8986: THE IMMIGRATION PHENOMENON (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Carl Fombrun <carlfombrun@iopener.net>


Growing up in Haiti I heard often exotic names where people wanted to 
immigrate.  In the upper class many wanted to live in France, particularly 
Paris, and a few of them did just that.  "Voir Paris et mourir": See Paris 
and die. The great majority dreamed of Cuba, Santo Domingo, Jamaica, 
adjacent islands, and many of them did get there.  For some there was a 
wealth of choice, for most it was to survive. 
 
In the past 30 years the favorite city for Haitians to immigrate was New 
York City and then Miami.  Broward and West Palm Beach counties in Florida 
followed as favorites, as well as the Bahamas which has presently a 
population of 60,000 Haitians. 
 
Those who came to New York in the beginning were mostly from the urban 
areas, mainly Port-au-Prince, and had an easier time to adapt to the 
American cultural shock than those who came later, who were mostly from the 
countryside. 
In Florida and the Bahamas the main influx of refugees came from the rural 
areas.  I am simply amazed how they survived.  Coming from an urban area I 
remember how traumatized I was by this process of acclimatization. 
 
Rural immigrants have greater difficulties integrating into the American 
system.  The problem is financial and cultural. 
 
They live in American cities where electrical bills, gas bills, water bills, 
must be paid on time or services will be cut off. Buying a house or a car 
monthly payments must be made on time or an "officer friendly" will be sent 
for collection.  That's the way it is in capitalist America. 
Some Haitians who live here do not realize that when a bill is due on the 
30th, nevertheless the payment has a deadline five days before on the 25h or 
a late charge will occur. Same with other utility services one finds in this 
country. In rural Haiti one could get some charcoal for cooking, and there 
were not all those obligations. One got sick, one could give a chicken, a 
pig, or a donkey to pay the caregiver or the "dokte fey" i.e. leaf doctor. 
 
In the late 70s the so-called boat people, confronted a cultural crisis in 
Miami on a trivial matter such as a deodorant stick.  In their culture they 
considered themselves clean and did not use " roll ons." 
 
The community spirit prevailed and round tables between the urban and rural 
groups took place.  It was not simple being that the agenda of different 
groups was not the same. Each group discussed its position and one group did 
not try to impose its cultural values on the other. The main goal was to 
integrate in the new culture while not losing one's common cultural soul. 
Many criteria in this matter were met in South Florida way back in the early 
80s, thanks to a spirit of cooperation among community leaders regardless of 
some isolated incidents, still. Concerning the " roll-ons," those who did 
not believe in them could be right after all for a different reason; rumors, 
concerning the big C in chemicals, die hard. 
 
Every immigrant group went through the same growing pains. For instance 
describing the Irish immigrants there were three distinctive classes: Shanty 
Irish, Lace Curtain Irish, and Cut Glass Irish. Shanty, meaning poor and 
uneducated, Lace, referring to living room curtains in the Irish middle 
class, and Cut Glass for Waterford crystal in the upper class. 
 
Quarter of a century Haitian immigrants' children have integrated in the 
American system.  The challenge is for those children not to lose contact 
with their past such as Kreyol and good traditional Haitian culture.  The 
sad fact is that actually for every 10 children graduating, seven fail in 
the system. Some become delinquent to end up in no man's land. The others 
face a permanent life of manual labor. 
 
America is a puritanical society where you work and produce. Your work is 
your identity and the most common approach between people here when they 
meet socially for the first time is " What do you do?". 
 
In this society individual decisions must be made.  In order to enjoy a 
comfortable retirement at age 65, one cannot rely on Social Security alone. 
Salary should not be the only factor. A nest egg must be built at an early 
stage. That's where the enterprising Haitian mind could supplement his 
income with entrepreneurial activities in today's global economy. 
 
The value that immigrants have a tendency to lose is the family framework. 
Familial support through their children may not be there for them at 
retirement age. 
 
The Haitian community in South Florida is still searching itself. 
Eventually it will fulfill its goal but my generation may not witness it. 
That's life. 
 
Good traditional values should be kept while Haitian-Americans assimilate in 
the American system.  70% of a people that is illiterate depend on their 
historical heritage to survive as a nation.  Let the other better off 30% be 
part of the solution. 
 
'M'pap kroke makout mwen tro ro, kote menm'pa ka rive."  I won't be hanging 
my bag too high where my hand can't reach. 
 
Internet:  carl@fombrun.com   http://www.fombrun.com  Fax: 305 270-3799 
Published on the online edition 29 August - 04 September 2001 of The Haitian Times 
 
 

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