a1525: Morse rambles on

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: OLOFFSONRAM@aol.com
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We started the weekend off at the Oloffson on Thursday with three bands.
Ti-Koca, which is traditional music from the countryside. Then we had a
vodou
band, Racine Guinin, a petro band with drums (twa tanbou) and vocals and
we
finished up with RAM doing a set mixed with (among other rhythms) Kongo,
yanvalou, and especially rara (its that time of year).
Friday, (Good Friday) was traditional food. Morue (salted cod), white bean
sauce, white rice, boiled beets and a touch of lettuce. Friday afternoon,
people were off to the provinces. Some went to Leogane (the south) for the
rara
festivities, some went to Pont Sonde (the north) for a more rural rara
scene
with traditional dress, and then there were those who went to Souvenance
in
Gonaives for traditional ceremonies. Some of the racine bands (Boukman,
Boukan,
Sanba Yo and Foula got some of their initial inspiration up at Souvenance
(and
Soukri). Its become quite the pilgrimage for locals, tourists,
photographers
and politicians. The Port-au-Prince raras were going till the wee hours.
Other issues such as the recent high profile arrests and the preparation
for
the anniversary of Jean Dominique's death have been put off till Monday.
Electricity has become a rarity in the Republic of Port-au-Prince, as have
telephones and water. The rain is timidly coming back.
Basically people are talking amongst themselves trying to see through the
smokescreen otherwise known as propaganda (be it establishment or
opposition).
In the end the Haitians usually figure things out.
Me, I'm just hanging out at the hotel, rooting for Indiana in the final
four,
since Princeton was eliminated.
Richard Morse