MGT360 Final

CultureGrams TM

World Edition 2020

Republic of

Haiti

BACKGROUND

Land and Climate

Haiti shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican

Republic. Haiti is about three times the size of Cyprus but is

slightly smaller than the U.S. state of Maryland. It is

composed of two peninsulas split by the Gulf of Gonâve. The

mountainous, nearly barren island of Gonâve, which belongs

to Haiti, rests in the center of the gulf.

     Haiti's portion of Hispaniola is significantly more

mountainous than the rest of the island, with successive

mountain chains running east to west on both peninsulas. The

northern Massif du Nord is part of the island's backbone,

which Dominicans call the Cordillera Central. The southern

peninsula boasts the Massif de la Hotte and Massif de la

Selle. The highest peak, Pic la Selle, is located in the Massif

de la Selle and rises to 8,793 feet (2,680 meters). The

mountains are punctuated by hills and valleys, where most

people live and work. The four main plains include the

Central, Northern, Artibonite, and Plaine du Cul-de-Sac

(where the capital, Port-au-Prince, is located). Haiti is crossed

by several large rivers, the longest of which is the Artibonite.

Trees once covered most of Haiti prior to European

colonization, but deforestation resulting from farming and

charcoal fuel production has led to severe soil erosion and

poor soil quality.

     Haiti's climate is warm and only mildly humid. The

average temperature in the mountains is 66°F (19°C), while at

Port-au-Prince it is 81°F (27°C). Spring and autumn are rainy,

whereas December through February and June through

August are dry. July is the driest summer month. The

hurricane season lasts from June through November.

History

Original Inhabitants and Colonization

The island of Hispaniola was originally inhabited by the

Taíno (Arawak) peoples. After Christopher Columbus arrived

in 1492 and opened Spanish colonization on Hispaniola, the

indigenous peoples were enslaved. Within a few decades, a

million natives died from starvation, European diseases such

as smallpox and measles, and hard labor in Spanish gold

mines. In a belated effort to save the remaining native peoples

and to help their sugar plantations prosper, the Spanish

settlers began importing African slaves in the early 1500s. By

1560, few natives remained. The 2,000 Spanish settlers

controlled the island and some 30,000 African slaves. In

1697, Spain ceded the western third of Hispaniola to France,

which soon enjoyed the coffee, sugar, and cotton riches of its

new colony, Saint Domingue. France was given the entire

island by 1795, although it did not fully control the eastern

half.

     Independence

The Haitian Slave Revolt began in 1791. Though slaves were

granted their freedom by 1793, leaders such as Toussaint

Louverture (a freed slave) continued to fight European

powers for control of the island. Louverture was eventually

captured and subsequently died in a French prison, but his

successor Jean-Jacques Dessalines gained victory over the

French in 1803. Haiti declared its independence on 1 January

1804. French settlers who were not killed left the island.

Dessalines became the emperor.

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     When Dessalines was killed in 1806, political chaos and

rivalries led to a split: Henri Christophe eventually became

King Henry I of northern Haiti, and Alexandre Pétion ruled

southern Haiti in a more republican style of government. Ill

and fearing a coup, Christophe committed suicide in 1820. In

1822, north and south were reunited under President

Jean-Pierre Boyer, who finally established governance over

the Dominican Republic; this era still perpetuates tensions

between the two neighbors.

     France recognized Haitian independence in 1825 after

Boyer agreed to pay 150 million francs in reparation to

former slaveholders over the next century, a sum that crippled

Haiti's already weak economy. In 1844, the Dominican

Republic declared its independence from Haiti, and Boyer

was overthrown. Power changed hands repeatedly until the

20th century, which found Haiti near anarchy. Under the

United States' Monroe Doctrine, which essentially sought to

maintain U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere, U.S.

troops invaded and occupied Haiti from 1915 to 1934.

     Instability

The following years did not bring stability to Haiti, as people

revolted against the government and elites who controlled it.

In 1957, Doctor François Duvalier, known as Papa Doc, won

presidential elections despite charges of fraud. He killed his

opponents and ruled with impunity, terrorizing the populace

with his Tontons Macoutes, the secret police. Before he died

in 1971, Duvalier designated his son, Jean-Claude Duvalier

(Baby Doc), as his successor. Riots in 1985 forced

Jean-Claude Duvalier to flee Haiti in 1986.

     A succession of military-led governments ruled Haiti until

1990, when Jean-Bertrand Aristide became the nation's first

democratically elected president. Glee over his election was

followed by impatience for reform and violence between

Aristide's supporters and opponents. After just eight months,

the military—led by General Raoul Cédras—led a coup d'état

against Aristide, who subsequently made his way to the

United States and set up a government in exile. His supporters

in Haiti either went into hiding or were killed. The military

dictatorship became increasingly brutal, and the international

community decided to intervene with an embargo, though its

effect was diminished by smuggling through the neighboring

Dominican Republic.

     In September 1994, about 20,000 U.S. soldiers landed in

Haiti to facilitate the removal from power of the Haitian

military junta. A few weeks later, Aristide returned from exile

and ruled until 1996. Aristide was reelected in 2000;

however, he was overthrown again in 2004. Following

Aristide's ouster, United Nations (UN) peacekeepers entered

Haiti to help with security and stability, but there were

complications in years to come. A democratically elected

government came to power in 2006.

     Current Challenges

Democratic elections, however, have not prevented Haiti

from being subjected to a series of dysfunctional

governments, and the nation’s challenges have been

exacerbated by natural disasters. In 2010, a powerful

earthquake struck the Port-au-Prince area, killing as many as

300,000 people and destroying much of the country’s

infrastructure, contributing to an increase in homelessness and

other precarious situations for the average Haitian. The

aftermath of the earthquake was worsened by a massive

outbreak of cholera, inadvertently started by UN

peacekeepers. Since then, other natural disasters—like

Hurricane Matthew in 2016—have caused extensive damage

and killed hundreds of people. Despite the fact that Haiti

received billions of dollars from international donors to

rebuild infrastructure, shelter those displaced by the natural

disasters, and fight disease, there has not been enough aid to

effectively mitigate disaster-related hardships or overcome

significant infrastructural issues.

     In the midst of slow recovery from natural disaster and

disease, political crises are ongoing. In 2017, the UN ended

its peacekeeping mission in Haiti, citing a new level of

political stability; ongoing issues with corruption and

economic instability remain. In 2019, cities throughout the

nation saw the eruption of violent anti-government protests

triggered by soaring inflation and a long-running corruption

scandal. Protesters demanded the resignations of President

Jovenel Moïse and Prime Minister Jean-Henry Céant, only

the latter of whom stepped down. In 2020, Moïse began to

rule by decree. He appointed a new prime minister and

cabinet without consent from the opposition, which further

fueled protests and blocked millions of dollars of international

aid from reaching the country. Economic instability,

corruption, and challenges to democracy remain key

inhibitors to Haiti’s recovery and progress as a nation.

THE PEOPLE

Population

Most Haitians (95 percent) are descendants of African slaves

who came to the island beginning in the 16th century. A small

proportion of Haiti's people (5 percent) are of mixed heritage

or white. Haiti has a high birthrate, but emigration and poor

health lower the overall population growth rate. As many as

300,000 people were killed in January 2010, when an

earthquake struck the Port-au-Prince region.

     A large number of Haitians live in the United States, the

Dominican Republic, Cuba, Canada, and elsewhere. Haitians

have been living and working in the Dominican Republic

since its founding as a nation in 1844. Throughout the 1900s,

the majority of the Haitians who traveled to the Dominican

side of the island worked in the agricultural industry,

specifically with sugarcane. As sugarcane profits began to

decline, increasing numbers of Haitians began to migrate to

urban areas in the Dominican Republic; the government there

has attempted to restrict immigration and has carried out mass

deportations of Haitian immigrants.

Language

According to the 1987 constitution, the official languages of

Haiti are Kreyòl (Haitian Creole) and French. Kreyòl is the

language of daily conversation. French is used in government

and business. Although French has traditionally also been the

language of instruction in schools, some schools are starting

to use Kreyòl because in most cases it is the only language

that students speak and understand. Only educated adults or

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secondary school students speak French, though with varying

levels of fluency and accuracy. Knowledge of French has

become a sign of social class in Haiti; those who speak

French may shun those who do not.

     Kreyòl is a unique mixture of French, Taíno, English,

Spanish, and various African languages. It is similar to creole

spoken on some other Caribbean islands, such as Guadeloupe

and Martinique. Kreyòl is traditionally an oral language,

though it had a written form as early as the 19th century. Use

of written Kreyòl began to spread after the 1940s with the

introduction of adult literacy programs.

     Because of the popularity of U.S. American television and

films and because many Haitians have relatives in the United

States, English is used more often than in the past.

Religion

The majority (55 percent) of Haitians are Catholic. While

some people regularly participate in religious services, others

only draw upon their Catholic identity in the case of

marriages, funerals, or other rites of passage. Protestants

claim 29 percent of the population. The largest denominations

are Baptist, Pentecostal, and Seventh-day Adventist.

     Perhaps as important as organized religion is Vodou

(voodoo), which is practiced by many Haitians in addition to

Christianity. It was given legal status equal to other religions

in 2003. While official Catholicism opposes its practice,

Vodou includes the worship of Catholic saints and other

Catholic rituals. Vodou ceremonies and rituals, held in

temples, usually are performed at night. Adherents believe

that during the temple ceremonies, a Vodou god inhabits the

body of a believer. Because some in Haitian society oppose

Vodou, not all Vodou adherents practice the religion openly.

Still, certain Vodou temples are the focus of annual

pilgrimages.

General Attitudes

Haitians tend to be warm, friendly, and generous. Their

tradition for hospitality is clear in how most people treat

guests or go out of their way to help strangers find an address

or something else they need. Haitians are generally proud of

their culture and history. Everyday life is hard for most

people, so parents strive to send their children to school,

though it is very expensive, trusting that an education will

give the next generation a better life. Despite hardships, most

Haitians try to make the best of their circumstances.

     Haitians from rural and urban areas have different

perspectives on life, as their cultural practices and attitudes

vary significantly. Haitians living in rural areas often value

their traditions and slower pace of life. Because much of the

rural economy is based on agriculture, community and

cooperation are very important to people in rural areas. Life

tends to be more fast paced and competitive in urban areas.

People living in urban areas often see themselves as more

cosmopolitan than people from the countryside.

     Feelings toward Haiti's closest neighbor, the Dominican

Republic, have long been complex and may vary according to

occupation, class, and geography. Haitians from the upper

classes may have business ties in the Dominican Republic,

and those from the lower classes may take short-term trips to

the Dominican Republic to buy and sell wares. Haitians living

on the border often have friendly social and economic

interactions with Dominicans. Some Haitian students study at

Dominican universities. After the earthquake in 2010, the

Dominican government, as well as Dominican businesses and

private citizens, contributed goods and money to

reconstruction efforts in Haiti. However, tensions have

increased between the countries as a result of recent changes

to Dominican citizenship laws that have resulted in mass

deportations of Haitians and the return from the Dominican

Republic of thousands of others, fearing prejudice and

violence.

Personal Appearance

Whenever possible, people generally pay great attention to

their public appearance. Urban Haitians tend to prefer

Western-style clothing. Urban women may wear pants or

colorful skirts; some wear a headscarf to match their outfits.

Young people usually follow the latest fashion styles,

particularly those of U.S. American musicians and actors.

Sandals are the most popular footwear. Government officials

and businessmen wear suits and ties. Rural men usually wear

T-shirts and shorts or pants when working. Rural women

typically wear dresses and headscarves, but they rarely wear

pants. Almost all Haitian women enjoy jewelry (though it is

often unaffordable) and brightly colored clothing. Men may

wear gold jewelry as a status symbol.

CUSTOMS AND COURTESIES

Greetings

Personal greetings are considered very important in Haiti.

When entering a room or joining a group, a person is

expected to physically greet each individual. Haitians usually

shake hands when meeting a new acquaintance. Everyone

else, from relatives to friends and casual acquaintances,

receives a kiss on each cheek. The most common verbal

greeting is Bonjou, kouman ou ye? (Good day, how are you?).

The response usually is M pa pi mal, e ou menm? (I am not

worse, and yourself?).

     Haitians address superiors or persons of status by title

(e.g., Monsieur, Madame, Doctor, etc.) and last name. Friends

use first names or nicknames, which are usually related to a

person's name, to address each other. An older person might

be called “aunt” or “uncle” even if not related to the speaker.

Gestures

Haitians tend to be an animated people, and hand gestures

usually accompany conversation. For instance, one may hold

a person's shoulder or drill a finger into a person's shoulder or

chest when making a point. If one is too busy to talk, the

person will greet a passerby by nodding the head up. To get

someone's attention, Haitians often say “pssst.” To hail a taxi,

Haitians may say “pssst” and point in the direction they want

to go. Clicking the tongue, called a chipe, is a sign of protest

or disgust and considered impolite.

Visiting

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Visiting is a national pastime. Friends, neighbors, and

relatives are generally welcome in the home at any time of

day until about 8 p.m. It is not necessary to call ahead.

Visitors arriving during a meal may be asked to wait in

another room until the family finishes eating. Close friends

might be invited to share the meal, and they may accept or

decline. It is also acceptable for guests to decline

refreshments. Hosts typically offer fruit juice or soda.

     In addition to impromptu visits, many Haitians enjoy

inviting friends over for an evening of socializing or for

dinner. When a visit ends, hosts accompany guests to the

door. Rather than leaving, however, Haitians frequently

extend their visit for a while by standing and talking with

their hosts. Special occasions also call for visits. Guests

usually bring food to hosts celebrating a communion,

baptism, graduation, or wedding—occasions for which many

organize elaborate parties.

Eating

Haitians eat three meals a day if they can afford it. People in

rural areas may eat breakfast and not eat again until evening.

The family gathers at the table for the main meal, which is

usually at midday in cities. However, economic pressures and

varied school and work schedules mean that families are

increasingly eating at staggered times or separately. Diners

take their portions from serving dishes on the table. If guests

are present, they are given first opportunity to serve

themselves. When no guests are present, family members

often wait for the mother to begin eating before they eat.

Sunday dinner traditionally is reserved as a family meal.

     Usually, only the upper classes go to formal, enclosed

restaurants on a regular basis. There are, however, a large

number of small eateries where workers can go for a

noontime meal, in case they do not have the opportunity to eat

at home.

LIFESTYLE

Family

Structure

Urban families might have two or three children, while rural

families may have five or more. The basic unit of society is

the extended family. Children from cities may be sent to live

with relatives in the countryside during summer vacations to

strengthen family ties, and children from the countryside may

be sent to live with relatives in cities to attend school.

Grandparents may act as parents in place of an absent or

working mother or father. Relatives may also fill the role of

godparent, which entails responsibility for a child if a parent

dies. Elders are highly respected, and every member of the

family is expected to care for them.

     Parents and Children

In most families, a child's main concerns are succeeding in

school and completing household chores. In wealthier

families, children may be responsible only for keeping their

rooms clean; in poorer families, chores include cooking,

laundry, and cleaning. Some families can afford to send only

one child, usually the oldest, to school. Educated children are

expected to better the social and financial status of the family,

providing for parents or less fortunate siblings later in life.

Other children are expected to help more around the house or

with the family business, which could simply mean being a

street vendor. In wealthy families, parents establish goals for

their children to become doctors, lawyers, or entrepreneurs

who will expand the family business.

     Adult children are expected to remain with their parents

until marriage, and occasionally, married children live with

one spouse's parents until they can afford a home of their

own. Married couples usually live close to their families. This

is especially true in the countryside, where the traditional

lakou form of housing (a common courtyard surrounded by a

family compound of small sleeping rooms) is prevalent. After

retirement, parents often move in with one of their married

children.

     Gender Roles

In urban areas, the father, if present in the home, is head of

the household and responsible for earning an income.

Mothers in urban areas are responsible for cooking, cleaning,

and teaching their children religion and morality.

Middle-class urban families may hire someone to cook and do

other chores. Rural men work their fields, while rural women

sell produce in the market and care for the household and

children. Though men may earn the money and make

decisions, it is often the women who manage the household's

money. Single-mother households are very common, as men

typically have children by more than one woman. In such

households, mothers often rely on older children to help earn

income and to care for younger children.

     Domestic violence against women is fairly common, and

some of Haiti's laws tend to discriminate against women. For

example, wives who murder their unfaithful husbands face

harsher punishment than husbands who murder their

unfaithful wives. A growing number of women from all social

classes hold jobs, own their own businesses, and participate in

government, though few women hold positions of power.

Housing

Urban

Houses are typically built with whatever materials are

available. In Port-au-Prince, cement buildings are common. In

older, established neighborhoods of the capital, brightly

painted two-storey wood and brick houses are prevalent.

Primitive cinderblock houses are found in newer parts of the

city. These houses often consist of just one nine-square-foot

room with packed-earth flooring and a corrugated tin roof.

Houses are built on top of each other, and winding narrow

footpaths snake down to the local market. A small minority of

Haitians has access to electricity; access to running water is

even less common.

     Rural

Outside of the capital, the traditional lakou form of housing

survives. The lakou is a compound built around a courtyard

where the family eats, cooks, braids girls' hair, and takes

bucket baths. Surrounding this courtyard is a ring of small

sleeping rooms made of mud and rock, wood logs, banana

leaves, or cement.

     Earthquake Damage

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During the earthquakes of 2010, some 250,000 homes were

destroyed, leaving over one million Haitians homeless. Most

of these were cinderblock structures with insufficient

flexibility and internal support. However, many old buildings

in the so-called gingerbread style of housing (Victorian-era

architecture with high ceilings, porches, narrow windows, and

triangular roofs) suffered almost no damage, given the

flexibility of wooden structures. The earthquake's destruction,

coupled with a pre-earthquake housing shortage, means that

hundreds of thousands of people still lack permanent housing.

Dating and Marriage

Dating and Courtship

Although young Haitians generally socialize in groups, they

do not usually begin dating until their late teens. Young

people often develop friendships that later turn romantic with

the children of their parents’ friends. Others form such

relationships with classmates or acquaintances. Group

activities usually include participating in study groups,

watching soccer games, celebrating birthdays, and attending

school fairs. Teenagers are increasingly entering into sexual

relationships.

     Men usually initiate dates. When dating, the man will visit

the woman at her home to become familiar with her parents

and family members. Couples also go out to dance clubs, to

movies, or to other social events.

     Engagement

Once a couple has been dating for a few years, a proposal is

expected. A man traditionally asked a woman’s father for

permission to marry her, but where there is little relationship

between the woman and her biological father, a man may ask

the mother or the mother’s husband. Today, asking

permission is less common, especially in urban areas.

     Marriage in Society

Most parents do not greatly influence dating or marriage, but

they expect their children to choose spouses from respectable

families with a social status similar to their own. The

minimum legal age for marriage is 15 for women and 18 for

men. Haitians usually wait until they are adults and have

finished their schooling before getting married; however,

early marriage is more common in rural areas than in urban

areas. Couples often live together and have children as if

married until they save enough money for the wedding and

wedding reception.

     Homosexuality is taboo in Haitian society, and LGBT

individuals commonly face discrimination, threats, and even

violence. Same-sex marriage is not legally recognized.

     Although formal polygamy is illegal, married men

sometimes have many girlfriends and children out of

wedlock. This is often attributed to the desire for a son to

continue the family line. Women are expected to remain

faithful to their husbands and are chastised if they are not. In

rural areas, a man's partners acknowledge each other and may

even cohabitate.

     Divorce is rare but separation is common, especially after

a couple's children are raised and have families of their own.

Usually, children live with their mother after separation, but

they may also move in with grandparents or other relatives.

     Weddings

A couple will not officially marry until they can afford a big

wedding, so some poorer couples never get married.

Weddings are usually paid for by the groom or his family, but

the bride's family may also contribute money. Typically,

couples have a church wedding followed by an evening

reception where rice, beans, meat, salads, cake, champagne,

and soft drinks are served. Receptions are usually held in

private homes, where guests eat, dance, and socialize until

late in the evening.

Life Cycle

Birth

Motherhood is extremely valued, and celebrations of births

are joyful, but Haitians tend to be careful not to be seen as

boastful, as many children die before the age of five. Women

do not usually announce pregnancies until they begin to look

pregnant out of a belief that doing so could bring bad luck on

the baby. The gender of the child is not commonly announced

before birth. Due to a preference for traditional practices,

most births take place without formal medical assistance.

Once the baby is born, the maternal grandmother traditionally

comes to care for the baby and mother.

     Names are given just after the baby is born, though

consideration may be given to a name prior to birth. Deciding

on a name is an important event. It is common for children to

be named after respected family elders or ancestors. Firstborn

sons are usually named after their fathers. Children carry their

father's surname unless the father is unknown or denies

paternity. In rural areas, a child's name may reflect the

circumstances of his or her birth. For example, a couple who

has had difficulty becoming pregnant may name a girl Jesula

(Jesus is here) or Dieula (God is here) or a boy Dieufel (God

created him) to show their gratitude. Children who survive

their first years are often given a nickname.

     Milestones

Baptism and First Communion are significant rituals for

Catholic children. Children dress in nice clothes, and family,

friends, and neighbors gather to celebrate with a large meal,

including some meat if the family can afford it. Because

people often live with their parents into their adult years,

young people are not generally seen as adults until they have

children of their own.

     Death

When a person dies, family and friends gather to reminisce

and provide emotional support to the deceased's immediate

family members. Given the respect for ancestors in Haitian

culture, even poor families make an effort to have a proper

funeral. A viewing of the body is followed by a religious

ceremony.

     Funeral processions in rural areas include a single car and

mourners dressed in black led by a marching band. Urban

funeral processions consist of cars and fewer pedestrians.

Burial is traditional, although cremation is becoming more

common. Traditional cemeteries contain brightly colored

aboveground tombs. Food and other offerings—such as

kleren (an alcoholic drink made from cane juice)—are often

placed on the tombs. People sometimes pour kleren and rum

onto the ground as offerings to ancestors. Catholic families

have masses in honor of the deceased on the anniversary of

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their passing.

Diet

Most Haitians eat rice and beans every day, although a main

meal, when affordable, usually also includes meat, salad, and

a vegetable. Rice and corn are staple grains. Spicy foods are

most popular. Piman zwazo (small, hot pimentos) and garlic

are often added to dishes. Meat is marinated in sauces with

ingredients such as sour orange juice, lemon juice, and hot

peppers. Pork is the most commonly eaten meat, but Haitians

also eat goat, chicken, guinea pig, and seafood (fish, shrimp,

conch, and crab). Eggplant, yams, sweet potatoes, and a

variety of fruits round out the diet.

     For breakfast, one might drink coffee and eat the

traditional urban fare of herring with plantains and avocados,

corn with codfish, or liver with plantains. A lighter breakfast

consists of coffee and jam on buttered bread or cassave (bread

made from manioc). A favorite daytime snack might be bread

and butter or pastries. Meat-filled pastries are also popular

snacks. Haiti is especially known for its fresh-pressed juices

made from passion fruit, oranges, chadèk (grapefruit),

cherries, papaya, zikak (a small, pulpy fruit), and other fruits.

Dous makos (Haitian fudge) is a very popular dessert

prepared for special occasions.

Recreation

Sports

The most popular sport is soccer. Streets are often empty if an

important regional or world match is being televised. Both

boys and girls begin to play soccer at an early age. Leagues

are organized throughout the country. Adult soccer stars are

extremely popular among people of all ages. Many Haitians

of all classes cheer for soccer teams, with a special affinity for

Brazil’s and Argentina's teams due to their repeated successes

in the World Cup.

     Leisure

Most Haitians have access to radios, and people generally

listen to music and news throughout the day. A growing

number of middle-class families are able to afford televisions

in their homes. Some Haitians enjoy watching movies and

internet videos on their smartphones. Haitian music videos

are favored.

     Children often like to play games like patty-cake, mab

(marbles), oscelet (jacks generally made of cow or goat

bones), jump rope, and various versions of lago (tag).

Children often invent their own games as well. In rural areas,

the tradition of tirer conte (storytelling) continues. Children

gather around an adult who begins the storytelling with the

greeting Krik, to which the audience responds Krak. Popular

stories include tales of Booki and Timalice (famous Haitian

fable characters), stories about the past, and lougawou (ghost)

stories. Young adults in urban areas spend their time with

friends at fairs, bals (concerts), parties, or nightclubs.

     Important events such as baptism, communion, graduation,

and weddings provide families and friends the opportunity to

get together and enjoy each other's company. These events

include banbòch (partying and having a good time), catching

up with old friends, joke telling, drinking, eating, political

discussion, and dancing. Many Haitians enjoy dancing and

may dance if they hear a catchy tune.

     Many men enjoy cockfights, usually held on Sunday

afternoons. They also spend hours playing dominoes and card

games such as kazino, a complex game involving counting.

Recreation for lower-class women often occurs in the form of

jokes and storytelling while washing clothes, gathering water,

or selling at the market.

     Vacation

Vacations are a luxury enjoyed by wealthy families. Though

vacationers usually visit foreign countries, there is a growing

interest in visiting other areas of Haiti.

The Arts

Music and dancing are integral to everyday life. For over one

hundred years, Haitians have composed and performed

classical music. Older still is the traditional music of the

Haitian rural and lower classes. These include music (called

rara) played before Lent, music performed in Vodou

(voodoo) ceremonies, and music associated with a particular

rhythm (merengue, etc). Contemporary music in Haiti

includes rap Kreyòl (Haitian hip-hop), rasin (traditional

music fused with rock, jazz, or reggae), chansonnette

française (traditional French songs), or konpa (dance music).

Urban residents enjoy a variety of U.S. American music.

     Haitian artists and sculptors are known for their unique

images and striking colors. One popular art form is sculpture

made from cut, pounded, and painted scrap metal. Tap taps,

brightly painted pickup trucks fitted with benches and

covered tops, are both a means of transportation and traveling

art. Many artists choose Haitian history or daily life for their

subjects; nature is also an important theme. Painted screens,

papier-mâché art, wood carvings, basketwork, pottery, and

painted wooden boxes are prominent crafts.

     Oral literature is abundant and includes songs, proverbs,

and riddles. Storytellers carefully craft their performance,

acting out the story with their voices. There is also a vibrant

tradition of Haitian literature, mostly written in French,

although Kreyòl (Haitian Creole) is now commonly used as

well.

Holidays

Haiti's national holidays include New Year's Day, which is

also Independence Day (1 January); National Heroes Day (2

January); Kanaval (Carnival, held before Catholic Lent);

Labor and Agriculture Day (1 May); Jour du Drapeau (Flag

Day, 18 May); Dessalines Day (17 October); All Saints' Day

(1 November); Fèt Gede (All Souls' Day, 2 November);

Battle of Vertières Day (18 November); and Christmas (25

December). Haiti also celebrates Catholic holidays, such as

Good Friday (the Friday before Easter); Easter; Ascension

Thursday (39 days after Easter); Fête Dieu (Corpus Christi);

and the Feast of the Assumption (15 August).

     New Year's and Independence Day

On 1 January, Haitians celebrate both New Year's and

Independence Day, though New Year's has been getting more

attention in recent decades. On this day, people traditionally

visit their parents and friends to wish them well in the new

year. Almost every household eats soup joumou, a soup made

from a squash broth with carrots, potatoes, cabbage, pasta,

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and meat, which is traditionally understood to be the hearty

food of the French colonists, who severely rationed the diets

of slaves. After the French were driven out of Haiti, eating

soup joumou came to symbolize Haiti's independence from

France. Independence Day is also marked by parades and

street decorations.

     Kanaval

Kanaval (the Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday before Ash

Wednesday) is a festive time of dancing and parades. People

prepare for the holiday for weeks in advance, beginning just

after New Year's. On the holiday itself, people awaiting the

main parade dance to music they play on their own portable

stereos. The parade includes dancers dressed in traditional

clothing, raras (musical bands on foot), chaloska (people

dressed as monsters), and chars (floats from which popular

music groups entertain the crowd). The partying continues all

night and into the early-morning hours for two or three days.

Stores are open only in the morning on these days.

     Rara

Rara, another celebration closely linked to Lent, contains a

mixture of African and Haitian Vodou (voodoo) traditions. It

is usually celebrated in rural areas but occurs also in

Port-au-Prince. Every Sunday during Lent, and occasionally

on weeknights, a number of rara bands take to the streets,

playing music on Haitian-made instruments and collecting

people into a crowd, which follows them as they go. The

instruments include the banbou (a bamboo pipe), tambou (a

hand drum with a wooden base, topped with leather), lanbi (a

conch shell horn), and graj (a grater that is rubbed with a

metal stick).

     Patriotic Holidays

Haitians celebrate several patriotic holidays. Jour du Drapeau

 (Flag Day) is commemorated on 18 May with a parade held

in front of the palace; students from various schools

participate. Dessalines Day (17 October) commemorates the

assassination of Jean-Jacques Dessalines, the man who led

Haitians out of slavery and became the nation’s first

president. Battle of Vertières Day, celebrated on 18

November, is the anniversary of one of the most important

battles in Haiti’s fight for freedom.

     Fèt Gede

Fèt Gede is held on 2 November to honor the dead, who are

highly venerated in Haitian culture. On this day, offerings

such as coffee and kleren (an alcoholic beverage made from

sugarcane) may be brought to the Bawon Samdi (the first man

buried in a cemetery) or Gran Brijit (the first woman buried

in a cemetery).

SOCIETY

Government

Structure

The Republic of Haiti is divided into 10 departments, but the

central government has control over most political affairs.

The president is head of state and is elected by popular vote

for a five-year term. The president cannot serve consecutive

terms. The prime minister is head of government and is

appointed by the president and confirmed by the bicameral

National Assembly. The National Assembly's upper house is

the 30-seat Senate, and the lower house is the 119-seat

Chamber of Deputies. Members of both houses are elected

through a majoritarian system. Senators serve six-year terms

and deputies serve four-year terms. A constitutional

amendment passed in 2012 set a minimum 30 percent quota

for women in government, but this goal has not yet been

reached, as very few women hold seats in the National

Assembly.

     Political Landscape 

Several parties field candidates in national elections and gain

representation in the National Assembly. Haitians enjoy a

relatively strong democratic tradition on the local level;

however, chronic political instability—sometimes including

operating without a parliament—and weak institutions on a

national level are common. Perhaps the biggest challenge

facing Haiti's government is rebuilding the country in the

aftermath of the devastating 2010 earthquake and Hurricane

Matthew (2016). Lack of transparency in using foreign aid is

also an important related issue.

     Government and the People

Citizens of Haiti do not generally enjoy free speech, press, or

assembly. An ineffective police force and judiciary, in

addition to the government's heavy-handedness, contribute to

this situation. Corruption is a major problem in Haiti. Haiti's

political instability has made it difficult for the government to

provide basic services to citizens, including repairing

damaged infrastructure and addressing public health

concerns. Many have protested against the government for

failing to control the high cost of living. The voting age is 18.

Voter turnout has been low since the end of the military junta

rule in 1994, in part because election fraud is common.

Economy

Haiti's economy is based on small-scale agriculture, which

employs nearly 40 percent of the workforce. Large farms are

rare, so production quantities are small. The most important

cash crops include coffee, mangoes, and cacao. Industrial

activity is minimal; however, the clothing industry has

become increasingly important and accounts for over 90

percent of exports and 10 percent of Haiti's gross domestic

product (GDP).

     Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

The government is dependent on foreign aid. Nearly 60

percent of all Haitians live in poverty. Unemployment and

underemployment are widespread, and two-thirds of workers

do not have formal jobs. Remittances from Haitians living

abroad are an important source of income and account for

more than 25 percent of GDP.

     The already weak economy experienced a severe setback

when the 2010 earthquake struck the Port-au-Prince area.

Though lenders cancelled Haiti's debt after the earthquake,

the country soon accrued more. In 2016, Hurricane Matthew

also hurt the economy by damaging crops, houses, and

infrastructure. Corruption, political instability, and inefficient

state enterprises are additional barriers to development.

Haiti's currency is the gourde (HTG).

Transportation and Communications

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For short distances, most Haitians travel by foot. In cities,

they may also ride buses, taxis, or colorful tap taps, which

travel fixed routes but not on a fixed schedule. Intercity

transportation is made by bus, boat, or plane. Few people own

private cars.

     Most people use cellular phones, and smartphones use is

growing; landlines are increasingly hard to find. The postal

system is generally reliable but not protected against theft. In

the past, people often posted messages on certain radio

stations or sent a written message via truck drivers, who

would drop the messages at a store on their way where

recipients could retrieve them. Haiti has two daily

newspapers, more than a hundred radio stations, and several

television stations. Some of the population uses the internet,

accessed mainly through smartphones and at internet cafés.

Education

Structure

Only a small fraction of schools are public, with private

institutions making up the majority of schools. Private

schools include Catholic schools, écoles nationales (national

schools, which are funded by foreign countries), and

international schools. Most urban dwellers send their children

to private schools, even though tuition can be a burden.

     Haiti's school system is patterned after the French model,

with kindergarten, six years of primary school, and seven

years of secondary school. Children usually enter primary

school at age six. It is common for students from poorer

families to end their education after primary school and begin

working. Students must pass exams at the end of the third,

sixth, and seventh years of secondary school. The education

system often does not adequately prepare students to pass

these difficult exams.

     Access

In general, schools lack qualified teachers and necessary

materials. Some of the worst-performing schools are known

as lekòl bòlèt, or lottery schools, because students are said to

have as much chance of learning as they do of winning the

lottery. The school year is often interrupted by political

unrest, especially in Port-au-Prince, where daily schooling is

sometimes interrupted by street demonstrations focused on

elections. Because these events can be violent, parents tend to

keep children home whenever a protest is announced or

anticipated. Education is highly valued but unaffordable to

most. Even in public schools, parents are responsible for

enrollment fees, books, uniforms, and school supplies.

     School Life

From primary school onward, curriculum consists of math,

grammar, history, and geography classes. Other courses such

as literature and foreign languages, and occasionally

extracurricular activities such as sewing, are introduced at

later levels. Learning by memorization is common. Students

in higher levels of primary school and secondary school

spend their afternoons studying and completing homework

assignments. Most only study until sunset because of

numerous power outages and the prohibitive expense of

generators. Parents are generally involved in their children's

study habits, though involvement typically decreases as

students age. Cheating may result in expulsion, possible

rejection from other schools, and severe reprimands at home.

     Higher Education

Students who complete secondary school may pursue higher

education at a university or other institution. Wealthier

students are more likely to attend universities in foreign

countries, while middle-class ones usually attend universities

in Haiti. The country's main university is the State University

of Haiti. Less-wealthy students are more likely to search for

employment immediately after secondary school. A growing

number of vocational schools, which have no entrance exams

and are less expensive than universities, provide

career-specific skills to students who can afford tuition.

Health

Living Conditions and Diseases

Many Haitians live in one-room houses with outhouses and

no running water. The earthquake of 2010 destroyed many

buildings and forced many Haitians to live in tents. Such

living conditions foster the spread of diseases such as malaria,

typhoid, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.

     These diseases, combined with malnutrition and the lack

of health care, lead to numerous deaths—life expectancy rates

are low and infant mortality rates are high. Hospitals provide

minimal assistance to new mothers and infants, and a large

number of women give birth at home without medical

assistance. Many infants do not receive vaccinations, though

most children receive vaccinations in school.

     National Health System

Haiti's national health system is unable to meet the needs of

most people due to the lack of funds, staff, modern

equipment, and sometimes even basic supplies. The majority

of hospitals are concentrated in the capital. A small number of

clinics and hospitals service rural areas but are not accessible

to everyone they are intended to serve. There is no reliable

ambulance system in Haiti. Sick people must be able to afford

both the trip to receive the treatment and the care itself, which

is often lacking in quality.

     There is no public health care in Haiti; most have to pay

their medical expenses out of pocket, if they can afford to do

so. After the 2010 earthquake, the presence of foreign

medical aid increased; however, aid organizations can often

only treat the most urgent cases.

     Traditional Beliefs

Traditional beliefs strongly influence the way that many

Haitians view their health, especially in poor and rural areas.

When confronted with a condition, some might try plant- or

food-based remedies or traditional remedies prepared by a

family member or friend. If money is available, one might try

to purchase products at a pharmacy to relieve symptoms.

Illnesses are often characterized as “sent” sicknesses,

magically placed on a person by a traditional religious

practitioner. If an illness is understood to be mysterious in

origin, one may visit a doktè fèy (a healer who mainly relies

on herbal remedies), an oungan (a male Vodou, or voodoo,

priest), or a manbo (a female Vodou priest). Payments are

usually made in cash, but some patients exchange cattle or

land for services. Usually there is at least one such traditional

healer in each area.

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AT A GLANCE

Contact Information

Embassy of the Republic of Haiti, 2311 Massachusetts

Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; phone (202) 332-4090;

web site www.haiti.org.

Country and Development Data

Capital Port-au-Prince

Population 10,788,440 (rank=82)

Area (sq. mi.) 10,714 (rank=143)

Area (sq. km.) 27,750

Human Development Index 169 of 189 countries

Gender Inequality Index 150 of 162 countries

GDP (PPP) per capita $1,800

Adult Literacy 65% (male); 58% (female)

Infant Mortality 45 per 1,000 births

Life Expectancy 61 (male); 65 (female)

Currency Gourde

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