#46 - Youth Revolution in Evangelical Music
Wiliadel Denervil in concert, Ray Pa Klè's social critique, Handicap et Culture closes, Gardy Girault on the decks, Rutshelle and Kaï in duet, Solino in agony and Pont-Sondé mourning its dead.
Evangelical music has undergone a rejuvenation in recent years, embracing new styles such as rap and R&B. Last month, many contemporary evangelical artists took to the stage at the Palais Municipal in Delmas to celebrate the launch of Wiliadel Denervil's new album in front of an enthusiastic crowd. This and more in HAITI WEEKLY #46 by DÈYÈ MÒN ENFO, a collective of journalists and media professionals based in Haiti.
A word from the editor: Over the past few days, part of the Dèyè Mòn Enfo team has working with journalist Tom Philips to prepare reports for the British daily, The Guardian. The first article in the series was published this week, with more to follow shortly.
Summary #46
Crowd of Faithful for the Launch of Wiliadel Denervil
10 Years of K2D: The Social Critique of Ray Pa Klè
Closing Show for Handicap et Culture
Music Video of the Week: Tolere w by Rutshelle Guillaume and Kaï
Gardy Girault: Turntables and Drums
Port-au-Prince: The Solino District in Agony
Pont-Sondé Mourns Its Dead
Dominican Border: Raids Continue
Press Reviews
Crowd of Faithful for the Launch of Wiliadel Denervil
Music in praise of the word of Jesus Christ is now being promoted by a new generation of young artists who are open to a variety of musical styles and dress. Wiliadel Denervil brought many of them together at the launch concert for her new album, Victoire au nom de Jésus, on October 13.
The enthusiast audience celebrated for most of the afternoon in front of the large open-air stage at the Palais Municipal de Delmas.
Overflowing with emotion, the artist and her musicians performed songs from this new album (Apple Music, Spotify) and covered some of her other big hits such as Jewova and Ou toujou la.
The singer donned a variety of costumes and performed a series of concepts with her extras and dancers, taking on the role of prisoner, patient or rebel in the name of God.
Evangelical rapper Fre Gabe took over, performing his greatest hits to the delight of the audience, who knew all the words. Fre Gabe has also made inroads into commercial radio in recent years with tracks such as Lèm Ap Priye, in which he (literally) shouts the power of prayer over an electronic beat, accompanied by a video with a paramilitary aesthetic.
Rosena Josselin Orys, Salomon Lira Salil, Asthamonie and the DÈG choir also took to the stage to perform their hits. The event ended after nightfall.
10 Years of K2D: The Social Critique of Ray Pa Klè
The third exhibition celebrating the 10th anniversary of the K2D photography collective was held opposite Ray Pa Klè's studio, in a dead-end street near the Collège Canado in Port-au-Prince.
Ray Pa Klè presented photographs that took a particularly critical look at Haitian society. Large-format portraits hung on the walls gave the exhibition a sense of both grandeur and intimacy.
The mostly outdoor event was accompanied by a popcorn machine, as in all the collective's exhibitions.
This series of monthly exhibitions began in August with Josué Azor and continued in September with Georges Harry Rouzier. The next exhibition is scheduled for the end of November with Pierre Michel Jean.
Closing Show for Handicap et Culture
The ninth edition of the Quinzaine Handicap et Culture ended on October 15 with a grand concert at the Institut français d'Haïti. Shows, workshops, conferences and screenings punctuated the event, which this year was dedicated to deaf and hard-of-hearing people.
Activities included theatre workshops for deaf women, culminating in the creation of the play Brisées. Stories in sign language were also presented during the two weeks of activities.
Music Video of the Week
Tolere w - Rutshelle Guillaume feat. Kaï
Two of compas' most popular artists, singer Richard Cavé, of the group Kaï, and Rutshelle Guillaume, combine their voices in the song Tolere w [te tolérer], in which a couple questions the solidity of their love.
“I don't know how to leave you, you don't want to leave me, what should we do?” they sing, before launching into the chorus, ‘I tolerate you, I tolerate you’. The song concludes that, despite everything, “no matter how, it's you I love”.
Directed by Abdias Laguerre, the video has received over seven million views on YouTube since its release a month ago.
Gardy Girault: Turntables and Drums
On October 16, the famous DJ and producer Gardy Girault hosted an evening at the turntables on the terrace of Pétion-Ville's La Réserve restaurant. Accompanied by a percussionist, he played his greatest hits, combining house music and vodou rhythms. The excellent DJ Kolo took over for the second half of the evening.
Port-au-Prince: The Solino District in Agony
The scenario is repeating itself. After the Carrefour-Feuilles area a year ago and the downtown area last March, it's now the Solino district and the surrounding area that are under constant attack by armed groups. Following a series of attacks that began on October 17, part of Solino, north of Nazon, is now under the control of armed groups from Bel-Air and Delmas 6.
More than 12,000 residents are reported to have fled the area, leading to the creation of seven new camps for displaced people in neighbouring districts. Throughout the week, the remaining streets to the south and east of the district have been invaded by families carrying their belongings on foot or in vehicles.
The police and residents who have been mobilized for several months to defend the neighborhood are resisting with few resources. Some residents accuse the government of abandoning them, as staffing levels and equipment are proving insufficient to protect them.
Despite the continued presence of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MMAS) since last June, will another district of the capital soon fall?
In the centre of Port-au-Prince, the authorities have set up at least four containers in various locations to block vehicle access to some of the neighborhoods still out of their control, including the Bel-Air district.
It was from Belair that the attacks on the Champ-de-Mars were launched last spring.
A container was placed on Lalue (John Brown), in front of rue Lamarre, and at the end of rue Geffrard.
Another deadly attack in Solino - Le National
Rising Gang Violence Forces 5,000 to Flee Solino - Le Nouvelliste
Insecurity: Wave of terror in Solino, Tabarre, Arcahaie and l'Estère - Le National
Pont-Sondé Mourns Its Dead
Residents of Pont-Sondé, in the commune of Saint-Marc, are beginning to return to their homes after one of the most violent massacres in modern Haitian history took place in early October.
Once again, an armed group from this region north of Port-au-Prince is attempting to take control of a nerve centre of the economy, at the cost of human lives, in order to appropriate its profits.
Pont Sondé : le RNDDH demande aux autorités de l’État d'assumer leurs responsabilités - Le Nouvelliste
Dominican Border: Raids Continue
Over the past month, several Haitian and international organizations have expressed concern about the treatment of people deported from the Dominican Republic to Haiti. On October 1st, the Dominican government set the border police a target of 10,000 deportations per week. Since then, raids have been carried out daily in various parts of the country, spreading terror.
According to an international organization, more than 1,800 unaccompanied children have been sent back to Haiti. Even the President of the Federation of Dominican Rice Producers was outraged to see so many of his workers being hunted down in this way.
Haina, the hell of Haitian migrants in DR - AyiboPost
Depòtasyon Ayisyen nan Sendomeng : Dapre GARR Migran yo Viktim Rakèt, Medam yo sibi agresyon seksyèl - VOA News
At at Glanse - Tribute to Mikaben
Some of Haiti's biggest music stars gathered last month to commemorate the second anniversary of the death of Mikaben, whose real name was Michael Benjamin. His father, the famous singer and composer Lionel Benjamin, also took to the stage at the El Rancho Hotel convention center.
Limyè pou Mikaben, an evening in tribute to a legend - Le Nouvelliste
DÈYÈ MÒN ENFO’s team
Photojournalists: Francillon Laguerre, Sonson Thelusma, Andoo Lafond, Milot Andris, Patrick Payin
Editorial board: Etienne Côté-Paluck, Jean Elie Fortiné, Jean-Paul Saint-Fleur
Interns: Wilky Andris, Donley Jean Simon
Special collaboration: Josué Visual, Françoise Ponticq, Stéphanie Tourillon-Gingras, Mateo Fortin Lubin
Media partners: Centre à la Une, J-COM, Nord-Est Info
Institutional partners: Kay Fanm, Mouka.ht
Special thanks to the Fonds québécois pour le journalisme international (FQJI) for its support.
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