A Brief History of Haiti
A Brief History of Haiti
by Obafemi Origunwa, Saatchi & Saatchi S strategist
Stigmatized by the tagline “poorest nation in the Western hemisphere,” Haiti was, once upon a time, the paragon of international trade. All that changed on August 14, 1791 at Bwá Kayimán, the site of the Vodou ceremony presided over by Dutty Boukman. For 12 consecutive years, Haitian farmers faced and defeated Europe’s greatest military powers, most notably Napoleon Bonaparte, becoming the first successful slave revolt in history. For a complete exploration of Bwá Kayimán and its significance in world history check out The L’ouverture Project:
http://thelouvertureproject.org/
Who was this hoard of nameless slaves who successfully routed European armies for 12 years? Culturally, Haitians come from three main African language groups: the Bantu/Kongo people, the Kwa and the Mande. The Kongo represent the largest group of Africans taken in the first 150 years of slavery. The Kwa and Mande represent the ethnic majorities taken in the latter years of slavery. In Africa, segments of these large ethnic groups would have been members of the Songhay, Mali, Oyo and Kongo kingdoms, each of which enjoyed notable military traditions. The American Museum of Natural History has compiled a very accessible cultural history of Haiti:
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/vodou/index.html
Finally, for a brief historical timeline of Haitian history, check out:
