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Haiti: The Country |
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 Hispaniola, the island which Haiti shares with the Dominican Republic, was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492 on his first voyage. The Arawak native population (or Tainos), who also inhabited numerous other Caribbean islands and coastal regions of South America, were virtually wiped out because of European diseases to which they had no immunity, as well as massacres and harsh exploitation by the Spanish. In the next 100 years, their presence on the island had virtually disappeared, though their influence continues to manifest itself, blended into Haiti's dominant language (Creole), its religion (Catholicism subverted by voodoo), and most prominently by the name of the country itself. Haiti, is the name the Arawaks gave the island.
Haiti occupies the western third of Hispaniola. It's only 55 miles east of Cuba, separated from it by the Windward Passage which also separates the Atlantic Ocean from the Caribbean Sea. It received its present name in 1804 following a revolt by slaves who the French had imported to work the sugar plantations. Today, Haiti's population is about 95% black.
 The French had come to occupy present day Haiti courtesy of French pirates who had first established a base on the offshore island of Tortuga. Many of them naturally migrated to the mainland, and so when when a peace settlement for the War of the Grand Alliance in Europe was negotiated in 1697, France was awarded Haiti by the Spanish in exchange for more valuable territory in Europe. Haiti was then named Saint-Domingue.
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Stamps of Haiti |
 Probably the most famous historical landmarks in Haiti are the Citadelle La Ferriere and the accompanying Palace of San Souci. The Citadel was built on a hilltop by Henry Christophe as an inpregnable fortress to thwart any attempt by Napoleon to reinvade Haiti to reintroduce slavery. Fortunately, the citadel never had to be put to the test. Located near the major city of Cap Haitien, the attractions are on UNESCO's World Heritage List. For more information and pictures, see this page. You'll also find some invaluable travel tips to make a visit there more enjoyable.
 In the realm of art, Haiti is a world power. Haitian artists are exhibited in galleries and museums worldwide. Paintings are especially popular, distinguished by their bold, bright colors. The painting featured on this 1981 Haitien stamp, entitled "Market Vendors," is by Michele Manuel. Some of her other paintings can be viewed or purchased on this page of the Carrie Art Collection Gallery.
 Being the poorest country of the western hemisphere, Haiti is desperately in need of international charitable assistance. Tragically, Haiti's political climate is frequently so volatile and her leadership is often so corrupt that humanitarian aid can be a hit-or-miss proposition. In 2004, after Haiti's President Jean Bertrand Aristide was forced to resign and flee to exile in the face of an armed rebellion, a consortium of countries pledged $1.4 billion in aid, but Haiti's interim prime minister called for more developmental aid as opposed to military or "peacekeeping" aid. A year later, in June 2005, the Brazilian ambassador in Washington wrote, in a letter to the Washington Post that "only about $200 million has been disbursed by the major donors"(see story). The efforts of humanitarian relief organizations, such as CARE, honored on this 1979 stamp showing workers spinning cotton, are made very difficult.
 One of the very first stamps issued in Haiti, from 1881, is shown on this 1984 stamp. The stamp featured, ironically, France's Liberty Head, symbolizing an aspiration that has been difficult to realize throughout Haiti's history.
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Haiti and Voodoo |
About 80% of Haitians are Catholics. Protestants account for an additional 10% or more, and growing. At the same time, over 65% of Haitians believe in Voodoo.
Voodoo developed from the African slaves' religious beliefs. Like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, adherants believe in a single god, but the Voodoo faith also has a pantheon of other spirits.
Voodoo was banned by the French colonialists who made Catholicism Haiti's dominant religion, but in the violent aftermath of Haiti's slave revolt which decimated the French population, the Catholic church retreated from Haiti and Catholic beliefs became intertwined with Voodoo beliefs. Many of the old African spirits took on the personalities of Catholic saints. After more than 50 years, when the Roman Catholic Church again officially recognized Haitian Catholicism, the Voodoo elements had become entrenched for most Haitians and beyond the Church's ability to extricate them.
Bob Corbett's Haiti website (see "Web References" section) reports that Evangelical Protestants, who denounce Voodooism as devil worship, are making inroads against Voodoo beliefs, helped by its ownership of 7 of the 11 Haitian radio stations.
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Haiti and Maryland, U.S.A. |
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Haiti is about the same size as Maryland, but the similarities between the two locales stop there. To make Maryland more like Haiti, you would have to add 2½ million people to Maryland's 5½ million population. You would have to scale back the educational system so that less than 55% of those over 15 years of age could read and write. You would have to take jobs away from almost half of those who are currently employed and drastically cut the wages of those that remain so that the average annual income was only several hundred dollars. You would have to change Maryland's landscape from one of predominantly rolling hills to one of steep mountainous terrain that covered about three-quarters of the state. Almost all the hospitals would be replaced with clinics that provide only rudimentary health care. Chop down 93% of Maryland's trees so that forested land is reduced from 43% to about 3% (some estimates are less than 1%). Rip up all but about 630 miles of paved roads. You can use about 2,000 miles of unpaved roads to connect most places. As for electricity, Marylanders would have to make do with about 1% of their present consumption, cutting their electricity consumption from over 60,000 million kWh to 574 million kWh.
Finally, Marylanders would have to accept their elected governor having been forced into exile and replaced by one appointed by powerful political interests. Killings motivated by politics have become commonplace.
There, that's more like Haiti!
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