ON OUR MINDS – MAY 2012

If you Google HAITI the most you’ll find is generic information such as: map and flag… Even when you venture-off onto links boasting “HAITI FUN FACTS” what you encounter are devastating figures on poverty, disease, deforestation and illiteracy. Not to mention the countless earthquake data, which is disheartening.

It is difficult to easily find amazing and encouraging information on this wonderful country… but not on our watch!

A Dominican magazine called SDQ just launched an entire 145-page edition dedicated to Haiti’s positive attributes, local talents and hidden treasures. As proud ambassadors of Haiti to the world the GB Group of course contributed greatly in ensuring this magazine’s publication and dissemination.

Although it is in SPANISH geared towards readers in our neighboring country – Dominican Republic – we are quickly working hand-in-hand with SDQ’s Director to produce an English version to distribute Internationally.

Take a look at the magazine online here.

Following in SDQ’s lead, we’ve decided to celebrate Haitian culture as the ON OUR MINDS theme this MAY and revel in our country’s little known qualities and beauty as well as truly FUN FACTS:

Iron Market – Le Marché en Fer (featured in banner picture above):
Decimated by a 2008 fire and the 2010 earthquake, the Iron Market was built in the 1890s in Paris. It was originally intended for a station in Cairo but was bought by Haitian President Florvil Hyppolite when the Egyptian deal fell through. Less than a year after the earthquake, it was completely rebuilt by the Digicel Group.[1] Each day, 900 hard-working men and women make an honest living selling crafts, fruits, vegetables, beauty and hygiene products here.

TAP-TAPs:
Tap taps are gaily-painted buses or pick-up trucks that serve as share taxis in Haiti. They may also be referred to as camionettes. Literally meaning “quick quick” these vehicles for hire are privately owned and beautifully decorated. They follow fixed routes, won’t leave until filled with passengers, and riders can disembark at any point in the journey. Often painted with religious names or slogans, the tap tap is known for its lavish decoration and many feature wild colors, portraits of famous people, and intricate, hand-cut wooden window covers. [2]

Independence:
Haiti proclaimed its independence from France on January 1, 1804, becoming the first Latin American country to do so. An event held by the UN as the ” International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition” commemorated each August 23^rd.

Division:
Haiti is divided into 10 departments, 41 districts and 133 communes.

Official Language:
Haitian Creole is the official language inspired by French, with influences from Africa such as the Wolof, Yoruba or Kikongo.

The Coat of Arms:
Recognized by the 1987 constitution, it consists of a palm tree, a Phrygian cap and two canons. Other symbols are: broken chains, drums, ship anchors, a bugle and the sentence: “Unity is Strength.”

The Dessalinienne:
This is our national anthem composed in 1904 by Justin Lhérisson (lyrics) and Nicolas Geffrard (music).

Children:
Education is free & compulsory for children 6-12 yrs.

Haitian Diaspora:
Most Haitians living outside their country of origin are in the DR, USA, Canada and Bahamas. Miami, New Orleans, Louisiana and New York are preferred destinations. In Canada, concentration is mostly in Montreal and Quebec.

Mangoes:
Haiti is one of the largest exporters of mango, a sweet and zesty fruit. And don’t miss-out on trying the Fig ti Malis, a tiny and extremely sweet banana.

NFL and NBA:
Jason Pierre Paul, 23, plays for the New York Giants football team and Samuel Davis Dalembert is a Haitian basketball player currently with the Houston Rockets.[4]

Cruises:
Haiti receives three times more cruises than Dominican Republic. In 2005-2010 Haiti received 2,408,572 cruise passengers! [5]

Citadelle Laferrière:
Citadelle is a large mountaintop fortress in northern Haiti, approximately 17 miles (27 km) south of the city of Cap-Haïtien and five miles (8 km) uphill from the town of Milot. It is the largest fortress in the Americas and is considered World Heritage Site (since 1982) as designated by  UNESCO. The Citadel was built by Henri Christophe, a key leader during the Haitian slave rebellion, after Haiti gained independence from France at the beginning of the 19th century.

The massive stone structure was built by up to 20,000 workers between 1805 and 1820 as part of a system of fortifications designed to keep the newly-independent nation of Haiti safe from French incursions. The Haitians outfitted the fortress with 365 cannons of varying sizes. Enormous stockpiles of cannonballs still sit in pyramidal stacks at the base of the fortress walls. Since its construction, the fortress has withstood numerous earthquakes, though a French attack never came.[3]