Yesterday Haiti, Today Chile
Yesterday, I was in the car driving when the news came of yet another earthquake. This one, of 8.8 magnitudes has struck Chile, South America. Quickly my fear of the news crews, health and aids organizations leaving Haiti resurfaced to remind me of how little time we have to change the course in Haiti. I’d admit; although unfounded, some may find this sentiment selfish. The sluggishly started recovery effort in Haiti, the images of all these ragged tents lining the streets and the few parks of Port-au-Prince, occupied my thinking for hours and on. The painful realization of thousands dead and those still under the rubbles, the slow pace of progress which has hunted me and others for weeks, is re-activated with more vigor and a voodoo like attacks. Here are people dying in Chile and the potential for tsunami to strike coastal cities from Hawaii all the way to Japan and all I can think about is Haiti. What about you? What were your 1st thoughts?
Although I feel for the Chilean people, I could not escape from, even for a minute, the plight of the Haitian people as the reporters of CNN kept going on and on about how much Chile is better prepared for this sort of disastrous events. For an eternity they kept reminding me and the world of how impoverished Haiti is as compared to any other country in the western hemisphere. Thus, the cries of so many young Haitians in our Diaspora; “I hear of it everywhere I go; that broken song”. “I think it’s very unfair and inappropriate that we had to learn of that while our people are dying”; says a High school age girl on one of Boston radio stations.
I debated in my head the rational for such a repetition. As I try, in vain, to convince myself that there must be a reason; a good reason why this proclamation is so important to the media, I find only one place where such repetition of “the poorest country in the western hemisphere” would be useful. This place is none other than Haiti itself. There, this song would most definitely cause a reaction; as for the first time, they would learn of this painful fact. But over here in the States, it only serves to stigmatize every young people of Haitian descendant. Its sole purpose is to remove from them the dignity and confidence they have and surely deserve to excel where Haiti has failed. Apparently, all the discrimination in the world is not enough to kill our infallible spirit, we need to be constantly reminded of the poverty we left behind so many years ago.
But, instead of succumbing to this unwelcome qualification, we have found comfort in the new sense of dedication among all Haitians to rebound from this disaster. I personally feel very proud with this newly found sense of collective devotion among our young people toward Haiti. It was not long ago when some were afraid to publish their relation with the Island. But, today, thanks partly to Wyclef Jean and the Fugees, they are all proud to wave the “Bleu et Rouge” flag and proclaim to the world: yes, we are Haitians and proud of it! Poverty is a consequence and not who/what we are. It’s nothing this resilient people can’t overcome. Chile will most likely come out of this ok. For us, the road ahead is hard but, so was the army of Bonaparte in 1804. Grenadiers a l’assaut!
Although I feel for the Chilean people, I could not escape from, even for a minute, the plight of the Haitian people as the reporters of CNN kept going on and on about how much Chile is better prepared for this sort of disastrous events. For an eternity they kept reminding me and the world of how impoverished Haiti is as compared to any other country in the western hemisphere. Thus, the cries of so many young Haitians in our Diaspora; “I hear of it everywhere I go; that broken song”. “I think it’s very unfair and inappropriate that we had to learn of that while our people are dying”; says a High school age girl on one of Boston radio stations.
I debated in my head the rational for such a repetition. As I try, in vain, to convince myself that there must be a reason; a good reason why this proclamation is so important to the media, I find only one place where such repetition of “the poorest country in the western hemisphere” would be useful. This place is none other than Haiti itself. There, this song would most definitely cause a reaction; as for the first time, they would learn of this painful fact. But over here in the States, it only serves to stigmatize every young people of Haitian descendant. Its sole purpose is to remove from them the dignity and confidence they have and surely deserve to excel where Haiti has failed. Apparently, all the discrimination in the world is not enough to kill our infallible spirit, we need to be constantly reminded of the poverty we left behind so many years ago.
But, instead of succumbing to this unwelcome qualification, we have found comfort in the new sense of dedication among all Haitians to rebound from this disaster. I personally feel very proud with this newly found sense of collective devotion among our young people toward Haiti. It was not long ago when some were afraid to publish their relation with the Island. But, today, thanks partly to Wyclef Jean and the Fugees, they are all proud to wave the “Bleu et Rouge” flag and proclaim to the world: yes, we are Haitians and proud of it! Poverty is a consequence and not who/what we are. It’s nothing this resilient people can’t overcome. Chile will most likely come out of this ok. For us, the road ahead is hard but, so was the army of Bonaparte in 1804. Grenadiers a l’assaut!
This blog is refreshing, insightful and in moments like this, such conversations about our native land is certainly needed. On your article about how the media has portrayed us and its impact on our youths; I think that we cannot put the blame solely on the media because, we the Haitian parents living here in the US and around the world are responsible primarily for the beliefs and values our children develop. One of the most common mistakes Haitians abroad make is not teaching their children their native language, Kreyol, as a mother I have experienced firsthand how the ability of my young child to communicate with her grandmothers in their native language has brought her closer to my roots. Perhaps through the practice of our language our children will start adopting our customs, mores and appreciate their ancestry. When we reject our language, we also discard parts our essence as a people. This post is undoubtedly thought provoking, thank you for your contribution.
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