In Haïti, once the Christmas and New Year festivities are over, it immediately signals that the pre-Carnival season is imminent. You have to understand that for Haitians, Carnival is probably the biggest celebration of the year. For many here, Carnival is greatly anticipated and it is truly a time where people of all walks of…
Category: History
Happy New Year and Haitian Independence
It’s a New Year…out with the old, in with the new. At midnight, all around the world people celebrate the passing of the old year and happily welcome the beginning of a new year. The calendar year is based on the Earth’s 365 day cycle around the Sun. This journey around the sun enables the…
Sugarcane Field Memories of Greenfield Park
When I think of Guyana, I am automatically drawn back to my home in Providence. Growing up in Greenfield Park, on the East Bank of the Demerara river in Guyana, was an unforgettable part of my childhood. The compound housed a few original colonial plantation style homes which were once built for the British staff…
An Excellent Weekend on the North Coast of Haiti
I have been fairly quiet since early last week as I have houseguests. My son Michael is home for a few days, with a few friends for a working visit home. As you can well imagine, there has been a constant flow of movement and activity associated with the arrival of friends and family. Meal…
Summertime cooler: Watermelon Cucumber Mojito
I have to find ways to keep cool in the height of Summer here in Haiti. I honestly feel that every year the summer is hotter than the previous one. Yes, I was born in a country which is 10 degrees north of the Equator, but sometimes I feel like I can barely tolerate the…
The Hearty Comfort of Noodles and Pasta
What is it about pasta and noodles that makes us feel content and happy when we eat them? It is supposedly the heightened level of serotonin produced in the brain, which gives us the feeling of wellbeing and comfort. When I eat Chinese style noodles in a restaurant or at home, I usually have them…
Coffee Culture in Haiti
Anyone who knows Haiti or Haitians knows that coffee is synonymous with this culture. Arabica Coffee is grown in the Haitian mountains at high altitudes and the beans are roasted artisanally all over the country by locals for consumption by Haitians from all walks of life. “Bonjou, koumen nou ye? Ou vle yon ti kafe?” “Good morning,…
Coconut Culture
My childhood memories growing up in Guyana are ones of family, love, laughter, good food and friends. My homeland is situated in the North of South America, and is the only English-speaking country on the continent. Guyana is an ex-British colony, and gained its independence from Great Britain in May, 1966. Guyana means “Land of…