Max Manigat kriye wonz patou
ak : Ralba*
Lè mwen resevwa Mots créoles du Nord d’Haïti. Origines –
Histoire – Souvenirs bon zanmi mwen Max
Manigat voye pou mwen, se devan prezantasyon liv-la mwen rete baba. Ifok
mwen di jan li byen relye ak repwodiksyon youn michan tablo atis-pent Jacques Jacquelin Garçon sou kouvèti-a.
Youn kout penso djougan ki montre youn dezafi nan youn gagè. Menmsi mwen te
suiv tout devlòpman liv-la, mwen te pote kiryozite pou gade sa ki nan katriyèm
paj kouvèti-a. Men, sa ki frape-m anvan sa, se pòtre otè-a menm atis-la fè.
Nan louvri liv-la nou wè kisa otè-a vle fè : sa
vle di youn kout plim sou kreyòl-la jan yo ekri-l pou nou vini tonbe sou
vokabilè kreyòl-la mo ki pa alanmòd ankò, mo ki soti Lafrik Ginen ki rete nan
lanng-lan. Apre sa, nou tonbe sou kèk pèsonnalite nan Nò-a, nan
oKap sitou, pou koumanse ak fanmi-li, janbe nan lakou Jebede, episri
Olivya Ti Djòl, Robert Cox youn chèf
milis ki kite bon repitasyon.
Maks pa manke salouwe non manman-l, Man Makorèl (Madan
Marc-Aurèle), ki te youn veritab
ansiklopedi nan afè lizay pèp ayisyen : pawòl-li, eksplikasyon-li-yo, kèk
lodyans mounn lan Nò. Liv-la pa bliye zanmi kanmarad ki pote konkou nan bay
ransèyman otè-a te manke. Kanta pou koze koutim, abitid ak sa ki fè lavi mounn
nan Depatman Nò-a youn ti jan diferan ak pa lòt pati nan peyi-a, sa ap monte
desann nan tout paj Mots créoles du Nord
d’Haïti. Origines – Histoire - Souvenirs. Annou louvri koze-a : sou
kisa yo manje maten, midi, aswè ; sou
ki jan lavi-yo dewoule ; sou ki jwèt yo jwe lakay yo, anfen,
anfen.
Anpil moso listwa zansèt nou-yo nan liv-la : Sa lama samana kwana vle di ? Ki
tradiksyon : E ! bonmba
E ! E ! Kanka bafioti ;
Kanga mundele ? Pawòl plizyè chante kankou : Nous allons dodo ce soir ki rakonte lanmò Prezidan Florvil Hyppolite. 373 paj chaje
kou legba.
Anvan m’ fini, ifòk mwen pa bliye fè sonje
bibliyografi nan finisman travay-la. Otè-a fè sitasyon nan 75 liv li ganyen nan
bibliyotèk-li. Anpil nan yo nou pa jwenn ankò. Sa se youn richès nou pa dwe
neglije.
__________
* Ralba se non vanyan
Doktè : Serge François
* * *
ak : Jacques
Jacquelin Garçon *
Labitil
ak Koutim
Machann
petipenpa
Noumenm pèp
ayisyen, nou se youn nanchon mounn senp. Nou renmen lapè, trankilite-a
lèspwi-an-nou, ti plezi-a ake lepenkotidyen. Sitou pifò nou sa-yo ki rete
chouke ake bèl labitil, manyè ake koutim desandan Lafwik Ginen.
Gan anpe
nan nou tou, sitou lèr sikonstans fòse nou bay peyi-a do, nan viretounen
bay kalinda adrèt agòch, nou retounen lakay ake mannyè
antraje. Sa pa ta mal piske lèr youn mounn ay wè lòt kichòy dewò sa louvwi bon
anj-a-w. Sa di atò, sa k’ay nan voyay pote nouvèl. Setanisit(1) tou, nou fin tounen lewilewa(2) jwiferan. Nèg Pòtopwens ta rele sa :
kochon Sentantwann k’ap mache san yo pa konn kote yo pwale.
Kote
sitirasyon-an malouk, se lèr pwòp pitit-a peyi-a pilonnen mèrs
natif natal-la-yo pou yo pote mannyèr-a zòt nan tèt. Gan sa tou, lèr yo
te dèwò, ki te nan gran bèzwen benyen nan lakay se lakay ;
manje manje lakay ; danse banda lakay, valgande ake ti kapwina
lakay ; de bagay konsa. Ganyen ladan yo, sa-k vin santi yo
tèlman òstèr(3), y’ap kache lonbwit . Kòmkwa
y’ap voye wòch kache men.
Konsa m' chonje
yon mizik Mira Pyèr (Murat Pierre) te mete ki rele :"machann
petipenpa".
Sa sa te ye?
Sete youn msye ki renmen manje penpatat ; men i konnen i tèlman
delasosyete, i ta santi i pèrdi valèr pou l'ay rele machann-nan, plis an kreyòl
ankò.
_________
(1) setanesit = lanne sa-a
(2) lewilwa = mache san direksyon
(3) òstèr ; òstèr pete ponmtèr (o respè !) =
mounn ki kwè yo plis pase lòt
*
* *
Annou
kite kantik pwan pwiyèr.
Nan
menm pawòl labitil ake koutim-nan, m'ap chonje m'te gan kòm dizan konsa.Youn
apwemidi, pandan mwen t’ap seye moute youn sèrvolan, sa mounn-nan lwès peyi-a
rele : kap. Yon grenn kou, m' tande youn bagay ki lage youn bwi. Anvan
pou-m te rèkònèt mwen, sa te fèt ankò. Kounouye-a, m' pete kouri.
Lèr-m vin pou antre nan kay-la mwen wè Grann Mari k’ap
ri. I di wen : "gade non, nan ras- an-nou se mounn vanyan nou ganyen,
fanm kon gason. Kote w’ap kouri ale ? Wou pa konnen se konsa yo
fè rasanbleman konbit ? Konsa, i rakonte-m kouman ake pouki yo fè
sa. Alòs i di wen tou : " densidyeve(1) m'a mennen wou
ay wè sa ; men fò nou leve bònèr".
Fò nou ta di m' pa dòmi tout lannwit, m'ap silveye jou. Men
dòmi ta fin bwote-m si se pa e menm bwi a ki te leve wen. Alòs nou pare
anpi nou kite pou la. Sa pa te pi lwen. Nou te rete Sezare, moun oKap konn la
byen, nan bitasyon youn msye yo te rele Edwa Bernaden (Edouard Bernadin). Là te kòm ant lavil ake kanpany. Sa di se pat
lavil , men se pat nan bouk nonpli. Kòm n’ap vanse rive, nou koumanse tande yon
banbòch kaladja. Mesye dam, wou ta mèt te monsenyèr, se mare yo ta
bije mare-w rèd kon jibis nan youn poto an fèr. Bagay-la mande pou sekwe
kò-a-w.
Koze-a anpil, li mande ti chèy. Bagay ki te fè bwi ki t’ap
fè-m kouri-a, se youn gwo koki. Yo rele sa : kòn-a lanbi
tou. Se ladan lanbi rete. Li dir pase wòch. Li pa penmèt lòt pi gwo
bèt lanmè vare anwo lanbi-a, men pêchèr rele se aryen sa, yo kenbe yo,
manje yo, vann yo ba nou. Pi bon manje pase sa , nanpwen.
Lèr yo etire lanbi-a nan kòn-nan, yo fouye yon twou
nan pwent tèt-la pou yo soufle van, anpi fè youn gwo bwi mounn ka
tande byen lwen. Sa fè yo konnen yo mande lamenfòt , gan youn michan
travay k’apway tanmen. Non-an-y se : konbit osnon ranpono. Kèk
mounn di : pono tou. Men tou lèr wou jwenn youn mounn ki konn soufle kòn lanbi
sa-a, se djòl loulou.
Granmtimaten jou
konbit-la, mounn reni ake djenn kouto digo, djenn manchèt, wou, melyasin(2),
sapèt, pikwa, pèl. Mounn sa-yo apway etwaye tè-a, pare-y pou plante. Se te
younn nan pwenmye fwa m' te wè konbit. Selon plantasyon-an, selon
lalin-nan, gan yon lòt andevo. Jaden fin plante, y’apway tann konbit
rèkòt-la. Lèr se jaden manyòk, alòs yo pray ganyen pou fè kasab ; se konsa
fò yo òganize youn dennye pono. Se li ki pi bèl. Mezanmi nanpwen ranpono
san klèren, koudjay, ake babako. Se twa bagay sa-yo k’apway mete announon (3), fòs
jèvwin ake anvi potekole anwo travayèr-yo.
Konsa, fèrmopòs, yo pase chakòm youn kout klèren
blan. Simidò-a se nèg k’ap voye chante, gan detwa medam ake-y, y’ap kore
vwa-a-y ake kina-yo. I di: "kata", kidon koumanse bat kata.
Youn nèg ake de ti bagèt tanmen kale youn ti tanbou anvan youn lòt
menm ake de plamen-y pote youn son plen ake sa yo rele manman tanbou-a.
Bann nan vin konplete ake twa zòm k’ap soufle nan banbou, chak bay son
kina-yo, selon longèr-a-yo.Yo di banbou osnon vaksin. De lòt nèg, younn ake
youn moso fèr, ap fwape anwo youn boutèy vid, lòt-la ap bat do-a youn pèl, wi
pèl nou konnen-an, sa yo konn pele tèr-a. Gade non, se lèr mwen vin gran
m'ap mande kote mesye yo te jwenn amoni, inyon, tèt ansanm sa-a pou yo jwe kalte
mizik sa-a.
Yo sèrvi ake dlo anpil nan konbit pou mounn-yo ka bwè, pou
lave veso y’ap bèzwen. Jennonm ki la pou bwote dlo-a se kalye(4)-a. Li fè djòb-a-y san pale anpil. Pi souvan se li tou
ki sèrvi klèren. Kèk medam mare bèl mouka nan tèt-a-yo, youn lòt foula
menm kenbe ren-an-yo fèrm, plis li fè dèyè-a-yo parèt pi laj. Se yo k’ap kwit
bon diri ake pwa wouj, gwo bit vyann bèf pou bay kòlonn travayè-yo
ake kèk lòt moun ozalantou manje.
Se pa ti moso kichòy. Nou jwenn tou chita kòtakòt, devan gwo
ganmèl plen dlo plis fanm men kèk gason tou k’ap lave manyòk, pase-y bay youn
lòt k’ap kale-y etire gwo po-a-y, lonje-y bay youn lòt pou lave-y ankò.Gan
younn k’ap lonje manyòk lave-a bay mesye k’ap graje-yo. Yo dwe kole tèt-a
graj-la piba biskèt-a-yo paske-y lonng, konsa y’ap kapab fwote manyòk-la
alevni anwo graj-la, denpi bout anwo-a jouk rive byen ba. Manyòk graje sa-a
pray nan sak kòlèt.
Pwije manyòk
graje-a se youn lòt fatig. Nan youn bout, yo mare de planch solib ake bon jan
kalte kòd. Nan mitan yo, yo mete sak manyòk graje-a, ake bouch-ay byen mare.
Detwa gwo nèg ap peze lòt bout-a planch-yo desann. Malerèzman kèk fwa,
sak-la konn fann.Yo sètoblije jwenn lòt sak pou rekonmanse. Sejwisit(5), nan
peyi devlope, manyòk-la graje, lave, pwije pou-y vin kòm farin, tou sa nan
machin. Se youn gwo kolomi(6) fòs pou
fèzèr kasab.
Fò m' di tou, se
manyòk anmèr ki fè kasab. Se pou yo pwan tan byen pwije ji-a-y paske
se pwazon pou mounn kòm pou bèt. Lèr yo kite dlo sa-a nan youn kivèt osnon youn
ganmèl san yo pa toumante-y, ma ki poze lan fon-an, se sa k rele
lanmidon, sa fè bon labouyi vitamin rafwechi. Sila-yo ki fò nan zafèr fè
kasab konnen tou menm lèr ji manyòk anmèr se pwazon, fò farin nan
pa twò, twò lave tou pou kasab-la pa sòt san gou. Apre, yo pare pou pase-y
nan tanmi ki kòm yon gwo paswa. Sa te rele zebichèt nan tan lontan. Rès ki pa
ka fin pase nan tanmi-an pote non : djakoko(7).
Dife pou kwit kasab la pi souvan se bwa ki
fin boule ki tounen chabon, pou kasab-yo pa gan gou
ni santi lafimen.Yo mete youn gwo plak fèr tou won, lajèr kòm
twa pye konsa, chofe anwo dife-a. se sa yo rele platin-nan. Lè-yi byen cho, yo
mete youn sèrk kòm youn bòday près menm lajèr ake platin-nan, anpi yo koumanse
simen farin-nan egal anwo tout lajèr-a-y. Lèr fas anba-a kwit, yo ranvèrse-y
ake de bagèt lonng anwo lòt bò-a. Pou fè mannèv sa-a, si wou pa youn
espèr, kasab-yo pap soti ankè. Yo konn gan, konmsi yon moso kal kwi y’ap
ponmennen peze anwo-y. Selon kote kasab-la fèt, selon fòm i pwan. Bò Lyogann,
yo fè ti kasab won près lajèr-a youn plamen, men zòn Nò-a, yo fè yo tout
lajèr platin-nan anpi yo ploye-yo an de. Fò-w ta kanpe ap gade konbit kasab
sa-a pou ta di ki kalte bon sant manyòk kuit-la t’ap leve.
Bò dife-a yo fè
tout kalte kasab: jijiri(8),
kokoye, pistach. Yo fè pendou(9) tou ;
se youn lòt kichòy ki pwepare menm jan, sòf i pi pwès. Andedan-y yo mete
kokoye, jijiri ake bon kou pwav. Pandanstan tout manje-yo gan tan fin
kwit, yo rete travay pou tout mounn ay bat bouch-a-yo : vyann bèf ake
kasab tou cho, diri ake pwa, patat, tayo(1o), yanm
bouyi, zaboka. Klèren koule. Konbit-la reyisi, tout mounn satilfèr.
Kasab
rete pou-y koresponn ake manba jou-y jwenn ake-y.
_________
* Jacques Jacquelin
Garçon ap ekri youn liv anwo tan i te pase ap viv ake grann-a-y.
(1) densidyeve =
denmen sidyevle
(2) melyasin
= youn manchèt lonng ki sòti Sendonmeng
(3) announon = an
nou non = ann met men
(4) kalye : wè Max
Manigat : Mots créoles du Nord d’Haïti … p. 166
(5) sejwisit = jounen jodi
(6) kolomi = ekonomi
(7) djakoko : wè Max
Manigat : Mots créoles du Nord d’Haïti … p. 100
(8) jijiri : wè Max
Manigat : Mots créoles du Nord d’Haïti … p. 154
(9) pendou : wè Max
Manigat : Mots créoles du Nord d’Haïti … p. 263
(10) tayo : wè Max
Manigat : Mots créoles du Nord d’Haïti … p. 298
* * *
Powèt Manno Ejèn
otè Ekziltik fèk pibliye youn lòt
rekèy : Vwa Zandò avèk youn tradiksyon franse Rodney Saint-Éloi : Voix des mystères. Kou nou resevwa-li n’a prezante-l bay
lektè-nou-yo. Konpliman kouzen Manno ak kouzwen Rodney! Bravo Papiyon Nwa !
* *
*
Lèt Ife ak Soul is an exchange of
letters between soul-mates on the journey of life from their first romance
through various rites of passage. The letters begin by evoking the intimacy of
the lovers as they reflect on the first burgeoning of love in all its passion
and intensity in a land and time now far away.
The writer immediately conveys a lost era of youthful love that becomes
the bedrock of their future together, which paradoxically is spent apart for long
periods.
The characters come across
as grounded and focussed in their quest to realise their dreams against the
odds. However there is an acceptance and recognition of human frailty
throughout the text yet interwoven with the hardship is a love and celebration
of life. Through their letters we
discover a world of sacrifice and determination, of hard work and privation in
order to attain the goals worth having in life, « Anvan pou rèv satiyèt reyalite, li dwe reziste anba tout kalite
tribilasyon: privasyon, separasyon, maladi, elatriye» (pg 23).
This silver thread of
optimism and perseverance is testament to that unique Haitian quality of
defying the ‘un’ defiable. Life is
lived out with missionary zeal and monk like asceticism in Ife’s determination to
master his circumstances. Yet
throughout Soul is his life, his very ‘soul’ and his reason for living. Without
her he is lost. He never loses an opportunity to tell her so and continues to
be surprised by her courage and tenacity.
The writing displays a rare sensitivity and understanding of the
feminine and of its strengths and qualities within a patriarchal reality. However Ife comes across as the more
dominant of the two characters and essentially drives the correspondence. He is at one and the same time lover, mentor
and husband. «Pi bèl amoni an, se amoni
ou kreye anndan pwòp tèt ou pandan ou
ap analize tout aksyon ou ansam ak tout kalite pawòl ki abitye soti nan bouch
ou. […] Mwen swete ou va fè youn efò pou ou rantre fon nan oumenm epi pran san ou
pou chèche tout eleman ki kab ede ou bati amoni ou panse ou pèdi a. Se sa
mwen swete ou ak tout kè mwen.» (pg 27)
The choice of genre allows
the characters to comment on and pronounce opinions on philosophical matters as
well as the everyday reality of life for those in exile from their
motherland. It is this intermarriage of
the mundane and those things that strike at the essence of life that gives the
writing its richness and deeply spiritual quality. It is a song to victorious living where hope is the last thing to
die.
The quality of the writing
is exceptional and gives voice to hitherto unvoiced sentiments of the Haitian
diaspora’s reality through the mother tongue manipulated with the creativity
and skill of a potter with his clay. It
is rich in proverb and idiomatic expression and pushes Haitian Creole to its
upper reaches in the poetic prose it achieves.
Lèt Ife ak Soul is a challenging
read and one which does not leave the reader unmoved by its subject matter as
an ode to living life in all its fullness in the face of injustice and
oppression.
I write this from London, UK
on the eve of the unveiling of a sculpture named ‘Freedom!’ specially
commissioned by international aid charity, Christian Aid, and the International
Slavery Museum, to mark the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade in
the UK. It will be unveiled on 26th February 2007 in Liverpool’s Merseyside
Maritime Museum, and then will tour the country, taking in London and Bristol,
before returning to Liverpool where it will remain on permanent display in the
new International Slavery Museum, which opens on 23 August.
Haitian artists were
commissioned for this work in recognition of the fact that the country had the
only successful slave revolt that inspired social justice movements around the
world and gave the Abolitionist movement in the UK a major boost.
(see Haiti Support Group: www.haitisupport.gn.apc.org and
The Sculptors of Grand Rue web site www.atis-rezistans.com)
Lèt Ife ak Soul is part of the
ongoing struggle of an oppressed people to be heard and does so with
unequivocal boldness and courage in the language of the people, Haitian
Creole. Kaptenn Koukourouj chapo ba!
Anne McConnell
(Freelance Creolist and
teacher of Haitian Creole)
=======================================================================
Sosyete Koukouy Inc.an kolaborasyon ak Jamaica Awareness Inc. ap prezante Caribbean
Dance Celebration-2007. Ap gen 2 seyans. Premye ap fèt Samdi 21 Avril depi 8-è rive pou 10-è diswa nan Nord Miami Beach Performing Arts
Theater ki nan 19èm Avni-an ak 170èm Ri (17011 NE 19th. Ave.)Ri Antre $25.0 (Orchestra) ; $20.00
(balkon)
Dezyèm seyans lan ap fèt nan Dimanch 22 Avril nan New World School for the Art ki sou 2èm Av. ak 39èm Ri. Rele 305-757-9922 pou plis enfòmasyon
Sponsored by Department of Cultural Affairs
and The Board of County Commissioners