17237: Saint-Vil Re: 17213: Haiti is a mirror that disturbs....some (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Jean Saint-Vil <jafrikayiti@hotmail.com>

Onè,

Only the naive still wonders why many of the leaders of the Black World find
much to celebrate in the 200th anniversary of Haiti's anti-slavery
revolution, while some particular others like Chirac and Oakland Ross, the
Toronto Star writer, can only find gloom and doom in the event. So far, I
have not heard of a single "White" head of state confirming going to Haiti
this January. Surprise ! Surprise!

Let it be noticed that a 500th anniversary has gone almost unnoticed this
year. That of the arrival in 1503 of the first european slave cargo ships
which herded our foremothers and forefathers from Africa to the continent of
the Tainos, Mohawks, Iroqois, Aztecs, Incas etc.... The sweat, blood, tears
and breast milk of these Africans  feeded and feeds to this very day the
health, wealth (and arrogance!) of 17 generations of shameless amnesic
europeans and euro-americans.  Are these human beings not deserving of
rememberance? Who dares remember? who cares to forget?

I only know of one book written to mark this 500th anniversary, Weber
Tiecoura Jean-Baptiste's "Dessalines-Ville: capitale impériale de la planète
terre 1503-2003, 1803-2003". It is with honor that I will share the podium
with Tiecoura as we commemorate the battle of Vertières with the Haitian
community here in Ottawa, this coming Tuesday November 18th. Yes, we shall
celebrate the day when Africans broke the back of Europe's most barbaric
slave-making army. After which Jean-Jacques Dessalines (eternal respect be
shown unto his name!) declared Haiti a haven for everyone seeking freedom.

Haiti is a mirror that disturbs... for her history forces some to look at
their true roots and offers no opportunity to celebrate "Tarzan" or
"Zembla".


N.B.: According to Jean Fouchard's "Les marrons de la liberté",  the first
slave ships arrived in 1499. However, most other sources identify 1503 as
the year of the first slave ship arrival. Is there any historian on the list
who cares to pitch in his or her grain of truth into this?

If you do possess the required strength and courage, please join us in
shouting today and forever: Mèsi Papa Dessalines !


Jafrikayiti
«November 18th is the only remembrance day I care to celebrate - for this
was indeed a war won for freedom not greed!»

http://www.jafrikayiti.com