28822: Stahl: fear, query on tourism in north (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

> From stahlal@earlham.edu

I recently took part in an academic seminar focusing on the Haitian revolution. 
Of 15 scholars, I was the only person who had set foot in Haiti. Other group 
members expressed an interest in going and wondered how that might be possible 
given the (perceived? hmmm. . .) lack of  tourist infrastructures. They -- and 
myself too, since I am the parent of a young child -- also expressed fear of 
kidnapping.

Much thanks to Bob for addressing that elephant in the room. Conspiracy theory 
or not, I'm inclined to believe folks in Haiti who observe seeming complicity 
between the UN forces and the kidnappers (Aren't forces paid by their 
respective countries? That can't be much for many of them!). I go to Haiti when 
I've got an urgent and compelling professional reason, and I'm looking for one 
right now. I've easily gone under other warnings, during elections, when the 
airport was declared unsafe, etc. And my son, who is not even five, has been 
there with me three times too. But for the first time, I'm fighting my own 
fear.

Like others of you, I have concluded that entering Cape Haitian or along the DR 
border would be a good plan. The beaten path in the Repiblik PaP is the real 
risk. I am interested in helping to take these scholars at some point, esp. 
since some are doing valuable work on Haitian history and could benefit from 
visiting sites in the north and from learning about any archival resources 
there while others might eventually (ann espere) lead their own groups of 
students to Haiti.

My question: Are there archives of any sort to be visited in Okap? Are there 
still horses to be had for the climb to La Citadelle? Is ANY tourism -- 
internal included -- happening these days? What do you think "blan" writing 
about colonial Saint-Domingue and the revolution ought to see in a short visit 
to Ayiti?

Aletha Stahl


Associate Professor of French and Francophone Studies

Earlham College
801 National Road West
Richmond, IN 47374-4095
765-983-1338

stahlal@earlham.edu