12225: Delray cultural events showcase Haitian flavor (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Delray cultural events showcase Haitian flavor

By Merle Augustin
Staff Writer
Posted May 31 2002

DELRAY BEACH · Walk anywhere downtown and you can't miss the cultural
influence of the city's Haitian residents.

Drive down the street and you can see reminders of colorful Caribbean
architecture, smell the bread at a Haitian bakery or buy music at a
Haitian-American record shop.

Finding a showcase of Haitian culture is a much rarer thing.

The Haitian Cultural Society of the Palm Beaches is about to remedy that,
with a two-part event this weekend: the Caribbean-American Music Festival
Dinner and Awards Gala tonight and a daylong outdoor musical festival
Saturday.

"There is a growing community here. We don't have to go all the way to Miami
to enjoy this type of cultural activity," said Jimmy Jacques, founder of the
society.

"There is a lot more to the community than the labels or perception of us as
boat refugees," Jacques said. "There is a lot we have to offer: our art,
music, dances and history."

The society is organizing the event along with the Haitian-American
Community Council in Delray Beach and the Haitian Center for Family Services
in West Palm Beach.

Organizers say the festival's goal is to foster a more positive image of the
community, bridge the cultural gap between the Haitian community and others,
showcase Caribbean culture and teach Haitian-American children about their
heritage.

"We're so culturally diverse in Palm Beach County; ... t makes it more
colorful and richer. If we can celebrate them together, we can take our
cultural differences and make them our strengths," said Karlie Richardson,
deputy director of the Haitian-American Community Council.

Tonight's honorees at the awards dinner in West Palm Beach include three
Haitian-Americans, Delray Beach Police Officer Johnny Pun , Hollywood actor
Gabriel Casseus and National Basketball Association player Olden Polynice.
Pun's longtime partner, Fred Glass, also is being honored.

On Saturday the Caribbean-American Music Festival is on the grounds of Old
School Square in Delray Beach.

Throughout the day, there will be shows by Haitian dance groups and bands,
as well as performers fromJamaica, Bahamas and Trinidad.

Polynice and Casseus will make special appearances.

One of the highlights is a concert by Tabou Combo, a 30-year-old Haitian
band that is popular internationally.

Martine Joseph, a dancer who grew up in the area and now teaches locally,
will perform with her group Saturday.

"It's wonderful for something like this to be happening in Delray. It's a
good thing for the Haitian community. I use to complain there wasn't much
here, as far as Haitian culture," Joseph said. "For us to have a festival,
it's wonderful."

According to the 2000 Census, the Caribbean population of Palm Beach County
numbers at least 53,339.

Haitian-Americans outnumber all minority immigrants or Caribbean groups in
the county. In Delray Beach, it is estimated that Haitian-Americans make up
almost 20 percent of the population.

Delray Beach Mayor David Schmidt is eager to see how the festival fares.

Supporting such festivals, said Schmidt, "gives our residents an opportunity
to learn about the various cultures that make up our city, and learn
something about people that might very well be their neighbors."

For Marie-Rosie Toussaint, president of the Haitian-American Cultural
Society in Miami, expanding such events throughout South Florida helps widen
the mainstream appeal of Haitian culture.

In May, Miami-Dade County, for the second year, along with the
Haitian-American Cultural Society, had a monthlong celebration of Haitian
culture.

Art exhibits, films and documentaries, dance and music, food tasting and
outdoor festivals were presented in Little Haiti, public libraries and
trendy venues, such as Miami Beach, Lincoln Road and the Design District.

"In Miami, we call it a window and a mirror on Haitian culture," said
Toussaint, chairwoman of the event. "It's not how many people show up, but
how we can give a better idea of Haiti and how we can help people get
exposure."

Thanks to Miami-Dade's events, upcoming Haitian artists will be exhibiting
at galleries in Spain and New York.

"We bring Haitian culture to people who would be reluctant to go. We make it
familiar," said Toussaint. "Once you make it familiar, it becomes
acceptable, and the next step is, people like it."

Merle Augustin can be reached at maugustin@sun-sentinel. com or
561-243-6522.


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