Continued from Part One...

Haitians in Haiti and around the world will celebrate Independence Day with the traditional pumpkin soup (soup joumou in Creole). Having the soup is more than part of the Haitian culture. It is a statement of their freedom. When the French were in rule, the slaves were not allowed to enjoy pumpkin soup. It was a privilege for the French colonists only. Legend has it that on the first Independence Day a celebration was held. A large pot of pumpkin soup was made in the city of Gonaives, and served to everyone present. It was a way of bonding the Haitian people, and signified... more

I have to admit that I am learning about Haiti right along with the rest of you. Yesterday, as I was celebrating New Years day with my family, a good friend emailed me and let me know that in Haiti, January 1st is Independence Day. She forwarded on several newspaper articles sharing about Haitian Independence and traditions for January 1st. I was taken back a bit, since I was unaware of this important day. I did some of my own research and learned more about Independence Day. I learned that January 2nd is also an important holiday in Haiti. In fact, Ancestors' Day, is when Independence Day is officially recognized and the celebrating takes place. Let me share a little bit about these... more

In Haiti, Christmas is called, Noel.

Traditionally, a few days before Christmas, Haitians would cut a pine branch to act as a Christmas tree. A few might get a freshly-cut tree from the market. At home, the branch (or tree) would be decorated with bright ornaments, and a large nativity scene would take up a vast portion of the living room. The nativity scene depicted a cave manger, with Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, the wise men, and sculptured stable animals complete with hay. On Christmas Eve, the children would clean their shoes, fill them with straw, and put them out for Papa Noel (Santa Claus). Papa Noel would remove the straw and replace it with gifts for the... more