The Culture of Haiti

Haiti has a rich natural culture with a unique mix of Voodoo and Catholicism. With cultural influences from Europe and the USA on the coastal towns and African influences throughout the hills and mountains, the culture is extraordinarily unique and is not one found in other countries

People and the economy of Haiti
Life is hard for the Haitian people though, despite this difficult way of life, Haitians are usually friendly and generous. Unemployment is very high; 6 out of 10 people are illiterate and more than a quarter of the children suffer from malnutrition. The average household income in Haiti is only 250 American dollars a year.

Although farmland is sparse in Haiti, agriculture in the mainstay of the economy. Farming is very labor-intensive, as farmers usually work their small plots of land with picks, hoes and shovels. The farms produce maize, millet, bananas, plantains, beans, yams and sweet potatoes. There is some irrigation and rice is planted in these areas. Other crops in Haiti include: sugar, coffee, cacao, indigo, sisal and cotton. Life in rural Haiti is difficult and stricken with poverty. Many of the young people move to the towns and cities hoping to escape the poverty of the farms, only to find life in the cities is also very hard and they often end up living in Shanty towns.

In recent years, tourism has declined as the political stability of the country has declined. Exportation of Haitian goods is also down due to trade sanctions. These factors have led to a further loss of income for the country and the people.

Homes
Most families live in small one or two bedroom homes. The homes generally do not have electricity or running water. Charcoal is the main source of energy.

Food and Water
Because there is such a small amount of workable farm land available, Haiti imports much of its food from other countries. The Haitian diet consists mainly of corn, beans, millet, rice, fruits and vegetables. There are plenty of banana trees in Haiti as well as pineapples, mangoes, oranges, grapefruits, coconut trees, watermelons, almonds and peanuts.
Finding good drinking water is a significant problem in Haiti.

Education
More than half of Haitian children do not attend school and most of the people are illiterate. Going to school in Haiti is very expensive because more than 90% of the schools are private. The teachers at these private schools are often illiterate themselves and as a result, the children finish school not having the knowledge and skills to pass the university entrance exams. The state-run schools are rapidly deteriorating as the number of children continues to outgrow the funding.

Health
Haitians suffer from poor health as there is a serious lack of safe drinking water, the sanitation is inadequate and the nutrition is very poor. There is private health care for those able to afford it (which very few Haitians can) and international organizations try to provide the care necessary for treatment to those that cannot afford private health care. However, 13% of children die before reaching the age of 5 and a full quarter of all Haitians die before they reach the age of 40. There are many international organizations throughout Haiti trying to help the people in various capacities. But despite this, the poor living conditions in Haiti continue to worsen. For Ideas on how you can help the people of Haiti see our Festivals and Activites Page

Arts and Crafts
The Haitian people are very artistic and creative and possess a very colourful folk art which is world famous. The crafts include basketry, embroidery, needlework, leather goods, pottery, papier-mâché, and metal work. Sequin Flag-making is an art form unique to Haiti. The colourful flags were originally created only for religious ceremonies, but in recent times have been sold as pieces of art to international buyers.

Music
The drum is the most important Haitian instrument, with its roots tied to Africa’s Vodun system of beliefs. The main rhythm families include:
• Dahomey - Three cow-skin drums (Katabo, Gonde, Manman) are played by three people using 2 sticks, hand &bow (agida), and 1 hand/1 stick, respectively.
• Rada - Three cow-skin drums (Boula, Segon, Manman) are played by three people using stick, hand and bow similar to the Dahomey.
• Petwo - Two goat-skin drums (Ralé and Manman) are played by hand only.

Check out our Reading & Music page for a variety of Haitian folk and popular music as well as some drumming selections.

Sports
Basketball is a sport that is catching on in Haiti and becoming more popular. Haiti’s most popular sport, however, is soccer. In 1974, the Haiti National Team was the first Caribbean nation to qualify for the Soccer’s World Cup final. It is a game easily played throughout the country, for the only requirement is one ball, which can be shared among many.