World music lovers listen up and get ready to pen this one on your festival calendar if you haven’t already. On May 25-27, 2007 a beach not quite as well known to the world as those on the neighboring country will play host to the Haiti’s first international music festival.
Jacmel is just 25 miles south of the country’s turbulent capital and yet worlds away from the headlines that too often keep visitors away from the country as a whole. Festival Mizik Jakmel will include 24 bands from across the globe with Stephen and Damien “Junior Gong” Marley headlining the free event. In addition to the live shows parallel events include a tourism conference, art events and workshops. An attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest drumming ensemble will also take place. As of now India currently holds the title by having 7,951 people drumming continuously for five minutes in 2006. The organizers of Festival Mizik Jakmel are hoping to have 10,000 in attendance and anyone is welcome to bring a drum and join – though you might want to register online first. For complete details I suggest swinging over to the official event website and if you can’t quite make it or find an affordable ticket to the island look into other ways to join in from afar.
Haitian Voodoo Pilgrimage
Here is one that may not tickle the fancy of all on this particular Sunday morning and could have possibly been a topic on the recently past Friday the 13th, but I discovered the news yesterday and found the time to explore it more and pass it on to interested arm-chair traveling minds today. So…
CBS News recently ran a piece on the annual Voodoo pilgrimage made by Haitians to an area called Souvenance complete with a small photo gallery of people with their eyes rolled back, women dressed in white and some even smeared with the blood of a freshly sacrificed chicken or animal. While the article is short it packs in enough to give you goose-pimples and provide some insight on this West African ritual. The Souvenance area sits 90-miles north of the capital city, Port-au-Prince and the ceremonies which take place for five days began last Sunday on Easter. Voodoo is one of three constitutionally recognized religions in the country and although the event seems to have passed it is practiced like any other on a regular basis.
After reading the brief summary of the event I went in search of some other sites with more information. Haiti Surf has additional Voodoo ceremony photos as well as more general pics relating to the country. Below the gallery one can learn of black magic, the ancient traditions and beef up your voodoo vocabulary with words such as houngan or mambo – meaning priest or priestess. We Haitians also includes a couple of pictures from the pilgrimage back in 2004 along with other news worthy events taking place at the time.
The World’s Most Dangerous Destinations for 2007
Here at Gadling, we usually profile places people WANT to go. However, sometimes it’s useful to mention places to avoid. Consequently, here’s an interesting (and not altogether surprising) list of the 2007’s 12 Most Dangerous Destinations:
- Somalia
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Iraq
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Afghanistan
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Democratic Republic of Congo
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Côte d’Ivoire
- Pakistan
- Burundi
- Sri Lanka
- Haiti
- Chad
- Lebanon
- Liberia
Of course, you probably don’t think of these places as vacation destinations, unless you’re a whacked-out Robert Young Pelton. However, employees of governments, oil and mining industries, and telecom industries are increasingly being dispatched to these locations. If you work for one of those groups, be certain to ask about insurance, hazard pay — and a bodyguard.
Interestingly, the piece argues that the world is NOT getting more dangerous right now. Rather, globalization and the attendant “shrinking” of the planet is largely responsible for making the world APPEAR more dangerous now than before. Whether or not you agree with that assertion, the article is interesting, and the gallery is frightening.
Word for the Travel Wise (01/29/07)
As I mentioned earlier, I hear a personal vacation to Hispaniola calling. I not only want to go to the Dominican Republic, but I’d also like to venture into Haiti for a few days and see the differences between the two countries on the tiny Caribbean island with two very different cultures.
Today’s word is Kreyòl (Haitian Creole) word used in Haiti:
vwayaje – (v) travel
This Kreyol website features comprehensive cultural and travel info on Haiti. Their overall goal is to spread positive messages about the country and create positive images. Their online Kreyòl dictionary is one of the best! iCreole is a good place translation tool if you wish to know a word within seconds. For a fun look at some popular proverbs check out this Discover Haiti site. Make note that the Creole used in the proverbs is not that of the Creole spoken in Port-au-Prince. Lastly, leave it to good old Pimsleur to have audio books dedicated to learning Creole. Expensive, but you can also look for them in your local library.
Past Kreyòl words: evite, il/zile, voryen, chalè, move, maltêt
Hispaniola Calling
Sometime in say, the next three months I am planning to escape to the Caribbean and this year’s pick happens to be the island in the West Indies comprised by the two countries we know as the Dominican Republic and Haiti. I want to go to both. As much as I like digging my toes into the sand on the beach while reading the latest top-selling book on all the lists, I also take great fancy in being productive, learning while touring and lending a helping hand. Haiti isn’t a place I got ignited about visiting after watching Pitt & Jolie hang around with Wyclef Jean, I’d always wanted to go. Having a few friends that are from there, but have yet to go back and wish very little to go back has always intrigued me. The political climate is no secret to me and aside from all the negative images there is an enormous amount of culture and beauty to be found. I want to find it. In fact, I’d love to have Wyclef take me on a tour similar to the one the Brad & Angelina received and see what’s happening with Yéle and Haiti combined.
In regards to the Dominican Republic, I’m looking for beach, sun, fun, dance and more importantly Larimar. Ever since my eyes laid sight on the Pectolite it has become my own “precious” of sorts and I must visit the museum and the mines. I’m told a trip to the mines might change my mind about ever owning a piece of Larimar jewelry, but there is no hiding, running, or turning back now. I want to see the mines.
Yes, my agenda seems and sounds quite set right now, but I’ve got some weeks to plan and I’m opening it up for some reader recommendations. Like Neil, before he took off for Albania and pooled for some additional ideas if anyone says “don’t go” I’ll be obliged to ignore.