#47 - Reality Catches up With the Day of the Dead
Honoring the dead in spite of everything, precarious calm after a popular bwa kale aftershock in Port-au-Prince, Watson-G back on top and the theater season returns to Port-au-Prince
The month of November, dedicated to the commemoration of the dead in the Vodou tradition, was celebrated across the country. In recent weeks, the streets of the capital have been the scene of equally macabre events, followed by a fierce response from the bwa kale self-defense movements. This and more in HAITI WEEKLY #47 by DÈYÈ MÒN ENFO, a collective of journalists and media professionals based in Haiti.
A word from the editor: The current challenges in the Haitian capital affect the entire population, including the DÈYÈ MÒN ENFO team. With a paid subscription, you support the regular publication of this newsletter and the hard work of our team.
Summary #47
Tribute to the Dead, in Spite of Everything
Bwa Kale in Port-au-Prince: Popular Backlash, Precarious Calm
Music Video of the Week: Bad Life by Watson-G
Return of the theater season in Port-au-Prince
Tribute to the Dead, in Spite of Everything
The Feast of the Dead, or the Feast of Gede, the vodou lwa of the ancestors, marked the beginning of November, an already difficult month in a difficult year for Port-au-Prince. Nevertheless, vodou enthusiasts honored the spirits of their ancestors by participating in ceremonies on November 1 and 2.
Rituals often include lwa visits to the bodies of certain practitioners. They are often devoted to a particular deity and are likely to have this unique spiritual experience.
Each interaction is marked by specific greetings that strengthen the connection between the living and the spirits.
The Feast of the Dead is primarily a time of spiritual recollection. It allows Vodou devotees to remember their deceased loved ones while paying homage to the major deities of the Vodou pantheon.
Offerings, mainly in the form of rum and alcohol, are given as a sign of respect and devotion.
Monvelyno Alexis invites you to Gede anba Tonèl - Le Nouvelliste
Feast of the Dead or Feast of the Living? - Le Nouvelliste
Bwa Kale in Port-au-Prince: Popular Backlash, Precarious Calm
After 10 days of intense attacks (November 11-20), a relative lull settled over Port-au-Prince, allowing some banks and businesses to reopen. However, most schools remained closed, except in the neighboring communes of Delmas and Pétionville.
This precarious calm is the result of a targeted police intervention against the armed group led by Jimmy Chérizier (alias Barbecue) at the bottom of Delmas for the past week.
This operation was preceded by mass executions of suspected bandits on November 20 and 21, attributed to police and vigilante groups.
According to official figures, at least 28 people were killed, although some sources put the death toll as high as 100.
As a result of these armed attacks, the Solino district, which has been in conflict for months, finally fell into the hands of the coalition of armed groups that already controls most of the capital. The surrounding neighborhoods are now in a state of panic, while the northern part of the Nazon road is now used only by the police and other security forces. Nearby, the famous carrefour Aéroport, where activities had already resumed, is once again deserted.
According to the IOM, more than 40,000 people were forced to leave their homes in the Haitian capital region during the 10-day attacks. This is the largest displacement ever recorded there by the organization.
Some twenty new IDP camps were set up, including on the premises of the Office de la Protection du Citoyen (OPC). At the same time, several camps around Solino that already housed displaced people were emptied due to the new violence.
Like the events in Carrefour-Feuilles a year ago, the streets of Port-au-Prince were invaded during the second half of November by families carrying their belongings in search of a new refuge.
The population opts for “bwa kale” while awaiting answers from the State - Le National
Ayiti : Plis Pase yon Ventèn Prezime Bandi Mouri Anba Men Popilasyon an - VOA
Lapolis ak popilasyon an bare epi touye plizyè 10zèn bandi ki t ap eseye pran kontwòl Petyon vil - Centre à la UNE
Haiti-Gang violence: 41,000 people forced to flee Port-au-Prince in two weeks - AlterPresse
Solino Under Gang Control, Panic in Port-au-Prince - Le Nouvelliste
Testimonies from the Bourdon Valley - Ayibopost
Pétion-Ville Hit by Violence: Authorities Report 28 Suspected Bandits Dead - Le Nouvelliste
Music Video of the Week
Bad Life - Watson-G
Watson-G is back in force again this year with Bad Life, a poignant track that sincerely depicts the dishonesty and challenges of life in Haiti.
Through his moving lyrics, the artist celebrates courage and perseverance in the face of a deep national crisis. The video resonates with a population in search of change.
Return of the Theater Season in Port-au-Prince
Despite this difficult context, the theater season is in full swing in Port-au-Prince, with the two biggest events of the year taking place back to back. The Quatre Chemins festival opened its doors last Monday with a rich and varied program.
Among the highlights, after a run in France, Gaëlle Bien-Aimé's Aimer en stéréo began performances on November 24. This work explores grief in both its figurative and literal aspects, and brings together on stage singer Charline Jean Gilles and dancer Amandine Saint-Martin, with Bien-Aimé.
At the same time, the En lisant festival launched a series of weekly encounters on November 23 as a prelude to the official program scheduled for December. These events, which will take place on the festival's premises will offer the public a space for dialogue with the playwrights and an opportunity to discuss their works.
Quatre Chemins Festival officially launched - Le Nouvelliste
Festival Quatre Chemins, a space for reflection and innovative creations - 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: 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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