Voodoo De Haiti

Les Stone and I met in Haiti in November of 1987 while covering the ill-fated first "free" elections after the Duvaliers were removed from power.

Thirty-four Haitians were massacred, one journalist killed and several more wounded that day as Duvalier's former henchmen, the Ton-Ton Macoutes, made sure that the election would be nullified and be remembered by Haitians and the journalists alike.

For Les Stone it will always be memorable as it was his first trip out of the country and his first trip to Haiti. (He'll also remember to take the insurance when renting a car there as his car was riddled with bullet holes.) Since then he has been to Haiti over 50 times, most of these trips on his own dime to record the ongoing turmoil in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, forgotten by most despite being only 90 minutes from Miami.

On the surface Haiti is a photojournalist's paradise. It appears that all you need to do is hold the camera up, press the shutter and you'll have an image with more grit and depth than you could imagine. But to capture the real Haiti, one must endure the daily dangers of violence in a place where any foreigner stands out, and with a culture very foreign to the average American.

The violence is only one aspect; the culture and the unfaltering dignity of the Haitian people are another.

Les has endured much over the years to make these photographs and has gotten as deeply into the culture as a "blanc" could ever do. His trips continue to this day.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Voodou

[akatitua]

give haiti a chance!!!!!!

[alphaphi09]

@akatitua @akatitua How can you screaming "give Haiti a chance" and yet you saying this crap?! Maybe you are one of those money hungry NGO’S, Haiti was never helped by the U.S, France, Canada and the big U.S.A are the one keeping this country in hell. Last time I checked every fucking dime sent to Haiti goes DEEP in the pocket of the big fucking NGO’S. Don’t fucking come here posting shity images of Haiti, And You have the audacity to say there's no Hope for Haiti how dare you?!

[akatitua]

@alphaphi09

that is a stupid opinion men!

sorry for you!

[sirnubenegra]

contra manito. demuestra esto por to lao. bravo! la gente cree que saven y no saven na!

[akatitua]

@sirnubenegra

tu sabe to manin!

[barosy003]

FUCK YOUR WHITE ASS RACIST MOTHERFUCKER . YOUR BITCH ASS NEED TO STOP TALKING LIKE THIS OF HAITI WHILE YOUR KEEP ON GOING OVER THERE ......WATCH YOUR ASS SO YOU WONT GET BURN ALIVE OVER THERE FOOL .

[plujeune]

@FreeDogdylan HOW ABOUT YOU SHUT YOUR MUTHER POT HOLE AND GO LIVE UNDER ROCKS YOU IGNORANT BASTARD.

[plujeune]

HAITI SHALL COME BACK FROM THE ABYSS OF THE UNITED STATES OR HOW EVER YOU WANNA SAY IT. BUT MY THING IS, YOU DONT SEE TOO MANY PEOPLE MAKING VIDEOS OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO BE SACRIFICING VIRGIN BABES FOR THEY RITUAL, HAVING ALL KIND OF MAGICAL ORGIES AND SHIT. SO IF YOU CANT SAY AND SHOW POSITIVE IMAGE, YOU MAY AS WELL JUST SAY NOTHING AT ALL.

[MrCameramanJ]

Am with you on that fuck this motherfucker

[dinga10bam]

Honestly, i grew up in a christian household. I'm a christian myself. I admit....as a child, i used to be afraid of vodou...due to the sterotypes and my ignorance towards it, but now that im 18..i've decided to expand my mind. I honestly dont see anything wrong with voodoo...its not only a religion but a cultural way of life. Voodoo isnt what the media potrays it to be. If most people would take the time to learn about it, we wouldnt be as scared.

[estevancarlos]

@mrdominican777 I don't think this video is at all criticizing the religious practice of Haiti.

[FreeDogdylan]

He says it is not violent but what we see is a man who rips a head of a chicken, a brutal slaghutering of a cow, we see dead corpses used as fetiches, we see people burned alive around dancing people and then they eat of the dead man. Then we see the more terrible murder which have included torture. My view is rather clear - haitians are savages, cruel and a threat to world peace. Why do the world even let haitians rule their own land when they destroy their own land and people?

[polosteph1]

go fuck yourself stop talking about haiti

[rbutterlove1]

Love this country dearly if we unite as we did 200 plus years ago to become the first freed black enslave we free ourselves from bondage from our own people lets stand together, to make it happen. Prove to those who say u can't that you can rise from the abyss.........We don't need some other country ruling us if we can learn to rule ourselves.