the white plantation owners out of their land and free them at last from a particularly wicked and cruel from of slavery.
Everyone blabbers about the word VOODOO. Few know what it signifies and even less are aware of its awesome power. Voodoo is part of a larger power found only in Africa called JUJU. When the black slaves came to the Americas, especially the Caribbean most hailed from villages in what is now called West Africa, Togo, the Yoruba nation (Nigeria, Uganda) and the outer fringes of the Congo nation. Stripped and shorn of everything - names, villages, languages, families, clans, customs, songs, laments, and most importantly, Culture and Religion, those among them who had been shamans or had been related to shamans continued in secret the practice of that part of JUJU which they remembered. In Africa it was called VOUDON.
VOUDON was changed into VOODOO deliberately and intelligently by the slaves in Haiti and Cuba. Haiti is what concerns us in this essay. Names are very important in any civilization and in all epochs of human history. Even today, propaganda masters (today we call them spin doctors, press agents or public relations and public information experts). No euphemism can change the fact that they are there to lie, manipulate, distort, disinform, misinform, censor, disgrace and destroy those who would tell it otherwise.
Never, but never attempt to BS a Master Crapper. I used to be PR, advertising and marketing for GUCCI worldwide. 'Nuff said.
In Bwa Kayman, the Creole word for Bay of the Caymans, or, if you prefer the French Bois Caimins, people gathered to conduct secret ceremonies to the LOAS or Spirits. The Loas themselves could only transmit their supplications for freedom to the Creator. Pay attention please - the Creator Not the Devil. The devil and his hordes serves the Creator.
The slave rebellion first begun in 1791. A revolution was taking place in France during that time frame. France was referred to by the slaves. as the " La Mal Mere".
They prayed for freedom from the evil spirits that lurked inside the white man. Not only France had vast plantations, England and Spain did their utmost to outdo their French rivals in Cruelty. How so? Floggings done at a slow pace which added to the psychological torment of a slave. Hot peppers or Cayenne rubbed on the wounds. It burnt the skin but unknown to the slave masters this method prevented infections and promoted a faster healing. The slaves never, never told these secrets.
Haiti was the first black Republic in the Americas, no exceptions. Period. Their leader was a formidable man, at heart a kind and gentle man. Endless hardships, toil, indignities, suffering, hunger, and relentless beatings, rapes and violations committed upon his people compelled as well as impelled him to become a Revolutionary. His name? Toussaint L'Overture. In the Americas he is known as The Black George Washington" In France, even to this day, he is described as a Black Napoleon Bonaparte.
I prefer to call Toussaint, The Father of his Country. That's what he truly is. The revolt of 1791 failed, because the slaves did not have enough arms and some did not quite have the stomach for it. Revolutions are not joyful gatherings. By necessity, a great deal of blood must be spilt. A complete change must occur, violent and sanguinary if there is no other choice. It was either Freedom or Death. The plantation owners could not merely be wounded. They had to be killed stone cold dead.
The reprisals by the plantation owners turned into unspeakably cruel blood sacrifices. Toussaint and his band of followers took to the jungles, prayed, and waited. In 1804, he sensed that he could lead a real Revolution. Thirteen years had passed with no major skirmishes, the Masters thought that "those dumb blacks have learned their lesson. They are now docile slaves."
Toussaint struck. The element of surprise worked to his advantage. One by one, every plantation was attacked, its owners killed quickly with machetes or muskets and their mansions and palaces burnt to the ground. Those women and children who had shown kindness towards their slaves were spared with the warning "Leave Haiti at once."
Since they spoke Creole and a patois similar to New Orleans because of its French Masters, many of them left accompanied by former slaves appointed by Toussaint to help them in what could be a treacherous crossing in the Bay of Port-au-Prince.
So, without Haiti, New Orleans would not have been the exciting, fascinating, unusual, unique and beautiful city that it was. Hurricane Katrina traumatized New Orleans but its French Quarter remains intact although its lovely cemetery Saint Roque has been destroyed.
The Europeans reacted predictably. They imposed a brutal economic blockade spearheaded by France, England and Spain. Napoleon Bonaparte flip-flopped endlessly. Indeed, he behaved reprehensibly. The French General he sent to Haiti, Le Clerc proved to be duplicitous, greedy and merciless.
The Republic of Haiti was proclaimed by Toussaint L'Overture. He proved to be the only Leader dedicated to improving the lot of his people. He died a tragic prisoner of the French, neglected and ignored when not physically abused. Pneumonia and other avoidable respiratory ailments ended his life. He did not die a defeated man, for no one can trample a Spirit with such indomitable will.
His death produced a vile caste system. A few Haitians defected to the French after his death and took over almost all of the plantations once owned by the French, English and Spanish. They became the elite. They spoke French and disdained the Haitian patois.
The rest became dispossessed, and deeply illiterate (contrary to the wishes of Toussaint). The Haitian elite deliberately, ruthlessly and methodically kept and continue to this day, torturing and killing this class which has nothing but Poverty. Centuries have gone by but these malevolent conditions persist.
In the early part of the 20th century the U. S. marines landed and occupied Haiti. This further polarized the class structures. Haitian families stepped into the vacuum left by the French. Now they turned into the black devils replacing the white devils.
A savage underclass developed which allied itself with Haitian Warlords (descendants of the landowning classes that took over from the Europeans). They had better businesses rather than sugar, They dealt in fleur du mal - drugs, This has led to even more violence.
Sweatshops abound in Port-au-Prince and elsewhere in Haiti. The people are once again slaves, exploited to the advantage of European and American manufacturers.
President Duvalier began this vile sweatshops during his 30 year rule as Haiti's so called President. He was America's ally against Communism, so a long succession of American Presidents kept their mouths shut regarding the inhuman and degrading conditions in Haiti. His spin vermin forced the people to call him "Papa". He had groups of thugs and killers known as the " Tonton Macoute" Devil Uncles who supposedly had an army of Zombies ready to do their evil bidding, Talk about Terror. The U. S. sanctioned a terrorist President and a terrorist Police and Army close to its borders and never said "Desist." How far is Haiti from Florida and Louisiana?
On Facebook, under Isabella Vacani Van Fechtmann you can see the 80 minute long documentary, divided into 6 parts which deals entirely with the FATHER OF HAITIAN INDEPENDENCE - TOUSSAINT L'OVERTURE.
The following is the prayer which the ill-informed racist Pat Robertson referred to in an infamous television interview. You can see that he never read it or even saw it. He would have refrained from those outrageous accusations about Haitian Leaders invoking Satan. Perhaps not. Men like him have no shame, hearts or souls.
The wording does not seem evil at all to me. The ceremony held at Bwa Kyeman on August 14th, 1791 invoking the spirits to intercede for them to their God and Creator. Note that most of the people of Haiti are Roman Catholics.
In their book"Written in Blood', N. R. Heine give us this translation of the Prayer.
Good Creator who has made the sun that shines upon us,
That rises from the sea, who makes the storms to roar,
And rules the Thunders, the Lord is hidden in the heavens.
And there He watches over us.
The Creator sees what the blancs (whites) have done.
Their God commands crimes, Ours gives blessings upon us.
The Good Lord has ordained Vengeance,
He will give strength to our arms and courage to our hearts.
He shall sustain us.
Cast down the image of the God of the blancs because
he makes the tears to flow from our eyes.
Listen to Liberty. That is what speaks in your hearts.
May the Creator Bless and Protect Haiti. Very Few People in the world seem to be doing it.
I noticed that thankfully we did not have to suffer the so called movie stars or celebrities strutting about or broadcasting in Haiti. Too awful for words. Also too dangerous. They don't have the balls for that. Sure, Georgie Poochie Clooney hosted a telethon. Whatever money they raised is an infinitesimal amount. Will the desperate Haitians ever receive it?
I FEAR NOT. SHAME. SHAME. SHAME.
Author's Note: The first photograph of Annaka rescued from underneath the debris live on CNN. When I saw her eyes, I prayed for her soul. I have seen enough of the dead to know that her soul was leaving her body. Lovely Annaka died of her wounds in hospital.
The second photograph shows a little girl screaming in pain or fright or both, as she is lifted from her dusty and cement prison. Despite her bloodstained body, look at the fight in her eyes. I think she made it. This came from Pravda. The rescuers are clearly Russian.
Thank you, Isabel, for this heartfelt and edifying piece on Haiti. It sould receive widespread readership, and go a long way toward helping others understand what the media has neglected to tell us. By the way, regarding Hollywood in Haiti, I just saw on tv last night that Sean Penn has arrived there. Perhaps other stars to follow? News was that Brangelina was also on their way, but then came the news of their breakup, apparently nullifying that story. They did, I heard, send a million dollars to Haitian relief.
ReplyDeleteThanks again,
Baci,
Jeanne