This episode brings more on the ground context to the cultural and political context of today’s extreme crisis, but also take a listen to the previous episode before this one, season 2 number 5, to get information about what you can do to help through democratic participation to the struggle to stop the smuggling illegal weapons into Haiti. You will hear our beloved staff member, Yaya (who has 3 previous episodes), another friend of ours of 40 years who’s been through it all as a peasant leader, and then a former cabinet member of a previous government all speak about the situation from their perspective. And the sweet greeting from my market lady friend and neighbor who used to sell vegetables to me from her donkey. She also provides her take on the situation as well. The very troubling and devastating loss of the young man who used to come every day and help me in the kitchen, of his untimely demise as the ultimate price paid every day by hundreds if not thousands of vulnerable young men and women, all because of the GUNS!!! A special tribute to Toto Bissainthe who sings the chilling song called “Dey” which means mourning or grieving as well as to the songs of the peasant farmers of the Artibonite.
The N a Sonje Foundation website (in desperate need of updating)
The link to Najee's Etsy shop
Our band's award winning song "Women" video on our YouTube channel
Our band's album on Spotify
Folk band "Chouk Bwa Libète" links
The English translation of our theme song "N a Sonje" by Mona Augustin performed by our band "2 Roots or 2 Rasin":
"We will remember, and not forget what happened
Let’s take a look back Into the world gone by and we’ll see
How our ancestors were in Africa before they carried us away to America
Ref: Sing for Africa, Sing for America Honor for Africa, Honor for America
Who lost so many in the years long ago it wasn’t the natives of this land that did that to them
It was another nation who had as their mission to make others slaves, making so many cadavers
Pillaging, killing - Indians and Africans in making them work for nothing
This is how their countries became powerful by spilling so much blood.
Ref: Sing for Africa, Sing for America Honor for Africa, Honor for America
Who lost so many in the years long ago"