#48 - En Lisant Festival: Resistance Through Theater
Closing of En Lisant and the theater season, Pierre Michel Jean exhibition, Joé Dwèt Filé's compas hit on the French charts, Artisanat en fête without tourists, and the security crisis persists.
Against all odds, Port-au-Prince's autumn theater season came to a close last week with the En Lisant Festival. Artists and artisans braved all challenges to offer the best of the Haitian stage, bringing to a close this unmissable period of the theatrical year. This and more in HAITI WEEKLY #48 by DÈYÈ MÒN ENFO.
A word from the editor: As the weeks go by, the situation in Port-au-Prince seems to be getting worse. Despite the adversity, we remain determined to cover, on social networks and through this magazine, all the richness and diversity of Haitian socio-cultural news. Thank you for your support!
Etienne Côté-Paluck
Summary
10 Years of K2D: Pierre Michel Jean Encounters the Human Soul
Artisanat En Fête: A Showcase of Creativity Despite the Absence of Tourists
Crisis in Port-au-Prince: Waiting for a Life-Saving Intervention
Closing of the En Lisant Festival and the Theatre Season
Autumn has long been associated with theater in the cultural milieu of Port-au-Prince. In the face of adversity, theater professionals have maintained this tradition in 2024, presenting the voice of theater as an act of defiance and reflection on the state of the country and the world.
The En lisant Festival, the last major event of the fall season, closed on December 19 with a concert by singer Vanessa Jeudi. For 10 days, conferences, workshops, readings and original theatrical creations put the spotlight on contemporary theater. All programmed during the day to ensure the safety of the participants in a capital under tension.
Philippe Violanti's ABCD ou Ange etc... was one of the highlights of this year's edition. In its world premiere, this tragicomedy directed by Eliezer Guérismé presented a captivating mise en abîme of theatrical creation and, more broadly, of community life.
French actress Sylvie Laurent Pourcel, who has been in Haiti since September, took to the stage as part of this Haitian production. However, the other international guests scheduled for the festival were unable to attend due to the closure of scheduled flights to Port-au-Prince on November 11.
She was accompanied on stage by actors and actresses Edouard Baptiste, Jenny Cadet, Joseph Derilon Fils Derilus and Kenny Laguerre, in the roles of actors and actresses rehearsing for a play.
The security crisis led to the cancellation of school activities planned for the Festival, but all other events continued.
Also as part of the En Lisant Festival, Pierre Michel Jean presented his documentary film L'oubli tue 2 fois on December 18 at the Institut français de Port-au-Prince, followed by a discussion with documentary filmmaker Rachèle Magloire (1964 Simetyè kamoken). This film recounts the 1937 Persil massacre, in which 30,000 victims were murdered on the orders of the Dominican dictator because of the color of their skin. An essential work for reviving memory and stimulating debate.
Theater that listens to what's going on in the world - Le Nouvelliste
In Haiti, theater as a tool in the fight against violence – Libération
En Lisant, the festival of contemporary drama, an ambitious challenge - Le Nouvelliste
“Et si c'était la fin” the surprising theme of the 9th edition of the Festival En Lisant - Le National
9th edition of the Festival de Théâtre En Lisant officially launched - Le Nouvelliste
Until love fixes us - Le Nouvelliste
A clamor against silence - Le Nouvelliste
Quatre Chemins: Live Art in the Midst of Turbulence
The 21st edition of the Quatre chemins festival ended on December 7th with a concert by the singer Fameuse Maude at the Brasil-Haiti Cultural Center in Pétion-Ville.
One of the highlights of Quatre Chemins was the unique play by actor and playwright Syto Cavé, accompanied by Daniel Marcelin and Daphena Rémédor.
10 Years of K2D: Pierre Michel Jean Encounters the Human Soul
Photographer Pierre Michel Jean celebrated a decade of K2D by exhibiting his best work at an event in his studio. The exhibition is part of a series organized monthly by members of the collective.
Known for his recent work in film photography, the former AFP correspondent regularly collaborates with HAÏTI MAGAZINE and the DÈYÈ MÒN ENFO team.
Music Video of the Week
4 Kampé - Joé Dwèt Filé
French singer Joé Dwèt Filé, the son of Haitian immigrants, has taken Haiti by storm with his hit 4 Kampé, which blends the rhythms of compas with modern influences. Accompanied by a video with more than 24 million views, this musical phenomenon transcends borders and unites audiences across language barriers.
First a hit in France, where it dominated the charts, the song 4 Kampé eventually crossed the Atlantic to Haiti and the United States. Stars such as Madonna and J Cole have been filmed dancing to its intoxicating compas rhythm, confirming its international appeal.
“4 Kampé”, the musical phenomenon that transcends borders - Le Nouvelliste
Deciphering the lyrics of “4 Kampé” by Joe Dwet File - Chokarella
Artisanat En Fête: A Showcase of Creativity Despite the Absence of Tourists
The Artisanat En Fête event took place on December 14 and 15 in Pétion-Ville and brought together over 200 artisans, according to the organizers.
Although affected by the tourism crisis, this event remains a pillar of the local culture and economy.
Crisis in Port-au-Prince: Waiting for a Life-Saving Intervention
Tragic events continue to unfold in Port-au-Prince, where most of the territory remains under the control of armed groups. The massacre of more than 200 people, mostly elderly, in Wharf Jérémie, just weeks after another massacre in the Artibonite region which claimed over 100 victims, has deeply shaken the Haitian capital. The wanton brutality of these acts could mark the beginning of the collapse of the Viv Ansanm coalition of armed groups, according to some observers. How can this coalition still claim to defend the underprivileged when some of its members systematically target the most vulnerable populations?
Another tragedy struck the capital this week, leaving a policeman and two journalists dead and numerous injured. Fortunately, our contributor Jean Elie Fortiné had left the scene just minutes before the attack.
It all began unexpectedly: the Ministry of Health had invited journalists to the official reopening of the General Hospital (HUEH), closed since March because it is located in a conflict zone, on the morning of December 24. In preparation for the event, the area around the building had been cleaned out, but the ministerial delegation did not show up.
More than two hours after the scheduled time, while journalists were still waiting, dozens of armed men opened fire on the surrounding buildings, firing hundreds of bullets. The action was reportedly a demonstration by the leader of the Village de Dieu armed group against the reopening of the region's main hospital. The ensuing outcry was directed against the Minister of Health, who was accused of organizing the event without ensuring the security of the area. According to several media reports, the transitional government decided to dismiss him on Thursday.
The Nazon and Solino neighborhoods, which were invaded last month, remain out of control of law enforcement. The famous Nazon road, which runs along the eastern edge of these neighborhoods, is now used only by armored police vehicles.
In early December, armed attacks were also reported in Poste Marchand, near Champ-de-Mars. Several vehicles and houses were burned. As in many neighboring districts, residents began to flee, taking their belongings with them.
After a tentative resumption of activity in October, the Aéroport crossroads, famous for its viaduct, once again became the scene of clashes between security forces and armed groups. The Delmas road, which runs through the northern part of the Solino district, remains a contested strategic point.
A new base for the international intervention force has been set up at the bottom of the Delmas road, close to the territory controlled by the armed group led by Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier. Despite numerous police operations in recent weeks, these neighborhoods are still beyond the control of the authorities.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of displaced people are surviving in makeshift camps; millions more, affected by the economic crisis, have experienced a Christmas without hope or prospects.
The main solution envisaged by the transitional government is based on foreign intervention. But this is happening very slowly. The election of Donald Trump as President of the United States, who is due to take office mid-January, adds further uncertainty to the sustainability of funding for this American initiative in the medium and long term.
If this funding is not renewed next year, do the authorities have a plan to train and equip the Haitian police sufficiently to take on the armed groups on their own? In any case, the prospect of elections in Haiti in 2025 looks increasingly unlikely.
Haiti-Gang violence: 207 people executed in 6 days in Wharf Jérémie, according to a new UN report - AlterPresse
Dying for views - La loi de ma bouche
Health minister's reopening of General Hospital turns into carnage - Le Nouvelliste
At a Glance : Giving Women a Voice Through Photography
Worldwide, photography remains a male-dominated profession. In an attempt to change this reality, the Rencontres du documentaire de Port-au-Prince organized two days of training specifically for women. The initiative was led by renowned photographer Odelyn Joseph, a contributor to HAÏTI MAGAZINE, who used the occasion to present his urban exhibition. His pictures, plastered on the walls of several streets of the capital, offered an unprecedented artistic immersion. In addition, from December 15 to 22, the Rencontres du documentaire, organized by Kit Média, offered a series of screenings in camps for displaced persons and in certain neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince, accompanied by online debates.
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: 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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