Haitian Music For Social Justice Souls!
St. Bernadette School Choir
This year we were sent a recording of "Merci"/"Thanks" by the St. Bernadette school choir. It certainly is a great way to send to HHE their gratitude for the support HHE has given for 4 years, Thanks to a special donor. Click "Merci" to hear them sing.
SoAnne long time social justice fighter
Here is a perfect description of how Haitians fight disorder in their country. "Rezistans" by SòAnne Auguste, now dead, but a long social justice fighter who was supported by Tom Luce and his social justice organization, Hurah (hurah.org). Here are the Kreyól words with the English translation
eNote by Tom Luce: "SòAnne Auguste was one of the founding members of Fanmi Lavalas. She was arrested by US Marines on 9 May 2004 and held in prison on claims of involvement in a December 2003 attack at the University of Haiti. Amnesty International called her a political prisoner and said that "Amnesty International believes that Annette Auguste is being held arbitrarily since the Haitian authorities have failed to produce any evidence to charge her and have failed to release her within the normal terms." Due to disagreements within Fanmi Lavalas, she left it and in 2015 ran for Senate with the Haitian Tèt Kale Party.
A sizeable contingent of marines attacked Sò Anne's home in Port-Au-Prince, where she was recuperating from surgery. They detained eleven friends and family, who were handcuffed and taken away, including two young children (ages five and twelve years old). The military ransacked the house. The U.S. Marines apparently still held Sò Anne incommunicado. Sò Anne died on April 17, 2020, of breast cancer. Note: Tom Luce and his human rights organization, Hurah, helped SòAnne while in prison. The picture here was taken by a Hurah volunteer back when she was in prison."
A sizeable contingent of marines attacked Sò Anne's home in Port-Au-Prince, where she was recuperating from surgery. They detained eleven friends and family, who were handcuffed and taken away, including two young children (ages five and twelve years old). The military ransacked the house. The U.S. Marines apparently still held Sò Anne incommunicado. Sò Anne died on April 17, 2020, of breast cancer. Note: Tom Luce and his human rights organization, Hurah, helped SòAnne while in prison. The picture here was taken by a Hurah volunteer back when she was in prison."
Here is a link to go to the actual song.
Chorus: Rezistans o, rezistans o, nou se yon pèp ki genyen rezistans (4x)
1. Nou pase trant sezon doulè, nou pran nan toubiyon malè Nou panche men nou pa tonbe, nou se yon pèp ki genyen rezistans Nou pase jounen san manje, nou travèse dezè a pie Nou fè nuit san n pa fèmen je n, nou se yon pèp ki genyen rezistans Chorus (4x)Rezistans o, rezistans o, nou se yon pèp ki genyen rezistans (4x) Rezistans, rezistans, rezistans, rezistans, rezistans, rezistans, rezistans (2x) 2. Nou aprann mache anba tè, kenbe souf nou anba lanmè Defann tèt nou kont tout move zè, nou se yon pèp ki genyen rezistans Yo pile n yo pa sa kraze n, yo mouye n yo pa sa vale nou Nou di pase yon ròch kòlòròch, nou se yon pèp ki genyen rezistans Chorus 3. Yo fè nou konn chimen prizon, fèmen n nan kan konsantrasyon Men nou pa pèdi direksyon, nou se yon pèp ki genyen rezistans Lesklavaj ou lokipasyon anyen pa janm rive fè fen n Nou chape anba tout mannèv, nou se yon pèp ki genyen rezistans Chorus 4. N al nan lanfè san nou pa mouri, nou troke kòn ak Lisifè Nou di li nou kwè nan paradi, nou se yon pèp ki genyen rezistans Nou pase trant sezon doulè, nou pran nan toubiyon malè Nou panche men nou pa tonbe, nou se yon pèp ki genyen rezistans |
Chorus
Resistance oh, resistance oh, we are a people who have resistance (4x) 1. We have endured 30 seasons of pain We are trapped in a tornado of danger We are bent/stumbled but have not broken/fallen We are a people who have resistance We spent days without food We crossed the desert on foot We spent nights without closing our eyes We are a people with resistance Chorus Resistance o resistance o we are a people who have resistance (4x) Resistance, resistance, resistance, resistance, resistance, resistance, resistance (2x) 2. We have learned to walk underground Hold our breath under the sea Defend ourselves against evil spirits We are a people who have resistance They have stepped on us but can't squash us They have shewed/moistened us but can't swallow us We are hard as a rock We are a people with resistance Chorus 3. They have made us know the way to jail Shut us in concentration camps But we have not lost our objective We are a people who have resistance Slavery or occupation nothing has eliminated us We have escaped under all maneuvers We are a people who have resistance Chorus 4. We went to hell even though we are not dead We came butted head with Lucifer We told him we believe in paradise We are a people who have resistance We have endured 30 seasons of pain We have been taken by tornado of danger We are bent but have not fallen We are a people who have resistance |