Haitians/Ayisyèn

From visithaiti.com: 

"Orality occupies an extremely important place in Haiti, to the point where even Vodou, the most popular religion, is preserved overwhelmingly through oral traditions, including a strictly oral form of literature called odyans. The Haitian tale puts in perspective ways of life of the lower class and of people living in the countryside, where themes such as ownership, death, inheritance and family resurface often - familiar themes in European fairytales, which likewise often centre on the rural working-class. Although the social rite of telling stories around campfires is older than history itself, and the Haitian call-and-response guessing game is anchored in ancient African modes of storytelling, krik-krak! stands out as a unique treasure of Haitian culture, and one that both reflects and co-creates Haitian society.

 

However, since kont are handed down generation through generation orally, some rarely-told tales are at risk of disappearing..."

​

Let's learn together about the people of this Island. By honoring the oral storytelling tradition of Haiti, I invite you to learn, hold and in turn share the stories of the people of this place.