The Haitian Americans

Haiti

Haiti,

officially the Republic of

Haiti, is a Caribbean country. It
occupies the western, smaller
portion of the island of
Hispaniola, in the Greater
Antillean archipelago, which it
shares with the Dominican

Capital:Port-au-Prince
President:Michel

Martelly
Prime minister:Laurent
Lamothe
Currency:Haitian gourde
Continent:Americas,North
America

State Symbols
National Anthem:La Dessalinienne
(TheDessalines Song)
National Flower: Hibiscus
National Animal: Hispaniolan Trogon
National Tree: Palm Tree
National Sport: Football
Language: Creole and French

In

1992, Haiti's population was estimated to

be about 6.5 million inhabitants, with
approximately 71 percent living in rural areas
and about 29 percent in urban centers.
Haiti records one of the highest population
densities in the world, with about 600
persons per square mile.
The birth rate is about 44.6 per 1000 people
and the fertility rate is about six children per
woman. The death rate is about 15.6 deaths
per 1000 persons.
Life expectancy at birth is 53 years for males
and 55 years for females.

The

people of Haiti are primarily of

African descent, although a smaller
percentage is mulatto, and therefore of
European and African descent.
Creole is the main language spoken with
about ten percent of the population fluent
in French.
The literacy rate is 23 percent.
About 80 percent of the population is
Roman Catholic and ten percent is
Protestant; Voodoo is practiced by a
majority of the people.

Brief History
The

island, which was first inhabited by

Indian tribesthe Arawaks, the Tainos, and
lastly the Caraibescalled their country
"Quisqueya" and later "Haiti," which means
"the body of land."
Although the Indians welcomed the new
settlers, the discovery of gold in the
riverbeds sent the Spaniards into a frenzied
search for the coveted nuggets. The Indians
died by the thousands from diseases
introduced by the Spaniards, who also
enslaved the natives, treated them with
extreme cruelty, and massacred them.

The

Indian population was reduced from

about 300,000 to less than 500. In 1510, the
Spaniards began to import their first African
slaves from the West Coast of Africa to work
in the gold mines.

The

French, who came in 1625 and changed

the name of the island to Saint Domingue,
fought the Spaniards to keep a hold on part
of the territory. After Spain signed a treaty in
1697 in which it conceded the western part
of the island to France, the colony developed
rapidly under French rule.

The First Haitians in

America
During

the 1790s, Haiti was the most

affluent of the French colonies. It was then
that the black populace of the island
revolted against slavery and there was a
panicked exodus.
Thousands of whites, free blacks, and slaves
fled to American seaports, culminating in
largeFrench-speakingcommunities in New
Orleans, Norfolk, Baltimore, New York City,
and Boston.

According

to the United States Census of 1990,

there were about 290,000 people who claimed
Haitian ancestry; however, this figure does not
include the tens of thousands who were in the
United States illegally.
Moreover, there are second- and thirdgeneration Haitian Americans who simply
identify themselves as black; also, some legal
immigrants may find it difficult to admit to
roots that go back to a Caribbean nation so
often associated with superstition and poverty.
However, anthropologists estimate that about
1.2 million people in the United States are of
Haitian ancestry.

Acculturation and Assimilation

Like

most immigrants in the United States,

Haitians are busy in the pursuit of the
American dream.
Almost every Haitian American wishes to
buy a home as a matter of status and
security.
However, behind the facade of pride and
achievement, there is a litany of social
problemsbattered women, homeless
families, and economic exploitation.

the

problem ofundocumented
immigrantswho live in constant fear of
being deported and thrown into
Haitian jails has also led to stressrelated emotional disorders, which
frequently keep the immigrants from
using such facilities as public
hospitals.
Instead, they rely on folk medicine to
cure ordinary aliments or they seek a
private clinic with Haitian medical
personnel.

TRADITIONS, CUSTOMS AND BELIEFS

Haitian

Americans, by nature, have a strong

belief in the culture, traditions and mores of
their homeland.
Haitian Americans believe, for example, that
several types of illness are of supernatural
origin and caused by angry spirits.
Most believe that a Voodoo family has a
spirit protector whose role is to protect its
members from the malevolent powers of
other spirits.

The

institution of the family has made possible

their enclaves in the United States. It is here
that a bond with the old country is maintained,
consciously or unconsciously.
It has been noted: "The family provides a niche
within which a cultural continuity can be
adapted to the exigencies of the new
environment.
Through the medium of the family, which
influences the behaviors of its members through
the mechanism of socialization, immigrants were
able to retain some of their cultural heritage and
develop an awareness of their ethnic legacy."

Haitian

families spend their leisure time

within their own family and friendship
groups.
Visits are made to friends and relatives
especially on the weekends.
It is important to be warm and hospitable
to visitors by offering them food and drink.
Visitors are usually parents, other
relatives, in-laws, and friends.

Family and Community Dynamics

The

family is the nucleus of Haitian society;

within it, individuals are dependent upon each
other. The traditional Haitian family is a
composed of father, mother, children, and
grandparents.
The family is involved in all decision-making for
its members.
The patriarchal system is prevalent, but many
women rear children without the consistent
presence of the father. By tradition, the father is
the breadwinner and authority figure. The
mother is the household manager and
disciplinarian.
Family honor is of utmost importance. Family

family's reputation in society is based on

honesty and former family history. Offspring
of thegrandes famillesare considered
excellent prospects for marriage.

From

birth, males are granted more freedom

and educational opportunities than females.

Transgressions

in behavior are more readily

overlooked in males, and the male "macho"
image is admired since men play the
dominant role in society.

Females

in urban areas of Haiti lead a

sheltered and protected life.
The family and educational system
prepares them for marriage and
respectability.
Adolescent girls do not go out alone and
their activities are closely controlled.
They are expected to help with chores
and care for siblings at home.
Women in rural areas have always
worked. They farm as well as perform
household tasks. They are the backbone
of the economic stability of the family.

Traditionally,

clear distinctions have

existed between male and female
roles. However, these are changing
due to economic conditions. More
urban women are working outside
the home, enjoying some degree of
freedom, and are less willing to play
a subservient role to the male. This is
especially true in the United States.
Many women want a greater voice in
the decision-making processes of
their homes.

Haitian

American parents are

generally strict with their children,
as is customary in Haiti. The
children are monitored by the
adults of the family.
Adult rules are to be respected
and obeyed without question.
Children are expected to live at
home until they are married.

Treatment

of the elderly in Haiti differs from

that in the United States.
Senior citizens are highly respected
because they have wisdom that can only
come from living a long life. Sending an
aged parent to a nursing home is
unthinkable for Haitians.
Children view with each other as to whom
will be granted the privilege of caring for
the parents.

Haitian

families maintain regular contact with

relatives in Haiti by visiting them during
winter or summer vacations. Some also
return during the carnival period and for
relatives' funerals. Still others return for
familial Voodoo gatherings.
The immigrants try to maintain survival
contacts with neighbors in the same
apartment buildings. The more interaction
the family has with other Haitian immigrants,
the more the community is able to maintain
its cultural tradition, its folklore, the Creole
language, and other aspects of social life.

HEALTH ISSUES
Health

care beliefs vary widely among Haitian

Americans.
Immigrants from rural areas usually do not seek
help from a physician but rely instead on folk
healers. Immigrants from the cities are more
likely to go to a physician or other professional
health care provider.
Social class and education also influence the
type of medical help sought. Those from a lower
social class or those who have not attained
legal status in the United States rely on health
care that is readily available to them such as
home remedies, family recommendations, folk
healers, and Voodoo medicine.

The

mother or grandmother is
usually responsible for diagnosing
symptoms and keeping alive the
traditions of the family in treating
sickness.
First-generation Haitian Americans
initially try home remedies prepared
by members of the older generation;
if these are unsuccessful, the person
is advised to seek help from a
physician, folk healer, or Voodoo
priest.

The

use of folk healers is often

limited because the medicinal
preparations and elements of
traditional health care are not
available locally.

The

size of the local Haitian

group affects the number of
traditional healers.

fen a
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