How do you measure the growth, or better yet, the maturity of a community? The number of people populating the community can measure growth, and maturity can be measured by how we accommodate and welcome the growth. In an unusual weekend for the Washington, DC, Haitian community, there was a choice of entertainment: Zin and Lakol in Silver Spring, Maryland, or Sweet Micky down the street in Washington, DC.

In other Haitian dyaspora communities, like Miami and New York, it is not unusual to have choices in entertainment on any given weekend. Frequently in New York, two Haitians bands play together in one spot while two more play across town. That is unheard of in this town. In our community, instead of bringing joy, good promotion and competition, it became a divisive issue.

As some reprimand Haitians at home for not working together for the common good and future of a small island nation, that we so tenderly call Ayiti Cheri, we failed in creating an example here when we had the chance to come together and celebrate our diverse culture.

Due to lack of planning or perhaps the distraction of the clash of promotion, the performances were sub par by all otherwise very good konpa bands. There were no winners this weekend.

Our community has grown, judging by the new faces at the events, but our community has yet to mature.

Ginau Mathurin