a1146: Re: a1112: Bois Caiman (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: E Vedrine <evedrine@hotmail.com>


The discussion on 'Bwa Kayiman' (Bois Caiman) appeared before on this forum,
and I guess some Haitians really believe that it had some "mystical power"
that led to the Haitian Revolution (pure b.s!), but I simply see it as sth.
rather "symbolic" (particularly the OAF taken by the slaves to liberate
themselves or the determination shown to finish up with slavery). So far,
there has been a lot of "misinterpretation" of the event and many funny
Haitians believe a pack (whatever) with the devil is what keeps the country
at the level it is now today (sth. really funny and pure folklore!). It's a
way to avoid talking about the "political  & economical reality of the
country" in a place where freedom of speech has always been controlled (by
whoever is in power, and mostly during the worst dictatorships such as the
Duvaliers' (1957-86) for instance). It is not a question of "X" or "Y"
religion that will pull Haiti out of the hole she is, and the Constitution
gives Haitians the freedom of practicing whatever religion they want (as
long the society is not disturbed), though there has been a lot of pressure
(from Catholic & Protestants in the past 50 years) to do away with Voodoo
(e.g during the Elie Lescot's Administration  ['La campagne
anti-superticieuse'] and we can go on and on, reading documents (on the
issue) by members of the "Indigenous Movement" (a time in which some
Haitians were trying to reconstruct their identity by valuing cultural
ingredients from Africa) such as Jacques Roumain & als.). So, still I can
see that some people have problem to differentiate between "folklore" and
"reality". Many (so-called) Haitian leaders have abused Voodoo in this sense
to manipulate the population so that they never see the light of truth. Is
"Bwa Kayiman" / "Voodoo" really responsible for the fate of 'Ayiti Cherie'
(Haiti, my darling) or her bad leaders and dictators who are always thirsty
of power? "I am from Missouri show me".

E.W.Vedrine - http://hometown.aol.com/ewvedrine/Dizan.htm


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