15551: (Hermantin) Miami-Herald-Gallery walk lets residents journey into Haitian cultur (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Posted on Sun, May. 11, 2003

Gallery walk lets residents journey into Haitian culture
BY ANABELLE de GALE AND JACQUELINE CHARLES
adegale@herald.com

They toured Haiti's sugar cane fields and wandered its highest mountains.
They met Vodou spirits and were introduced to national heroes.

Dozens of South Floridians took a tour of Haiti on Saturday night -- through
art.

Dubbed Haitian ARTigras, the gallery walk was held as part of Miami-Dade's
third annual celebration of Haitian Cultural Month.

The Haitian Art Alliance event is among several festivities planned
throughout May in churches, galleries and schools across the county. The
Haitian-American community is inviting residents to get to know their
homeland, its people and its traditions.

''We want people to understand who we are, where we are, what we've done and
what we've accomplished,'' said Emeline Alexis, who serves as Miami-Dade
Mayor Alex Penelas' liaison to the county's Haitian community. ``For them to
understand who we are, they have to understand our culture.''

Saturday night, a few travelers boarded a Miami-Dade Transit bus that
shuttled them to six Haitian art galleries in and around the Miami Design
District.

''This has been a long time coming,'' said North Miami's Reginald Bonhomme.
``This a way to better educate people about who we are. The art captures the
essence of what Haitian life is. ''

There were pouches said to be filled with potions, ornate dolls and symbols
of the Haitian gods of agriculture and sea at the ''Sacred and Not so-Sacred
Arts of Vodou'' exhibit.

''We want to demystify Vodou,'' artist Edouard Duval Carrie said. ``It's a
complex system of beliefs that is very much part of Haiti's history.''

A paper trail of letters, maps and writings gave visitors at the exhibit
''Haiti Through Documents'' a glimpse of the Caribbean country's history.

One letter, dated 1798, was penned in neat cursive by Toussaint L'Overture,
a Haitian slave who emerged as a leader in his efforts to win Haiti's
freedom.

The yellowed letter tells a general that ammunition is on its way to help
defend the south against the English.

The exhibit includes antique maps dating back to 1650 and early history
books. One book, printed in London nearly 200 years ago, chronicles Haiti's
past.

Members of the Haitian community would like the collection preserved and
placed in a public place for people to appreciate. Some also want to see
more modern history books made available with the collection.

''I went to all the public high schools and found no more than 10 books on
Haiti on their library shelves,'' Duval Carrie said. ``The information is
just not there. We want to change that. We are trying to muster the presence
of Haiti in South Florida.''

For a list of Haitian Cultural Heritage Month activities go to
www.haitianculture.com or call 786-426-6746 between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. The
events are free and open to the public.

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