Bannzil Kiba Kreyòl:
An Enriching Cultural Experience
by Serge Bellegarde

The month of October just passed had a unifying characteristic: indeed, it was the month dedicated to the celebration of the Kreyòl language. Did you know that Kreyòl is spoken by about 12 million people throughout the world, more specifically in Haiti, French Guyana, Dominica, Saint-Lucia, Cuba, in the Caribbean; in Seychelles, Ile Maurice, Ile de la Réunion in the Pacific. As a Haitian , I would be remiss if I failed to share this account, however brief, of an incredible experience I lived this past October 12-14, 2002 in Cuba.

To begin, an explanation about a word in the title of this article. “Bannzil”, means: ban zile (group of islands) Adapted to the title, it means the group of Kreyòl speaking islands meeting in Cuba. And this conference, which is becoming an annual event, is the second of the series.

Why was an event like this taking place in Cuba? The reason is the following. As most of us should know, Haitian emigration to Cuba goes back a long time, from right after independence to the 1930 and up to recently. In the 1930, many Haitians left to go cut canes in Cuba and never returned. They were welcome in Cuba and created families there. In doing so, they jealously maintained and practiced their culture, passed it on to their sons and daughters, grand-sons and grand-daughters etc. It is no accident that cultural ties between Cuban and Haitians have always remained very strong, even during the hiatus brought about by the Duvalier regime which shamelessly cut off ties with Cuba after being bought out by the US Administration in 1962. It is those second and third generations of Haitian-Cubans who set out not only to maintain the Haitian cultural tradition in Cuba, but to expose it throughout Cuba through conferences, classes, music and so on. We know about the famous musical group called “Desandan” (kreyòl for descendants). You will all be interested to know that Haitian Kreyòl in Cuba’s second language, thanks to Haitians who settled there and set out to disseminate their culture in Cuba. Of course, the task is made infinitely easier by the Cuban authorities’ support and embrace of this cultural activity. Bannzil Kiba Kreyòl is precisely a concrete expression of that support.

The head organizer of this Conference was Hilario Baptista, a Haitian Cuban born in Cuba, who has never been to Haiti and speaks Kreyòl as well as any Haitian in the streets of Port-au-Prince. We were welcomed in Cuba by Hilario’s assistant, Juan Aguila Diaz, another Haitian Cuban whose father came to Cuba when he was 17 years old. Juan was telling us how his parents taught him the language, Haitian proverbs, stories about Bouqui and Malice. His Kreyòl was perfect and like Hilario, he has never been to Haiti. Even more amazing, as he went to school, it was a Cuban teacher, Professor Alfonso Llorente, who taught him how to read and write Kreyòl. When you think that this teacher is 100% Cuban, this is quite remarkable.

The Conference opened at the Berthold Brecht theatre on October 12, under the auspices of the Haitian Ambassador to Cuba, Marie-Andrine Constant. She spoke in Kreyòl, with interpretation provided by…a Cuban woman of Haitian extraction. And throughout the Conference, we would meet Haitian-Cubans, young and old, speaking Kreyòl, or making all efforts to speak it, but firmly proud of their Haitian ancestry. In fact, now in Cuba, we were told that one feels highly honored that he or she can say that there is some Haitian blood running through their veins.

The welcoming speeches were followed by wonderful cultural presentations by young kids from 8 to 12 years old. Their dedication and discipline were simply amazing. The Cuban Government pours a lot resources in the arts, and that was evident with the performances of these kids. Everything was there: Haitian folkloric dances, ballet, cha-cha-cha, salsa. But the high point of the cultural part was without doubt the presentation by a young 12 years old Cuban girl making a ballet dance to the Haitian flag. Dancing to a beautiful melody made famous in 1996 by Carole “Maroule” Demesmin, she mesmerized the audience with the gratefulness of her moves and her assurance. The choreography was just superb and this ode to the Haitian flag brought tears from the eyes of the audience.

The second day of the Conference took place in a city about one hour from Havana and called Cotorro. This is where the Cultural Center headed by Hilario Baptista is headquartered. We first visited a historical catholic where a guide filled us in on its rich characteristics. That is where we had the pleasure of meeting Victor Miraval, Martha Jean-Claude’s husband of 35 years. He is a well-known Cuban painter. With his typical Haitian shirt, style Pepe Bayard, he looked very much at ease among all of us. He may be getting old, but he remains in the middle of anything Haitian. He was accompanied by one of his daughters. He told us that his son Richard was in Haiti and goes back and forth.

Back to the cultural Center headed by Hilario Baptista, we sat through a series of informative presentations by various personalities from Cuba, Martinique and Guadeloupe. As for us, we put emphasis on the necessity to make good use, to the extent possible, of Internet technology, so that Kreyòl speakers could communicate easily wherever they are through the Internet, thus creating a huge network. Participants said that Haitian Kreyòl should definitely be used as the model for the development of kreyòl in the other areas, since it was so developed in Haiti.

This phase of the Conference was followed by another cultural presentations in the lobby of the building which was packed. There was this Haitian-Cuban lady which gave an excellent rendition of Farah Juste’s “Alleluia pou Ayiti”; then there was a dance of the serpent by 8 and 12 years old kids, salsa, ballet , and excellent choreography. For that day, the high point came when a group of Haitian-Cuban drummers accompanied by singers in the purest tradition of Haitian Rasin music, got the ball rolling. . Before you know it, the lobby was transformed into a dance floor. Young kids, adults, men, women, everyone got in the act and was dancing to some excellent drumming and singing: rara, yanvalou beats. It was, to use the Cuban word a “descarga”. . People from the streets came in to join. It was a most enjoyable time at the Center.

The Conference closed on October 14, an event we missed, since we had to leave in the early morning that day. Nevertheless, during this short stay, we were able to live the kind of experience that is to be repeated, because for us Haitians present at the Conference, it was most enriching, because of way Haitian-Cubans had managed to maintained the culture of their Haitian ancestors, enjoyable because of such a warm welcome we received in general and from the Haitian-Cubans in particular; and finally illustrative because of the potential for exchange among kreyòl speakers all over the world, thanks to the wonders of the Internet technology. We are really looking forward to the Conference next year. October has to become the month of Kreyòl pilgrimage.

Tout moun kenbe fèm!.