Nèg Mawon Podcast

Like my guest today, I've never found it particularly useful to cast François Duvalier as some frothing, otherworldly monster. That story is too easy. It offers too little. Once you wrap him in the veil of pathology, the conversation dies. You've exiled him to a place beyond history, beyond explanation, beyond us. But what haunts me still—what lives in the marrow of Belleau's work—is not the spectacle of evil, but its intimacy. The way Duvalier wrapped the Haitian state around himself like a second skin. The way repression was not distant, not sterile, but close. Whisper-close.This week on the Nèg Mawon Podcast, I sat with anthropologist Jean-Philippe Belleau, and we waded deep into the dark waters of the Duvalier regime—not for the thrill of horror, but to understand the anatomy of power when it is warm, personal, and woven through the lives of the very people it crushes. Here are three strands we pulled from that knot:1. Power in the First PersonBelleau unearths a truth many prefer buried: that Duvalier's rule was not built in cold, bureaucratic chambers, but in bedrooms, churches, courtyards. It lived in nods and whispers, in godfather promises and godson debts. This was not Orwell's 1984—this was something older, more Haitian, more intimate. The regime was not an iron wall; it was a web, spun from relationships and obligations, holding the country not at gunpoint, but by the soul.2. Who Gets to Be a Victim?There is a comfort in believing the elite escaped unscathed, that they watched from balconies while the poor bled. But Belleau complicates that myth. His research pulls us toward a difficult truth: the violence had no clean class lines. Elites, too, were crushed, sometimes precisely because they presumed immunity. Belleau invites us to reconsider how history renders victims—how it decides who gets remembered as broken, and who gets blamed for surviving.3. The Ties That Bind (Even in Hell)And still—amid the surveillance, the fear, the Tonton Macoutes—Haitians clung to each other. Kinship, friendship, neighborhood, lakou… these weren't just sentimental relics. They were lifelines. Belleau shows us that even in the shadow of dictatorship, the social fabric didn't unravel. It tensed, stretched, contorted—but it held. And in that, there is something both tragic and profoundly human.To understand Duvalier is not to exorcise a demon, but to study a mirror. We cannot afford to look away—not when the terror came wearing a neighbor's face, a cousin's smile. Not when history walks so close to home.

**The Stiff-Backed Men of Haiti** The year is 1816. The kingdom of Haiti stands diplomatically alone, a beacon of defiance in a world that would rather see it erased. The West will not recognize it. The French whisper of reconquest. The Americans tighten their embargo. And yet, some of the most prominent Black men of Haiti do not beg. They do not slouch, nor bow their heads, nor hold out trembling hands for the recognition of their former masters. They stand upright. Their backs stiff. Their voices firm. Sovereignty personified. It is August 24th, and Cap Henry is alive with celebration. Queen Marie-Louise Coidavid's birthday has brought together European and American merchants, men who speak the language of commerce and power. One can imagine that the tables at the Café des Étrangers were laid out in grandeur—fine china, silver goblets, the hum of conversation swirling in the candlelight. The foreign dignitaries drank, their eyes trained on the Haitian court, watching, measuring. And then, a figure rises. Baron de Vastey—scribe, scholar, warrior of words—lifts his glass and said the following: **"To the gratitude that we owe the virtuous philanthropists who have defended our cause with as much enthusiasm as disinterestedness. But if their wishes and their efforts prove ineffective, then let us make use of our swords to cleave the body of the enemies of humanity and preserve the rights that we derive from God, Nature, and Justice."** I'm guessing the words landed heavy in the room, layered with intent. A toast, yes. But also a warning. TLater in this interview, Prof. Bongie said that Vastey's toast was double-edged, laced with both gratitude and forewarning. It reckoned with the truth that humanitarian assistance, no matter how well-intentioned, might prove impotent—a grand performance of righteousness that did nothing to alter the balance of power. And if the limits of charity were reached, then Haiti would look not to foreign hands for salvation, but to the example of its own revolution. The world had already seen what the people of this nation would do when their freedom was threatened. They had no intention of repeating their chains. Interviews like this—and so many before it—remind me that Haiti's chains were never truly broken. They were just reforged, made thinner, less visible, but no less binding. The weight of empire did not lift; it simply changed form--neocolonialism.Dr. Patrick Bellegarde-Smith once put it to me plain: *What's so "neo" about colonialism?* Great question. New, old—call it whatever the fuck. The wolf does not change, only the cut of its clothing. Where once there were shackles of iron, now there are debts and embargoes, puppet leaders and foreign troops, development plans written in distant boardrooms with no seats for the people they claim to save. To Vastey, sovereignty was not just a word, not a desperate plea for recognition. It was posture. It was dignity. It was the stiff-backed refusal to beg, the readiness to trade but never to kneel. He stood in a room full of Europeans and Americans, lifted his glass, and with the same breath that offered gratitude, made it clear that if philanthropy failed, the sword would follow. Today, that sword is gone. In its place are tin cups and empty hands. Disaster capitalism has hollowed Haiti out, turned every crisis into an opportunity—for someone else. The vultures swoop in when the ground shakes, when the streets flood, when the people starve. Money flows, but not to Haitians. Decisions are made, but not by Haitians. Sovereignty, once a declaration of strength, has become an afterthought, a slogan for leaders who answer not to their people but to their creditors. My guest today is Prof. Chris Bongie, and the book we are going to discuss is his translation of Baron de Vastey's seminal work--The Colonial System Unveiled.

This conversation with Dr. Sophie Maríñez is less an interview than a reckoning for me, an excavation of Haitian and Dominican ghosts, of histories silenced and distorted, the way the past never quite stays in the past–“The past is never dead. It's not even past”. She walks us through the troubled narratives of Haiti and the Dominican Republic—not as distant, separate nations, but as entangled siblings, bound by history, betrayal, and resistance.At the heart of her book (and this discussion), Spirals in the Caribbean: Representing Violence and Connection in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, is the idea that history is not linear. Instead, it circles back on itself, shifts, adapts, repeats but never in quite the same way. This is Spiralism, a framework born from Haitian literature that seeks to make sense of the cycles of oppression, revolution, and return. The Haitian Revolution, the Parsley Massacre, the decimation of the island's Indigenous people—these are not separate moments in time but echoes, reverberating through centuries.Frankètienne, one of the fathers of the framework, said that Spiralism “…defines life at the level of relations (colors, odors, sounds, signs, words) and historical connections (positionings in space and time). Not in a closed circuit but tracing the path of a spiral. So rich that each new curve, wider and higher than the one before, expands the arc of one's vision.” (From: Ready to Burst.)Dr. Maríñez dismantles the neat, binary notions of identity and conflict. Hispaniola? That's a colonizer's name. Kiskeya? A myth born from a European chronicler who never set foot on the island. Haiti/Ayiti? One. the true Indigenous name, the other, rendered politically fraught by the weight of nationhood. She insists that there is no singular name, no singular story, only a mouthful: “the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic.”Dominicanidad, she argues, is no less complex. It is a construct, an essentialist shape-shifter, used and abused by political forces to serve shifting agendas. What does it mean to be Dominican, when the definition shifts by geography, race, class, and time? What does it mean to be from a place that has been “ghosted,” rendered illegible by the very scholars and institutions that claim to study the Caribbean? Ouch.Let's stay with the ghosts:The massacre of 1937 was not just an act of violence but an act of memory, or rather, forced forgetting. The rhetoric of the “peaceful invasion” of Haitians into the Dominican Republic is not about immigration but about erasure, a convenient distraction from the economic and political structures that extract Haitian labor while denying Haitian humanity. The elite, the state, and the power brokers of both nations collude in this, enforcing borders not just of land but of belonging. And yet, the past lingers, history an apparition, unresolved, unatoned for, demanding reckoning.Maríñez sees spiralism as a decolonized way out of the binary nightmare imposed by the Global North–a more liberating way to understand the history of the island occupied by Haiti and the DR, not as a series of conflicts between two nations, but as a struggle between those who hold power and those who resist it. It is the repetition of violence, but also the repetition of rebellion, of solidarity, of culture that refuses to be erased.She calls for deeper connections, for a rejection of the cliches and stereotypes that keep Haiti and the Dominican Republic estranged. “We need to get to know each other,” she says. “Not just the stories we've been told, but the truths that lie beneath.”And perhaps that is the real challenge she leaves us with in her book and this interview—to reject the easy narratives, to sit with discomfort, to see the spirals, and to break them.Kenbe la / Aguanta ahi

Whenever I hear 1804-Haitian-fanatics—those who shout with fevered breath about the glories of the Haitian Revolution, about the unshakable Christophe, the unbreakable Dessalines, the brilliant Louverture—I think about something James Joyce once wrote, something about heroism and the lie that holds it together: “Do you not think the search for heroics damn vulgar? I am sure however that the whole structure of heroism is, and always was, a damned lie and that there cannot be any substitute for individual passion as the motive power of everything.” And maybe he was right. Maybe all the grand statues, all the history book renderings of Haitian men and women who lived and fought and bled—maybe they were always meant to obscure something harder to face: that there are no perfect person, no unblemished saviors, no mythic warriors who moved through the world without doubt, without error, without contradiction. That the stories we Haitians tell ourselves, the way we flatten our historical figures into marbles, the way we sand off their edges, all of it is less about truth and more about our comfort. That's what struck me reading Dr. Marlene Daut's “The First and Last King of Haiti.” It isn't a portrait built for worship. Christophe emerges not as an untouchable legend but as a man—a man who built, a man who ruled, a man who inspired and also a man who made shitloads of mistakes, who punished, who carried the weight of the impossible on his shoulders. There is no neat symmetry to his life here, no easy moral at the end. But there is something real, something tangible. There is a man who shaped history and was, in turn, shaped by it. And this is where I think Joyce and the 1804 purists miss each other. Heroism, as an idea, is flawed because we are all flawed. But Haitian history does not belong to those who refuse to see the fullness of its historical figures. It belongs to those Haitians who can hold contradiction, who can see Christophe not as some distant legend but as a man who, for all his flaws, left something behind that still stands. And maybe that is the only kind of heroism worth anything at all. --------INTRO MUSIV-------------------- Neg Mawon Theme: by Dr. Roch Ntankeh Language: Medumba from West Cameroon African Nation Affiliation: Bamileke Musical Genre: Mangabeu Licensed to: Nèg Media Inc Lyrics Tell me the story/Give me the news/Listen to Neg Mawon Listen to the story of the land/Listen to the history of Haiti/People of St Domingue where are you?People of Haiti where are you?/Come listen to the history/Come listen to the story/Where are the scholars? (x2) Come and tell the history to all the people Chorus : Neg Mawon (x5) Tell me history Tell me the news of the land

Today, we're chatting with the brilliant Dr. Laurent Dubois about his early years, his journey into Haitian studies, and everything in between. Drink some kremas with ice while you're listening!

((For installments 1 and 2, see episodes #69 and #70, respectively.) ### Comprehensive Sequence of Topics Covered: 1. **Abolitionism and Emancipation Movements** - Gradual vs. immediate emancipation approaches in the U.S. - Contrast between methods of abolition in U.S. and the example set by Haiti - Historical perception of U.S. slavery as less harsh compared to Caribbean slavery. - Ethical issues in comparing degrees of humanitarian crises in slavery paradigms. 2. **Cultural and Historical Narratives** - Influence and circulation of stories like Itanoko in shaping public perception. - The story of Ome and its implications on public views of slavery. - Migration narratives of 1809 to New Orleans and their impact on U.S. slavery laws. 3. **Legal Implications and Political Responses** - Enslaved refugees' roles and their profitability to white refugees. - The Toussaint clause in relation to U.S. and France diplomatic tensions. - Congressional debates and differing views on trade agreements with Haitian leaders. 4. **Historical Documentation and Literature** - Challenges historians face in documenting and quantifying human suffering. - Use of personal narratives and impactful individual stories in historical analysis. - Role of novelizations like "Secret History" in understanding historical perceptions. 5. **Interactions of Law, Economics, and Slavery** - The implications of the federal ban on transatlantic slave trade and enslaved individuals' fate. - Legal and economic responses to the Haitian revolution. - Dr. White's considerations for her book's revised edition concerning these themes. 6. **Educational Approaches and Media Insight** - Assigning novels to undergraduates to provide perspectives on historical events. - The role of media in portraying the brutality of Caribbean versus American slavery. - The contagion trope and its political and historical resonance. 7. **Personal and Public Interactions with Literature** - Organization of bookshelves and the personal touch in managing literature. - Impact of physical books versus digital readings in personal and academic settings. - Discussion on family dynamics in book organization and marking. 8. **Literary Contributions to Historical Perspectives** - Fictional narrative's influence on societal views and historical records. - Discussions on gender and race intersection through historical novels. - Mythmaking in historical events and its effect on legacy and leadership perceptions. The sequence elaborates on the discussions held in the podcast, exploring the multifaceted approach to understanding the complexities of abolitionism, cultural narratives, and the historical impacts of slavery across different geographies and time periods. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

In this episode, Dr. Popkin discusses his riveting book "Facing Racial Revolution: Eyewitness Accounts of the Haitian Insurrection." We discussed the underdeveloped state of French scholarship on the Haitian Revolution, the controversial accounts of white colonial survivors, and the critical role of literacy and correspondence in maintaining the slave regime. The Haitian revolution represented the scales of power tipping in an unexpected direction. For the first time in Atlantic history, blacks wielded control over the lives of whites, giving rise to the then unheard of publication of white captivity narratives. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

1. Did you know that... Dr. Marlene Daut was initially urged to avoid publishing her work about the literature of the Haitian Revolution due to market concerns? 2. Did you know that... institutional biases often impede authors from diverse backgrounds in the publishing world? 3. Did you know that... Dr. Daut prioritizes publishing in spaces that allow for true expression over merely prestigious places? 4. Did you know that... Dr. Daut advocates for dismantling large-scale institutional power rather than striving to obtain it? 5. Did you know that... pregnancy in academia is still met with stigma, as noted by Dr. Daut based on her personal experiences? 6. Did you know that... Dr. Daut advises new academics to be cautious with social academic settings, particularly those involving alcohol and late-night discussions? 7. Did you know that... debates on job security in academia persist, affecting even full professors, especially those who are black? 8. Did you know that... Dr. Daut has faced significant challenges and microaggressions in academia but continues to pursue her passion for Haitian literature and history? 9. Did you know that... Dr. Daut operates onscientiously as a gatekeeper in academic publishing to amplify diverse voices and perspectives? 10. Did you know that... Dr. Daut emphasizes the importance of more dedicated centers and departments for Haitian studies within academia to overcome marginalization? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

Hey there, friends! Welcome back to the Nèg Mawon Podcast. You're just in time for the second slice of our riveting book review of Michel-Rolph Trouillot's "Haiti: State Against Nation. The Origins and Legacy of Duvalierism." In today's episode, we're diving deeper with our reviewer, Dr. Greg Beckett as he unravels the complex weave of Haiti's urban and rural fabric. If you thought Part 1 had you hooked, just wait till you hear what we've got today. So sit back, grab a cup of that Dondon coffee, and let's journey together through the pages of our story that challenges, inspires, and captivates. Alright, enough from me—let's roll Episode 75, part 2/2! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

We're joined today by the esteemed Dr. Greg Beckett, a cultural anthropologist with deep insights into Haitian studies. In today's conversation, we will unpack the complexities outlined in Michel-Rolph Trouillot's pivotal book “Haiti: State Against Nation. The Origins and Legacy of Duvalierism” and connect its themes to the ongoing political turmoil in Haiti. Dr. Beckett will guide us through the importance of anthropology's tools—deep listening, relationship building, and grasping local languages and cultures—to authentically interpret terms like "blackout" in the Haitian context. Dr. Beckett brings us a distilled essence of Michel-Rolph Trouillot book with just five words: "the state, history, crisis, dictatorship, and nation." He then navigates us through Trouillot's Marxist analysis of the Haitian state, revealing how power dynamics and historical legacies have paved the way for enduring crises and the shadow of the Duvalier dictatorship. As we translate theories across languages and audiences, we'll see how the French and English versions of Trouillot's work diverge, each speaking to different readers with varying political contexts. At the heart of this episode is the intersection of culture, power, and history, and how they have shaped the Haitian nation and identity. Join us as we explore the critical role of the Haitian elite, the cultural translation of Marxist critique, and the three pivotal conditions that solidify Duvalierism's hold on Haiti. This is a journey to uncover the roots of Haiti's challenges and the intricate web of social, economic, and cultural elements that support them. Stay with us for this enlightening session on the enduring effects of totalitarianism and the fight for democracy in Haiti. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

Outro: Nèg Pa Bondyé [Introduction] Join an enthralling convo with Dr. Andrew Maginn, offering a profound exploration of Haitian migration history and identity. We delve into the remarkable life of Pierre Toussaint, tracing his path from slavery to near-millionaire status in 1833 New York. Haitian kinship networks loom large for post-independence transnational Haitians. [Timestamped Overview] 00:00 First podcast discusses global migration and citizenship. 08:56 Haitian cultural retention through recipes and writings. 11:03 Social survival and kinship ties in families. 20:43 Ongoing impact of the Haitian Revolution discussed. 21:49 Discussion on Haiti's historical perspective and inaccuracies. 30:24 Education leads to mobility and familial reliance. 34:42 Problem of mislabeling in genealogy research archives. 40:01 Learning investment; New York City growth. 47:48 Pierre Toussaint's correspondences were mainly in French. 50:57 A man explores interracial relationships in Montreal. 54:42 Baltimore and Saint Domingue important during Haitian Revolution. 01:00:39 Haitian slavers' family's varied success and community. 01:09:22 Madras headdress was symbolic of social mobility. 01:13:12 Okra's growth after Haitian migration, gumbo's significance. 01:16:31 West African items and traditions used in slavery. 01:23:55 Oblate's sister sacrifices life caring for bishop. 01:27:01 Inequality in black experience and unmarked graves. 01:37:40 Complicated narrative of African American experience. 01:38:53 The Haitian diaspora experience involves constant movement. 00:00 Discussion on timely migration issues and historical events, emphasizing re-categorization of migration moments and current challenges faced by Haitians. 08:56 Haitian cultural retention in diaspora. 11:03 In diverse cultures, kinship ties provide support and joy, extending beyond biological relationships. 20:43 The Haitian Revolution's ongoing impact, discussed by scholars. 21:49 Discussion about Haiti's history and misunderstanding regarding its revolution start. 30:24 He is educated in reading, writing, for family errands and future success in New York. 34:42 Focus on correcting Haiti genealogy records mislabeling. 40:01 Learning investment, real estate, New York growth, infrastructure development in 1800s. 47:48 Most letters found are in formal French, reflecting education backgrounds from Haitian Revolution. Toussaint may have spoken Creole, but likely did not write it in correspondences. 50:57 Interracial couple leaves NYC for Montreal, exploring Haitian-Canadian connections and living in the Americas. 54:42 Baltimore flour trade with Saint Domingue during Haitian Revolution. 01:00:39 Haitian family's migration to New York and Baltimore, success in various careers, and impact in the Haitian Catholic community. 01:09:22 White madras headwear symbolized status and mobility for Haitians, especially women, before and during the Haitian Revolution. It was utilitarian but hard to keep clean, requiring maintenance. Fanny in Baltimore noticed the scarcity of this symbol within the community. 01:13:12 Okra's historical cultivation, impact on post-Haitian Revolution migration, and use in gumbo. 01:16:31 West African items and traditions used as rebellion in slavery, including okra for abortions on plantations. 01:23:55 Nursing sister dies from cholera while caring for the bishop. 1832 cholera outbreak hits the black community hard. Similarities to current disproportionate impact on people of African descent during COVID. 01:27:01 Discussion on inequality in black experience, unmarked graves in Baltimore, and the need for memorials to honor black individuals. 01:37:40 The speaker discusses a complex narrative beyond solely African American experience, focusing on the international element of Pierre Toussaint's story and his role in the Haitian diaspora. 01:38:53 Haitian diaspora experience involves constant movement and uncertainty, unlike other migration experiences. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

Welcome to another enlightening episode of the Nèg Mawon Podcast, your go-to platform for in-depth discussions that unearth the complexities of Haitian history, culture, and contemporary challenges. I'm your host, Patrick Jean-Baptiste, and today we're diving deep into a topic that is fundamental to understanding Haiti's present by exploring its past. This episode is about the Haitian people, not their early leaders, some of whom we've literally turned into gods. This episode is about the moun endeyo and what remains of their legacy. In the cacophony of hardship that reverberates through Haitian history, we find the silent echoes of their resistance—they're the Army of Sufferers who shaped the nation in anonymity and struggle. In this episode, titled "The Struggle for Soil: Haitian Peasantry and the Seeds of Rebellion," I am immensely privileged to welcome Dr. Mimi Sheller, a beacon of scholarship and the Dean of the Global School at WPI. We're here to unravel the threads of Haitian fortitude and democratization embodied in the resistance of the moun endeyo, whose efforts and processes are seldom reflected in mainstream historical narratives. Our conversation traverses the deep economic desperation that has led to waves of outmigration that we see today on our screens, the assertion of the gangs, filling the security vacuum  in response to the absence of the state, and the disruptions in the rural economy that have torn the fabric of traditional living that existed for hundreds of years. Haiti's story, it seems, is likened to a war, not of arms, but of power and provision and the endless fight for positive developmental opportunities in the shadow of military might coupled with domestic and foreign interests. Untold generations of our ancestors are buried in unvisited tombs and silenced in the historical records. But thanks to the efforts of imminent scholars like Dr. Mimi Sheller, some of them escaped the colonial archives.  Dr. Sheller takes us through the everyday lives of 19th century Haitians, revealing the voices of the Haitian peasantry manifested through resistance. We reflect on the phrase, "You Signed My Name, but Not My Feet” as Dr. Sheller dissects the layers of democratization and the struggles inherent in Haiti's fight against slavery and external powers. We revisited the Piquet  Rebellion, spearheaded by the enigmatic, barefoot Jean Jacques Acau, who carried the mantle of the common people against the forces of the ruling class. We explore the deep roots of resistance, the African-derived collective ownership traditions, and the intricate bureaucracy entwined with land distribution, all within the context of Haiti's revolutionary legacy—a legacy that redefined democracy and stirred the Atlantic world yet remains on the periphery of historiographical recognition. So, sit back, tune in, and journey through time as we delve into "The Struggle for Soil: Haitian Peasantry and the Seeds of Rebellion," with the inimitable Dr. Mimi Sheller on the Nèg Mawon Podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

Bonjou, and welcome to another riveting episode of the Nèg Mawon Podcast, where we dive deep into the heart of Haitian politics, society, and the continuous struggles that shape our nation. I'm your host, Patrick Jean-Baptiste, and today, you're tuning in to the new series for 2024, 'Yon Zouti Koupe-Ep.#71.' In this episode, we're grappling with the intense and complex currents ripping through our beloved Haiti. The youth, the beating heart of our country, are rallying behind a figure of change—a mysterious entity known as Guy Phillipe, yet many don't quite grasp the full breadth of his historical roots or ultimate agenda. Amid rampant inflation, suffocating insecurity, and the scourge of gang violence leading to widespread displacement, a cry for revolution echoes again through the streets. However, Guy's plan and power base remain enigmatic, adding layers of uncertainty to an already volatile mix. The government stares down a formidable challenge not just from Guy's armed supporters, but a myriad of factions and unforeseen possibilities that loom on the horizon. And in an unusual twist, discussions of potential Kenyan intervention stir the pot further, but doubts loom over the viability and legality of such a mission, given the complexity of our country's gang situation. But at the heart of this lies a deeper issue—the achingly pervasive poverty and limited rungs of social mobility that fuel gang affiliations. To truly combat this, we must address the socioeconomic roots and offer our youth alternative pathways, while at the same time using trusted force of arms to eliminate the pervasive presence of the gangs. Joining me today to peel back the layers of this multifaceted crisis is Haiti's greatest political scientist, Dr. Robert Fatton, who'll share his insights into the dire state of our national police force, the evolving autonomy of Haitian gangs, and the economic paralysis gripping our society. We'll also explore the duality of nostalgia for past dictatorships against the backdrop of the ongoing violence and the persistent dream of economic stability. So stay tuned as we confront these pressing issues and more—right here on Nèg Mawon Podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

Welcome back to Nèg Mawon Podcast, where we mine the rich history of Haiti and its impact on the world. In today's episode, "Encountering Revolution-part 2," we continue our conversation with the esteemed Dr. Ashli White, a leading expert in early North American history and the history of Haiti and its revolution. We explore the captivating connections between the Haitian revolution and the United States during the 18th century, shedding light on the experiences of Haitian exiles in the US. From linguistic diversity and cultural influences to economic adaptations and philanthropic complexities, we uncover the intricate web of interactions between these two pivotal nations during a time of significant social and political change. Join us as we navigate the fascinating encounters and adaptations of Haitian exiles in the United States, unveiling the enduring impact of this momentous period in history. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

Winner, of the Gilbert Chinard Prize, of the Society for French Historical Studies & the Institut Français d'Amérique. Encountering Revolution looks afresh at the profound impact of the Haitian Revolution on the early United States. The first book on the subject in more than two decades, it redefined our understanding of the relationship between republicanism and slavery at a foundational moment in American history. For postrevolutionary Americans, the Haitian uprising laid bare the contradiction between democratic principles and the practice of slavery. For thirteen years, between 1791 and 1804, slaves and free people of color in Saint-Domingue battled for equal rights in the manner of the French Revolution. As white and mixed-race refugees escaped to the safety of U.S. cities, Americans were forced to confront the paradox of being a slaveholding republic, recognizing their own possible destiny in the predicament of the Haitian slaveholders. Historian Ashli White examines the ways Americans―black and white, northern and southern, Federalist and Democratic Republican, pro- and antislavery―pondered the implications of the Haitian Revolution. Encountering Revolution convincingly situates the formation of the United States in a broader Atlantic context. It shows how the very presence of Saint-Dominguan refugees stirred in Americans as many questions about themselves as about the future of slaveholding, stimulating some of the earliest debates about nationalism in the early republic. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

Hey there, Vodou 101 is in session! Get ready to dive into the rich history and spiritual practices of Haitian Vodou with Dr. Kyrah Malika Daniels. From the Africanization of Catholicism to the significance of numbers and ritual order, we're unpacking it all. Let's get started! **5 Keys You'll Learn in This Episode:** 1. The Historical Connection: Dr. Daniels walks us through the Africanization of Catholicism and its influence on Vodou, tracing the roots back to 1491 in the Kongo Kingdom. 2. The Vodou Pantheon: Gain a deeper understanding of the structure of the Vodou pantheon, including the high creator god and the role of lwa/ancestors, and how it intersects with other religious traditions. 3. North & South: Explore the differences between Vodou practices in northern and southern Haiti, from the rituals and traditions to the hierarchical system of initiation. 4. The Power of Numbers: Discover the significance of numbers in Yoruba cosmology and Haitian Vodou and their representation of balance and continuous revelation. 5. Unraveling Mysteries: Dr. Daniels shares intriguing insights about the etymology of Vodou terms, the decentralized nature of the religion, and the importance of ritual order in Vodou ceremonies. **Fun Fact from the Episode:** Did you know that during the Haitian revolution, 60 to 70% of enslaved Africans came from Central Africa, particularly in the vast the Kongo Kingdom, highlighting the deep roots of Vodou in these regions? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

So, how do scholars get their books published? Notice I didn't say self-published. That's a topic for another day. I mean published via established publishers. That's one of many questions I wanted some answers to. On today's show, we have two guests who will help us understand how the process of book publishing works. We have the historian and author Dr. Yveline Alexis, Associate Professor of Africana Studies & Comparative American Studies at Oberlin College. Dr. Alexis is the author of "Haiti Fights Back: The Life & Legacy of Charlemagne Péralte". This book is the first US scholarly examination of the politician and caco leader (guerrilla fighter) who fought against the US military occupation of Haiti from (1915 to 1934). Dr. Alexis will walk us through the peaks and valleys of what it took to get published. The next guest you will hear from in this conversation is the actual gatekeeper, and I mean that in the most positive sense. Her name is Kimberly Guinta, Editorial Director and Associate Press Director for Rutgers University Press, which published Dr. Alexis' first book Haiti Fights Back. The Title of today's episode is "Ink & Insights: A Scholar's Path to Publication." Hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

In this episode of the Nèg Mawon Podcast, we delve deep into the roots of Haiti's complex political landscape with Dr. Robert Fatton. From its foundation, Haiti has grappled with a social, economic, and political apartheid system that has marginalized the majority of its population. Dr. Fatton discusses how this system, rooted in divisions of color, class, and colonial hierarchy, has led to exclusionary practices in education and culture.Our guest emphasizes the economic basis of this system, calling for a more democratic and egalitarian society that meets the basic needs of all Haitians. He critiques the simplistic savior narrative often applied to Haiti and explores the historical context of the country's authoritarian tradition, advocating for a revolutionary transformation of both politics and the economy.Join us as we explore the persisting issue of authoritarian governance in Haiti, the challenges faced after the revolution, and the potential for a more inclusive and accountable society. This thought-provoking discussion sheds light on the structural forces shaping Haiti's past and present, offering crucial insights into the complexities of its history and the path to a more inclusive future. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

Welcome to the Nèg Mawon Podcast, where we delve into the rich history, resilience, and resistance of the Haitian people. In today's episode, titled "A Secret Among the Blacks - A Conversation with John Garrigus," our host, Patrick Jean-Baptiste, sits down with acclaimed author and historian, John Garrigus, to discuss the role of community in revolution and resistance against slavery. Garrigus challenges the prevailing notion that enslaved people were constantly rebelling against their oppressors, emphasizing instead the importance of building a community of trust. He contests the stereotype that violence was the sole driving force behind the Haitian Revolution, highlighting the story of Medor, who utilized nonviolent means in the fight for freedom. Diving into his book, Garrigus takes us on a chronological and geographical journey, focusing on specific regions and individuals associated with resistance communities. One intriguing aspect he uncovers is a poison scare in Haiti, where he unveils the culprit as anthrax, a disease brought from France. As Patrick and John exchange greetings and their initial confusion with a misidentified individual named David Gegis, they delve into the challenges of studying colonial Haiti and the value of considering the perspective of the enslaved people. They discuss the difficulties of navigating the archives and the imperative of centering the stories of the enslaved individuals rather than being caught up in the perspective of the enslavers. Our conversation continues with an exploration of the connections between key revolutionaries, such as Macandal and Boukman, revealing the contradictions in historical documents and the need to focus on the perspective of those fighting against slavery. Garrigus clarifies the misconceptions surrounding Mackandal, debunking him as a lord of poison and shedding light on his true role as a great leader and founder of Haitian culture. We also delve into the various forms of resistance implemented by the enslaved people, from spiritual practices and individual efforts for manumission to utilizing the French legal system and labor strikes on plantations. Garrigus sheds light on the complexity of resistance activities and the level of coordination among the strikers in their fight against the oppressive plantation system. Join us as we uncover the secrets of Haiti's past, challenge historical narratives, and celebrate the resilience and strength of the Haitian people. Get ready for an enlightening conversation with John Garrigus, an expert who opens our eyes to a history that has often been overlooked. Stay tuned for another captivating episode of the Nèg Mawon Podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

Exciting news for Haitian history enthusiasts: our latest Nèg Mawon Podcast episode features an in-depth interview with Professor Julia Gaffield, an expert on Haiti's diplomatic relations after the revolution and independence. Some viral clips from today's show: Viral Topic: Haitian Independence and Treaty CompromiseQuote: "In the Haitian case, the only case in the Americas in which the former colonizer was the first to extend official diplomatic recognition To the former colony."— Julia Gaffield 00:16:5600:17:08 Haiti's Independence and Diplomacy: "[Dessalines] wanted a treaty, but it had to be a treaty that reinforced Haitian statehood, Haitian independence, Haitian sovereignty. It couldn't be a treaty that established Haiti as an unequal nation."— Julia Gaffield 00:20:1000:20:21 The Diplomatic Strategy of Jean-Jacques Dessalines: "You know, [Britain & Dessalines] they could kind of see eye to eye in terms of their deep hatred for France. And there's some strategy."— Julia Gaffield 00:21:5500:22:01 The Role of Merchants in Diplomacy: "The merchant lobby is absolutely essential. There were a lot of, foreign merchants who were unwilling to give up the economic opportunities simply because there had been a change of government."— Julia Gaffield 00:24:2200:24:37 The Likability of Marie-Claire Heureuse: "She is, like, universally loved. Like, both at the time And ever since then, like, everybody who has ever written about her has nothing but amazing things to say, which for somebody, For for any character in the Haitian revolution, I think is remarkable."— Julia Gaffield 00:27:2800:27:44 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

I'm thrilled to bring you another episode from our Lakou series, delving into the rich tapestry of Haitian culture living in the diaspora and in Haiti. Today, we have a very special guest joining us all the way from London, Guilaine Brutus, who is an integral part of the Haitian community there. In this episode, we explored a tabooed topic in Haitian culture - the practice of Restavek, child slavery. I'm not going to sugar coat the practice by calling it child servitude. When people work for free, it's slavery. Period. Full stop. Guilaine shared her mother's personal experience as a Restavek in Haiti and in the Turks & Cacos. Listen to how Guilaine's mom and family coped with the hardships and sacrifices of being a restavek. We examined the role of women in Haitian society, discussed the lack of recognition for their contributions and the importance of understanding the trauma individuals may carry with them. So, get ready for a thought-provoking, emotionally heavy, and insightful conversation as we delve into the world of Restavek and its long-lasting consequences on individuals, families, and Haitian culture. Let's dive right in! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

Welcome back to another captivating episode of the Nèg Mawon Podcast. In this episode, your host Patrick Jean-Baptiste continues his Scholar Legacy Series with esteemed Yale Professor Dr. Marlene Daut. Brace yourself for a thought-provoking exploration of Haiti's history, as the conversation delves into the intricate complexities of compromised freedom and the struggle for sovereignty. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

What didn't we discuss in this wide-ranging part 2/3 discussion with Dr. Marlene Daut on the intellectual history of the Haitain revolution? Well, she took a hammer to Bonaparte and his white supremacist sympathizers. We talked about how the terms enslaved & enslavers can be unintentionally problematic. You will learn how Haitian History is both local and global. Other topics covered by Dr. Marlene L. Daut: some of the famous and lesser-known eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Haitian revolutionaries, pamphleteers, and political thinkers whose extraordinary deeds, coupled with their systems of knowledge and interpretation played center stage during the Age of Revolutions; the 1801 Haitian constitution; Louverture's definition of "free"; that deeds & discourse are two sides of the same coin (my framing); We touched briefly on the only none cross-dresser I know of in Haitian history-- Romaine la Prophetess; French hypocrisy (surprise!) on "universalism" and the Rights of Man. Stay until the end of this episode to hear an original Cameroonian piece by the Theologian, Dr. Roch Ntankeh. This outro was commissioned & licensed by Neg Mawon Media. All rights reserved. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

Episode Outline 1 - Intro 2- Book's table of contents 3 - Her Most Haitian Book 4 - On the Title 5 - Restorative Justice for Haiti 6 - Our Ancestors had the Receipts! 7 - Insurrection 8 - 1804 Principle 9 - Acts & Actes 10 - The Haitian Story is Local & Global The Haitian Revolution was a powerful blow against colonialism and slavery, and as its thinkers and fighters blazed the path to universal freedom, they forced anticolonial, antislavery, and antiracist ideals into modern political grammar. The first state in the Americas to permanently abolish slavery, outlaw color prejudice, and forbid colonialism, Haitians established their nation in a hostile Atlantic World. Slavery was ubiquitous throughout the rest of the Americas and foreign nations and empires repeatedly attacked Haitian sovereignty. Yet Haitian writers and politicians successfully defended their independence while planting the ideological roots of egalitarian statehood.In Awakening the Ashes, Marlene L. Daut situates famous and lesser-known eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Haitian revolutionaries, pamphleteers, and political thinkers within the global history of ideas, showing how their systems of knowledge and interpretation took center stage in the Age of Revolutions. While modern understandings of freedom and equality are often linked to the French Declaration of the Rights of Man or the US Declaration of Independence, Daut argues that the more immediate reference should be to what she calls the 1804 Principle that no human being should ever again be colonized or enslaved, an idea promulgated by the Haitians who, against all odds, upended French empire. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

Dr. Steiber turns to the written record to re-examine the building blocks of Haitian history. Picking up where most historians conclude, listen as Dr. Chelsea Stieber explores the critical internal challenge to Haiti's post-independence sovereignty: a civil war between monarchy and republic. What transpired was a war of swords and of pens, waged in newspapers and periodicals, in literature, broadsheets, and fliers. In her analysis of Haitian writing that followed independence, Dr. Stieber composes a new literary history of Haiti, one I'm certain challenges our interpretations of both freedom struggles and the postcolonial. She also examines internal dissent during the revolution, Stieber reveals that the very concept of freedom was itself hotly contested in the public sphere, and it was this inherent tension that became the central battleground for the guerre de plume―the paper war―that vied to shape public sentiment and the very idea of Haiti. Stieber's reading of post-independence Haitian writing reveals key insights into the nature of literature, its relation to freedom and politics, and how fraught and politically loaded the concepts of “literature” and “civilization” really are. The competing ideas of liberté, writing, and civilization at work within postcolonial Haiti have consequences for the way we think about Haiti's role―as an idea and a discursive interlocutor―in the elaboration of black radicalism and black Atlantic, anticolonial, and decolonial thought. In so doing, Stieber reorders our previously homogeneous view of Haiti, teasing out warring conceptions of the new nation that continued to play out deep into the twentieth century. Enjoy! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

In this part 2/2 episode, Dr Lou starts breaking down two of the five key concepts he covers in his book: Pan-Africanism and black Atlantic Intellectualism. You'll hear the difference between the Garvism version of Pan-Africanism and Price-Mars'. Dr Lou also pays tribute to the amazing black women who were also signisficant contributors to Pan-Africanism. Enjoy the Troubadour Haitian folk ballads at the end. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

"Between Two Worlds: Jean Price-Mars, Haiti, and Africa" is a special volume on Jean Price-Mars that reassesses the importance of his thought and legacy, and the implications of his ideas in the twenty-first century's culture of political correctness, the continuing challenge of race and racism, and imperial hegemony in the modern world. In this first of many interviews, Dr. Joseph shares with us how Price-Mars's thought is also significant for the renewed scholarly interests in Haiti and Haitian Studies in North America, and the meaning of contemporary Africa in the world today. Dr. Lou explores various dimensions in Price-Mars' thought and his role as historian, anthropologist, cultural critic, public intellectual, religious scholar, pan-Africanist, and humanist.The goal of this book is fourfold: it explores the contributions of Jean Price-Mars to Haitian history and culture, it studies Price-Mars' engagement with Western history and the problem of the “racist narrative,” it interprets Price-Mars' connections with Black Internationalism, Harlem Renaissance, and the Negritude Movement, and finally, the book underscores Price-Mars' contributions to post-colonialism, religious studies, Africana Studies, and Pan-Africanism. Show Notes In this episode (1/3), listen as Dr. Celucien Joseph (Dr. Lou)outlines the 5 themes he will discuss with us in this episode and the two others that follow. As it relates to Jean Price-Mars' writings and thoughts. The 5 themes are listed below. In this episode, Dr Lou Discusses Price-Mars' grounding within the context of Caribbean intellectual traditions, such as creolite, negritude, etc. Subsequent episodes will tackle the remaining 4 themes--not necessarily in the order he mentions them in this episode. Enjoy! Pan-Africanism Black Atlantic Intellectual History/thought/culture The Symbolic Meaning of Africa re to his writings. What does Africa mean to Price-Mars. Grounding Price-Mars in the Caribbean context of creolite, negritude, etc Price-Mars' connection to the Harlem Renaissance. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

Through our art & religion, there is definitely a Haitian way of viewing & expressing how we engage with the world. Dr. Kaima Glover explains Spiralsm. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

Haiti, the land where Sweet & Sorrow dwells; where 1 + 1 = 3. Produced by Patrick & Joshua Jean-Baptiste Voice-over: Joshua Jean-Baptiste Artwork: Patrick Jean-Baptiste Written by: Patrick Jean-Baptiste --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

[Konesans Series - Ep. #54] Kreyol & the Translator's Craft. A Brief Chat with Dr Nadève Ménard --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

What is the Role of Music in Haitian Culture? Ethnomusicologist Dr. Rebecca Dirksen provides some answers. Don't forget to check out her book to get a fuller treatment of what she disccusses briefly here in Konesans: "After the Dance, the Drums Are Heavy. Carnival, Politics, and Musical Engagement in Haiti." --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

Dr. Fatton connects the popular Haitian term "Tout moun se moun" within the context of the Aristide era. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

In this episode, Anthropologist Dr. Pierre Minn takes a deep dive into examining the work of Haitian health professionals in humanitarian aid encounters. Did you know that Haiti is the target of an overwhelming number of internationally funded health projects? While religious institutions sponsor a number of these initiatives, many are implemented within the secular framework of global health. Dr. Minn illustrates the divergent criteria that actors involved in global health use to evaluate interventions' efficacy. Haitian physicians, nurses, and administrative staff are hired to carry out these global health programs, distribute or withhold resources, and produce accounts of interventions' outcomes. In their roles as intermediaries, Haitian clinicians are expected not only to embody the humanitarian projects of foreign funders and care for their impoverished patients but also to act as sources of support for their own kin networks, while negotiating their future prospects in a climate of pronounced scarcity and insecurity. In Where They Need Me, you'll hear Dr. Minn countering simplistic depictions of clinicians and patients as heroes, villains, or victims as well as move beyond the donor-recipient dyad that has dominated theoretical work on humanitarianism and the gift. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

In this week's Konesans, I asked Yale's Haitian historian Dr. Marlene Daut the following question: Are We in the Golden Age of Haitian Studies? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

In this week's Konesans, Dr. Greg Beckett, a noted anthropologist, tackles the following question: how much of our African culture did Haitians retain? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

Listen as Dr. Robert Fatton discusses a revealing slice of what it means to be a Haitian elite. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/negmawonpodcast/support

In Fragments of Bone, thirteen essayists discuss African religions as forms of resistance and survival in the face of Western cultural hegemony and imperialism. The collection presents scholars working outside of the Western tradition with backgrounds in a variety of disciplines, genders, and nationalities. These experts draw on research, fieldwork, personal interviews, and spiritual introspection to support a provocative thesis: that fragments of ancestral traditions are fluidly interwoven into New World African religions as creolized rituals, symbolic systems, and cultural identities. Contributors: Osei-Mensah Aborampah, Niyi Afolabi, Patrick Bellegarde-Smith, Randy P. Conner, T. J. Desch-Obi, Ina Johanna Fandrich, Kean Gibson, Marilyn Houlberg, Nancy B. Mikelsons, Roberto Nodal, Rafael Ocasio, Miguel "Willie" Ramos, and Denise Ferreira da Silva Reviews "Takes the reader to a deeper and broader understanding of Afro-Caribbean traditions than we have had before. . . . The cumulative effect of this unusual collection moves religions such as Vodou, Santeria, Palo, and Candomblé out of the realm of the exotic and into a merited position among progressive religious alternatives in the contemporary world."--Karen McCarthy Brown, author of Mama Lola: A Vodou Priestess in Brooklyn "Impeccably researched, persuasively argued, and engagingly written. . . . This is the most comprehensive, creative collection available, and should become the standard text for courses on the subject in the United States and abroad."--Richard Brent Turner, University of Iowa "This is a rare and important work. Fragments of Bone makes major progress toward reconstructing and rehabilitating historically subjugated indigenous spirituality. It is innovative, informative, and of the utmost significance."--Claudine Michel, author of Aspects Moraux et Educatifs du Vodou Haitien About our Guest Patrick Bellegarde-Smith is professor emeritus of Africology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He is also the author of Haiti: The Breached Citadel and other books. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/support

Haitian seasonal migration to Cuba is central to narratives about race, national development, and US imperialism in the early twentieth-century Caribbean. Filling a major gap in the literature, this innovative study reconstructs Haitian guestworkers' lived experiences as they moved among the rural and urban areas of Haiti, and the sugar plantations, coffee farms, and cities of eastern Cuba. It offers an unprecedented glimpse into the daily workings of empire, labor, and political economy in Haiti and Cuba. Migrants' efforts to improve their living and working conditions and practice their religions shaped migration policies, economic realities, ideas of race, and Caribbean spirituality in Haiti and Cuba as each experienced US imperialism. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/support

This 1/2 episodes is compelling and thought-provoking, The Sexual Politics of Empire examines LGBTQI life in contemporary Haiti against the backdrop of American imperialism and intervention. Evangelical Christians and members of the global LGBTQI human rights movement have vied for influence in Haiti since the 2010 earthquake. Each side accuses the other of serving foreign interests. Yet each proposes future foreign interventions on behalf of their respective causes despite the country's traumatic past with European colonialism and American imperialism. Listen as Dr. Durban shows how two discourses can dominate discussions of intervention. One maintains imperialist notions of a backward Haiti so riddled with cultural deficiencies that foreign supervision is necessary to overcome Haitians' resistance to progress (sounds familiar?). The other sees Haiti as a modern but failed state that exists only through its capacity for violence, including homophobia. In the context of these competing claims, Dr. Durban explores the creative ways that same-sex desiring and gender creative Haitians contend with anti-LGBTQI violence and ongoing foreign intervention. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/support

Part 2 picks up the story during the reign of Boyer. Listen as Dr. Alexander illuminates the ways in which some Black Americans became disillusioned with the policies and decisions made by the Boyer administration. Haitian independence influenced Black thought and action in the United States. Other Black activists in the United States continued to embrace a common identity with Haiti's people, forging the idea of a united struggle that merged the destinies of Haiti with their own striving for freedom. A bold discussion on Black internationalism's origins, Fear of a Black Republic stitches together the Haitian revolution to the global Black pursuit of liberation, justice, and social equality. Note: This transcript was created by Nèg Mawon Podcast's AI tool. It is offered to you as a freebie, so blame the AI for any errors you my find. :) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/support

The emergence of Haiti as a sovereign Black nation lit a beacon of hope for Black people throughout the African diaspora. Listen as Dr. Leslie M. Alexander reveals the untold story of how free and enslaved Black people in the United States defended the young Caribbean nation from forces intent on maintaining slavery and white supremacy. She focuses on Haiti's place in the history of Black internationalism, illuminating the ways in which Haitian independence influenced Black thought and action in the United States. She said Haiti embodied what whites feared most: Black revolution and Black victory. Inspired, Black activists in the United States embraced a common identity with Haiti's people, forging the idea of a united struggle that merged the destinies of Haiti with their own striving for freedom. A bold discussion on Black internationalism's origins, Fear of a Black Republic stitches together the Haitian revolution to the global Black pursuit of liberation, justice, and social equality. Note: This transcript was created by Nèg Mawon Podcast's AI tool. It is offered to you as a freebie, so blame the AI for any errors you my find. :) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/support

A wide ranging discussion with one of my favorite scholars, Dr. Nadève Ménard. [A sprinkle of Kreyol; the rest in English. ] We cover The Haiti Reader and a separate essay (post-2010 earthquake) she wrote to her daughter, "My Dearest Dear Ana". While Haiti established the second independent nation in the Western Hemisphere and was the first black country to gain independence from European colonizers, its history is not well known in the Anglophone world. As co-editor, The Haiti Reader is an introduction to Haiti's dynamic history and culture from the viewpoint of Haitians from all walks of life. The Reader includes dozens of selections—most of which appear here in English for the first time. She emphasized that the selections are representative of Haiti's scholarly, literary, religious, visual, musical, and political cultures. What you'll find in this reader: poems, novels, and political tracts to essays, legislation, songs, and folk tales. Spanning the centuries between precontact indigenous Haiti and the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake, the Reader covers widely known episodes in Haiti's history, such as the U.S. military occupation and the Duvalier dictatorship, as well as overlooked periods such as the decades immediately following Haiti's “second independence” in 1934. Whether examining issues of political upheaval, the environment, or modernization, The Haiti Reader provides an unparalleled look at Haiti's history, culture, and politics. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/support

Within the context of Haiti, the word crisis has very specific meaning for Dr. Greg Beckett. As you'll him articulate, this is not just another book about crisis in Haiti. This book is about what it feels like to live and die with a crisis that never seems to end. It is about the experience of living amid the ruins of ecological devastation, economic collapse, political upheaval, violence, and humanitarian disaster. It is about how catastrophic events and political and economic forces shape the most intimate aspects of everyday life. In this gripping episode, anthropologist Greg Beckett offers a stunning ethnographic portrait of ordinary people struggling to survive in Port-au-Prince in the twenty-first century. Drawing on over a decade of research, There Is No More Haiti builds on stories of death and rebirth to powerfully reframe the narrative of a country in crisis. It is essential episode for anyone interested in Haiti today. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/support

Within the context of Haiti, the word crisis has very specific meaning for Dr. Greg Beckett. As you'll him articulate, this is not just another book about crisis in Haiti. This book is about what it feels like to live and die with a crisis that never seems to end. It is about the experience of living amid the ruins of ecological devastation, economic collapse, political upheaval, violence, and humanitarian disaster. It is about how catastrophic events and political and economic forces shape the most intimate aspects of everyday life. In this gripping episode, anthropologist Greg Beckett offers a stunning ethnographic portrait of ordinary people struggling to survive in Port-au-Prince in the twenty-first century. Drawing on over a decade of research, There Is No More Haiti builds on stories of death and rebirth to powerfully reframe the narrative of a country in crisis. It is essential episode for anyone interested in Haiti today. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/support

Within the context of Haiti, the word crisis has very specific meaning for Dr. Greg Beckett. As you'll him articulate, this is not just another book about crisis in Haiti. This book is about what it feels like to live and die with a crisis that never seems to end. It is about the experience of living amid the ruins of ecological devastation, economic collapse, political upheaval, violence, and humanitarian disaster. It is about how catastrophic events and political and economic forces shape the most intimate aspects of everyday life. In this gripping episode, anthropologist Greg Beckett offers a stunning ethnographic portrait of ordinary people struggling to survive in Port-au-Prince in the twenty-first century. Drawing on over a decade of research, There Is No More Haiti builds on stories of death and rebirth to powerfully reframe the narrative of a country in crisis. It is essential episode for anyone interested in Haiti today. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/support

This is the story of freedom, of choices black women made to anchor their humanity,to retain control over their bodies, selves, loved ones, and their futures. The story of freedom is ambiguous, but often begins with intimate acts steeped in power. Listen as Dr Johnson discusses the peculiar oppressions faced by African women and women of African descent. And it pivots on the self-conscious choices black women made to retain control over their bodies and selves, their loved ones, and their futures. Slavery's rise in the Americas was institutional, carnal, and reproductive. The intimacy of bondage whet the appetites of slaveowners, traders, and colonial officials with fantasies of domination that trickled into every social relationship—husband and wife, sovereign and subject, master and laborer. Intimacy—corporeal, carnal, quotidian—tied slaves to slaveowners, women of African descent and their children to European and African men. In Wicked Flesh, Jessica Marie Johnson explores the nature of these complicated intimate and kinship ties and how they were used by black women to construct freedom in the Atlantic world. Johnson draws on archival documents scattered in institutions across three continents, written in multiple languages and largely from the perspective of colonial officials and slave-owning men, to recreate black women's experiences from coastal Senegal to French Saint-Domingue to Spanish Cuba to the swampy outposts of the Gulf Coast. Centering New Orleans as the quintessential site for investigating black women's practices of freedom in the Atlantic world, Wicked Flesh argues that African women and women of African descent endowed free status with meaning through active, aggressive, and sometimes unsuccessful intimate and kinship practices. Their stories, in both their successes and their failures, outline a practice of freedom that laid the groundwork for the emancipation struggles of the nineteenth century and reshaped the New World. Her profile page on our site. https://neg.fm/dr-jessica-marie-johnson/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/support

Yes. Haitians were in the nation-building business! This episode covers a little-known chapter in Haitian history. Dr. Regine Jackson offers a fascinating, multi-sited, and interdisciplinary study of the United Nations Organization in the Congo (ONUC), a civilian operation established after the Democratic Republic of Congo achieved independence from Belgium. Through narrative interviews in New York City, Port-au-Prince, Montreal and Paris and analysis of archives in Haiti, Kinshasa, and at UN headquarters in New York and Paris, Dr. Jackson helps us understand better the lived experiences of the Haitian educators, engineers, and doctors in the ONUC during the Congo crisis. her previous research suggests that many of these Haitian professionals saw postcolonial Africa as a space of possibility (see Jackson 2014). This episode seeks to answer crucial questions about our best and brightest: about their pre-migration experiences in Haiti under Duvalier, the role of international organizations such as the UN and WHO, relations between Haitians and the Congolese, as well the circumstances of their departure from the Congo under Mobutu Sese Seko. Visit her guest page https://neg.fm/dr-regine-ostine-jackson/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/support

A PDF version of this book is available for free in open access via the OAPEN Library platform (www. oapen. org). Historically and contemporarily, politically and literarily, Haiti has long been relegated to the margins of the so-called 'New World.' Marked by exceptionalism, the voices of some of its most important writers have consequently been muted by the geopolitical realities of the nation's fraught history. In Haiti Unbound, Kaiama L. Glover offers a close look at the works of three such writers: the Haitian Spiralists Frankétienne, Jean-Claude Fignolé, and René Philoctète. While Spiralism has been acknowledged by scholars and regional writer-intellectuals alike as a crucial contribution to the French-speaking Caribbean literary tradition, the Spiralist ethic-aesthetic not yet been given the sustained attention of a full-length study. Glover's book represents the first effort in any language to consider the works of the three Spiralist authors both individually and collectively, and so fills an astonishingly empty place in the assessment of postcolonial Caribbean aesthetics. Touching on the role and destiny of Haiti in the Americas, Haiti Unbound engages with long-standing issues of imperialism and resistance culture in the transatlantic world. Glover's timely project emphatically articulates Haiti's regional and global centrality, combining vital 'big picture' reflections on the field of postcolonial studies with elegant close-reading-based analyses of the philosophical perspective and creative practice of a distinctively Haitian literary phenomenon. Most importantly perhaps, the book advocates for the inclusion of three largely unrecognized voices in the disturbingly fixed roster of writer-intellectuals that have thus far interested theorists of postcolonial (Francophone) literature. Providing insightful and sophisticated blueprints for the reading and teaching of the Spiralists' prose fiction, Haiti Unbound will serve as a point of reference for the works of these authors and for the singular socio-political space out of and within which they write. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/support

DESCRIPTION The collapse of the Duvalier dictatorship in 1986 gave rise to optimism among Haitians in all walks of life—to hopes for a democratic journey leading to economic development, political renewal, and social peace. The reality of the subsequent years, however, has not been so sanguine. Robert Fatton analyzes the vicissitudes of politics in Haiti from the demise of Duvalier through the events of 2001. Despite a relatively stable period since Jean Bertrand-Aristide assumed the Haitian presidency for the second time, in 1994, Fatton reveals a country in which the imperfect trappings of liberal democracy coexist with violent struggles to monopolize the few sites of public power with any access to wealth and privilege. Haiti's Predatory Republic, while recognizing the possibilities of a happier future, tells a somber story of an apparently endless transition to democracy. Terms /Concepts Discussed --Peaks & Valleys --La Politique de Doublure --Tout Moun se Moun --Dechoukaj --La Politique du Ventre --Duvalierism BOOK CONTENTS Introduction. Class, State, and Civil Society in Haiti. The Fall of Duvalier and the Contradictions of Democratization. The Rise, Fall, and Second Coming of Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The Vicissitudes of Lavalasian Power. The Antagonistic Present and Future Alternatives. Toward a Compromise? Conclusion. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Robert Fatton Jr. is professor in the Department of Government and Foreign Affairs at the University of Virginia. His numerous publications include Predatory Rule: State and Civil Society in Africa and The Making of a Liberal Democracy: Senegal's Passive Revolution. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/support

Sandra Wisner is a senior staff lawyer with the Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti (IJDH), a U.S. human rights organization, working in partnership with the Haiti-based public interest law firm the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux (BAI) [Garment Industry] At first glance, the garment workers' protests sweeping Haiti appear to be the result of a grossly inadequate minimum wage. But listen closely to the organizers and you will see they are rooted in decades of rights violations perpetrated by foreign states' approach to investment in Haiti. Foreign actors must be held accountable to their legal obligations both for the harm they have caused and to ensure that future investment in Haiti is fair and sustainable. [Food Insecurities] A series of international economic assistance programs in Haiti has led to a protracted and worsening food crisis in the country, amplifying the country's vulnerability to starvation and malnutrition, as well as natural disasters, like earthquakes and pandemics. These economic programs, which dealt a crushing blow to the country's domestic agriculture and left the erstwhile self-sustaining nation vulnerable to chronic food insecurity, have ultimately impeded the ability of Haitian people, and their future generations, to enjoy their right to food, health, education, work, and other fundamental human rights. The lack of responsibility taken by those who imposed these policies—among them, international financial institutions like the World Bank—reveals the need for foreign actor compliance with human rights obligations and remediation. This paper proposes that the food insecurity Haitians face today constitutes a violation of the right to food—a territorial and extraterritorial obligation that foreign actors have pledged themselves, both under the United Nations Charter and other human rights instruments, to promote and respect. As such, this paper outlines the emerging recognition of extraterritorial obligations (“ETOs”) around the globe; suggests available mechanisms at the domestic, regional, and international level for adjudication of cases arising from ETOs; and proposes ETOs' application to traditional policies and remedies meant to protect individuals from harm and compensate them for harm caused. [Peacekeeper Exploitation & Abuse] In Haiti, UN peacekeeping troops have been tied to sexual exploitation and abuse towards local communities. In pursuit of justice and accountability, BAI has been supporting claims for child support on behalf of children fathered by UN peacekeepers. Our teams at BAI and IJDH are leading the litigation in Haiti and both local and international advocacy to fight for justice and defend the rights of women and children. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/support

*Manoumba Records label granted permission to include excerpt of "Dèpi tanbou frape" track by Boulo Valcourt I love foundational work like this! A richly ethnographic and compelling read, After the Dance, the Drums Are Heavy is a study of carnival, politics, and the musical engagement of ordinary citizens and celebrity musicians in contemporary Haiti. The book explores how the self-declared president of konpa Sweet Micky (Michel Martelly) rose to the nation's highest office while methodically crafting a political product inherently entangled with his musical product. It offers a deep historical perspective on the characteristics of carnivalesque verbal play and the performative skillset of the artist (Sweet Micky) who dominated carnival for more than decade-including vulgarities and polemics. Yet there has been profound resistance to this brand of politics led by many other high-profile artists, including Matyas and Jòj, Brothers Posse, Boukman Eksperyans, and RAM. These groups have each released popular carnival songs that have contributed to the public's discussions on what civic participation and citizenship in Haiti can and should be. Drawing on more than a decade and a half of ethnographic research, Rebecca Dirksen presents an in-depth consideration of politically and socially engaged music and what these expressions mean for the Haitian population in the face of challenging political and economic circumstances. After the Dance, the Drums Are Heavy centers the voices of Haitian musicians and regular citizens by extensively sharing interviews and detailed analyses of musical performance in the context of contemporary events well beyond the musical realm. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/negmawonpodcast/support