Whenever you browse news from Haiti, you hear about the violence and turmoil occurring there regularly. This island has fallen apart and requires support to stand again. However, the Haitian people are an inspiration due to their resilience. Haitian Heritage Month rightfully celebrates the spirit and legacy of Haiti and Haitian people.

Also, the event celebrates Haiti’s rich cultural heritage. The whole of May is dedicated to this event to honour the community and their culture. While many cities in the United States, like Detroit, New Orleans, and Chicago, have connections with the Haitian community, it is Boston that is considered the main hub for Haitian culture at present.

The history of Haiti is extremely painful and full of torment. Similar to many other Black countries, Haiti was also subject to slavery. However, it was in 1804 when Haiti got free from the shackles of slavery and became the first independent Black republic and nation. It was Haiti that not only got freedom from slavery but also stood high as an example to other Black nations of the world that were facing the same situation as Haiti faced earlier.

The resistance and courage of the Haitian culture can still be noticed in the paintings on their village walls or the music of their traditional drums. Also, the flavours of the Haitian cuisine, generation after generation, are an example of how the Haitian people know how to stay together at the toughest times.

Though Haiti has come a long way, there are still issues like political turmoil, inequality, and economic instability that haunt the nation. The restavek system is one of the major problems that is seen in Haiti even today. It is a practice according to which children from poor families live with other families with better economic conditions to get the desired education and care. However, often the caretaker family exploits these children as domestic servants and even abuses them. In place of care, the childhood of these children is filled with torment and trauma.

This system clearly shows the age-old normalization of how the powerful often control the vulnerable lives. Sadly, this legacy of inequality is still prevalent in Haiti, continuing the slavery that existed in the past. However, the Haitian Heritage Month is an initiative to support the Haitian community in overcoming this situation, too, as soon as possible.

This month-long event aims to highlight Haitian history and to promote their culture, art, and cuisine on a global platform. The event was first celebrated in 1998 in Boston, Massachusetts, to draw global attention towards Haiti. It was Tele Kreyol, a Haitian Access Television program from Boston, that started this event by dedicating May to promote the Haitian contributions in the world of art and culture. Though the event started in Boston, it soon spread to many other parts of the USA.

While a proper Haitian Heritage Month event started in 1998, the history goes back to 1804. It was on 18th May, 1804, when Haiti gained independence from France and came up with its national flag. The Haitian flag is designed in blue, white, and red colours. Starting from 1804, 18th May is observed as Haitian Flag Day. On this day, the Haitians hoist their national flag and participate in parades and other celebrations every year. Soon, from 1998, the entire month is observed as Haitian Heritage Month.

With the passing years, different parts of the United States started observing the Haitian Heritage Month. On this note, the Haitian community in Palm Beach County, Florida, celebrated the Heritage event in 2001, and soon it became a national event.

Congressman Kendrick B. Meek from South Florida introduced the bill to recognize May as Haitian-American Heritage Month in 2004 and then again in 2006. Though this bill did not pass, the then-president George W. Bush, along with his wife Laura Bush, highlighted the event’s significance by acknowledging it in 2005.

There are so many potential reasons to celebrate Haitian Heritage Month every year. Let us learn them here.

• The Haitian Heritage Month event acknowledges Haitians' contributions to Haitian independence. Haitian Flag Day on 18 May reminds us how hard Haitians fought to gain independence.
• The event also highlights the Haitians’ achievements in diverse areas such as music, art, and cuisine.
• Finally, the event is observed to let the world know about Haiti and its impact on world history. Moreover, it is an initiative to offer support to this community with a sense of unity and respect. 
   

Are you thinking about how Haitian Heritage Month is celebrated? If you are thinking about how you can contribute to this celebration, here are some of the activities to do.

• Learn the Cuisine: Visit a restaurant that serves Haitian cuisine and try a dish to understand their cuisine. If you love cooking, you can even learn the cuisine and prepare a few dishes at home for the family.
• Enjoy Haitian Music: Haitian music is full of rhythm and energy. So, many clubs today include Haitian music like zouk and Kompa. Go ahead and feel the music to sense the traditional vibes in it.
• The Language: Experts say if you want to know about a community, try learning its language. Today, many online language classes offer courses in Haitian Creole.
• Indulge in Haitian Literature: Do a bit of digging to know more about Haitian history. You can read books or watch movies by Haitian authors and filmmakers for this purpose.
• Join Local Festivals: If you are at a place where Haitian Heritage Month is being observed, you must not miss out on joining the local festivities. Watch live parades and concerts to enjoy the moment. Also, visit exhibitions to see what it has in their folds to display.
• Support Haitian Art and Business: Haitian culture is mostly known for its art business, such as Haitian painting, pottery, and many other things. So, one of the best things that you can do is to support the Haitian business. You can do this by searching Haitian art for sale near me to purchase.

If you are motivated enough to support the Haitian community, one of the best ways is to buy Haitian art. Of course, you must be careful to make a genuine purchase from a reliable place. The Myriam Nader Haitian Art Gallery is considered the best place to buy art online. You can come across an art related to nature, a community event, or any other theme created by different artists. Also, you can ask for expert help for Haitian art appraisals to understand its real worth in the market. Whether you wish to purchase art or want an art appraisal, you can get in touch at 1-845-367-3039 or myriamnader2007@aol.com for expert help.