UNIVERSITÉ NOTRE DAME D’HAITI

(UNDH)
Facultés des sciences administratives
FSA

Subject: English

Teacher’s name : Jean Brunel

Topic: ACCORDING TO YOUR OPINION, WHATS THE MOST IMPORTANT

FESTIVAL IN YOUR COUNTRY?

Name : Benjamin
Last Name : Karlange
Code : NEB-21-186

Date of delivery : le 29-06-2022

Subject : ACCORDING TO YOUR OPINION, WHATS THE MOST
IMPORTANT FESTIVAL IN YOUR COUNTRY?

Describe:

- When does it take place?

- Where is it celebrated?

- Why do you like it?

- What do people do during this festival?

- How many people approximately participate?

- How long does it last?

- As a manager, what attracts you in this festival to earn profit?

- How do you personally participate in it?

- How do you promote this festival?

- How does the government participate?

The Haitian Carnaval

The Haitian Carnival, the country's largest festival, is a celebration that takes place during the
weeks preceding Shrove Tuesday. It begins on Epiphany Sunday and ends on Ash
Wednesday. It is an electrifying expression of the color and the community which sees the
locals dressed in kaleidoscopic costumes and parading in the streets. Even if demonstrations
take place throughout the country, some carnivals are more important. This is the case of
Jacmel, Gonaïves or Port-au-Prince, Cap-haitien, Ouanaminthe and others. A spectacle of
extravagance and indulgence before the start of the fasting period of lent, the largest carnival
in Haiti is celebrated in port-au-prince, with many smaller festivities in all parts of the island.
The annual port-au-prince canaval is one of the largest mardi gras carnivals in the caribbean
and North America is organized according to a specific theme.

The days of carnival in Haiti are an opportunity for the people to free themselves from any
social hierarchy while celebrating in the street. During the festivities, the inhabitants have the
opportunity to dress up in traditional costumes but also in characters from popular culture of
the country, such as the wandering Jew, the chaloskas (representation of the tyrannical
policeman Charles Oscar Etienne), the Zel Matirins (dressed as angels of satan), the zombies
or the Loas, characters from voodoo.

The carnival is the occasion for many Haitian groups with different styles of performing
demonstrations on floats or podiums throughout the festivities. The rara is one of them. The
genre most often represented is Kompa, traditional music from Haiti. Among the legendary
bands and singers are: T-Vice, Kreyòl la, Baricad Crew, Rockfam and so many others.

People come from all over the world to take part in this huge and old cultural event. Carnival
is for some an ideal time to let go. Three days of crazy fun. In addition, we must not forget to
respect the rules of the game, namely, no violence, mutual respect and safety instructions. All
Haitians participate in the carnival in one way or another.

The carnival serves as a political text. Even if the Haitian has nothing, he wants to be given
his carnival. Elie Lescot, president of Haiti in the 1940, had lost power because he did not
want a carnival. Since this historic experience, governments spend a lot of money to organize
this cultural event. Carnival first, then needs.

I really like the carnival, because it is a moment of release. A people like ours who are
suffering, who are over their heads, need the carnival. A moment where we see the magic
happen, the music which brings people together and unites people. People from all walks of
life mingle. If they have no common project, they are there for the same reasons: to enjoy the
music, to enjoy the crowds, to rub shoulders with others.

From the end of January, we prepare for this great festival, we prepare our clothes and
everything, because we already know that we are going to empty our heads to the max. The
carnival is considered as an event which stimulates creativity. We make extraordinary objects
and it's the perfect time to earn money by selling our local products, Creole food.

The carnival is no longer what it used to be. As our parents often say: "jou ale, jou pa
tounen", the carnival has lost its positive impact because of all the misfortunes that strike the
country, the dishonest leaders who get rich at the expense of the people. We hope to find our
Haiti of yesteryear, where every Haitian had the joy of living, we are waiting to see what the
future holds for us.