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Smithsonian Folklife Festival Celebrates
The Bicentennial of the Haitian Revolution
"Haiti: Freedom and Creativity... from the Mountains to the Sea"
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December 15, 2003

Dear Friend,

Preparations are under way for the 2004 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, when
an expected 1 million visitors will experience the arts, music, foods,
storytelling and rich craft traditions of Haiti - one of the first
independent Republics in the Americas to win and maintain its freedom (the
first was the United States). Haiti is the first nation surviving to the
present day that was created by formerly enslaved people of African descent.

The idea for a Festival program on Haiti originated with members of the U.S.
Haitian community in solidarity with the people of Haiti. "Haiti: Freedom
and Creativity... from the Mountains to the Sea" is perhaps the largest
event in the United States in a yearlong commemoration of the 200th
anniversary of the Haitian Revolution. For 10 days leading up to the
American Independence Day celebration on the Fourth of July, the Festival
will host more than 100 traditional artists and crafts persons, performers,
cooks, writers, researchers and cultural experts from Haiti in performances,
demonstrations, workshops and concerts outdoors on the National Mall in
Washington, D.C., between the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument.

The Festival, which runs June 23-27, 2004 and June 30-July 4, will also
feature programs on the maritime arts of the Mid-Atlantic region and the
first of four yearly programs on Latino music.

"Haiti: Freedom and Creativity... from the Mountains to the Sea" will mark
the 1804 Haitian Revolution, which was itself inspired by the American and
French revolutions, and in turn inspired struggles for independence in many
countries from Venezuela to Poland and played a key role in the struggle for
the abolition of slavery in the United States. The Festival program will
highlight traditions that are intimately connected to these struggles and
illustrate how the Haitian people have used the creative arts to express
their aspirations and assure their survival and liberty.

On hand will be Haitian master stone carvers engaged in the restoration of
the Citadel commissioned in 1805 by Haiti’s first leader Dessalines and
completed under the reign of his successor, King Henri Christophe. Haitian
traditional cooks will prepare "Soupe Giraumon" (pumpkin soup), a meal
created and first shared on Jan. 1, 1804 in celebration of the Haitian
Declaration of Independence; other artists will perform "rara" music,
carnival processions and other rites of resistance and liberty. The program
will also suggest the diversity of the Haitian people, through presentations
reflecting the occupational, craft and architectural traditions varying
regionally, from the pottery of Haiti’s mountain highlands to the
boat-building and net-making along the coastline.

Research and curatorial work is now under way on the island of Haiti by more
than two dozen scholars and educators led by a joint Haitian-Smithsonian
curatorial team of architect Patrick Delatour, sculptor Patrick Vilaire and
folklorist Diana Baird N'Diaye.

According to Geri Benoit, head of the Haitian National Commission for the
Bicentennial Celebration, the program "presents a prime opportunity to
showcase the cultural creativity of the Haitian people as an expression of
their passion for freedom and liberty. It will strengthen the ties between
the Haitian people and those in the diaspora and inform and educate
Americans and international visitors about Haitian history, culture and
traditions."

The history of Haiti is intimately tied to that of the United States. Henri
Christophe fought alongside George Washington’s troops during the
Revolutionary War (in Savannah, Ga.) that led to the creation of the United
States. As a nation which defeated the French, Haiti played an important
role in making possible the Louisiana Purchase.

The leadership committee for the Haiti program is chaired by Sens.
Christopher Dodd and Mike DeWine and includes Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Partnering with the Smithsonian Institution’s Center for Folklife and
Cultural Heritage in the development of the Haiti program are Dr. Leslie
Voltaire, head of the Ministry of the Haitians living Abroad; Géri Benoit,
president of IFE (Institut Femmes Entrepreneurs); and the National
Organization for the Advancement of Haitians, along with several Haiti - and
U.S. - based nonprofit organizations and NGOs.

The annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival, inaugurated in 1967, celebrates
folk culture with people from across the United States and around the world.
The Festival typically includes daily programs of music, song and dance,
crafts and cooking demonstrations, storytelling, workshops and narrative
sessions for discussing cultural issues. The Festival attracts about 1
million visitors a year. It is produced by the Smithsonian Center for
Folklife and Cultural Heritage and is co-sponsored by the National Park
Service.

About the Center  - The Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural
Heritage promotes the understanding and continuity of contemporary
grassroots cultures in the United States and abroad. The Center produces the
Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, exhibitions,
documentary films and videos, symposia, and educational materials. The
Center conducts ethnographic and cultural policy oriented research,
maintains a documentary archival collection, and provides educational and
research opportunities.

The Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage is located at 750 9th Street,
NW, Suite 4100, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560-0953.
Telephone: (202) 275-1150. Fax: (202) 275-1119.

Frè ak Sè, Se Gwo Zin, Nou Tout Ap La.

Smithsonian Institution
Office of Public Affairs
http://www.si.edu
http://www.folklife.si.edu/CFCH/folklife.htm

Smithsonian Folklife Festival Media Contacts:
Vicki Moeser - (202) 357-2627 ext. 108
Becky Haberacker - (202) 357-2627 ext. 113

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This message on behalf of "The Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2004: Haiti:
Freedom and Creativity... from the Mountains to the Sea" is brought to you
by:

InterMedia
http://www.intermediahaiti.com
The Internet Communications Network of Haiti

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