Freedom Fighters

Today is the first day of a new year we hope to be better. Today also marks the day that 217 years ago, the bravest group of men and women, in a small island in the Caribbean declared their independence. They decided that they will no longer bow their heads and be oppressed. That it was better to die than to live a life of bondage and despair. Thus, they started the greatest saga known to men and took their freedom from their oppressors and vowed to never be slaves again. It remains the only successful slave rebellion in history. This group of people are Haitians, where I am from.

Haiti’s role in the south America’s fight for freedom

These heroic people did not only free themselves, but they went wherever they could to help others from the odious fate of slavery. Haitians helped many countries in the Americas gained their independence. Among those countries are Brazil, Guyana, Venezuela, Ecuador, Columbia, Panama, Peru, Costa-Rica, Nicaragua and Bolivia.

Haiti and Santo Domingo war against the Spanish return

Despite difficult relationships between the two countries, Haiti tried to offer its assistance to Dominican rebellions against the return of the Spaniards. Around 1860, Haitian president Geffrard sent his personal guards and men to help out the rebels against Spanish troops, but in July 1861, Spain gave Haiti an ultimatum for participating and supporting the Dominican rebels. Afraid of a threat to its fragile sovereignty, the Haitian government back down, which provoked deep criticism of Haitian nationalists.

Haiti’s role in saving the Jews during the holocaust

Haiti played a small but important part in saving Jewish people during world war II. In early 1930’s, when the Nazi regime first started, while most nations denied any help to Jewish people, the Haitian government issued Haitian passports to any Jewish person who would ask for it, which allowed them to flee the country to Haiti and other destinations.

Haiti and the Greece’s fight for freedom

When the Greece needed help to gain their own independence, they asked Haiti for help. At the time, despite financial ruins, Haiti decided to send a cargo of 25 tons of coffee, one of the most important commodities of the time, to be sold on behalf of the Greek revolutionaries for the procurement of supplies; thus, making Haiti the first country in the world to recognize Greece as an independent country, and the first one outside Europe to help the country achieve self-determination.

Haiti and the United states fight for independence

Haiti and the United States relationships are as old as the American revolution itself. In 1779, a group of free black men were recruited from Haiti to help fight in Savannah, Georgia. In addition, when the British returned in American soil in 1814, Haitians again participated in the Louisiana battle to oust them out. Lastly, the triumphant Haitian revolution allowed the U.S to double its territory as Napoleon, disappointed by its loss of Haiti, his richest colony, decided to sell his remaining French territories to the U.S.

Haiti, land of the free

Haiti has a long tradition of fighting for freedom for all. It is a little ironic or maybe quite tragic to think that Haitians helped so many during its early days but now is viewed with such contempt.  Not once, did Haitians ask for anything in return but to let people live freely. If this is not true devotion for the cause of liberty, I don’t know what is. Haitians are true idealist. Maybe that is why we are so easily taken advantage of…

But what have become of the descendants of such brave people today?

Nowadays, the only mention of Haiti anywhere is about its struggle. Our majestic history of freedom fighter is thrown in the unknown, long forgotten. All people seem to know of Haiti is the 2010 earthquake that led to millions in disarray.

The news I hear coming from the country now leave a heavy weight in my heart. I hear of insecurity and violence. I hear of civil unrests. Is that why our ancestors died for? Tomorrow, January 2, we will remember the ancestors by eating a beautiful feast with family and friends. If the ancestors are looking down on us, I think they will be overcome by profound sadness due to the state of our nation. “Union fait la force” (unity is strength); do these words mean absolutely nothing anymore? This calamity that is our present situation is not the dream that the ancestors had in mind when they sacrificed their lives.

What have we done with the powerful legacy of our ancestors?

Have we forgotten that we are descendants of giants? Maybe we need a big reminder of who we are and where we came from. That we have in us what it takes to rise from the ashes of our troubles and against the odds. That we always had the audacity of hope.

We are in dire need of extraordinary new inspiring events. Maybe, we should not have to travel as far back as 1804 to get a sense of pride. Don’t get me wrong, nobody can take away these beautiful pages of our history. But perhaps, we need something of recent memory to revitalize our courage.

There is no doubt in my mind that Haitian people can rise again. If after 300 years of the most brutal institution that was slavery, Haitians managed to believe in themselves and take their freedom, they can certainly do it again. As we, Haitians drink that ‘soup joumou’ (pumpkin soup) today, we ought – for the sake of our children and our children’s children- to think about why we no longer want to free ourselves from the tyranny we currently find ourselves in.

I think the solution might be as easy as that; decide with all our might that we will no longer accept a life of abhorrent misery and humiliation. But it seems that this decision may take a very long time…

Until then,

Happy Independence Day fellow Haitians and to all, there is nothing more important in this world but to be free in every sense of the word.

Xoxo, JP