Learning Creole & Haitian History

M'ap arann kreyol. (I am learning Creole) It is a beautiful language and listening to a c.d. is very helpful to get the correct pronunciation. I have a list of some of the best-known proverbs which apparently form an integral part of Haitian culture. One is; Sa ki pa touye ou, li angrese ou meaning That which doesn't kill you, makes you fat. Interesting! I thought that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger but I rather like the sound of this since my weight gain in these past few years can be a visual sign of 'being made stronger'!

I have been saddened to learn, once again, of a beautiful culture with beautiful people being transformed after being "discovered" by those from another country. From what I've been reading the land was inhabited by the Arawak Tribe and was virtually all wiped out through disease, war and being made slaves. Then when the French came in and needed more slaves to work for them they went to Africa and basically got them and sadly the harsh treament caused the slaves to die rather quickly. Eventually the slaves came together and fought for their freedom and won. Yet the country has had civil war, harsh and cruel leadership and is the most impoverished country in the western hemispere today. I feel bad that I never realized this country's struggle until the earthquake made the news.

Those who've been helping in Haiti for years do want our help now. "Our" meaning any of us that have more than the average Haitian. That pretty much includes every one of us on the rez. What they don't want is for us to come in and just try to fix everything; what they want is for the Haitians to be trained to fix things for themselves. I have seen the long term problems when government and well meaning people come in to fix and "help" the poor people on the rez. Many will become a people that no longer know or want to care for themselves. Many learn a sense of entitlement meaning that they think they are owed food, owed money, owed a place to live and will stand in any line or fill out any paperwork to get what they are owed. It becomes a way of life.

Right now Haiti is in survival mode and truly need to be given food to eat and water to drink and even clothes to wear. As quickly as we can we need to come alongside of them to help them learn to care for themselves once again so that they may never learn to depend on a government or even well-meaning people.

There is a Haitian proverb meaning "there is no way fully to comprehend another's pain" (Woch nan dlo pa konnen doule woch nan soley) As I prepare my heart for this brief trip I do realize that there is no way for me to fully understand the reality of their world or of their struggle to survive. I know that I am blessed for even today with what little we own we have more than a typical Haitian will ever see in a lifetime.

As I continue to pack items I will leave in Haiti and learn a few more phrases and words in Creole I seem to be spending most of my time preparing my mind and heart.

Ki kote wout sa a mennen? Where does this road lead? Hmm, I wonder....