Ayiti Cheri

Ayiti Cheri is a poem I wrote in February of 2010 after the devastating 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. Still in shock and hurting for all the lives lost and damage wrought, I wrote this poem to try and express how I felt. Hope you all enjoy.

A little Taste of Haiti in South Florida

It is a BIG weekend for all foodies and fans of Haitian culture. In the spirit of Haitian Heritage Month, both Miami-Dade and Broward Counties will be hosting pre-Haitian Flag Day celebrations. The first of the two being held in Miami is called the Taste of Haiti (TOH).

This is the fourth annual Taste of Haiti. It is an event organized by the Haitian Culinary Alliance (HCA). It will not only display the foods native to Haiti but modernized versions of everyone's favorites crafted by many talented local chefs. Many of these local chefs will also be there with their own exhibits to share their talents. Click here for a full list of exhibitors.

The TOH will not only give you a sample of Haitian Cuisine, but its culture as a whole. The event spans May 9-11 with different events tailored for those who work in the culinary world, the general public and a special Mother's Day brunch. My focus will be on May 10, the main event of the weekend. It will be a day full of food and activities for everyone. There will be a kids’ corner so the ti moun are welcome as well. Admission to the event is free but there will be food, drinks and crafts for sale. The event will be held at the MOCA Plaza from 4pm-10pm. The address is 770 NE 125th Street, Miami, FL 33161.

Haitian Food

Ok so I understand everyone around the world says this in their own right...but there's nothing, I mean NOTHING as DELICIOUS as MANJE AYISYEN (Haitian food). I mean the spices, the fresh ingredients, the variety, the love it's all prepared with...WHOOSH!!!! Ok wait, hold on, I am getting a little ahead of myself. As you can tell I am a big fan of food. I love all kinds of food. Asian, chicken wings, Latin, chicken wings, Southern style Soul Food, chicken wings, and did I mention how much I love chicken wings? But there's something about going to manmi's (mom's), my nenen's (godmother's) or ma tante's (my aunt's) house right after they THREW DOWN on some queue boeuf (oxtail), di ri ak jonjon (black rice with mushrooms), makawoni au gratin (macaroni and cheese) and my personal favorite some boulettes (meatballs)!!!

Haitians have their signature dishes that other cultures have come to know well like griot (deep fried pork), tassot (deep fried goat or turkey meat), banan peze (pressed and fried plantains) and of course pikliz (put plainly...a spicy coleslaw). Aside from those and the ones I listed earlier, Haitian cuisine is very diverse and has influences from French, African and Latin cuisine. Also the beauty in the food is that it is a perfect representation of the island. Fresh seafood bears witness to its geographical location. The farm raised animals and fresh grown crops used in the foods are all indigenous to the island. And the blend of spices and the hint of heat in the food shows the fire that burns within the people. (I know I know, I'm pretty deep and poetic.)

FLAGS UP!!!!!!!!

Just a month away from May 18th and I am already brimming with excitement!!! I just can't wait!! Red and Blue everywhere, kompas blaring in the streets, fritay (Haitian version of a fish fry) in abundance...wait, don't tell me you don't know what is happening on May 18th?!? Umway, pitit chita kite m' di ou itswa a (OMG, child have a seat and let me tell you the story).

All over the world the Haitian diaspora celebrate May 18th as Haitian Flag Day. On the same day in the year 1803, Catherine Flon, at the request of Haitian Revolutionary leaders Jean-Jacques Dessalines and Alexandre Petion, sewed together the vertical red and blue bands torn from the French flag to create the first flag to represent the Independent nation of Haiti.

10 little known facts about the Haitian Flag

Since the first flag's inception in 1803, Haiti's banner has undergone much evolution up until its current form was adopted in 1986. The development of the flag is intertwined with Haiti's history of rulers and government officials. Through each reincarnation of the flag a different aspect of today's version was added in. Below you'll find a link to a timeline of Haiti's past flags.

Haiti's flags through the years...

The Morning Drive

I briefly mentioned it in a previous post but I am a Co-Host on a morning talk radio show called The Morning Drive. The show airs Monday thru Friday from 8am-10am on WSRF 1580AM, a Haitian owned and operated radio station located in North Miami Beach, Fl (that was a mouthful). The show is hosted by young Haitian Americans with the purpose of acting as liaisons between the gran moun (older) Haitians and the younger more Americanized generation. It's a great concept if I do say so myself. 

La Plage/The Beach

Abaka Bay

I live in South Florida, which translates to sunshine, beautiful people, partying and BEACHES!!!! Year round, save for a few days of "winter" residents of Florida flock to the beaches in droves. This weather also draws in many caribbean native immigrants. From the Haitian point of view, Florida just makes sense! You lived on an island, a piece of land surrounded by water (in case you didn't know what an island was lol), full of beaches, sunny and tropical weather year round so where else in the U.S. should you move to? Florida is one of the few states in this fair country that resembles Caribbean weather, so one could assume the transition would be a little easier for those coming from Haiti.

But lets talk about the beaches for a moment. In Florida there are many beautiful beaches that people travel across the country...better yet the world to come see. South Beach, Daytona Beach, and Palm Beach are just a few of Florida's well known beaches. Little did you know Haiti is also home to some of the most beautiful beaches worldwide.

Here comes the bride...

So my older sister is getting married this weekend. I am super happy for her and very proud. She found a man who puts her first and prioritizes her happiness...Although I don't think I have ever seen her this stressed. My sister usually has it all together but if you bring up anything regarding her wedding party, flowers or guests...well to put it nicely you just  may get your head bitten off.

Is there a word for Bridezilla in Kreyol (Creole)? I'm just kidding. For a bride to be, she is pretty reasonable...at times, but its the other 23 hours of the day that has us all going nuts. In typical Haitian woman fashion everything is over the top and spells the end of the world. "UMWAY!!! Guys the caterer didn't call me back today. He must've packed up and escaped with all the money!!!" "WHOOSH!!! My hairdresser rescheduled my appointment. If I have to go to someone else they will mess up my hair. And if my hair looks bad for the wedding he's going to leave me and the wedding will be off!!!!" Her exact words, no, but definitely not an exaggeration. The one fun part of the wedding preparations is trying to see if my sister's innate Haitian-ness will creep up out of her.

Now if you've ever been to any REAL Ayitien (Haitian) weddings you know four elements are always present.

Roses are Red Violets are...

I'm not one of those guys who considers himself a poet. I'm definitely not what one would call a spoken word artist either. I would say that I have a talent for stringing words together in rhythmic pattern with the purpose of conveying a message or my personal feelings. But if you want to be technical I do enjoy writing poetry. I'm not keen on performing my own stuff but I do enjoy sharing it and being heavily complimented on it (wink wink).

So every now and then I will share a poem with you guys. I welcome commentary and even encourage you to do the same. Many people out there are private poets and have no intention of sharing their work. The thing is whether you plan on publishing your work or just doing it for fun, poetry is a great way to share your feelings and relieve stress. And believe it or not you may find out that you have a knack for it and that people may actually enjoy it. I'll be sharing one below and every now and then from here on. Hope you guys do the same...Until then

Na we pita/A plus tard




Yours Truly, by Rhonel Cinous 

Regal, raffish and extremely well read 
Haitian by heritage, American by birth, culturally conscious and accepting of all
On a journey to find himself and leave a size 13.5 foot print on this world too big for the next man to fill
Never hesitant to take on the next challenge that knocks on his door 
Eccentric in his ways, eclectic in his tastes, ever inquisitive and eager to learn the lessons life has to offer
Looking for adventure, living life to the fullest and loving each day the good Lord blessed him with 
He is Rhonel. 
Just your everyday average amazing human being
With something to say 
A loud voice to say it with
Hoping to touch anyone who may hear him

Diaspora...

...a word that I have heard many times since I was very young, but not once did I ever stop to find out its meaning. To be honest I never considered the fact that the word would be relevant to me in the slightest. Diaspora was always used in conjunction with the "just comes", Haitians who literally just came over to the U.S. So naturally a young AMERICAN born Haitian like myself wanted no connection with the term.

Growing up Haitian in Miami in the early '90s meant one of two things, you were either a "boat" (Haitian immigrant who came over on a raft/boat) or you were a "Zoe" (a member of the Haitian gang Zoe Pound). Honestly, I never once hid my Haitian heritage, but I did disassociate myself with the "boats". My thoughts were, if I couldn’t be regarded, as a regular kid I'd much rather be feared for having gang affiliations. The wrench in that plan was my father. He didn't seem to be too concerned with my day-to-day identity crises. He sent me to school in my Sabbath Best (comparable to others' Sunday Best) and of course strictly enforced the Three L's of Haitian upbringing: L'eglise, Lekol, Lakay (church, school, home). It’s hard to be thugging in your shiny black church shoes while sprinting home full speed after school to avoid baton. I had no strong Haitian accent or any trouble speaking English whatsoever; but I also didn’t have the newest gear, cable TV, the latest toys and games, or even a respectable shape-up (dad claimed only thugs had shape-ups, smh). All that coupled with a French name and a distinct difference in behavior from my peers, I was clearly different.