#53 - Celebrating a flag at half-mast
Flag celebrations against a backdrop of crisis, the Ouanaminthe canal in the news, rara groups in the night, Gwotèt and Ange Carla make their way, marathon in Les Cayes and Port-au-Prince encircled
Last Sunday, the country solemnly celebrated Flag Day at a time when it is experiencing one of the worst crises in its history. In the North and South-East, traditional parades and youth bands took to the streets to commemorate this milestone in the history of national liberation. This and more in HAITI WEEKLY #53 by DÈYÈ MÒN ENFO.
Editor’s note: We are now displaced. Due to the intensification of armed conflict in the are in recent weeks, we were forced to clear out our apartment and the DÈYÈ MÒN ENFO office in the Pacot district of Port-au-Prince. This has slowed down the production of this issue, but rest assured, we will soon offer you a little musical bonus to make up for it.
Summary #53
North and South Commemorate the Flag
The Ouanaminthe Canal in L'actualité Magazine
Rara Bands Take Over the Night
Music Video of the Week - M ap chache chimen m by Gwotèt, Ange Carla et Opak
Running Under the Southern Clouds
Port-au-Prince Surrounded, Mirebalais Threatened
Press Reviews
North and South Commemorate the Fla
The tradition is deeply rooted and symbolism remains strong. On May 18, 1803, during a revolutionary congress, Jean-Jacques Dessalines removed the white stripe from the French flag and Catherine Flon sewed the remaining two stripes back together. Every year, the holiday is celebrated across the country with masses, parades, and school band performances.
Tradition dictates that the President will travel to Arcahaie, the site of the historic congress. However, Bendgy Tilias, the Secretary of State for Communication, told Magik9: “Some regions, such as Cap-Haïtien, are better equipped to host such an event in the current context.”
On Sunday, a delegation of four Transitional Presidential Council members, accompanied by the Prime Minister, flew by helicopter from Port-au-Prince to Cap-Haïtien to attend official ceremonies.
Initially, demonstrators - including striking teachers who have not been paid by the state for months- occupied the entrance to the Cap-Haïtien cathedral, where a mass was being held in the presence of the leaders. Later, booing accompanied the speeches at the official dinner held at the town hall, which was located just outside the cathedral.
Nearly four years after the start of the security crisis, the situation in the country has become so dire that holding expensive ceremonies far from the capital seemed inappropriate to some.
A little later, the parade, which was mainly made up of schoolchildren and young people, passed without incident through the streets of Cap-Haïtien a little later, much to the delight of the public. A three-wheeled vehicle, which is very popular for public transportation in the North, served as a float.
Thirty kilometers south of Port-au-Prince, Cayes-Jacmel took advantage of the beautiful morning weather to hold a traditional mass, followed by a parade featuring music and dance.
The Ouanaminthe Canal in L'actualité Magazine
For farmers and the Haitian population seeking solutions to the country's security crisis, the Ouanaminthe canal represents more than just a construction project: it symbolizes economic recovery and food sovereignty.
With the support of the Fonds québécois pour le journalisme international, part of the Dèyè Mòn Enfo team travelled to Ouanaminthe for nearly two weeks last year to follow the project’s progress. We would like to thank all the volunteers working on the Ouanaminthe canal who welcomed us with open arms.
The report published in the June issue of L'actualité magazine is available online and at newsstands.
Rara Bands Take Over the Night
In the weeks following Carnival, Rara brass bands took to the streets of the country, especially at night. These festive parades, which were often organized in the various communes, culminated over the Easter weekend.
The Resif festival in Les Cayes hosted several of these nocturnal groups, providing a lively stage for this popular tradition.
Music Video of the Week
M ap chache chimen m - Gwotèt feat. Ange Carla x Opak MNG
In recent weeks, a track by young rapper Gwotèt and singer Ange Carla has deeply touched the hearts of Haitian youth.
The song is accompanied by a meticulously produced video clip that aptly illustrates the reality of young people in the capital city and throughout the country. It is a vibrant call to “follow your path”, despite the hardships of life in a crisis-stricken city.
“Even if the wind stopped blowing, or the sun stopped rising, we'd keep running until our lives soared. And if one day the running stopped, we would walk, until, at our backs, our wings spread.”
Running Under the Southern Clouds
The sixth edition of the Cayes Marathon took place last month under cloudy skies, just a few days after floods affected the entire region. As in previous years, the race started in Cavaillon and finished in downtown Les Cayes, located in the southern department.
Adelson Désirin and Jésumène Colin won the 21-kilometer (half-marathon) event for the men and women, respectively. The event attracted over 150 participants from across the country.
A 10-kilometer school run was also organized for children.
Port-au-Prince Surrounded, Mirebalais Threatened
The crisis in Port-au-Prince continues, with ongoing fighting in Pacot and Kenscoff, as well as in Mirebalais, which is localed farther afield. The Péligre hydroelectric power station, located some forty kilometers north of the capital in the Mirebalais region, has been at a standstill for over a week, plunging the entire metropolitan area into darkness.
Local associations in Mirebalais have reportedly taken responsibility for sabotaging the power station. They are demanding increased intervention by law enforcement to combat armed groups.
Despite a few arrests and some strategic victories for the authorities, armed criminal groups still control the vast majority of the territories they this year.
At A Glance - Jazz Resonates in Port-au-Prince Despite Adversity
Despite the challenging circumstances and security threats, the Festival de Jazz de Port-au-Prince managed to host two days of musical celebrations at the Hôtel Karibe in April.
Singer Gardyn Mercier on stage in the courtyard of the Hotel Karibe. Video: Françoise Ponticq
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, Ketlain Difficile, François Ponticq, Réginald “Raypaklè” Louissaint, Mateo Fortin Lubin
Media partners: Centre à la Une, J-COM, Nord-Est Info
Institutional partners: Kay Fanm, Mouka.ht
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Your monthly support helps to finance the production and pay the salaries of the DÈYÈ MÒN ENFO staff in the communities of Cité-Soleil, Port-au-Prince and Cayes-Jacmel. In addition, donations are regularly distributed for medical expenses, school fees and other emergencies in these communities.
Press Reviews
Press Review - Music
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