25662: Nlbo: (reply) Saut D'eau-correction date (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Nlbo@aol.com

Dear Corbeteers,

I am not sure about the voodoo date. But Haitian Catholics have a festive
celebration of Our Lady of Mont Carmel on July 16th to celebrate Saut d'Eau.
July 16 is the official feast day of Mont Carmel in the Catholic  tradition- a
feast day that I doubt the average American Catholic is aware of.  Many Haitians
from the East Coast will congregate in that Catholic church in Manhattan this
coming Saturday.

As a matter of fact, last payment and meeting places for Saturday excursion
or "pilgrimage" to Saut d'Eau in Manhattan were the announcements this past
weekend in many Haitian churches in the East coast.

I know first hand a lot practicing Catholics from New York, New Jersey, D.C,
Boston, Connecticut  are going to Manhattan this weekend. I read about this
church several years ago. New York Times ran articles on that celebration and
the Haitian connection with that church.  There have been several exchanges on
that Saut d'Eau -Manhattan church before in Corbett's line. Correct me. Help me
with the names and spellings. I believe Elizabeth MacLister had written about
the whole phenomenon. I forgot the anthropologist's name who writes and
travels with Manbo Lola.  I met her at Harvard, but forgot her name. I think she
writes about Saut d'Eau - MontCarmel also.

> From my voodoo understanding, Saut d'Eau, with, and , or Mt. Carmel are
celebration of one or several of the voodoo deities such as Erzili and in Haiti the
believers bathe in  Sceau d'Eau  for luck.

 I have read about that synchretic phenomenon and know a lot Haitians who
have gone to the Catholic church in Manhattan since they can't go to Vierge
Miracle, that village near Mirebalais which Mt. Carmel is the matron saint. I went
to the village in July l985. It was fun. I bathed in the river that traverses
the road, but did not go to the cascade.  I always want go back. I was scared
of the ride on Morne Cabrit. Does anyone know if  there had been improvement
in the road going to Seau d'Eau in the past 20 years? I would like to go.

It's very hot in Boston. I am having a hard time focusing and remembering
names. Can someone send some literature and articles on the subject?

Thanks
Nekita