THE HAITIAN AMERICAN SERIES : RICHARD CANTAVE

Welcome back to the Haitian American Experience series. With everything currently going on in Haiti, we wanted to create a safe space for authentic conversations and we are conscious that the diaspora cannot be left out. This series has started with the goal of hearing different perspectives about the current situation and how the diaspora could offer sustainable short and long term solutions. We will also of course dive into some more personal topics in order for you to learn more about our features and their unique personalities.

Enjoy!

How have you been Richard? 

Hey guys! I’ve been pretty good thank you—we’ve been incredibly busy hosting many different trips across different continents so it’s been non-stop for us but also been stressed and appalled about the situation in Haiti.

Tell us more about yourself, your interests and the work you do.

My name is Richard Cantave—many people know me as Haitian Nomad, I am an avid traveler who enjoys learning about new cultures, history and unique cultural experiences. I have turned this passion into my life-calling of facilitating these experiences  for others by hosting them in countries around the globe.

When did you move from Haiti to the US?

I moved from Haiti to the US in June 2003 when I came to spend the summer vacation but ended up staying as a result of the deteriorating political situation in Haiti.

How would you describe your passion for Haiti?

I don’t think there are words that can describe my passion for Haiti. Everyday, during my travels, I am reminded how much of a blessing it is to have been born in Haiti. To be Haitian is something to be incredibly proud of …our history, our culture, our food is very unique and it’s something I’m always super excited to share with the world. I’m always super excited to host our Haiti trips as it is one of the very few places where you can experience what I call RAW tourism! There are no “tourist traps” in Haiti, you’re experiencing the authentic culture no matter where you go !

How is the current situation affecting you right now ?

I’m very sad to see what’s going on Haiti right now, even worse to see the mass exodus or the brain drain that’s happening. While I understand the reason people want to leave as I did but if everyone who’s educated and represents some kind of hope for Haiti leaves, what’s next? This is also the longest I have gone without going to Haiti as the situation in Port-au-Prince has deteriorated and spilled over to other places throughout the country. It also pains me to know that so many people benefited from our many different trips to Haiti and now they have to find other ways to make ends meet in an already difficult place. The other thing that always bothered me about the situation in Haiti was the way it broke families apart. When people leave Haiti, they move to different countries, different states and family ties are broken——cousins grow up without each other for example.

“Everyday, during my travels, I am reminded how much of a blessing it is to have been born in Haiti. To be Haitian is something to be incredibly proud of …our history, our culture, our food is very unique and it’s something I’m always super excited to share with the world. ”

— Richard Cantave

From your perspective, how can the Haitian Diaspora contribute to short term and long term change right now ?

The Haitian diaspora needs to be united to make big changes in Haiti—I’m sad to see sometimes Haitians who move to the US but keep the same mentality or the same way of life as they had in Haiti because they never assimilate and therefore can’t really progress. If we had more of a togetherness, more resources available for those who arrive, I believe they’d be able to also help others still in Haiti or even they themselves would take the experiences learned here and implement them in Haiti.

We need to put a stop to the “neg anwo vs neg anba, the colorism , close the social divide in the name of country—kind of like South Africa did under Nelson Mandela. We can’t keep fighting over the same things we’ve been doing over the past 200+ years! 

We must also make sure our children growing up in the us or outside of Haiti never forget who they are, where they come from and that they know and feel at home in Haiti 

How do you do your part ? (It's also ok if right now you don't know yet how you do your part. You can be transparent about that) 

I do my part in many ways: 

1. I identify people/youths In Haiti I see doing positive things but who lack support & I find ways to support them—such was the case when I purchased $5,000 worth of professional equipment recently for a group of talented young Haitians Doing amazing work in their community in the north. 

2. Through our many trips, we find ways to directly hire the people of the communities we visit and give back in meaningful ways like providing support to local schools.

3. Through an organization called Kiva, we provide small loans at 1% to local entrepreneurs who lack funding for their ideas/businesses. The 1% repaid, fuels another entrepreneurs’ dreams.

If you could give a word of encouragement to Haitians grieving for their country right now, what would it be?

“While it’s ok to grieve, the work doesn’t stop and we can’t always “leave it to God” who already gave us everything we need to build. ”

— Richard Cantave

A little Haiti QnA

Favorite spot in Haiti?

Gadras/Paradise Bay beach near Cap Haitien

Favorite Haitian meal?

Diri Djon Djon (Black Rice), Macaroni Gratiné, Griot, Bannan Peze 

Favorite Haitian alcoholic beverage?

I don’t drink but I love me some cremas :) 

Haitian item we will always find in your house? 

Haitian Coffee (Rebo) , Haitian Flag, Pilon, Lwil maskreti, Haitian vanilla essence, Kassav , haitian flag of course. 

3 Haitian businesses you love and support 

Any artisan at Village Nouailles

I recently had the pleasure to eat at a small restaurant in Petion-Ville called “Wikouk” and the food was EXCELLENT ! Hotel Montana is also one of my favorite hotels in Haiti. 

Bonbon lakay in Brooklyn makes all the yummy sweets that remind me of my childhood in Haiti.

LePic pizza in south Florida makes the same — amazing pizza we’ve grown to love like pizza garden. 

A popular Haitian dish you do not like  

Any seafood

Favorite Haitian proverb

Ou pa janm konn kote dlo pase li antre nan kokoye

Haitian song you will never get over?

“Diana” King Posse 

Thank you Richard for taking the time to chat with us! Do not forget to follow The Haitian Nomad and keep up with their amazing trips around the world

The "Kenbe - Lage" Tradition and why it's imporant

We love new year resolutions! They are are such a great way to embrace fresh starts but if we are being honest, many of our resolutions are not really sustainable. We tend to keep adding new resolutions to the ones we haven’t even practiced from the previous year.

There is power in simplicity and making sure the goals we set for ourselves are realistic, specific and attainable. Most importantly, it is important to be able to go back to hold goals and habits and do a clean up instead of constantly adding.

Years ago at Haiti Design Co, we started the new year tradition called “Kenbe, Lage” (Hold on, Let Go) where the team gets vocal about what they want to leave in the previous year and what they want to take with them in the new year.

This year was no different. We made sure our staff took the time to vocalize what they wanted to leave behind and what they are looking forward to for 2022.

No need to say it has been quite a challenging year for us and now more than ever, we need to keep our hope and faith up. We want to encourage you to do the same. No matter where you live or your circumstances, remember that as long as there is life, there is hope and things to look forward to and let go off.

Here are some of our artisan’s resolutions for 2022

Mwen vle kite selibatè pou 2021. Mwen vle kite tout move panse negatif yo ki te konn fè mwen pè pou mwen avanse. Nan ane 2022 a, menaj men avèm ap pran dispozisyon pou nou prepare maryaj nou

I want to leave all of the negative thoughts that used to keep me stuck. I also want to leave the single life behind. In 2022, my boyfriend and I are taking action to plan our wedding

- Maxanne -

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Pou 2021, map kite epav, paresès. Sa yo Konn fè mwen pa verman ekonomize kòb mwen. An 2022 map kenbe disiplin pou mwen kapab travay pi byen epi pou mwen kapab fè ekonomi

In 2021, I leave laziness and procrastination. Because of these I often don’t make proper money savings. In 2022 I am keeping a spirit of discipline in order to work better and also save my money.

- Kavakia -

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We are wishing you the best for 2022!

may this be your best year yet…

VALUING HAITIAN ART AND SELF-EXPRESSION

VALÈ SERIES PART 2 WITH JULIE ORELIEN HERNANDEZ

I am Julie Orelien-Hernandez, a content creator and teacher. I was born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti but now reside in the Bronx, NY. I am pretty drawn to the arts, be it painting, drawing, creative writing, or looking at different art museums and galleries. I believe I got this trait from my mother, whom I discovered, was into the arts as a young woman. At seven years old, I remember finding her notebook full of fashion design drawings that she had created, which inspired me to explore these forms of illustrations. Interestingly, she didn’t quite have that art exploration with my sisters and me growing up. I was definitely inspired by the tap-tap paintings and the canvases hung by the streets in Haiti.

“For me, Haitian Valè means regarding Haiti and it’s culture with value.”

— @MINIMAL.JULES

As Haitians, we tend to diminish our values and place American values above our own. I cherish certain things in our culture that I cannot find in the U.S. When I lived in Haiti, since everything was available to me, I didn’t necessarily understand its importance. As I moved to the U.S., I understood what it meant to not have some djon djon in my pantry to make some diri djon djon or not eat some lalo or some fresh Ju Korosòl. I not only missed the food but the language.

When I came to the U.S., I was surrounded by people who only spoke English, and it reminded me of how much I missed and appreciated my language. When I find people who speak my language, my heart rejoices, and I communicate in my mother language.

I am a preschool teacher, and art is embedded in the curriculum. I love that I get to explore art with children and experience how they freely express themselves through that medium. It has given me more confidence to just play with paint as I express myself.

“Now that I am pregnant with my son, I want to share those cultural traditions with him: food, language, or art. ”

I enjoy making representational drawings and paintings of people and objects. That’s my forte. When I am stressed or overwhelmed, besides going to God to meditate, art is my other method of relaxation and therapy. 

I don’t have a specific artist who has impacted my journey. Still, I remember seeing paintings of life scenes in Haiti, like people going to the maché; machann selling or caring their baskets on their heads, landscapes capturing Haiti’s greenery and mountainous lands. I love the way people are portrayed in paintings as faceless, like a silhouette with their clothes. I have included these attributes in my drawings of people. I also enjoy landscapes and nature paintings. It inspires me to notice the beauty around me, be grateful for living, and apply it to my paintings. 

Click below to watch this video where Julie explains why it’s important to her that her son knows more about Haitian Value.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JULIE, FOLLOW HER ON @MINIMAL.JULES