Haiti

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République d'Haïti
Repiblik d Ayiti
Republic of Haiti
Flag of Haiti Coat of arms of Haiti
Flag Coat of arms
Motto
"L'Union Fait La Force"  (French)
"Unity makes Strength"
Anthem
La Dessalinienne
Location of Haiti
Capital
(and largest city)		 Port-au-Prince
18°32′N, 72°20′W
Official languages French, Haitian Creole
Demonym Haitian
Government Republic
 -  President René Préval
 -  Prime Minister Jacques-Edouard Alexis
Formation
 -  as Saint-Domingue 1697 
 -  Independence from France
January 1, 1804 
Area
 -  Total 27,750 km² (146th)
10,714 sq mi 
 -  Water (%) 0.7
Population
 -  July 2005 estimate 8,528,0001 (88th)
 -  1982 census 5,053,792 
 -  Density 292.7 /km² (38th)
758.1 /sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2006 estimate
 -  Total $14.560 billion (124th)
 -  Per capita $435.24 (153th)
Gini? (2001) 59.2 (high) 
HDI (2004) 0.482 (low) (154th)
Currency Gourde (HTG)
Time zone (UTC-5)
 -  Summer (DST)  (UTC-4)
Internet TLD .ht
Calling code +509
1 Note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and gender than would otherwise be expected.

Haiti (IPA: [ˈhaiːti]), officially the Republic of Haiti (République d'Haïti, Repiblik d Ayiti), is a French and Creole speaking Latin American country located in the Greater Antilles archipelago on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Haiti includes many smaller islands such as La Gonâve, La Tortue (Tortuga), Les Cayemites, Île de Anacaona, and La Grande Caye. The uninhabited island of Navasse is claimed by both Haiti and the United States. 'Ayiti' (Haiti) was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island. Its highest point is Pic la Selle, at 2,680 meters. The total area of Haiti is 27,750 km² (10,714 square miles) and its capital is Port-au-Prince.

A former French colony, Haiti bears several historical feats: Haiti became the first independent black republic and the only nation ever to form from a successful slave rebellion. Haiti is also the second non-native country in the Americas (after the United States) as well as the first (and therefore the oldest) nation in Latin America to declare its independence, on January 1, 1804.

Haiti has recently undergone a state of transition following the forced ousting of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide on February 29, 2004. The circumstances surrounding his departure from office are disputed. René Préval was elected president in his place on February 7, 2006, and took office in May of that year.

Contents

[edit] History

Main article: History of Haiti
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The island of Hispaniola, of which Haiti occupies the western third, was originally inhabited by the Taíno Arawak people. Christopher Columbus landed at Môle Saint-Nicolas on December 5, 1492, and claimed the island for Spain. Nineteen days later, the Santa Maria ran aground near the present site of Cap-Haitien; Columbus was forced to leave 39 men, founding the settlement of La Navidad . Ayiti, which means "mountainous land", is a name that was used by its early inhabitants, the Taíno-Arawak people, who also called some sections of it Bohio, meaning "rich villages". Quisqueya is yet a third term that has been attributed to the Taínos for the island.

The Taínos were a seafaring branch of the South American Arawaks. Taíno means "the good" or "noble" in their language. A system of cacicazgos (chiefdoms) existed, called Marien, Maguana, Higuey, Magua and Xaragua, which could be subdivided. The cacicazgos were based on a system of tribute, consisting of the food grown by the Taíno. Among the cultural signs that they left were cave paintings around the country, which have become touristic and nationalistic symbols of Haiti. Xaragua is modern day Leogane, a city in the southwest.

One of the earliest leaders to fight off Spanish conquest was Queen Anacaona, a Taíno princess from Xaragua who married Chief Caonabo, a Taíno king (cacique) from Maguana. The two fought hard against the Europeans; she was captured by the Spanish and executed in front of her people. Other noted Taíno leaders from Haiti are Chief Guacanagari, Chief Guama and Chief Hatuey (who later fled to Cuba and helped fight the Spaniards there). Cacique Henri, another Taíno chief, fought victoriously against the Spaniards in the Bahoruco to gain freedom for himself and his people. The town associated with this history is Anse a Pitres, near the south-eastern town of Jacmel. The Taínos as the Europeans saw them on the island of Hispaniola are virtually extinct. The survivors that escaped death mixed with African slaves (runaways called maroons), producing a small generation of zambos. The mestizo increased in number as native women conceived to European men. The Taíno bloodline in Hispaniola diluted more and more as the decades went by primarily due to the establishment of Africans and mulattos on the island; however, it is believed that a small number of Haitians and Dominicans retain some native ancestry.

[edit] Colonial rule

Main article: Saint-Domingue

Enslavement, harsh treatment of the natives, and especially epidemic diseases such as smallpox caused the Taíno population to plummet over the next quarter-century. In response, the Spanish began to import African slaves to search for gold on the island. Spanish interest in Hispaniola waned after the 1520s, when vast reserves of gold and silver were discovered in Mexico and South America.

Fearful of pirate attacks, the king of Spain in 1609 ordered all colonists on Hispaniola to move closer to the capital city, Santo Domingo. However, this resulted in British, Dutch and French pirates establishing bases on the island's abandoned northern and western coasts. French settlement of the island began in 1625, and in 1664 France formally claimed control of the western portion of the island. By the 1697 Treaty of Ryswick, Spain ceded the western third of Hispaniola to France. France named its new colony Saint-Domingue.

While the Spanish side of the island was largely neglected, the French side prospered and became the richest colony in the Western Hemisphere, exporting large amounts of sugar and coffee. French colonial society contained three population groups: Europeans (about 32,000 in 1790) who held political and economic control; the gens de couleur, some 28,000 free blacks (about half of which had mulatto background) who faced second-class status; and the slaves, who numbered about 500,000.[1] (Living outside French society were the maroons (escaped ex-slaves who formed their own settlements in the highlands.) At all times, a majority of slaves in the colony were African-born, as the very brutal conditions of slavery prevented the population from experiencing growth through natural increase.[2] According to a study, 49.2 % of the slave population of Haiti was originally from the Congos during this period.[3] African cultures thus remained strong among slaves until the end of French rule.

[edit] Revolution

Jean Jacques Dessalines became Haiti's first emperor in 1804.
Jean Jacques Dessalines became Haiti's first emperor in 1804.
Unofficially leading the nation politically during the revolution, Toussaint L'Ouverture is considered the father of Haiti.
Unofficially leading the nation politically during the revolution, Toussaint L'Ouverture is considered the father of Haiti.
Main article: Haitian revolution

Inspired by the French Revolution, the gens de couleur pressed the colonial government for expanded rights. In October 1790, 350 revolted against the government. On May 15, 1791, the French National Assembly granted political rights to all blacks and mulattoes who had been born free - but did not change the status quo regarding slavery. On August 22, 1791, slaves in the north rose against their masters near Cap-Français (now Cap-Haïtien). This revolution spread rapidly and came under the leadership of Toussaint L'Ouverture. He is commonly referred to as the "Black Napoleon." He soon formed alliances with the gens de couleur and the maroons, whose rights had been revoked by the French government in retaliation for the uprising.[4]

Toussaint's armies defeated the French colonial army, but then joined forces with it in 1794, following a decree by the revolutionary French government that abolished slavery. Under Toussaint's command, the Saint-Domingue army then defeated invading Spanish and British forces. This cooperation between Toussaint and French forces ended in 1802, however, when Napoleon sent a new invasion force designed to subdue the colony; many islanders suspected the army would also reimpose slavery. Napoleon's forces initially were successful at fighting their way onto the island, and persuaded Toussaint to a truce. He was then betrayed, captured and died in a French prison. Toussaint's arrest and the news that the French had reestablished slavery in Guadeloupe, led to the resumption of the rebellion, under the leadership of Jean-Jacques Dessalines and Henri Christophe, two of Toussaint's generals. Napoleon's forces were outsmarted by the combination of Jean-Jacques Dessalines, Henri Christophe, and Alexandre Petion, the "Generals of the Revolution."

[edit] Independence

Dessalines's armies won their final and decisive victory over the French forces at the Battle of Vertières on November 18, 1803, near Cap-Haitien. On January 1, 1804 the nation declared its independence, securing its position as the second independent country in the Americas, and the only successful slave rebellion in world history.[5] Dessalines was its first ruler. The name Haiti was chosen in recognition of the old Arawak name for the island, Ayiti.

The new State of Haiti supported the abolitionist cause wherever possible. Haiti aided Francisco de Miranda and Simón Bolívar, giving them refuge and supporting their revolutionary efforts under the condition he free Latin America's slaves. The slaveholding powers surrounding Haiti isolated the new nation under a cordon sanitaire, fearing slave revolutions of their own. The Haitian Revolution is thought to have inspired numerous slave revolts in the Caribbean, Brazil and United States. The blockade was virtually total. The Vatican withdrew its priests from Haiti, and did not return them until 1860. France refused to recognize Haiti's independence until it agreed to pay an indemnity of 150 million francs, to compensate for the losses of French planters in the revolutions, in 1833. Payment of this indemnity brought the government deeply in debt and crippled the country's economy.

In 1806, Dessalines, by now Emperor, was murdered in a power struggle with political rivals who thought him a tyrant. The nation divided into two parts, a southern republic founded by Alexandre Pétion (mulatto), becoming the first black-led republic in the world,[6] and a northern kingdom under Henri Christophe. The idea of liberty in the southern republic was as license, a fondness for idleness shared by elite and peasant. Christophe believed that liberty was the opportunity to show the world that a black nation might be equal, if not better than the white nations. Consequently, he worked the field hands under the same unrelenting military system that Toussaint had developed and that Dessalines tried to continue. He also built more than 100 schools, eight palaces, including his capital Sans Souci and the massive Citadelle Laferrière, the largest fortress in the Western hemisphere.

In August 1820, King Henri I (Henri Christophe) suffered a stroke that left him partially paralyzed. When the news spread of his infirmities, the whispers of rebellion, deceit and treachery began. On October 2, 1820, the military garrison at St. Marc led a mutiny that sparked a revolt. The mutiny preempted a conspiracy of some of Christophe's most loyal generals. Some of his trusted aides took him from the palace of Sans-Souci up to his Citadel, to await the inevitable confrontation with the rebels. Christophe ordered his attendants to dress him in his formal military uniform and for two days desperately tried to raise the strength to lead out his troops. Finally, he ordered his doctor to leave the room. Shortly after he left, Christophe raised his pistol and shot himself dead through the heart.[7]

Following Christophe's death, the nation was reunited as the Republic of Haiti under Jean-Pierre Boyer, Petion's successor. Boyer liberated the Spanish colony of Santo Domingo and united the entire island under free Haitian rule, until 1844 when the Dominican Republic was formed as white-Catholic nation separate from Haiti for reasons of tax burdens(to pay the debt obtained from the independance of Haiti from France), discontent of the population after abuses of the Haitian army against the population and different language, culture and religion.

[edit] American occupation

Throughout the nineteenth century, Haiti was ruled by a series of presidents, most of whom remained in office only briefly. Meanwhile, the country's economy was gradually dominated by foreigners, particularly from Germany. Concerned about German influence and growing military presence, and disturbed by the savage public dismembering of President Guillaume Sam by an enraged crowd, the United States invaded and occupied[8] Haiti in 1915. The United States imposed a constitution written by future president Franklin D. Roosevelt, and applied an old system of compulsory corvée labor to everyone. Previously this system had been applied only to members of the poor, black majority. The occupation had many long-lasting effects on the country. United States forces built schools, roads and hospitals, and launched health campaigns that eradicated yellow fever, malaria, and yaws from the island. The vast network of roads, bridges, and clean water systems drastically reshaped Haiti's infrastructure. Unfortunately, the sum of the structural changes to Haiti's systems was not enough to enable any degree of indigenous progress. The U.S. established the Forbes Commission to investigate the lack of progress, and the Commission concluded, amongst other things that "the social forces that created (the social instability) still remain - poverty, ignorance, and the lack of a tradition or desire for orderly free government."[9] Order and freedom could not be imposed by force of will.

As the U.S. occupation resulted in a degree of central organization of government, finance, and industry, the focus of the country shifted from the provinces to the capital, disadvantaging the loose rural socio-economic fabric of the country in favor of the major urban centers. Inevitably this created an exodus of the rural poor from the countryside. Nationalist rebels, called Cacos[10], were simultaneously waging a persistent guerilla warfare, headed by Charlemagne Péralte (until 1919) and Dominique Batraville (until 1920). As a consequence, the U.S.-controlled government created a National Guard which in future decades would become the Armée d'Haiti, and be said to commit many atrocities against its own people[citation needed]. Roosevelt was disenchanted with the burden and negative social aspects of trying to organize Haiti, and proceeded to implement an earlier disengagement agreement, thereby ending the U.S. occupation in 1934.[11]

[edit] The Duvaliers

The United States left Haiti in the hands of the mulatto minority, but in 1946 Dumarsais Estimé became the country's first black president since the US occupation began. His efforts at reform sparked disorder, and when he attempted to extend his term of office in 1950 (as most previous presidents had done) there was a coup, followed by the second formal Military Council of Government led by Paul Magloire.

François Duvalier, also known as Papa Doc, was an ex-doctor who ruled as dictator of Haiti from 1964 to his death in 1971. In 1957, Dr. François Duvalier ("Papa Doc") came to power in the country's first universal suffrage election; many believed this outcome was manipulated by the army. In 1964, he declared himself president for life. Duvalier maintained control over the population through his secret police organization, the Volunteers for National Security - nicknamed the Tonton Macoutes ("boogeymen") after a folkloric villain. This organization drew international criticism for its harsh treatment of political adversaries, both real and suspected.[12] Upon Duvalier's death in 1971, he was succeeded by his nineteen year-old son Jean-Claude Duvalier (nicknamed "Baby Doc") as Haiti's new president for life. The younger Duvalier regime became notorious for corruption, and was deposed in 1986, ushering in a new period of upheaval.[13]

[edit] Roman Catholic pro-democratic movement

The unravelling of the Duvalier regime began with a popular movement supported by the local church and set in motion by the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1983, who before embarking his plane gave a rousing speech ending with an angry exclamation: "Things must change here!"[14] In 1984, anti-government riots broke out throughout the nation and the Haitian Catholic Bishops' Conference initiated a literacy program designed to prepare the Haitian public for participation in the electoral process.[15]

[edit] Aristide

Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a former Roman Catholic priest, first became President of Haiti in 1991. He would remain President for three terms until he was deposed in 2004 in a violent revolt.
Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a former Roman Catholic priest, first became President of Haiti in 1991. He would remain President for three terms until he was deposed in 2004 in a violent revolt.

The priest Jean-Bertrand Aristide was elected president in 1990, but was deposed in a coup shortly after his inauguration in 1991. There followed three years of control by a military junta led by Raoul Cedras, before a second US invasion and occupation in 1994 returned Aristide to power. One of the first acts of the re-installed government of Aristide was to disband the army.[16]

Aristide was succeeded by a one-time ally and former prime minister, René Préval, in 1996. Aristide was the first democratically elected president in Haitian history. Préval's administration is notable for the fact that he was the first president in Haiti's history to constitutionally succeed a former president, serve a complete term, and leave his office voluntarily at the prescribed time. Every previous president had either died in office, been assassinated, been deposed, overstayed his prescribed term, or been installed by a foreign power.

MINUSTAH in 2006.(photo by Patrick-André Perron)
MINUSTAH in 2006.
(photo by Patrick-André Perron)

Aristide returned to office in 2001 after elections that were boycotted by many of his opponents, who accused his party, Fanmi Lavalas, of counting votes improperly in a previous senatorial election, as well as threatening critics. Aristide denied the charges and accused his opponents of accepting U.S. assistance, and plotting to overthrow his government. The opposition mostly denied this, but many of its members continually called for his early resignation.

In February 2004, following months of large-scale protests against what critics charged was an increasingly corrupt and violent rule, violence spread through Haiti, involving conflicts between the government and various rebel groups. Under pressure from both foreign governments and internal sources, Aristide left the country for the Central African Republic on February 29. Aristide later alleged that he faced pressure from the US Armed Forces and American officials from the United States' embassy in Port-au-Prince, who he claimed threatened that he "and a lot of Haitians... would be killed" if he did not leave, and said he "has to go now." [1] At the time, the United States and some of Aristide's own security agents claimed that Aristide had agreed to leave the country willingly and that it had escorted him to Africa for his own protection.[17] As Aristide departed the country, many members of his government fled or went into hiding, and the United States again sent Marines into Port-au-Prince. After Aristide's departure, Supreme Court Chief Justice Boniface Alexandre succeeded to the presidency appointed by a council of elders and supported by the United States, Canada, and France.

In the months following the February Coup, the country was engulfed in violence between the interim government's forces and Lavalas supporters, and many members of the Lavalas party were sent to jail, exiled, or killed. Over 10,000 workers in Haitian civil enterprises lost their jobs following the coup.[18]

Elections were held in February 2006, and René Préval was again elected president. Preval has promised to bring peace and stability to the country. (See Haitian elections, 2006.)

See also: Operation Secured Tomorrow

[edit] Politics

Main article: Politics of Haiti

The politics of Haiti takes place in the framework of a presidential republic, and of a pluriform multi-party system, whereby the President of Haiti is the head of state, while the Prime Minister is head of government. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the National Assembly of Haïti.

[edit] Departments, arrondissements, and communes

Main article: Departments of Haiti
Further information: Arrondissements and communes of Haiti

Haiti is divided into 10 departments. Please note that the names of departmental capital cities are provided in parentheses.

The departments are further divided into 41 arrondissements, and 133 communes which serve as second and third level administrative divisions.

Departments of Haiti
Departments of Haiti

.

  1. Artibonite (Gonaïves)
  2. Centre (Hinche)
  3. Grand'Anse (Jérémie)
  4. Nippes (Miragoâne)
  5. Nord (Cap-Haïtien)
  6. Nord-Est (Fort-Liberté)
  7. Nord-Ouest (Port-de-Paix)
  8. Ouest (Port-au-Prince) *national capital*
  9. Sud-Est (Jacmel)
  10. Sud (Les Cayes)

[edit] Geography

Map of Haiti
Map of Haiti
Main article: Geography of Haiti

Haiti is situated on the western part of the second largest island in the Greater Antilles, Hispaniola. Haiti is the third largest country in the Caribbean only behind Cuba and the Dominican Republic respectively. Haiti at its closest point is only 80km away from Cuba. Haiti's terrain consists mainly of rugged mountains with small coastal plains and river valleys. The country's largest crop-producing and one of Haiti's most fertile river valleys is the Plaine de l'Artibonite. The east and central part of the island is a large elevated plateau. The highest point in Haiti is Pic la Selle at 2,680 m (8,793 feet). The 360-km (224-mile) border is shared with the Dominican Republic. Haiti also contains several islands. The famous island of Tortuga (Île de la Tortue) is located off the coast of northern Haiti. The arrondissement of La Gonâve is located on the island of the same name, in the Gulf of Gonave. Gonave Island is moderately populated by rural villagers. Île à Vache (Island of The Cow) is located off the tip of southwestern Haiti. It is a rather lush island with many beautiful sights. Also part of Haiti are the Cayemites and Ile de Anacaona.

In 1925, Haiti was a lush tropical paradise, with 60% of its original forest covering the lands and mountainous regions. Since then, the population has cut down all but 2% of its forest cover, and in the process has destroyed fertile farmland soils, while contributing to desertification.[19] Erosion has been severe in the mountainous areas. Pictures from space glaringly show the stark difference in forestation between Haiti and the neighboring Dominican Republic[citation needed]. Most Haitian logging is done to produce charcoal, the country's chief source of fuel. The plight of Haiti's forests has attracted international attention, and has led to numerous reforestation efforts, but these have met with little success to date.

Haiti flood
Haiti flood

[edit] Environmental issues

In addition to soil erosion, the deforestation has also caused periodic flooding, as seen on September 17, 2004. Tropical storm Jeanne skimmed the north coast of Haiti, leaving 3,006 people dead in flooding and mudslides, mostly in the city of Gonaïves.[20] Earlier that year in May, floods killed over 3,000 people on Haiti's southern border with the Dominican Republic. [21]

Jared Diamond attributes many of Haiti's political problems to its mismanagement of its ecosystems, particularly deforestation; see Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. In Port-Salut the river is filled with mountain rocks caused by severe erosion over the years. Currently Haiti is seeking to implement a biofuel solution to its energy problems.[22]

There has been a dispute between the United States and Haiti about Navassa Island (Navasse), which both countries claim. The Haitian claim relies on documentation that Navassa became part of Haiti after a 1697 agreement between France and Spain that gave France the western third of Hispaniola plus nearby islands, including Navassa Island. The United States claims the island pursuant to its own Guano Islands Act of 1856.

[edit] Economy

Waste dumping in a slum of Cap-Haitien
Waste dumping in a slum of Cap-Haitien
Main article: Economy of Haiti

Haiti remains the least-developed country in the Western Hemisphere. Comparative social and economic indicators show Haiti falling behind other low-income developing countries (particularly in the hemisphere) since the 1980s. Haiti now ranks 154th of 177 countries in the UN’s Human Development Index (2006). According to the CIA World Factbook, about 80% of the population lives in poverty. Haiti is the only country in the Americas on the WHO list of Least Developed Countries.[23] However, since the recent presidential seating, Haiti's economy has been increasing, and may be on the upsurge. Nevertheless, kidnappings have been increasing rapidly over the last year. Despite this Haiti has a very low murder rate in the Caribbean with a 2005 murder rate of approximately 11.5 per 100,000 inhabitants. The vast majority of the murders have taken place solely in the capital. Rural areas of the country are relatively safe. The Dominican Republic's murder rate of approximately 26.7 per 100,000 inhabitants and Jamaica's regional-record murder rate of 62 per 100,000 inhabitants are extremely high compared to Haiti's.[24]

Nearly 70.5% of all Haitians depend on the agricultural sector, which consists mainly of small-scale subsistence farming. The country has experienced little formal job creation over the past decade, although the informal economy is growing. It has consistently ranked among the most corrupt countries in the world on the Corruption Perceptions Index.

Under the second Aristide administration and the Alexandre-Latortue administration, difficulty in reaching agreements with international sponsors denied Haiti badly needed budget and developmental assistance. In addition to these geopolitical obstacles, another major impediment to development during the last twenty years has been the repeated episodes of violence that have rocked the country. While there was relative calm under the governments of Fanmi Lavalas, this may not have been sufficiently long-lived to convince foreign investors to commit significant capital to Haiti.

[edit] Tourism

Due to recent political instability, tourism - once a significant industry - has suffered in Haiti, with the exception of Labadee, a port located on the country's northern coast. Labadee is a resort owned by Royal Caribbean International. Although sometimes described in advertisements as an island in its own right, it is actually contiguous with the rest of Hispaniola. Labadee is fenced off from the surrounding area. The cruise ships anchor offshore, and passengers are tendered to the resort, often without being told they are in Haiti. Attractions include a Haitian Flea Market, traditional Haitian dance performances, numerous beaches, watersports, and a waterpark. Despite obstacles, Haiti's rich culture and history has allowed the country to maintain a moderate and potentially rising tourist industry.

[edit] Progress

However, Haiti has benefited in a rather solid economic partnership with Venezuela. This recently-forged friendship between Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez and Haitian president Rene Preval has resulted in various economic agreements. After a visit by Chavez in March 2007, Venezuela and Cuba announced that they have created a $1 Billion fund to develop energy, health, and infrastructure in Haiti. As part of this deal, 4 power plants will be constructed in Port-au-Prince, Cap-Haitien, and Gonaives, increasing the country's power production by 160 MW by the end of 2007. An oil refinery will also be constructed in Haiti, with a production capacity of 10,000 barrels of oil per day. In the meantime, Venezuela has increased the amount of petroleum it provides Haiti to 14,000 barrels per day, at the same terms afforded to ALBA member countries - these terms are more favorable than the Petrocaribe terms. Venezuela's assistance to Haiti is founded upon a historic act where the newly-independent Haiti welcomed and tended to first Francisco de Miranda, then to Simón Bolívar and provided both with military assistance in the liberation of much of South America. Haiti's Latin American alliance provides the country with much of its needed aid. Cuba has thanked Haiti for consistently voting in the United Nations General Assembly against the embargo put upon Cuba by the United States. Since Preval's induction, the economy has been on a sizeable increase.

[edit] Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Haiti

About 95% of Haitians are of predominantly black African descent. The rest are white or of Mulatto descent, with a moderate number of Arab heritage (primarily Syrian and Lebanese). A small number of Haitians are believed to possess both African and Taino/Arawak heritage (called marabou) due to the history of the island; however, the number of native-descended Haitians is not known. There is a very small percentage within the minority who are of Asian descent; nearly all are immigrant residents. The very small number of Asians in Haiti are virtually all concentrated in the country's largest urban areas (primarily Port-au-Prince).

[edit] Haitian diaspora

As with many other poor Caribbean nations, there is a large diaspora, which includes a lot of illegal immigration to nearby countries. Millions of Haitians live abroad, chiefly in the Dominican Republic, Bahamas, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Lesser Antilles, Canada, France, and the United States.

[edit] In the United States

There are large numbers of Haitians who inhabit the "Little Haiti" section of Miami. In New York City, the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Flatbush, Crown Heights, and Canarsie are home to many Haitians. In the Borough of Queens, Jamaica, Queens Village, Rosedale and Cambria Heights have large Haitian populations. Many successful Haitians move east to Long Island, where Elmont and other towns have seen many new residents. Other enclaves that contain Haitians include Boston, Cambridge, Malden and Brockton Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois, Orlando, Florida, and Newark, New Jersey and its surrounding areas.

[edit] Culture

Main article: Culture of Haiti
Fishing boat with religious writings
Fishing boat with religious writings

Haitian culture is a mix of primarily African and French elements with minor influences from Spanish and Taíno culture. The African and European influence is greatest however in nearly all aspects of society. Haiti's official languages are French and Haitian Creole (Kreyòl Ayisyen). Nearly all Haitians speak the latter, a creole based primarily on French and African languages, with some Spanish, Portuguese, and Taíno influences.[citation needed] Spanish is spoken near the border with the Dominican Republic, and is increasingly being spoken in more westward areas, as Venezuelan, Cuban, and Dominican trade influence Haitian affairs, and Haiti becomes increasingly involved in Latin American transactions.

[edit] Religion

Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean

Roman Catholicism is the official state religion in which the majority, approximately 80%, of the population professes. An estimated 20 percent of the population follows the teachings of various Protestant churches. Many Haitians, especially Roman Catholics, also practice Vodou[25] (Voodoo), almost always in addition to traditional Catholic observances. Vodou followers believe that spirits called "loa" protect their children (vodou believers) from misfortune. Many Haitians, (mainly Protestants), oppose vodou and they relate it to sorcery and witchcraft[26]. Haitian vodou is very similar to the Santería practiced in Cuba and the Dominican Republic, and the Candomblé practiced in Brazil.

[edit] Music

Main article: Music of Haiti

Haiti's most well known music style is kompa, a very vibrant music and dance genre similar to the music of their Cuban neighbors, but often employing African drumming, modern guitars/synthesized sounds, saxophones, and lyrics sung in Haitian Creole. Merengue of the Dominican Republic is also popular in Haiti. The origins of merengue are unclear and the origins vary depending on which country the story is from however many Haitians believe it is an offshoot variant of Haitian Méringue, a similar-sounding style. Nonetheless, Haitians enjoy both sounds. Rasin and kadans are two other popular genres in the country. Other popular genres in Haiti include Salsa music, Trinidadian Soca, and zouk (a combination of kompa and music from the French Antilles). Musicians such as T-Vice, Djakout Mizik, Bonga, Zenglen, NuLook, K-dans, and Carimi perform regularly in the United States and Québec. Sweet Micky is a praised legend of Kompa music. One of the most celebrated Haitian musical artists of today is Haitian-born rapper and musician Wyclef Jean.

Haiti is also famous for its distinctive art, notably painting and sculpture. See Haitian art, Category:Haitian painters and Category:Haitian artists

[edit] Cuisine

Haitian cuisine.
Haitian cuisine.

Haitian Cuisine is influenced in large part by the methods and foods involved in French cuisine as well as by staples originating from African and Taíno cuisine, such as cassava (kasav), yam, and maize (mayi). Haitian food, though unique in its own right, shares much in common with that of the rest of Latin America.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Slavery and the Haitian Revolution, Chapter 8 Page 2. Retrieved on 2006-09-15.
  2. ^ Slavery in the Colonial Era. Retrieved on 2006-09-15.
  3. ^ Historia Thématique, no. 80, Novembre-Decembre 2002, p.41.
  4. ^ Slavery and the Haitian Revolution, Chapter 8 Page 2. Retrieved on 2006-09-18.
  5. ^ Chapter 6 - Haiti: Historical Setting. Retrieved on 2006-09-18.
  6. ^ Country profile: Haiti. BBC News. Retrieved on 2006-09-15.
  7. ^ Christophe's Kingdom and Pétion's Republic. U.S. Library of Congress. Retrieved on 2006-09-18.
  8. ^ Haiti: The United States Occupation, 1915-34. Retrieved on 2007-07-21.
  9. ^ Haiti: The United States Occupation, 1915-34. Retrieved on 2007-07-21.
  10. ^ Haiti: Decades of Instability, 1843-1915. Retrieved on 2007-07-21.
  11. ^ http://countrystudies.us/haiti/15.htm. Haiti - The U.S. occupation 1915-1934. Retrieved on 2006-09-18.
  12. ^ François Duvalier 1957-1971. Retrieved on 2006-09-18.
  13. ^ Growth and structure of the economy. U.S. Library of Congress. Retrieved on 2006-09-18.
  14. ^ Key Dates in Haiti's History. Embassy of the Republic of Haiti. Retrieved on 2006-09-18.
  15. ^ Key Dates in Haiti's History. Embassy of the Republic of Haiti. Retrieved on 2006-09-18.
  16. ^ Crisis in Haiti. BBC News. Retrieved on 2006-09-15.
  17. ^ Steve Miller and Joseph Curl (2004). Aristide accuses U.S. of forcing his ouster. Washington Times. Retrieved on 16 April, 2007.
  18. ^ http://globalpolicy.igc.org/security/issues/haiti/2006/0831abusesurvey.pdfPDF (230 KiB)
  19. ^ Forestry. Retrieved on 2006-09-18.
  20. ^ Photo Gallery: Jeanne hits Haiti. Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved on 2006-09-18.
  21. ^ http://www.globalexchange.org/countries/americas/haiti/2497.html
  22. ^ Analysis: Haiti seeks a biofuel solution. United Press Internation. Retrieved on 2007-07-02.
  23. ^ German Wikipedia
  24. ^ http://www.alterpresse.org/spip.php?article4074
  25. ^ Haiti: Religious Life: Voodoo. Retrieved on 2007-07-21.
  26. ^ Haiti: Religious Life: Voodoo. Retrieved on 2007-07-21.

[edit] Further reading

  • [Randall Robinson], An Unbroken Agony- Haiti from Revolution to the Kidnapping of a President, Basic Books, 2007, ISBN 0-4650-7050-7
  • J. Christopher Kovats-Bernat, Sleeping Rough in Port-au-Prince: An Ethnography of Violence and Street Children in Haiti, University Press of Florida, 2006, ISBN 0-8130-3009-9
  • Paul Farmer, The uses of Haiti, Common Courage Press 2003, ISBN 1-56751-242-9
  • C. L. R. James: The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L’Ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution (1938, Vintage, ISBN 0-679-72467-2)
  • Martin Ros: Night of Fire - The Black Napoleon and the Battle for Haiti, DaCapo Press, New York 1993, ISBN 0-9627613-8-9
  • Wade Davis: The Serpent and The Rainbow
  • Kurlansky, Mark. 1992. A Continent of Islands: Searching for the Caribbean Destiny. Addison-Wesley Publishing. ISBN 0-201-52396-5.
  • Fick, Carolyn E., The Making of Haiti: The Saint Domingue Revolution from Below, University of Tennessee Press; first ed edition (February 1, 1990), ISBN-10: 0870496670, ISBN-13: 978-0870496677
  • Jared Diamond. 2005. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. New York: Viking. ISBN 0-670-03337-5.
  • Elizabeth McAlister, Rara! Vodou, Power, and Performance in Haiti and its Diaspora, University of California Press, 2002, ISBN 0-520-22823-5.
  • Michael Deibert. Notes from the Last Testament: The Struggle for Haiti. Seven Stories Press, New York, 2005. ISBN-10: 1583226974.
  • Heinl, Nancy Gordon and Robert. Written in Blood: The Story of the Haitian People 1492-1995. University Press of America, 1996. ISBN 0761831770

[edit] See also

 Haiti Portal

[edit] External links

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The flag of Haiti was redesigned after the slave revolution over a colonial France. The flag was changed from black and yellow to blue and red.

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  • Haiti Vacation The Haiti Paradise, Cotes des Arcadins & Jacmel e Ile-a-Vache

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  • Sleeping Rough in Port-au-Prince: An Ethnograohy of Street Children and Violence in Haiti (2006) by J. Christopher Kovats-Bernat
  • Let Haiti Live (2004)
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