15137: Hermantin: Info about " Lakou Hounto" in Little Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

FROM LEONIE HERMANTIN

For members of the list who requested information about what I described as
a peristile in Little Haiti, I have received some information from its
founder Carol DeLynch. Please note that Ms. DeLynch has provided us with all
of her contact information. If you have any questions, please get in touch
with her directly.


---------------------------------------------------------

FROM CAROL DELYNCH

Lakou Hounto
385 Norhteast 82 Terrace
Miami, Florida 33150
(305) 759-1428
LakouHounto@aol.com


The aim of Lakou Hounto is to encourage our fellow compatriots, as well as
the citizens of the world's interest in the sacred art of Voodoo as well as
the Haitian culture in general.  We would like to popularize the authentic
origin and monotheism of our ancestor’s religion.  Covering all aspects of
it, from the cultural, spiritual, philosophical, and mythological side to
its history from Africa to Haiti are the important topics we will share.

We aim to
1.	Elevate the consciousness of the Haitians people through the teachings of
Genesis and the reality of Voodoo.
2.	Create and maintain cultural awareness amongst the Haitian people.
3.	Recognize the courage of our first queen Anacaona, and her role in the
movement (fight for freedom).  It is imperative for us to acknowledge and
remember the role she played in our history.

One of the most popular Haitian writer and ethnologist, Jean Price Mars, who
bridged the interest of the intellectual community over the cosmogony of our
heritage once wrote : “Voodoo is a religion because all of its followers
believe in spiritual entities who live in close harmony with the humans
whose activities they control…  Voodoo is a religion because the cult which
revolves around its Gods needs a hierarchic sacerdotal body.  A society of
faithful, temples, alters, ceremonies, and finally a strong oral tradition
from which one finds theology.”

Our history and heritage are lively and complex; therefore, we plan on
holding several events to facilitate the understanding of our beautiful
culture.  Our calendar of events for this year (now to January 2004)
includes various events such as:  Conferences, Seminars, Exposition of
Voodoo Relics, Cultural Celebrations, Roots Music (drumming, dances, and
lessons), Arts and Crafts, Exposition of Various Historical Outfits, Flags,
Poetry, Literature,  etc.  There is clearly a need for us to reclaim our
identity by embracing our culture as it is the essence that binds us as a
race.

Lakou Hounto is founded by Carol de Lynch. Mrs.  de Lynch, an ethnologist
and a mambo,  brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to this
organization.  She has worked for a total of eighteen years as a committee
member for the annual Haitian Mardi-Gras in Port-Au-Prince, as well as
supervising the construction of floats and negotiating with the artists.  As
a girl, she studied dance under the tutelage of Lavigna William in Haiti and
further enhanced her studies in afro dance.  She is also a quite experienced
researcher in old religions, and was the founding member of several
organizations, movements or groups in Haiti such as Fenavo (Federation
Nationale des Vodouisants, and the person who invited the king of Voodoo
Sossa Guede Houngue from Africa), and Bordai Nationale, to mention a few.






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