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Here I will post documentations of my first trip to Haiti. I have been studying Haitian Folkloric dance for about 4 years now and finally I had the chance to visit the country from which these movements, drums, songs and culture have originated.
Postings begin April 1st, 1st page of the blog.
And the trip continues...
TUESDAY, MARCH 25
We abruptly leave Souvenance when we learn that Joey and friends are leaving early Tuesday morning (as Carine and Dominque left the day before to return to work). It was a spur of the moment decision while drinking our sweet coffee and eating spaghetti and hotdogs for breakfast.
Others were leaving the following day, but Selena and I were ready to go back to Petionville and experience Carine and Dominique’s way of living, MORE DANCING!
When Hughes, Selena and I returned to Port au Prince, Carine was there to pick us up and bring us back to her home. There we te mange, te domi, te mange, te domi. We were exhausted!
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26
Wednesday, we danced at the Ballet Folklorique d’Haiti (BFH) under the direction of Nicole Lumarque, but her son Djanaka taught the class. He was amazingly strong and a beautiful dancer.
Then we went about Carine’s day running errands with her to the post office, the market, the bank, etc. A great way to see the city. And then some more mange, domi, mange. That evening we went to get icecream, and Selena bumps into someone that she knows! A friend of a friend from college, Charlene. The magic of Haiti.
And then the rain came down hard, went back to Carine’s home and sat out on her balcony, surrounded by plants, drinking rum and speaking 4 languages…no wonder we’re so exhausted! Bon nuit!
THURSDAY, MARCH 27
Thursday was Selena’s last full day in Haiti. We packed in as much as we could.
Waking to a delicious breakfast, then visited by a friend of Selena’s father, Rea. Rea, started an organization for Women in Haiti, and then opened a school for children in Port au Prince. Selena and Rea visited the school, and Carine and I picked up Ann downtown.
Both pictures taken by Selena Rhine
Selena and I then decided that we wanted to visit a local hospital. So that is where Carine brought us. We walked through the pediatrics, the adults,and out we went. It was basically a bare bones hospital compared to an American hospital. Everything analogue, I saw no computers (at least where we visitied.) Passed a room with piles of paper work. Green metal barred beds.
In the car with Carine we listen to a Voudou radio show
And then again, we dance. Vivian Gautthier holds classes every Thursday and Saturday at her home. A BEAUTIFUL home! We arrived late, but jumped right in. A man, whom we didn’t get his name! led the class as Vivian watched. Vivian is the teacher of many of the teachers I study under, it was a great honor to be there.
The wrap-around porch on which we danced of Vivian’s home.
Picture taken by Selena Rhine
Hear the drums of Vivian’s class
Me, Vivian, Ann and Selena
Picture taken by Carine with Selena’s camera
Following Vivian’s class we went back to BFH and took another Haitian Folkloric dance class with Djanaka, then a yoga class directly after.
We then met up with Hughes at an Art Gallery in P-au-P then went out to dinner at a local restaurant. Back to Carine’s to bathe before another night of RAM at the Hotel Oloffson.
We had so much fun at RAM. There were much less people than the previous week, they played inside, Daniel drummed with them, we sat at a nice big round table, ordered food and drank some rum. There was lots more dancing in us. We did some chair dancing at the table, which was hilarious and fun…then the rhythm of nago got me out of my seat, there is a warrior inside of me! The girls followed and we had such intense energy surrounding us, it was beautiful.
The night ended with the quote, “fucked up, fatigue and fou.” Indeed we had a good evening.
Family photo in Carine’s kitchen, where we spent a lot of our time in Petionville.
Ann, Carine, Me, Hugues, Selena and Dominique. (taken with Selena’s camera)
