Category: History

Similarities and differences between Haiti in 1983 and today

2/1/2018

Can you imagine seeing the video promo below on Haiti on TV today? It was 1983 and this video was produced for American Express to promote travel to Haiti! I see more things that have remained the same in Haiti than have changed.

Similarities and differences between Haiti in 1983 and today

What hasn't changed in Haiti since 1983:

Of course, the language, Haitian Creole. You will hear "bonjou" each morning, no matter if you know the person or not. I always come home from a trip saying it to other people in the United States and then giggle to myself, remembering I am not in Haiti.

Hotels are family owned and operated and usually small, boutique style - You will love this about Haiti. You will feel as if you're staying at someone's private home. If you want personal experience reviews, check out ours here.

Homey feeling, welcoming with open arms - This is what I think makes you fall in love with Haiti and keeps you going back.

The weather - Haiti is hot usually year round, but cooler in the mountains. It's so refreshing to get that "break" from the heat if you can up in the mountains.

Driving in Haiti - Just don't even try it! You should leave it up to the locals to transport you around.

Tap-Taps - You must experience a tap-tap ride. It look me years of travelling to Haiti to finally go on one. You will get to see people going to work and school, where ever they are off to, it's a lot of fun! It's a great reminder that people in Haiti are just like everyone else, they do life and take care of their business.

U.S. money is accepted everywhere - You don't need to exchange your money since you can pay with U.S. dollars in Haiti.

Bargain shopping - Never, ever pay the first price offered to you, especially in touristy areas. You can get a $50 price for an item and eventually walk away with it later paying half or even less. However, this doesn't mean you want to devalue what you're buying and who you are buying from. You should pay what you feel is worth it to you or a little more if you're willing. It's important to know that just like any other tourist trap, you will be given a tourist price. If you're not comfortable with the end negotiated price, walk away. Nine times out of ten, they will come find you and accept your price.

The beautiful, unique art - You can find Haitian art all over the island. It will become one of your favorite souvenirs to buy!

Music and dance - Both are still a huge part of Haitian culture, but the sounds and styles of the music have changed a little.

Publicity - Haiti still gets a bad wrap when it comes to the media. You can travel to Haiti without worry, but the news unfortunately doesn't paint that picture. It's still one of the safest countries in the world.

Haitian food - Yep, it's still delicious!

What hasn't changed in Haiti since 1983:

The Haitian flag differences from 1983 and 2018

Haitian flag 1964 - 1986

Haitian flag 1986 - today

historical haitian flag, black and red flag, island, 1964 to 1986 under president francois duvalier, history of the haitian flag, flag of haiti, how has the haitian flag changed

By B1mboCoat of arms :Lokal_Profil and Myriam Thyes - based on Flag of Haiti.svg, Coat of arms of Haiti (1964-1986).svg, and Flags of the World - Haiti - Historical Flags, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=750076

haitian flag since 1986, red and blue with emblem, current haitian flag, caribbean flag, coat of arms

By Madden, Vzb83, Denelson83, Chanheigeorge, Zscout370 and NightstallionCoat of arms :Lokal_Profil and Myriam Thyes - Coat of arms from: Coat of arms of Haiti.svg by Lokal_Profil and Myriam Thyes, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=433156

Architecture - Haiti is known for it's beautiful gingerbread houses, but they are not as common to see as they were in the past. Natural disasters and need to modernize certain areas have contributed to the destruction of the original architecture.

Gourde - In 1983, the Haitian Gourde was 5 to $1 US dollar. Today, it is 63.13 Haitian Gourde to $1 US dollar. That's a drastic difference!

Honeymooners - Caribbean islands are popular honeymoon destinations and although Haiti once was one, it isn't as popular now. Usually travelers who have visited the island before may choose to go back for their honeymoon.

Unspoiled, no crowded beaches - There are many beaches throughout Haiti that you can participate in activities or just relax. The island vibe is definitely present!

Club Med - Haiti had a Club Med that closed in 1987, then reopened in 1997, but closed one year later. In 2006, it reopened again as Club Indigo, but was only operating half of the resort. In 2014, the resort was bought and signed a 20 year agreement as the Royal Decameron Indigo Beach Resort & Spa.

Coffee and baseballs are Haiti's largest exports? That is half true today. I did some research and according to the Economy Watch in 2010, coffee was still Haiti's largest export along with apparel, cocoa and mangoes.

Diving tourist destination - I had to also do research on this as I am not familiar with scuba diving in Haiti. According to Diviac travel, Haiti is a pristine, untouched hotspot for diving, but rarely visited.

Airlines - in 1983, only 4 airlines flew into Haiti (Air Florida, Air France, American Airlines and Eastern Airlines), but now there are several options from numerous airports that fly into 2 airports in Haiti. Click here for more on how to travel to Haiti.

Baggage tips - You will notice that when you arrive or leave the Aéroport Toussaint L'Ouverture Airport (PAP) in Port-au-Prince, baggage handlers definitely don't expect .50 cents per bag as a tip these days! They will try to carry your bags and then ask you for a big tip after. If you don't actually need help with your bags, don't let them help you. Or if they do help you, give a tip, but never give the $20 they sometimes ask for.

Electricity - It's definitely sparse in most areas, turning off and on at any given time without notice, unfortunately. All of the hotels have generators so there's nothing to worry about there, however, not all residents have generators and/or gas to run them.

American Express travel arrangements - I was curious to see if they still offer travel arrangements to Haiti and although there's no specific tour or mention of Haiti, if you are an eligible card member, an agent can help you arrange flights and hotels to Haiti.

After reading through all of these similarities and differences, you must be even more curious about travelling to Haiti! I promise it will be a trip of a lifetime. Go explore and see The Real Haiti! If you've been to Haiti, drop a comment below on what you noticed that was the same as 1983!

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5 ways to celebrate toussaint L’Ouverture, one of Haiti’s most legendary residents

5/25/2017

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"I WAS BORN A SLAVE, BUT NATURE GAVE ME A SOUL OF A FREE MAN."- TOUSSAINT L’OUVERTURE

why was toussaint l ouverture important toussaint l ouverture definition why is toussaint l ouverture considered a hero in haiti what did toussaint l ouverture do toussaint louverture facts how did toussaint l ouverture change the world toussaint louverture goals

May is Haitian Heritage Month! What better way to honor our heritage than by looking back to the father of modern Haiti—François-Dominique Toussaint Louverture, also known as Toussaint L'Ouverture or Toussaint Bréda. As the leader of the only successful slave revolt in modern history, L’Ouverture helped form Haiti’s constitution and win its independence from France. L’Ouverture declared black, white, and mixed residents of Haiti to be socially equal and paved the way for the United States to orchestrate the Louisiana Purchase from France.

Here are five ways to celebrate L’Ouverture, one of Haiti’s most legendary residents, by exploring his mention and history through contemporary culture:

Read Malcolm X’s 1964 Speech at the Founding Rally of the Organization of Afro-American Unity, where he declared “Why, your grandfather was Nat Turner; your grandfather was Toussaint L'Ouverture; your grandfather was Hannibal. Your grandfather was some of the greatest black people who walked on this earth. It was your grandfather's hands who forged civilization and it was your grandmother's hands who rocked the cradle of civilization. But the textbooks tell our children nothing about the great contributions of Afro Americans to the growth and development of this country.”
Watch the 2009 PBS Documentary “PBS Egalite for All: Toussaint Louverture and the Haitian Revolution“ (for free!) on Youtube
Learn about Social Justice via the blog for Palm Beach County’s own Toussaint L'Ouverture High School for Arts & Social Justice
Listen to the song “Incident at Neshabur” by Carlos Santana, who said “Neshabur is where the army of Toussaint Louverture – who was a black revolutionary – defeated Napoleon in Haiti. So that's what it's about. I think by writing songs like 'Incident at Neshabur' and 'Toussaint L'Overture,' we felt we were our own kind of revolutionary…”
Explore the 15 silkscreened artworks celebrating the life of L’Ouverture by artist Jacob Lawrence online or in book format from your local library or bookstore

References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toussaint_Louverture
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_heads_of_state_of_Haiti

#HaitianHeritageMonth

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Multicultural Books in English and Haitian Creole - Discount code inside

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Similarities and differences between Haiti in 1983 and today

Haitian flag 1964 - 1986

Haitian flag 1986 - today

JOIN THE FÒS (FORCE)

5 ways to celebrate toussaint L’Ouverture, one of Haiti’s most legendary residents

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Haitian by Association.

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Multicultural Books in English and Haitian Creole - Discount code inside

​JOIN THE FÒS (FORCE)

Similarities and differences between Haiti in 1983 and today

Haitian flag 1964 - 1986

Haitian flag 1986 - today

JOIN THE FÒS (FORCE)

​5 ways to celebrate toussaint L’Ouverture, one of Haiti’s most legendary residents

FEEDBACK?COMMENTS?SUGGESTIONS?Click here!

JOIN THE FÒS (FORCE)

Haitian by Association.

Archives

Categories

JOIN THE FÒS (FORCE)

JOIN THE FÒS (FORCE)

5 ways to celebrate toussaint L’Ouverture, one of Haiti’s most legendary residents

FEEDBACK?
COMMENTS?
SUGGESTIONS?
Click here!