HaitianAyiti DUVAL - January 03 add/view comments (0) |
|
|
------------------------------ ----------
Haiti, is a French and Creole speaking Latin American country located in the Greater Antilles on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti (Land of Mountains) was the indigenous Taino or Amerindian name for the island. During French colonial period, Haiti was also called La Perle des Antilles; meaning the Pearl of the Antilles because of the great wealth that many nations recieved from exploting the country. Haiti is the name given, in French, to the whole island of Hispaniola. In Creole, the country is called Ayiti. This island was discovered by Christopher Columbus on December 5, 1492. He named it Hispaniola. The people of culture Arawak, the Caribbean and Tainos occupied the island before the arrival of the Spaniards. The Spaniards exploited the island for its gold, then later imported Africans. The wars burst out in Europe in 1713 and were prolonged on the seas to the Antilles and the Caribbean. In 1756, the trades were stopped. A great number of colonists and their families left Saint Domingue for Louisiana, where they settled. About 1790, Santo Domingo, had become the French richest colony of all America thanks to the immense profits of the sugar industry and of that of the indigo and thousands of Africans had been brought like slaves to make function these industries. Their fate was under the jurisdiction framed by the black code, prepared by Colbert and enacted by Louis XIV. But the French revolution involved serious social upheavals. In the French West Indies and in Saint Domingue too. Most important was the revolt of the slaves which leads in 1793 to the abolition of slavery. The United States occupied the island of 1915 to 1934. Thereafter, of 1957 to 1986, Duvalier reigned as dictators. They had set up the system of denouncement and death squads known as Tonton Macoute. Many Haitians exiled themselves, in particular to the United States and Quebec. About 95% of Haitians are of predominantly African descent. The influential remainder of the population vary in ethnic groups from mulattoes, mestizoes, to Arabs (primarily Lebanese)and Europeans. White-descended Haitians are mainly of French, Polish, Spanish, Italian, and German heritage. There is also a small Asian (mostly Chinese) presence within the minority. The American NEWS can't ever show you the true BEAUTY of a BLACK Nation ***DON'T be mistaken this is all HAITI (We love to Party) Haiti has a vibrant and large carnival season; referred to as Mardi Gras or Carnaval in French and Kanaval in Haitian Creole. It is held every year on the Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. The Jacmel Carnival is well known for its culturally appealing displays of costumes and masks. While it is a rather large carnival, it is dwarfed by the much larger Carnival of Port-au-Prince; the national parade which draws thousands of people annually. |
