Culturally colorful revelers, above and below, show off Tuesday during carnival festivities on Champs de Mars in Port-au-Prince.

Carnival Is Off The Chain Revelers Break Out in Song, Dance and Spectacle In Haiti

Haitian Times Staff
PORT-AU-PRINCE — After a characteristically slow start Sunday, Carnival picked up steam Monday and is expected to blow out Tuesday to culminate the three-day bachanal that has drawn more than a million people on Champs de Mars every day.

Most revelers only saw a handful of bands Sunday. But on Monday, Krezi Mizik got the crowd jumping on Champs de Mars at 8:30 p.m. Krezi and its band of gorillas made their way along the carnival thoroughfare with a strong performance. Krezi lead singer Michael Benjamin got the crowd to break the “imaginary” shackles on their hands. “Craze chain nan, Craze chain na,” the crowd repeated in unison.
The surprising band was clearly Ram, the winner of the Digicel band competition. Ram, came out with a catchy and melodious song, singing the praises of Jean-Jacques Dessalines, the country's first president. The song, an ode to the slain leader, told Haitians that they celebrate his death, but they don't celebrate his life. The band's strong message asks Haitians to reflect on their tendency to minimize someone's contributions while they're alive.

T-Vice brought its hurricane down on the island nation, “Toubillon, Toubillon, se tchoup tchoup.” T-Vice's main nemesis, Djakout Mizik, has been plagued with technical problems, hampering the “Djazz Peyi” from doing its thing at yearly carnival, is his old self with a crisp sound and a few choice word, not fit for printing in a family newspaper. The crowd, loved every minute of it.

According to the organizers, about 160 people were reported injured on the first day, a minor miracle, when considered the crush of people gathered.

Dr. Claude Surena, a member of the carnival organization, said medical stations are placed throughout the parade route to administer first-aid services before the wounded are taken to the General Hospital.
Last Saturday, President René Préval hosted a reception for the kings and queens of the carnival. Carnivals are held in other large cities throughout the country.

In Cap Haitien, the country's second-largest city, almost a million people danced to the local lores of konpa bands Tropicana and Septentrional as well as comedian Tonton Bicha, who is from a nearby town.

More Carnival photos in the print edition of The Haitian Times