Commenting on the sanctity of the family, the president delivers a clear message in the song, "Pap Divoce," for which his cabinet has already delivered an entertaining video. [Mickey] has taken note of the disposition of the nation's young in regard to Haiti's current state and delivered a very club friendly response in the melodious "Non, non, non". Presidential advisor Wyclef Jean makes a bullet-riddled entrance in "Men nou" that should have dedicated supporters either rushing for shelter or the nearest ballot box. Djazz La Vol. 5 is probably the very best effort this talented drummer/producer has ever released.
The last week of January 2005, the Fifth Annual World Social Forum was held in Porto Alegre, Brazil, bringing together 150,000 grassroots leaders, intellectuals and activists to discuss how the world can be made more free and more just. The conference's theme was "Another World Is Possible," and the speakers and participants showed that another, more fair treatment of Haiti is possible. The conference's keynote speaker, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, discussed the debt that the world owes Haiti in a press conference. He acknowledged that Haiti's Constitutional President had been kidnapped, and declared that he and other Latin American Presidents understood that there could be no solution to Haiti's crisis without President Aristide. At a workshop in Porto Alegre, called "Haiti, the International Community's Dictatorship," speakers from Haiti, the U.S. and the Caribbean led a discussion of the human rights crisis in Haiti, and explored ways that people from outside Haiti could promote the country's sovereignty and the return of its democracy.
Top music industry stars visited the MMPRM booth, sang some of their songs and signed autographs. Haitian-American Hip-Hop and R'n'B artist Jimmy Carter came with his entourage, including a group called "Starvin Krew and he sang his songs "The World," "If You Want To Roll" and some "free style." Special Kudos go out to E-Uneek who M.C'd along with Emmanuel Marcellus. E-Uneek's rendition of his songs from his CD, "200 Years Of Blood, Sweat and Tears" and "Voule" were well received by the crowd. Sweet Micky a/k/a, "The Bad Boy of Haitian music"'s latest CD, "GNB" was represented at the MMPRM booth as Sweet Micky was in Miami and couldn't make it.
Regarding Haiti's educational history, two visionaries Elie Dubois and Louis Joseph Janvier are worth mentioning. [Fabre Geffrard] chose Dubois as Minister of Education in 1859 who established a national school structure at all levels, with a focus on solid foundation at the elementary level by opening Ecole Normale Primaire et Ecole Normale Supérieure. Louis Joseph Janvier (1855-1919) a respected Haitian scholar, trained in medicine, a diplomat in London and Paris, envisioned mandatory elementary schools in urban and rural areas as well as in Masonic temples. Educating the girls and empowering women through voting and having them teach Haitian values were his priorities also.
When Mr. [Jean Berard] died of pleurisy, "Toussaint discreetly supported his widow. He even postponed his own wedding until Madame Berard's death. Although themselves childless, [Pierre Toussaint] and Juliette (a slave whom Pierre freed) Toussaint went on to co-found one of New York City's first orphanages. During an epidemic of yellow fever, while thousands fled the city, the Toussaints stayed behind to nurse the sick. He and his wife donated funds for New York's first Catholic school for blacks." Did you also know that these Haitians send almost $1 billion back to their families in Haiti every year. This amount makes up about 15 percent of Haiti's GNP. This goes a long way to help the balance of payment and foreign currency. This amount is also close to double Haiti's total exports and almost double the international assistance Haiti receives.
"The U.S. government would prefer to tell Haiti what to do and when and how to do it," said Eugenia Charles, the Haitian-born director of Fondasyon Mapou, a Washingtonbased group that seeks to improve the quality of life for Haitians. The group sponsors weekly demonstrations in front of the Haitian Embassy demanding that political prisoners be freed and democracy be restored in Haiti. Thomas Griffin, a Philadelphia attorney and human rights advocate who traveled to Haiti last year, presented details of his findings to members of the Congressional Black Caucus on March 2. His report, released by the Center for the Study of Human Rights at the University of Miami School of Law, found that "Haiti's security and justice institutions fuel the cycle of violence. Summary executions are a police tactic, and even wellmeaning officers treat poor neighborhoods seeking a democratic voice as enemy territory where they must kill or be killed." [Barbara Lee]'s Haiti TRUTH (The Responsibility to Uncover the Tuth about Haiti) Act would form a TRUTH commission to investigate United States involvement in [JeanBertrand Aristide]'s removal.
In the music's hundred year existence, the tradition's greatest innovators (Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, and Ornette Coleman, just to name a few...) have been black. However, Jazz music has since evolved into an international and even a universal level, to the point where we now have: Latin Jazz/Brazilian Jazz/Cuban Jazz/Japanese Jazz etc...Basically, most cultures around the world found their niches in Jazz music. Over the years, Haiti has been home to many great jazz musicians, unfortunately with the dominance of Konpa Music, many Haitians have sort-of ignored this genre of music, and these musicians, but there are a small minority of Haitians in Haiti and abroad that are very fond of Jazz music and have shown serious support to the Haitians musicians who dedicated their lives and craft to playing Jazz music, despite the fact that it's not the dominant and popular art form in Haiti.
There is a bit of hope on the horizon. According to the Associated Press, self styled "General Toutou," one of the most powerful armed gang leaders linked to [Aristide], said he'd be willing to give himself up if United Nations peacekeepers would guarantee his safety. "If the (U.N. mission) is ready to guarantee our security, we'd be ready to give up the fight," said Toutou," whose real name is unknown. Government officials have accused "Toutou" of involvement in the slaying of prominent Le Matin journalist Jacques Roche along with dozens of other killings and kidnapings. "Toutou" has denied any connection with Roche's death.
The major event -- "A Moment in Time" -- will take place on Saturday (June 25th). It's a white- tie tribute gala honoring the life mission of [Katherine Dunham]. The honorary chairs of the event -- Harry Belafonte, Danny Glover and Dick Gregory -- will be joined by a host of other luminaries, including Eugene Redman, poet-laureate of the State of Illinois, to highlight the many contributions of the "Grande Dame of Modern and African Dance" who was instrumental in projecting Haiti on the international scene in the 1940's and '50's. An alert Ms. Dunham reminisced about Haiti's "glorious days" under Presidents Estimé and Magloire. She said, "You all were too young to know about that!" When the Prime Minister said, "Oh no! We aren't that young, we were there too," she beamed and added: "So, you know what I'm talking about."
-, Born in Haiti, she was raised in Brooklyn, NY, attended the best school and college. Her mother, Yanissa Elie, nicknamed Lola, a beautiful Black whose the glamour attracted tourists and VIP visiting Haiti in the late fifties, used to sing when Haiti was booming. Ms Jarvelle shares with her mom a very sensitive soul. But, she is committed not to singing and dancing, but to serving. You waste your life when not helping others". Ms Jarvelle does not want the Haitian society to repeat itself the way she did in Haiti. Motivating, making people being themselves. Such are her challenge and dreams.
