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Haitian Art Featured at Smithsonian Folklife Festival

Artisans from Haiti participated in the 38th Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington DC for the Fouth of July celebration.

Haiti: Freedom and Creativity from the Mountains to the Sea marked the 200th anniversary of Haiti's independence. The first nation to free itself from both colonialism and slavery at the same time, Haiti today stands at another momentous crossroads. The Festival highlighted the geographic diversity of the land and recognizes the cultural creativity that continues to sustain the Haitian people in the face of tremendous political and economic challenges.
Demonstrations and workshops by artisans reflected the variation in occupational, craft, and architectural traditions in Haiti—from the pottery of the highlands to boat-building and net-making along the coastline. Rara musicians and Carnival masqueraders performed songs expressing the ongoing passion for liberty at the heart of Haitian culture. In addition, discussions, displays, and oral history stations focused on the cultural life of Haitian communities in North America.

Click on image to view larger photo (Photos by Nick Swedberg)

	A metal work of Toussaint L'Ouverture, founder of the Haitian Republic
	Almost 400 workers contribute to the production of certain Haitian crafts, like this metal sun work.
	Painting by Jean Jacques Dessalines, artist whose work is at the Expressions Galerie d'Art tent in the Folklife Festival
	Work by Sadrole Louigene, of the Ajoupa Shop, located in Croix des Bouquets, Haiti
	By Reynmald Joseph, artist, whose work is at the Expressions Galerie d'Art tent in the Folklife Festival
	Camisir, artist, a rendering of a market found at the Red Carpet tent at the Folklife Festival
	An example of Haitian landscape art
	Metal work located at the Cazi Art Gallery in the Folklife Festival
	Jean Pierre Richard Desrosiers, a Haitian artisan, works on a piece of metal artwork. Desrosiers was brought to the U.S. through Aid to Artisans.
	People shop for craftwork at the Aid to Artisans (ATA) tent. ATA is a non-profit organization whose goal is to aid artisans in developing countries and improve their livelihoods. USAID funds this group.

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