Krik? Krak! The Fiction Addiction

HAITI TODAY In modern times, Haitians continue to be stuck on the wrong side of fortune. Trump, the current president of the United States "questioned why the U.S. would accept more immigrants from Haiti and "shithole countries" in Africa rather than places like Norway, as he rejected a bipartisan immigration deal." (Los Angeles Times) The people of Haiti are likely not going to be able to seek refuge within the United States while President Trump remains in office.  The White House didn't contradict Trump's statement but did say that "Trump supports immigration policies that welcome those who can contribute to our society." (LA Times) -AA

When all of the soldiers fighting in the Vietnam War put their uniform on, it shows a sense of brotherhood and shared unity among all of them. They are fighting an endless battle of war and hate. They help each other in the hardest of times imaginable. They are the definition of true friendship and family.  The narrator reminisces over his old blue uniform: "The other day-Memorial Day, as it happened-I was cleaning some stuff out of the attic when I came upon my old dress-blue uniform. It's a beautiful uniform, easily the most handsome worn by any of the U.S. armed forces" (Jones, 10) -M.K.

G.I. Joe's enemy, aka, Vietcong, aka Victor Charles, aka, Charlie. By all accounts, NVA soldiers were extraordinarily tough, resilient, and dedicated to repulsing foreign invaders. --fg

After reading Krik? Krak! I couldn't help but notice how little I actually knew about the country we were reading about. I've obviously heard about the earthquake from the news but this was written before all that. It turns out Haiti has been suffering from systemic problems since it's creation in 1804 and recognized in 1825.                                                      Haiti was previously known as Hispaniola, which was a conglomerate of modern day Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Columbus was the first European to land there and gave it its name. This area was subject to fighting over the French side of Haiti and the Spanish side located in the Dominican. Both sides brought over slaves from Africa to work on the immensely profitable sugar plantations located on Hispaniola. The French would ultimately win this struggle for control and...

     When I first learned that we would be reading Krik? Krak! a collection of short stories on the various components of the Haitian culture, I thought this would be another depressing and dismal novel about victims of society. It didn't take long however, to be drawn into a complicated and impoverished culture, from the close-up perspectives of various individuals in the novel. I began to see, feel and experience what they were going through. It was shockingly clear, how wide the contrast of my comfortable world is to the poor and heartbreaking world Haitians come from, and I feel very fortunate to be who I am and where I am in this world. It was also evident that in order for the author Edwidge Danticat to convey her message of the suffering that the Haitians faced and provoke emotions from the reader, that her narrative and imagery would include disturbing depictions, sad facts, and not sugar-coat anything. For me, even though the facts of this almost pr...

We've all heard of "voodoo", it's the form of black magic that consists of poking a rag doll with pins in the hopes of tormenting the person they represent, right? While that is a form of voodoo, it is extremely different from "vodou". Voodoo is the dark magic that you see on TV, while Vodou is a religion practiced by Haitians. Many Haitians describe Vodou as not just a religion, but rather " an experience that ties body and soul together". Vodouisants believe in the God Bondye, derived from the French words "bon" meaning good and " dieu" meaning God. They consider this God to be unreachable, so they pray through Loa which are lesser spirits. Staying on your best behavior can lead to your Loa protecting you, while acting in any way negative or ignoring your Loa can lead to sickness, death of relatives, and failure of crops. Vodou temples are called "Peristils". Rituals begin by singing and praying in French, and then...

In Danticat's story, "Nineteen Thirty-Seven," passing mention is made of an episode of American intervention in Haiti. On the orders of Woodrow Wilson, American Marines landed on Haiti in 1915 and were an occupying force for 19 years, a period in which (according to this piece in the New Yorker by Danticat) 15,000 Haitians were killed. From the narration in "Nineteen Thirty-Seven," it is clear that what is forgotten to us is vividly remembered--and resented--by Haitians. "The yellow prison building was like a fort, as large and strong as in the days when it was used by the American marines who had built it. The Americans taught us how to build prisons." It seems a shame to be remembered as prison architects instead of as builders of hope and decency. Yet it is perhaps a graver error to have these unfortunate episodes become part of our national amnesia, as though we were some sort of bull in a china shop with a short-term memory.