Haitian Cuisine - by Ismaella
Our advanced English class was tasked with writing an essay about something that is important to them - and to document it with a roll of film and a disposable camera. We loved every bit of reading their work, and what it reveals about the beauty of Haitian culture and the people we get to work with.
Every country in the world can be recognized and represented by what’s on a plate.
Just as we can recognize Italy by its pastas and pizzas, so can Haiti be recognized by its original Haitian patty stuffed with meat, veggies, and sauce. Patties are usually eaten in the morning and can be enjoyed with a hard-boiled egg, spicy sauce, and a banana.
Haiti has a variety of foods unique to our culture, like tontonm, which is made from breadfruit with okra sauce, and tchaka, which has a base made from corn and beans.
Some typical foods listed on our daily menus are: Cornmeal with beans and fish sauce, soups made with bread and leafy greens, Akasan, which is a smooth and creamy breakfast item, stews made with tender goat meat, and yams and cassava with sauce.
Some foods come from our African origins, and some come from the cultures of countries who had colonized our island, like our pumpkin soup that we make every January.
Some say that when our ancestors were slaves, they used to watch as their oppressors drank the soup from the pumpkins that they had labored over, and when the slaves became free, they drank the soup in triumph, in light of their victory over their former masters. So this is why on our independence day, on January 1st, all Haitians here in Haiti, and around the world eat pumpkin soup.
Our spices have such flavor and foreigners always testify to how exceptional everything tastes. Each province in Haiti has its own specialty, and the different dishes are countless.
If I was going to write about the entire list of Haitian cuisine, I’m not sure when I would be able to finish.
I might be a little biased, but in my opinion, Haitian cuisine is the best!
Fashion Revolution Week: PART 3
“Fashion never unnecessarily destroys or discards but mindfully redesigns and recuperates in a circular way. Fashion is repaired, reused, recycled and upcycled. ”
We have a very strategic “Waste Not, Want Not” mindset when it comes to designing our products. Our team members are not only talented craftsmen and women, but have an eye for design and resourcefulness. From leather remnant jewelry to up-cycled aluminum- our artisans can turn what once would have been discarded into new treasures. To check out pieces from our Remnant Jewelry Collection, click here.
Meet Sandy Dulorier from the Jewelry Team-
“My name is Sandy, I’m 22 years old. I live in Petite Place Cazeau, and I love my neighborhood because it is calm and peaceful. My bedroom is painted salmon pink because it makes me feel comfortable. I’m a believer that men can still be manly if they wear pink.
I like to swim, go out to eat with friends, and dance, especially to African music. When I am having a bad day, I like to listen to music and tell jokes. Something that always makes me laugh is when people fall or trip, it always gets me.
This might be weird but I really like the dark. People complain when the electricity goes out, but this usually makes me feel happy because it’s dark out. When I’m at home I spend a lot of time styling hair, and trying to create new styles out of clothes that are too big for me. I love the summer time because it’s hot and there is a lot of stuff going on, which usually makes people happy, and I love getting to see people smile. I wish I had a superpower that would give me the ability to unify people, so that I could remove discrimination and fighting. I just like when things are peaceful, when I can laugh, and see the stars when it’s dark out.”
Fashion Revolution Week: PART 2
Our team members are the heart of what we do at Haiti Design Collective. Aside from a commitment to creating stable jobs, we provide what we call “holistic employment”- benefits that support the overall well-being of our artisan communities, addressing much more than financial need. To learn more about our Wellness and Education programs, click here.
“Fashion measures success by more than just sales and profits. Fashion places equal value on financial growth, human wellbeing and environmental sustainability.”
Meet Berlain Saint Cyr from the Leather Team-
My name is Berlain but I earned the name Abella after mispronouncing the spanish word “abuela” (meaning grandmother) in Spanish class. I live in Bon Repos, and really love my neighborhood because you could literally dig a well anywhere and find water.
Apart from being an artisan at Haiti Design, I am a mechanic and love cars. My favorite is the Nissan Frontier- I love the new model; it’s as close to perfect as a vehicle can come. I have always loved fixing things, whether its cars, or sewing machines, or a broken toilet. I love watching how-to videos on youtube and teaching myself how to do things. I’ll fix anything. I don’t have my own car, but I do have a motorcycle- I call her Ti ble, which means Little Blue. Ti ble never loses in a race, and rides as smooth as butter. I taught myself how to drive, and I wasn’t afraid, even at first.
I remember not being afraid during the earthquake too, even though I was at school and the building was shaking and falling down. When it started shaking, I was running trying to get out, but one of my friends got trampled under the crowd and was yelling for me, so I went back for him and got him out. That was probably the bravest I have ever felt. Maybe this is why Superman is my favorite superhero- because he is the bravest, and let’s be honest, all the other superheroes had to bring him back to life because he was the only one who was powerful enough to win. He also wears red and that's my favorite color, because red is a color that feels vibrant and alive. It makes me feel strong when I wear red.
Fashion Revolution Week: PART 1
We are excited to join in on Fashion Revolution’s movement to bring more transparency to the fashion industry. We highly encourage you to take a moment to read the 10 pillars of their manifesto here.
“Fashion liberates worker and wearer and empowers everyone to stand up for their rights.”
In honor of this very important week, we want to spotlight 3 of our artisans and dear friends at Haiti Design Collective.
Meet Darline Felix from the sewing team-
“My name is Darline, but I love the nickname Dadou because it’s really simple and I like it. I like to listen to music a lot, and even though a lot of people in Haiti don’t like reggae music, I’m a fan of reggae. I also love to dance, and even learned how to dance folklore before I had my son. My son is always making me laugh with his funny questions. My son is so important to me. Back in 2015, I went on a vacation and when I came back home, everything in my home was stolen. I had to become pretty strong after that, and I learned to become more selfless to take care of him. I have pretty much replaced everything that was stolen at this point, and everyone comments on the good changes that they have seen in me since then. I love wearing bright colors because I tend to get a lot of compliments when I wear them. I love wearing green the most. Green makes me think of perseverance, and that is a quality that I feel like defines who I am. I would love to have the ability to teleport- to just disappear whenever I wanted to. I think this is why I love when people style their hair and have bangs, because it always hides their foreheads really well. Bangs should never go out of style.”
Psst… Darline is sporting her FAVORITE new piece from our new collection. The Essentials Crossbody in Pale Yellow leather is coming very soon! Stay tuned friends :)