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Matthew Patay's
Note of the Month
May 2008
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Map and flag images provided by Graphic Maps
This month's featured note
is from Hait.
The denomination is 500 Gourdes and the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money
(SCWPM) Number is P-277.
The note is dated 2004.
(front)
The banknote is purple and tan on multicolored underprint.
Alexandre Sabès Pétion (April 2, 1770 –
March 29, 1818) was President of the southern Republic of Haiti from 1806 until
his death.
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The following information
was obtained from:
Wikipedia
the online Encyclopedia
Alexandre Sabès Pétion
(April 2, 1770 – March 29, 1818)
(For the full article, please refer to
the link above.)
Alexandre Sabès Pétion (April 2, 1770 – March 29, 1818) was President of the southern Republic of Haiti from 1806 until his death.
Pétion was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti to a black mother and a French father. He was sent to France in 1788 to study at the Military Academy in Paris. He returned to take part in the expulsion of the British (1798–99). His mulatto heritage meant that when tensions arose between blacks and mulattoes he supported the mulatto faction. He allied with General André Rigaud and Jean Pierre Boyer against Toussaint L'Ouverture in the failed rebellion, the so-called War of Knives, which began in June 1799. By November the rebels were pushed back to the strategic southern port of Jacmel; the defence was commanded by Pétion. The town fell in March 1800 and the rebellion was effectively over. Pétion and other mulatto leaders went into exile in France.
He returned in February 1802 with Boyer, Rigaud and the 12,000-strong French army commanded by Charles Leclerc. Following the treacherous treatment of Toussaint and the renewed struggle, Pétion joined the nationalist force in October 1802 following a secret conference at Arcahaie and supported Jean-Jacques Dessalines, the general who had captured Jacmel. The capital was taken on October 17, 1803, and independence was declared on January 1, 1804. Dessalines was made ruler for life and had himself crowned emperor on October 6, 1804.
Post-Revolution
Following the assassination of Dessalines on October 17, 1806, Pétion championed democracy and clashed with Henri Christophe. Christophe was offered a democratic presidency, but this failed. The country divided between them and the tensions between the blacks and mulattoes were reignited. After the inconclusive struggle dragged on until 1810, a peace was agreed and the country was split in two. While Christophe made himself king of the northern Kingdom of Haiti, Pétion had himself elected President of the southern part of Haiti in 1806. Initially a supporter of democracy, he found the constraints imposed on him by the senate onerous and suspended the legislature in 1818. In 1816 he turned his post into President for Life.
He was active in seizing the commercial plantations and divided the land thus gained amongst his supporters and the peasantry, earning himself the nickname Papa Bon-Cœur ("good-hearted daddy"). The land grab dealt a serious blow to the economy of the country, and most of the population did little more than subsistence farming. He started the Lycée Pétion in Port-au-Prince. He gave sanctuary to Simón Bolívar in 1815 and provided him with material support.
Boyer was made the successor of Pétion and took control following the death of Pétion through yellow fever in 1818.----------
(back)
Fort Jacques (Fermathe), Haiti is at center.
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The following information
was obtained from:
Wikipedia
the online Encyclopedia
Haiti - A Brief History
(For the full article, please refer to
the link above.)
Haiti (English pronounced /?he?ti?/; French Haïti pronounced [aiti]; Haitian Creole: Ayiti), officially the Republic of Haiti (République d'Haïti ; Repiblik d Ayiti), is a French and Creole speaking Latin American country located on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, which it shares with the Dominican Republic, in the Greater Antilles archipelago. Ayiti (Land of Mountains) was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island. The country's highest point is Pic la Selle, at 2,680 metres (8,793 ft). The total area of Haiti is 27,750 square kilometres (10,714 sq mi) and its capital is Port-au-Prince.
Derivation of the name of the country
The name Haiti comes from the Taino word for the entire island of Hispaniola, Ayiti, which means "Mountainous Land". The French staked their claim on the entire island based on the settlement of Tortuga and Gonave Islands by French pirates in the 15th and 16th centuries. The colony was officially incorporated by France in the early 1600s.
By 1697, with the signing of the Treaty of Ryswick with Spain, the French took the western third of the island, which they named Saint-Domingue (a gallicization of the Spanish name, Santo Domingo ("Saint Dominic"). During this French colonial period, the colony earned the name “La Perle des Antilles” ("The Pearl of the Antilles") due to its economic prosperity and importance. The Spanish kept control of Santo Domingo on the eastern two-thirds of the island.
With the declaration of Saint-Domingue's independence from France on January 1, 1804, following the Haitian Revolution, Revolutionary leader Jean-Jacques Dessalines restored the original Taino name as a symbolic gesture of honor to the Taino people and as defiance against European rule.
History
Christopher Columbus reached the isle on December 5, 1492. He named the island Hispaniola (Spanish for "Spanish Island"). He landed on the north coast of what is now Haiti in Mole Saint Nicolas, where he soon established a settlement called La Navidad. A branch of the Arawaks, the Tainos, occupied the island before the arrival of the Spaniards. Their number at the end of the 15th century was estimated to be lower than 100,000. Following the destruction of La Navidad by the Amerindians, Columbus moved to the eastern side of the island and established La Isabela. The Spaniards exploited the island for its gold, which was mined largely by the local Amerindians directed by the Spanish occupiers. Those refusing to work in the mines were slaughtered or forced into slavery. The few who evaded capture fled to the mountains and established independent settlements.
The Europeans brought chronic infectious diseases with them. Combined with ill treatment, malnutrition and a drastic drop of the birthrate, these decimated the indigenous population. The Spanish governors began importing enslaved Africans for labor. In 1517, Carlos V, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain, authorized the draft of the slaves. Many enslaved Africans married Amerindians, forming a line of people known in Haiti as marabou.
The western part of Hispaniola soon was settled by French buccaneers. Among them, Bertrand d'Ogeron succeeded in growing tobacco, which prompted many of the numerous buccaneers and freebooters to turn into a sedentary population. It was a population that did not submit to Spanish royal authority until the year 1660 and caused a number of conflicts.
17th c. settlement
Bertrand d'Orgeron attracted many colonists from Martinique and Guadeloupe, such as the Roy family (Jean Roy, 1625-1707), Hebert (Jean Hebert, 1624, with his family) and the Barre (Guillaume Barre, 1642, with his family), driven out by pressure on lands generated by extension of sugar plantations. From 1670 to 1690, a drop in the tobacco markets affected the island, significantly reducing the number of settlers. Freebooters grew stronger, plundering settlements, such as those of Vera Cruz in 1683 and Campêche in 1686. Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Marquis de Seignelay, elder son of Jean-Baptiste Colbert and Minister of the Navy, brought back some order. He ordered the establishment of indigo and sugar cane plantations. The first windmill for processing sugar was created in 1685.
France and Spain settled hostilities on the island by the Treaty of Ryswick of 1697, which divided Hispaniola between them. France received the western third and named it Saint-Domingue. Many French colonists came and worked on plantations. From 1713 to 1787, 30,000 colonists, among them Pierre Nezat, immigrated from Bordeaux, France to the western part of the island. By about 1790, Saint-Domingue had greatly overshadowed its eastern counterpart in terms of wealth and population. It quickly became the richest French colony in the New World due to the immense profits of the sugar, coffee and indigo industries. The labor of thousands of enslaved Africans made it possible. Their lives were ruled by the Code Noire (Black Code), prepared by Colbert and enacted by Louis XIV.
The French Revolution
The French Revolution generated social upheavals in Saint-Domingue and the French West Indies. Most important was the revolt of the slaves which led in 1793 to the abolition of slavery by commissioners Sonthonax and Polverel. This decision was endorsed and generalized to the whole of the French colonies by the Convention six months later. Toussaint Louverture was appointed Governor by France, after having restored peace in Saint-Domingue. He had driven out the Spaniards and English invaders who threatened the colony. He restored prosperity by daring measures, renewing trading ties with Great Britain and the United States.
Independence
When Toussaint Louverture created a separatist constitution, Napoleon Bonaparte sent an expedition of 30,000 men under the command of his brother-in-law the General Charles Leclerc to retake the island. Bonaparte was influenced by the Creole planters and traders. Leclerc was to oust Louverture and restore slavery. After some victories and the arrest and the deportation of Toussaint Louverture, the native leader Jean des Dessalines beat the French troops at the Battle of Vertières. They had been led by Donatien Marie Joseph de Rochambeau. At the end of the double battle for emancipation and independence, former slaves proclaimed the independence of Saint-Domingue on 1 January 1804, under the name of Haiti. Haiti was the first country in the world to abolish slavery.
Jean-Jacques Dessalines was proclaimed governor for life by his troops. He exiled the remaining whites and ruled as a despot. He was assassinated on October 17, 1806. The country was divided then between a kingdom in the north directed by Henri Christophe and a republic in the south directed by Alexandre Pétion. Then president Jean Pierre Boyer reunified these two parts and conquered the east part of the island. In July 1825, the king of France Charles X sent a fleet of fourteen vessels and troops to reconquer the island. To maintain independence, President Boyer agreed to a treaty by which France recognized the independence of the country in exchange for an allowance of 150 million francs (the sum was reduced in 1838 to 90 million francs).
A long succession of coups followed the departure of Jean Pierre Boyer. His authority did not cease being disputed by factions of the army, the mulatto and black elites, and the commercial class, now made up of numerous immigrants: Germans, Americans, French and English). The country was impoverished. Few heads of state took care of its development. As the president's authority weakened, armed revolts started, maintained by candidates to the succession. At the beginning of the 20th century, the country was in a state of quasi-permanent insurrection.
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The following information
was obtained from:
Wikipedia the
online Encyclopedia
The Culture of Haiti
(For the full article, please refer to
the link above.)
The Culture of Haiti encompasses a variety of Haitian traditions, from native Taino customs to practices imported during French colonisation and Spanish imperialism. As in the cases of Cuba and the Dominican Republic (but to a much larger degree), Haiti is a nation with strong African contributions to the culture as well as its language, music and religion. French, Spanish, and to a lesser extent (food, art, and folk religion) Taino and Arab customs are present in society.
Music
Haitian Compas (sometimes written as Compas Direct, konpa direk, konpa, or kompa) is a musical genre as well as a dance that originates from Haïti. It was named «Compas Direct» by Nemours Jean-Baptiste on a recording released in 1955. The name derives from compas, the Spanish word meaning rhythm or tones. It involves mostly medium-to-fast tempo beats with an emphasis on electric guitars, synthesizers, and either a solo alto saxophone, a horn section or the synthesizer equivalent. Unlike zouk (which derives from compas), the lyrics are mostly in Haitian Creole.
Folklore often categorized into both European (Spanish & French mythology) and African folklore has become a part of Haitian culture. With it many musical styles have arisen due to its influences. The style of music most recognized in Haiti is the wildly popular Compas or "Kompa", a musical genre born of French and Spanish music combined with African-derived drumming and Haitian Creole-sung verses. Haiti's music (especially Compas) bears several similarities to its Spanish-speaking neighbors yet it is unique in its own right.
In North America, compas festivals take place frequently in Montreal, New York, Miami, and Boston.
Merengue of the Dominican Republic is fairly popular in Haiti. The true origins of the genre are not certain with both countries claiming to have invented it. The dance of the same name is considered by many to be the national dance of Haiti[1]; however, there is some controversy regarding its origins. Of the dance, one story alleges it originated with slaves who were chained together and, of necessity, were forced to drag one leg as they cut sugar to the beat of the drums; however, the most popular story relates that a great hero of the revolution who had been crippled in one leg was welcomed home with a victory celebration. It was known that he loved to dance but all he could do now, was step with one leg and drag the other to close. The imagery of both stories is important; both describe stepping side and dragging the other leg to close both. The similarly named Méringue is a distinct Haitian genre which is closely intertwined with that of its Dominican counterpart.
Festivals
The most festive time of the year in Haiti is during Carnival (referred to as "Kanaval" in Creole or Mardi Gras). The festivities start in February. The cities are filled with music, parade floats and people dancing and singing in the streets. Carnival week is traditionally a time of all-night parties and escape from daily life. Rara, a festival which occurs before Easter, is celebrated by a significant number of the population as well and its celebration has led to it becoming a style of carnival music. Many of the youth also attend parties and enjoy themselves at nightclubs called discos, pronounced in local slang as "deece-ko" (not like the discos of the U.S), and attend Bal. This term derives from the word ballad, and these events are often celebrated by crowds of many. Mainstream dance music is played all throughout.
Religion of Haiti
The most widely practised religion of Haiti is Christianity. Haiti is similar to the rest of Latin America in that it is a predominantly Roman Catholic country with 80%-85% professing Catholicism and approximately 20% professing Protestantism. A small but growing population of Muslims exists in the country, principally in the capital of Port-au-Prince. Vodou, an African-based religion is also widely practiced despite the negative stigma that it carries both in and out of the country. It is more widespread in the rural parts of the country. The exact number of Vodou practitioners is unknown; however, it is believed that a significant amount of the population practice it, often alongside their Christian faith. Strict Catholics in the country often see Vodou as a false religion used to scare people. The claim of the majority of Haitians practicing Vodou is frequently denied by the Haitian population both in the country and abroad.
Cuisine
The cuisine of Haiti is influenced in a large part by French cuisine and to a lesser extent Spanish cuisine as well as some native staples such as cassava (kasav), yam, and maize (mayi). Haitian food, though unique in its own right, shares much in common with the rest of Latin America. Some popular dishes are:
Diri ak Pwa: Rice and Beans, Griyo: Fried Pork, Kabrit: Goat, Sos poul: Chicken in sauce, Mayi moulen: Cornmeal, Sòs pwa: a bean sauce, Legume: Vegetables (okra, eggplant, tomatoes, and more ingredients), Poisson: Fish, Diri ak Let: A dessert composed of sweetened milk and rice, Banann Fri/Peze: (Fried Plantains, also popular in the Dominican Republic)Soup, eggs, meat, and sandwiches are what most Haitians enjoy for breakfast.
A preferred seasoning known as Epis in Haiti is commonly referred to as Sofrito by the rest of the region, a basic recipe goes as following:
Scallion, Celery, Red peppers, Green peppers, Cilantro, Onion, Garlic Vegetable Oil, tomatoes. (Optional, but used in some provinces.) All of the ingredients are blended together and a dash of sugar or marinade is added. Salt should not be included or substituted for this. This season is mainly used to condiment or prepare meats, cooked rice and/or stews.
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For more information about Haiti visit:
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