Art & Culture

Catch a show with Haitian Vodou rock band RAM

November 19, 2020 by Anton Lau

haitian lead singer in band dancing in front of microphone — RAM performing at Hotel Oloffson
Photo: RAM.com

Catch a show with Haitian Vodou rock and roots band RAM

Every Saturday night at the Oloffson, the band RAM delivers an unforgettable performance of Vodou-infused rock. Here’s what you need to know before you go.

Every Saturday night at the Hotel Oloffson, the band RAM – a Haitian national treasure – delivers an unforgettable performance of Vodou-infused rock. If you’re not a guest at the hotel or paying for a sit-down dinner, you’ll need to pay an entry fee of 500 HTG (about 5 U.S. dollars). The show starts around 10:30. Expect sing-a-longs with an enthusiastic crowd and dancing all night long.

haitian musicians playing on trumpets — RAM performers with vaksin horns
Photo: RAM.com

On the gothic gingerbread verandah of the Oloffson, you can join a decades-long tradition of watching the sun set over Port-au-Prince with a rum sour or rum punch. On Saturday nights, there’s another ritual going on.

Weekly performances by RAM have become a ceremony loved by all levels of society. Remarkably, in a country where consistency is hard to find, the band has consistently gigged at the Oloffson since 1990, when the band’s frontman took over running the hotel. In fact, the band gets its name from the initials of the Oloffson’s owner, Richard Auguste Morse. Morse’s wife, Lunise, is the lead singer and main dancer.

A “Vodou rock and roots” band, RAM incorporates traditional Vodou lyrics and instruments, such as rara horns and Petwo drums, into modern rock-and-roll grooves. Their lyrics are sung in a macaronic medley of Haitian creole, French and English that islanders and diaspora can appreciate especially. To hear it is to connect with a distinctive sound that could only have been born in Haiti.

haitian band performing in front of crowd — RAM performing at Hotel Oloffson
Photo: RAM.com

RAM live: an unmissable experience

First off, expect to see anyone and everyone here. The shows are and have always been attended not just by often-international hotel guests but a diverse spectrum of the country’s political and ethnic groups and subcultures. Humanitarian workers line the front row next to cross-dressed dancers and Haitian artists from nearby downtown neighborhoods. Corner tables are occupied by foreign ambassadors and visiting celebrities, or Grammy award-winning musicians with a love for Haiti.

The lights are few and far between, and often shine out blue and red. Near the permanent stage erected in the heart of the Oloffson mansion, genuine vodouwizan practitioners can be spotted in the throng of dancers. Some of the people in the crowd have been regulars here for 20 years. One woman in a white traditional frock and elaborate satin turban loves to spray sacred flower-scented florida water on the crowd. Many know the lyrics by heart, no matter what decade the song is from. Several people appear to have entered their own worlds, dancing with unearthly vigour, evoking the scenes of ritual possession one might see at a Vodou ceremony or at the Haitian Day of the Dead.

haitian musicians in red and blue dresses performing — RAM performing
Photo: RAM.com

The early days of RAM

The band started in 1990 when Morse negotiated the lease for the Hotel – then very dilapidated. He created a folklore dance troupe along with his wife and a group of musicians – many from the poorer districts of nearby downtown neighborhoods.

RAM prides itself on having deep roots but always adapting to the times. Many of the lyrics have subtle or not-so-subtle political messages. In the new release “Ayiti Leve”, the lyrics (in Kreyòl) say: “Haiti you sleep too much. It’s time to wash your eyes.” The music video shows the corridors of the Oloffson clouded in darkness. The lead singer’s son, William – also bass guitarist for the band – sits on a traditional high-backed wooden chair in the dark. His mother Lunise walks through the french doors and hands him a candle, illuminating his face and the iconic porch behind him.

The Vodou-inspired drumming is classic RAM but this time the visual is unexpected. “Wake up. See where you are,” the lyrics continue. One by one, Lunise places a candle in each of the band members’ hands. It’s the same shadow play that makes visitors of the Oloffson aware they are wading thickly into something unseen.

Their 2020 Carnival song, “Kongo Lazil O (Kan’w Pran Ou Konnen)” marked RAM’s 28th carnival song release, spanning an era that has seen violent revolts, revolutions, and sometimes unpopular public opinions of RAM’s frontman Morse.

During the years of Haiti’s military regime, one of RAM’s songs, “Fèy” (“Leaf” in english), was censored nationally and eventually banned from radio play by the regime, who correctly perceived it to be a song covertly supporting the exiled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. In defiance of death threats, the band continued to play weekly concerts at the Oloffson – until Morse only narrowly escaped a kidnapping, almost being carried out by junta authorities from the hotel in the middle of a performance in 1994. In 1998, the band’s lyrics offended the newly-elected mayor of Port-au-Prince, and they survived an assasination attempt on their float during a Carnival performance. While the Thursday night performances have been switched to Saturdays in 2020, RAM continues to use their iconic stage as a launch pad for social commentary. The band is loyal to providing lyrical provocation to Haiti’s political landscape.

How to see the show

RAM plays on Saturday nights at the Hotel Oloffson, 60 Ave Christophe, Port-au-Prince, in the neighbourhood of Saint Gérard, just near trendy Pacot.

The show is free for hotel guests and dinner customers. If you’re not sleeping at the hotel or paying for a sit-down dinner, you’ll need to pay an entry fee of 500 HTG (about 5 U.S. dollars). The show starts around 10:30 and runs until late.

Written by Emily Bauman.

Published November 2020

Explore Haiti’s Art & Culture

Visit the Katherine Dunham Cultural Center

October 9, 2020 by Editor

building with futuristic designed roof in public park — Katherine Dunham Cultural Center, Port-au-Prince
Photo: FOKAL

Visit the Katherine Dunham Cultural Center

Located in the crescent coast of the bay of Port-au-Prince, the neighborhood of Martissant was once home to boulevards and villas where Haitian high society lived and thrived. These days, Martissant is high-density and not exactly a tourist destination. But there are a few things in Martissant that are worth the trip, and the Katherine Dunham Cultural Center is one of them.

Nested away in Martissant Park, the Katherine Dunham Cultural Center is a haven of peace, calm and community. It is named after African-American dancer and choreographer Katherine Dunham, who moved to Haiti in the 1930s to learn about the African heritage of Caribbean dance forms. Now known as the ‘matriarch of black dance’, Dunham is credited with bringing African and Caribbean rhythm and technique into the professional dance repertoire.

Katherine Dunham’s private home and studio

During her stay, Dunham befriended a few Haitian officials, and became an important cultural ambassador for Haiti. In the centre of Martissant, Dunham purchased a leafy seven-acre property, which she used for herself and for her US-based dance company. A hotel was built there, and for a number of years Dunham received and entertained the elite of Haiti and other lucky invitees.

The lavishness inside the walls, and luxury of being able to focus on art, was an extremely sharp contrast to the poverty-afflicted neighborhood of Martissant. Now, it is giving something back.

Now open to the public

After Dunham passed away in 2006, her property was transformed into a cultural center, and now features an iconic library, whose five buildings – built to emulate movements of dance – were designed by Mexican architects Raúl Galvan Yañez and Winifred Jean Galvan.

This is why from a distance, it is possible to see and identify the geometric, free-flowing silhouette of the center. On the right hand side of the actual center is the relic of an imposing peristil which belonged to Katherine, and which she used during her time in Haiti as a space for Vodou ceremonies inspired by Dunham’s research into African and Caribbean culture.

Most days of the year, the cultural center is open to the public. It houses a very well composed library for young children, teenagers and adults. It is possible to check books out of the library, with a minimal subscription fee. An attractive, bright, intuitively built interior attracts you to a table, or to a shelf. Everything is exceptionally well designed to encourage community and communication.

Events

Because Martissant Park is under the sponsorship of Fondasyon Konesans Ak Libète (the Foundation for Knowledge and Liberty), the Centre also hosts many roundtable discussions, forums, and panels. There are rotating activities all week long for children, as well – ranging from storytelling workshops to readings conducted by popular Haitian authors. The Center also hosts book signings and conferences by young up and coming authors.

There is always plenty of activity at the Katherine Dunham Cultural Center. It is an exceptional venue made possible by an exceptional woman, and pays homage to her life as passionate activist who lived immersed in Haitian culture.

Written by Kelly Paulemon.

Published October 2020

Find the Center

External Links

Looking for some cool things to do?

Krik-krak! – The Haitian Tradition of Storytelling

May 29, 2020 by admin

group of haitians sitting on chairs and porch in courtyard — Krik-krak storytelling in Cayes Jacmel
Photo: Anton Lau

Krik-krak! (and tim-tim!)

An oral tradition as old as the birth of Haiti, folk storytelling — or tire kont — is one of the pillars at the center of the country’s culture, and must be practiced to survive from generation to generation

“In my family, we are four, but when one of my brothers and sisters is not there, we can’t do anything…” Do you know the answer?

What you’ve just read is an example of a captivating Haitian cultural tradition known as kont, or “tales”. The scene in which you’ll hear these usually begins at nightfall, when children leave the warmth of their family homes to reunite outside and do what Haitians call tire kont – “telling tales”. These tales aren’t really stories, but rather short charades, each more amusing than the one before, based on the details and small objects of everyday life, and told in very colorful language. The practice of tire kont is often referred to as krik-krak! or tim-tim! because of the call-and-response formula of the charades.

haitian boys sitting in port-au-prince — Boys gathered for Krik-krak storytelling in Bois Moquette
Photo: Franck Fontain

How krik-krak works

The taleteller, the one who usually knows the answer to the charade, signals the start of a charade by calling “Krik!” To this, everyone replies: “Krak!”

When the taleteller says krik, they’re saying, “Prepare yourself, I have something for you to guess.” After people respond with “Krak!”, the taleteller continues: “Tim tim?” and the assembly replies, “Bwa chèch.”

“I may be small, but I have honored the greatest men.”

At this point, it’s up to the fastest person to answer. Suggestions shoot up from every corner: candle? Pen? Notebook? And if no one knows the answer, everyone admits defeat by saying, “Mwen bwè pwa.” Then, and only then, the taleteller reveals the answer to the riddle. Krik-krak is a communal practice that says a lot about Haitian people’s way of life. The tale, just like music and literature, contributes to keeping the Creole language alive and dynamic.

The practice of krik-krak / tim-tim is inherited from Haitians’ ancestors in Africa. In So Spoke the Uncle, Jean Price-Mars explains that similar practices appear in other countries where most of the population is descended from Africa, like Guadeloupe, and that the same krik-krak formula is still in use in some places in Africa.

Alongside riddles, there are also stories told to children and adults that follow the same formula, and which participate in the transmission of Haitian’s collective communal values and morality. Some tales, such as “Tezin” and “Ti Soufri”, are widespread across Haiti. Just like the fables and fairytales, these stories carry moral lessons and reflect social mores.

Haitian storytelling: growing or vanishing?

Orality occupies an extremely important place in Haiti, to the point where even Vodou, the most popular religion, is preserved overwhelmingly through oral traditions, including a strictly oral form of literature called odyans. The Haitian tale puts in perspective ways of life of the lower class and of people living in the countryside, where themes such as ownership, death, inheritance and family resurface often – familiar themes in European fairytales, which likewise often centre on the rural working-class. Although the social rite of telling stories around campfires is older than history itself, and the Haitian call-and-response guessing game is anchored in ancient African modes of storytelling, krik-krak! stands out as a unique treasure of Haitian culture, and one that both reflects and co-creates Haitian society.

However, since kont are handed down generation through generation orally, some rarely-told tales are at risk of disappearing…

haitian boys sitting together laughing — Boys gathered for krik-krak storytelling in Bois Moquette – Photo: Franck Fontain

There’s a Krik-krak! festival in March, and you’re invited!

Since 2009, an annual storytelling festival called Kont Anba Tonèl – the Intercultural Festival of Tales – has been hosted in Port-au-Prince as well as Jérémie and other provincial cities. Held every March, starting on World Story Day (March 20), the festival is largely an effort to showcase Haitian modes of storytelling, keeping the practice of krik-krak! alive. And it seems to be working – more and more comedians are turning to a career of professional taleteller, and some radio stations recover audio files of tales, archiving them to hold them in safekeeping for the future generations we hope will continue the practice.

If you visit Haiti during the last two weeks of the month of March, you’ll be able to attend the Kont Anba Tonèl festival and immerse yourself in an ancestral practice. Expect to hear a wealth of tales, attend talks by professional tale-collectors, and participate in workshops teaching many modes of storytelling, including krik-krak!. On that note…

“Krik? Gets dressed to the nines to stay at home?”
“Krak! The bed, of course…”

Written by Melissa Beralus and translated by Kelly Paulemon.

Published May 2020

Explore Haiti’s Art & Culture

Gingerbread Houses

May 21, 2020 by admin

old colonial houses in coastal city — The Boucard House in Jacmel
Photo: Anton Lau

Gingerbread Houses

“an important architectural and cultural heritage, not just for Haiti but also for the international community.”

Gingerbread Houses are ornate turn-of-the-century buildings unique to Haiti. Like their edible namesake, Gingerbread Houses are famous for steep roofs and ornate details highlighted in vibrant, contrasting colours. They are architecturally fascinating for a number of reasons – not least because they’ve proven to be surprisingly resistant to earthquakes.

An iconic feature of urban communities around Haiti, these ageing architectural masterpieces have survived a century of turmoil and natural disaster, and are a compelling conservation opportunity. And they’ve just been formally recognised as one of the most important at-risk heritage sites in the world.

old colonial haitian house in tropical garden — Old gingerbread house on Rue 16 F, Cap-Haïtien
Photo: Mozart Louis

Where can you see Gingerbread Houses?

These stately relics are scattered throughout Port-au-Prince, but are concentrated in the neighborhoods of Pacot, Turgeau, Bois Verna, and Bas Peu de Choses. You’ll also find Gingerbread Houses in other cities around Haiti, including Jérémie, Jacmel, and Cap-Haïtien.

Who were they built for? What are they used for now?

Originally, Gingerbread Houses were built as the residences of powerful Haitian families, and many surviving examples have housed Haitian presidents. During the 1900s, some of these Gingerbread residences were acquired or built by Catholic institutions, which is why many of the Catholic schools and buildings you can see today are examples of the Gingerbread style.

During Haiti’s boom time as a fashionable travel destination in the 1950s and 60s (when the moniker “Gingerbread” was first introduced by American tourists), Gingerbread Houses were symbols of prestige, used as the seasonal residences of stars like Truman Capote, Noël Coward, Graham Greene and Katherine Dunham, who stayed at the Hotel Oloffson or bought Gingerbread Houses of their own.

Today, most of the investment in Gingerbread Houses comes from the arts. Organizations like Kolektif 509, FOKAL, Fondation Viviane Gauthier and Le Centre d’Art are restoring iconic Gingerbread Houses and opening them up to the public as spaces to preserve, practice and promote Haitian art forms.

colonial house decorative fretworkand latticework details — Gingerbread house in Turgeau
Photo: Franck Fontain

Architectural style

In 1895, three young Haitians travelled to Paris to study architecture, and adapted Parisian architecture to the Caribbean climate and living conditions. Together, these young architects refined the architectural style now known as “Gingerbread”, designing civic buildings and residences that combined French-inspired, Victorian Gothic grandeur with flamboyant colors and vivid decorative patterns – including vèvè symbols from Haitian Vodou.

Designed for Haiti’s tropical hot and humid weather, Gingerbread Houses feature tall ceilings, doors and windows as well as wrap-around verandahs, all decorated in a vibrant, distinctive style with elaborate details unique to Haiti. Most Gingerbread Houses were constructed using natural, flexible timber frames that have the innate ability to weather some of the Caribbean’s toughest storms (and as it turns out, even earthquakes).

Inside, they’re a mastery of climate-control, with high ceilings and tall turret roofs designed to draw hot air upwards and out of living rooms. Louvred shutter windows allow cool breezes in and keep moisture out. In the leafy suburbs of Pacot, Pétion-Ville and Turgeau, these majestic windows open out onto picturesque views of the city. Luxurious, extended front porches plunge onto stately grounds with manicured tropical gardens.

old colonial houses on city street in jacmel — Gingerbread houses on Rue Du Commerce, Jacmel
Photo: Anton Lau

Conservation

By the 21st century, many of these once-elegant, century-old structures had fallen into disrepair. Although the communities of people living in and caring for Gingerbread Houses had made substantive efforts to preserve them, political and economic conditions meant that only some of these iconic buildings could be adequately preserved.

As a whole, the historic Gingerbread House district of Port-au-Prince wasn’t getting the support it needed as an at-risk cultural heritage site. In 2009, the Haitian Leadership and Education Program (HELP) successfully brought Gingerbread Houses to the attention of the World Monuments Fund (WMF), in the hopes of generating support for the restoration of these irreplaceable treasures. In late 2009, Haiti’s Gingerbread Houses were chosen as one of the WMF’s 2010 World Monuments Watch list.

2010 earthquake

Less than three months later, the devastating earthquake of January 12, 2010 struck. The Haitian government made Gingerbread Houses a conservation priority. Now internationally recognised for their architectural and social significance, local and global cultural heritage organizations mobilized quickly to assess the damage. By early February, teams were touring Gingerbread House sites to inspect and evaluate. Though many suffered serious damage, their traditional construction proved surprisingly earthquake-resistant, and very few of them collapsed.

In fact, less than five percent of Gingerbread Houses collapsed completely, compared with forty percent of modern, conventionally-constructed buildings. Architects are now trying to analyse what makes the fragile-looking, intricate Gingerbread Houses so seismically resistant, in the hopes of designing future homes in Haiti to be more resilient.

2020 World Monuments Watch

In November 2019, the Gingerbread district of Port-au-Prince was chosen as one of 25 globally-important sites on the WMF 2020 World Monuments Watch, a list of exceptional sites that “marry great historical significance with contemporary social impact.”

The Gingerbread district was selected from more than 250 applications, after a series of in-depth reviews by an independent panel of international experts in heritage preservation.

“The chosen locations are determined not only by their architectural value, but also by their impact on communities around the world,” said Bénédicte de Montlaur, CEO of WMF. “These remarkable sites demand sustainable, community-driven solutions that bring people together and combine conservation and social change”

Being on the 2020 Watch list means that local stakeholders working to preserve Port-au-Prince’s Gingerbread district will now receive crucial funding from the WMF and its international financial partners. Hopefully, the hard work of local conservation teams will now have an even bigger impact.

A compelling conservation opportunity

Port-au-Prince’s historic Gingerbread Houses embody Haiti’s cultural heritage in a nutshell: rich and incredibly valuable as a cultural and economic resource for contemporary Haitians and future generations to thrive – but also endangered, under-documented and underfunded.

Make a difference by visiting Port-au-Prince’s Historic District today. If you’re lucky, you might get to meet the communities of artists and conservationists working to revitalize these extraordinary treasures.

old colonial houses lined on street with ocean in background — Old gingerbread houses on Rue Stenio Vincent in Jérémie
Photo: Anton Lau

Go on a self-guided tour of Gingerbread houses

Open to the public in Port-au-Prince

Villa Kalewès – 99 Rue Gregoire, Petion-Ville. Easily recognizable by the rich gingerbread color of its fairy-tale wooden walls and icing-like white lace edging. One of the most important Gingerbread structures in Petionville, Villa Kalewès remains both in-use and, lucky for us, open to the public. Villa Kalewès isn’t open every day, so make sure to visit during an advertised event or call head to check.

Maison Dufort – 9 2eme Rue du Travail, Turgeau, Port-au-Prince. Open to the public 9am – 4pm. Maison Dufort was extensively restored by nonprofit FOKAL (Foundation Connaissance et Liberté) between 2012 and 2018. To find out more, ring 2813-1694 or email studiofokal@fokal.org. Voyages Lumière run guided tours in French and English.

Gingerbread restaurant – 22 Rue 3, Port-au-Prince. Open 11am to 10pm Monday thru Saturday. Closed Sundays.

Hotel Oloffson – Ave Christophe, 60, Port-au-Prince. A working hotel, Hotel Oloffson also has a restaurant where non-guests are welcome for lunch (US $12-15) and dinner (US $15-25), as well as a famously good live Vodou rock show every Thursday night. Originally built as the residence of an influence family, Hotel Oloffson has been a presidential residence, a US military hospital (during the 20-year US occupation of Haiti from 1915 to 1935) and a hotel since 1936. Glorified in Graham Greene’s 1966 novel The Comedians.

Le Centre d’Art / Larsen Family House – 22 rue Casseus, Pacot, Port-au-Prince. In late 2019, this house was purchased from the Larsen family and will become the new home of Le Centre d’Art. The old premises of Le Centre d’Art, at 58 rue Roy, were damaged beyond repair during the 2010 earthquake.

Maison Gauthier – In the heart of the historic Gingerbread district, Maison Gauthier “represents both the life of the celebrated doyenne of Haitian folkloric dance, Viviane Gauthier, and one of the finest examples of gingerbread architecture in Haiti.” In 2015 the Fondation Viviane Gauthier was established to restore the villa and maintain it as a place to teach and promote Haitian folkloric dance.

Open to the public outside Port-au-Prince

In Jacmel it’s possible to see inside a Gingerbread House at Hotel Florita, Hotel Manoir Adriana, Sant d’A Jakmel and Alliance Francaise.

In Cap-Haitien it’s possible to go inside Hotel Roi Christophe and Alliance Francaise.

Not open to the public

The Peabody House – hidden from view by dense tropical gardens, the Peabody House is near the corner of Rue Pacot and Rue Malval in Pacot, Port-au-Prince.

The Cordasco House (also known as Villa Marimar / Le Petit Trianon) – a 19th century gothic Gingerbread mansion in Pacot, Port-au-Prince.

Villa Castel Fleuri – Avenue H. Christophe, Port-au-Prince. Briefly home to the President of Haiti, Villa Castel Fleuri suffered extensive damage during the 2010 earthquake.

Le Manoir – Avenue John Brown, Port-au-Prince. Has remarkable roofs and turrets constructed with decorative pressed metal roof shingles.

The Patrice Pamphile House – 4 Rue Casseus, Turgeau, Port-au-Prince. Extensively damaged by the 2010 earthquake.

Maison Chenet, also restored by nonprofit FOKAL between 2012 and 2018.

The Bazin House on Rue du Travail Deuxième, Port-au-Prince.

The house of Jean-Richard Montas – 79 Avenue H. Christophe, Port-au-Prince.

Gingerbread House built by Tancrede Auguste – 32 Lamartiniere, Port-au-Prince.

Wood-frame house – 24 Avenue Lamartiniere, Port-au-Prince.

A charming example of a smaller and simpler Gingerbread House – 26 Rue 7

A large and elaborate Gingerbread House, still surrounded by its original
spacious property, at 9 Rue Bellvue, Port-au-Prince.

Gingerbread House – 51 Avenue Christophe, Port-au-Prince.

Gingerbread House at 59 Lavaud 3, Port-au-Prince.

Gingerbread House at 14 Rue Marcelin, Port-au-Prince.

Gingerbread House at 32 Lamartiniere, Port-au-Prince.

Gingerbread House at the Episcopal University, 14 Rue Légitime, Port-au-Prince.

Gingerbread House at 22 Rue Pacot, Port-au-Prince.

College de Jeunes Filles, at 10 Lavaud, Port-au-Prince.

old colonial house on city street with traffic — Gingerbread house in Jacmel
Photo: Anton Lau

Written by Kira Paulemon.

Published May 2020

Explore Haiti’s History & Heritage

Vodou Pilgrimage to Saut d’Eau

February 11, 2020 by admin

crowd of haitians standing under a huge waterfall — Pilgrims gathering beneath the Saut d’Eau waterfalls
Photo: Franck Fontain

On the trail of the Vodou pilgrimage to Saut d’Eau

Every year, this one-of-a-kind Vodou pilgrimage brings together crowds of the devoted and the curious

Haitian culture – we mention it a lot here at Visit Haiti, but what is it, exactly?

Haitian culture is a cluster of concepts, practices and identities, including the Kreyol (Haitian Creole) language, a set of morals, everyday customs, the history of the modern nation of Haiti (as well as the interrelated history of the Dominican Republic and the island of Hispaniola as a whole), and the Haitian religion – Vodou.

Spelled Vodou to distinguish it from the voodoo traditions of Louisiana and elsewhere in the African diaspora, Haitian Vodou is born out of the unique mix of many African religious practices with christianity, all of which were transported here to Haiti during the colonial period.

According to sales archives preserved from the colonial era (and still accessible in private collections or at the National Library of France), we learn that plantations often held slaves of up to ten different ethnicities. This included members of the island’s indigenous Taíno people, few of whom had survived the brutal regime of colonisation and enslavement up to that point. Colonial plantation owners were recommended to hold slaves from different ethnicities together on the same plantation, so that they’d have nothing in common but the color of their skin. People thrown together on Haitian plantations included Fon (Dahomey) people from Benin, Congo and elsewhere. In The Mysteries of Vodou, Laennec Hurbon explains that the word Vodou comes from the language spoken in Benin and means “invisible and formidable power”.

This multiculturalism allowed Haitian Vodou to acquire over the course of the years characteristics that are its own, and awards it all the richness it has today. One of the roots of this richness is the religious syncretism that allowed African practices to graft themselves to Christianity as well as to the indigenous practices that already existed on the island. From there, the Christian saints became vodou lwas and Christian celebrations transformed into Vodou ceremonies and celebrations.

One of these celebrations is the annual pilgrimage to honor the Miraculous Virgin of Saut d’Eau at the magical Saut d’Eau waterfall (spelled Sodo in Kreyol).

haitian girl sitting behind table with merchandise for sale — Vendor selling offer gifts at Saut d’Eau
Photo: Franck Fontain

The Miraculous Virgin of Saut d’Eau

Popular in Vodou spaces around Haiti, the Miraculous Virgin of Saut d’Eau is renowned for bringing luck in love and in economic transactions. You’ll also find her venerated under the names Saint Anne (Mother of the Virgin Mary in the Christian tradition) or Little Saint Anne (Kreyol: Ti Sent Án) or Miraculous Virgin.

Every year from July 14 to 16, devotees from across Haiti make a pilgrimage to the Saut d’Eau waterfall, located 60 miles north of Port-au-Prince. The event also attracts curious travellers from around the world, who want to witness this one-of-a-kind Vodou pilgrimage.

haitian pilgrims during a spiritual ritual by waterfall — Pilgrims bathing at Saut d’Eau
Photo: Franck Fontain

How to invoke the favor of the Miraculous Virgin

To obtain the Miraculous Virgin’s favor, Vodou practitioners travel to the sacred Saut d’Eau waterfall to conduct a purification ritual. Most practitioners make the pilgrimage in summer, but the ritual is possible at any time of the year.

The ritual is called a “luck bath”. The devotee journeys to the cult site with a calabash (a water flask made from a gourd) as well as gifts to offer to the goddess, before disrobing and diving under the magnificent Saut d’Eau waterfall. Devotees carry a small collection of leaves, plants, and herbs linked to the goddess and believed to have therapeutic virtues. If they want to, the supplicants can also bring orgeat syrup, perfume or flowers, or prepare a meal to offer as a pledge of their good faith and their loyalty to the lwa.

Once the preparations are complete, the supplicant bathes under the waterfall (either alone or with the help of an ougan (Vodou priest)), washing while invoking the protection and virtues of the goddess. It is critical, at the end of this ceremony, to break the calabash that served to carry water from the waterfall to wash oneself and to leave in the water the clothes which the supplicant had worn to the site – these represent their past bad luck. Instead, devotees leave dressed in new clothes, and hopefully imbued with the goddess’ protection and luck for the future.

crowd of haitians preparing for a spiritual bath by waterfall — Saut d’Eau
Photo: Franck Fontain

Make a pilgrimage of your own

Intrigued? Although it’s one of the most sacred sites in Haiti, Saut d’Eau is not cut off from the curious. Travellers are welcome to visit the waterfall any time of year. Whether you want to try your luck at invoking the lwa‘s favor, or just enjoy the experience of bathing under an incredible freshwater waterfall, framed by gorgeous forest filled with birdsong, you’re welcome to make a pilgrimage of your own to this very special place.

Saut d’Eau waterfall (spelled Sodo in Kreyol) is located 60 miles north of Port-au-Prince, near Mirebalais. The pilgrimage happens from July 14 to 16, but the site is open to visitors year-round (road conditions allowing).

The magnificent Saut d’Eau waterfall is just one of many mystical sites used for the Vodou luck bath ritual, including Bassin Saint Jacques and the gorgeous Bassin Bleu.

haitian woman in blue dress with small child in straw hat — Saut d’Eau
Photo: Franck Fontain

Written by Melissa Beralus and translated by Kelly Paulemon.

Published February 2020

Explore Haiti’s Art & Culture

Fèt Gede – the Haitian Day of the Dead

February 1, 2020 by admin

haitian man dressed in purple shirt with human bones celebrating fet gede — Fèt Gede in Port-au-Prince
Photo: Franck Fontain

Fèt Gede – the Haitian Day of the Dead

Fèt Gede – the Haitian Day of the Dead – is an annual tradition when practitioners of vodou parade through the streets, possessed by the spirits of the dead (gede)

Every year, on November 1 and 2, Haiti becomes the stage for a unique celebration: Fèt Gede, the “Festival of the Dead”. Much like the Day of the Dead practiced in Mexico and by Latin communities in the US, Fèt Gede is a way to pay respects to loved ones who have passed on.

In Haiti, each religion celebrates this differently: Catholics meet at church for a mass dedicated to the deceased, and Protestants come together too — but adherents of one of the country’s state religions — vodou — celebrate their deceased in a much more festive way. Although it overlaps with the concept and calendar space of Christian All Souls Day, Fête Gede traces its origins to African ancestral traditions, preserved across oceans and centuries in modern-day Haiti.

Gede shows are notoriously loud and extravagant, and can be seen nearly everywhere across Haiti, with Vodou practitioners dressed elaborately to represent the subset of lwa or loa — “spirits” — called gede — “the dead”. Gede may be invisible for the rest of the year, but during Fèt Gede, the dead definitely do not go unnoticed!

See more photos from a Fèt Gede celebration in Gonaîves here!

Fèt Gede celebrations
Photo: Franck Fontain

Vodou, lwa and gede

Vodou is a prominent feature of Haitian culture, and as a religion it has many practitioners — called vodouwizan — spread across the country. The religious syncretism between vodou and christianity has historically made it difficult to make an official estimate of numbers of practitioners, since most people who practice Haitian vodou to some extent also identify with a Christian denomination, but unofficial estimates suggest as much as 50% of Haitians practice vodou. For these vodouwizan, Fèt Gede is an important occasion to honor the gede.

But what are the gede exactly?

Every vodouwizan has their own gede. It’s either a close friend or a relative – the gede is the reincarnation of a loved one who has come from the afterlife to live in the body of the vodouwizan who called upon them. But not every ancestor is venerated as a gede. For the dead to become a gede, the vodouwizan must, through a Vodou ceremony, contact the deceased and transform them into a gede, which they can then invoke as they see fit.

According to vodou, by becoming a gede, the deceased are transformed from being simply a human soul that has passed on into a lwa, and this lwa generally has a name that begins with gede, for example, gede loray, with loray meaning “thunder.” Sometimes a relative who served a gede dies, and another vodouwizan decides to take up servitude of that same gede.

Party in the cemetary

During gede celebrations, the streets of every city are full of vodouwizan. On November 1 and 2, vodouwizan come together to around cemeteries to make devotions, perform precise rituals, and to generally honor the deceased.

Every cemetery on the island is overrun by vodouwizan – some possessed by gede, and others not. Those who are possessed are easily recognizable by their attire: dressed in white, black, and purple, their faces covered in white powder and black sunglasses, a walking stick in hand, and the indispensable bottle filled with alcohol and hot peppers (especially kleren and a type of habanero called goat pepper). The gede love hot peppers, and from time to time, in the middle of the street, they pour the pepper-infused alcohol all over their bodies, and particularly on their genitals, writhing and mimicking erotic postures and scenes, much to the delight of spectators.

Possessed by the gede lwa, these men and women cover several miles on foot while dancing, their waists leading their every movement. Following an unspoken instruction, they all share a single final destination: the cemetery. Once at the cemetery, the boisterous spectacle continues with loud singing, erotic dancing, and bodies drenched in spicy substances. Other vodouwizan who have come to visit their deceased relatives and friends take some time to pour coffee and grilled corn on their graves, and talk with the relative or close friend.

But first, paraders must obtain permission to enter the cemetery at the ceremonial grave of the “first man”, Bawon Samdi, and the first woman, Manman Brijit. The gede are a very large family; Bawon Samdi represents the father, Manman Brijit the mother, and they’re followed by Bawon Kriminèl, Gede Nibo, Gede Loray, Brave Gede, and Gede Zanrenyen, who together form an escort for all gede.

Bawon Samdi (/Samedi), also known as Papa Gede, presides over the festivities. Papa Gede’s colors are black, white and purple, and he is often characterized smoking cigars, wearing a top hat and sunglasses – frequently with only one lens. Some say this is because Bawon Samdi sees both worlds, which gives him an uncanny resemblance to the one-eyed god Odin of Nordic mythology, who also tread the path between the dead and the living.

haitian girls in purple/white dresses and painted faces celebrate fet gede — Fèt Gede celebration
Photo: Kolektif 2 Dimansyon

How to get involved

Each November heralds the sacred and spectacular celebration that is Fèt Gede – a raucous, bawdy, fiery festival that embodies many of the essential elements of Haitian culture, all splashed with bright paint, spicy food, strong drinks, and the rhythm of people’s feet on the pavement.

Fet Gede rituals are held throughout November but are concentrated on November 1 and 2. The biggest and brashest parade happens in Port-au-Prince at The Grand Cemetery, or ‘Grand Cimetière’. If you’re travelling by car, be prepared for the enormous crowds that make it impossible to get near the cemetery – you won’t find a place to park, but a chauffeur should be able to get close enough to at least stop and let you out. Entrance is through the main gates, which reads “Souviens-Toi Que Tu Es Poussiere” (“remember you are dust”).

Written by Jean Fils and translated by Kelly Paulemon.

Published October 2019

Ã—Select Language

Art & Culture

Catch a show with Haitian Vodou rock and roots band RAM

Every Saturday night at the Oloffson, the band RAM delivers an unforgettable performance of Vodou-infused rock. Here’s what you need to know before you go.

RAM live: an unmissable experience

The early days of RAM

How to see the show

Citadelle Henri

Explore Haiti’s Art & Culture

Paradise for your inbox

Visit the Katherine Dunham Cultural Center

Katherine Dunham’s private home and studio

Now open to the public

Events

Find the Center

External Links

Citadelle Henri

Looking for some cool things to do?

Paradise for your inbox

Krik-krak! (and tim-tim!)

An oral tradition as old as the birth of Haiti, folk storytelling — or tire kont — is one of the pillars at the center of the country’s culture, and must be practiced to survive from generation to generation

How krik-krak works

Haitian storytelling: growing or vanishing?

There’s a Krik-krak! festival in March, and you’re invited!

Your pocket guide to Cap-Haïtien

Explore Haiti’s Art & Culture

Paradise for your inbox

Gingerbread Houses

“an important architectural and cultural heritage, not just for Haiti but also for the international community.”

Where can you see Gingerbread Houses?

Who were they built for? What are they used for now?

Architectural style

Conservation

2010 earthquake

2020 World Monuments Watch

A compelling conservation opportunity

Go on a self-guided tour of Gingerbread houses

Open to the public in Port-au-Prince

Open to the public outside Port-au-Prince

Not open to the public

Citadelle Henri

Explore Haiti’s History & Heritage

Paradise for your inbox

On the trail of the Vodou pilgrimage to Saut d’Eau

Every year, this one-of-a-kind Vodou pilgrimage brings together crowds of the devoted and the curious

The Miraculous Virgin of Saut d’Eau

How to invoke the favor of the Miraculous Virgin

Make a pilgrimage of your own

The Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Haiti

Explore Haiti’s Art & Culture

Paradise for your inbox

Fèt Gede – the Haitian Day of the Dead

Fèt Gede – the Haitian Day of the Dead – is an annual tradition when practitioners of vodou parade through the streets, possessed by the spirits of the dead (gede)

Vodou, lwa and gede

Party in the cemetary

How to get involved

The Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Haiti

Explore Haitian Vodou & Spiritualism

Paradise for your inbox

Plan Your Trip

Destinations

Information

Company

Plan Your Trip

Destinations

Information

Company

Select Language