Cock-a-doodle-doo!

The sun's not quite up

But I got the notion

That the morning has begun

Because of all the commotion

People pass my house

More than a few

The roosters call out

“Cock-a-doodle-doo”

In a hurry

People are on their way

To trade, sell, and buy

Cause' it's market day

 

This particular Friday

The market has a crowd

Selling goods with a megaphone

can be quite loud

I came to get poultry

then be on my way

I didn't have enough money

I could not pay

I bargained and bartered

That's all I could do

But the rooster laughed out

“Cock-a-doodle-doo”

The trade was no good

I was not a winner

I guess it's plantains

For tonights dinner

On my way home

I took the path

There were boys in the river

Taking a bath

Their mothers were near

Washing their clothes

In this river

Anything goes

There was also a rooster

I told it to shoo!

But it just mocked me

“Cock-a-doodle-doo”

Finally back home

I'm dying of thirst

In order to cook

We'll need water first

Back down to the river

With jug in hand

Not sure what's for dinner

Still needed a plan

I fill up my jug

With water from the spring

Then I see that same rooster

It's so annoying

It follows me back

All the way to my house

I didn't notice because

It was as quiet as a mouse

What to have for dinner

I still had no clue

But then I got an idea

“Cock-a-doodle-doo”

I prepare to cook

Grab some plates and a bowl

Then head outside

With plenty of charcoal

I started cooking the food

No time to stop

Then grabbed the rooster

“Cock-a-doodle-CHOP!”

The meal was delicious

We cleaned our plates

I was exhausted

And sleep could not wait

We get ready for bed

But it's hard without light

Looking forward to the morning

And a long restful night

I finally went to bed

But then I woke up at two

“You've gotta be kidding me”

“COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO”

Visit to Fond-des-Blancs, Haiti

Culture

Upon arrival to Fond-des-Blancs, after a 4 hour bus ride that covered only about 70 miles, we knew we were in for a culture shock. The comforts of home, like readily available water, electricity, air conditioning, etc, were nowhere to be found. The house we stayed was connected to a generator to provide some of these things, but only for about an hour a day.

Group gathered outside Jean and Joy's guest house (where we stayed). Photo by Cassidy Barnett

During our daily activities, most of which consisted of walking or hiking, we were able to witness the daily life of the Haitian people living in Fond-des-Blancs. Although we were able to witness, it was very hard for us to relate to and understand. For some, much of the day was spent traveling (by foot or donkey) to gather clean water, which often came from nearby streams. In the same streams, sheep, chickens, donkeys, and cattle drank while the women washed their clothing in it.

Local women washing their clothing in the stream. Fond-des-Blancs, Haiti. Photo by Cassidy Barnett

The market was an unforgettable experience, in many aspects. There were no storefronts, credit card machines, or cash registers. Many items were laid out on a cloth on the dirt, while some had wooden tables under a tent. Women worked and sold most of the items at market, while men and women of all ages crowded the market’s main cross-section.

Fond-des-Blancs market. Photo by Zach Smith

We stuck out worse than a sore thumb. Unlike in the city, where aid relief and tourism is common, many people of Fond-des-Blancs rarely see groups of white people.

Some of our group walking through the market. Photo by Zach Smith

Fond-des-Blancs market. Photo by Zach Smith

Motorcycles and cell phones were a phenomena that it still a mystery to us. In a country where people barely have enough money to eat and drink clean water, they have cell phones and many have motorcycles.

Photo by Zach Smith

Many of these cultural aspects are foreign and hard for many of us to understand. As we returned home, we felt as though we had a good understanding of daily life and living quarters of the people of Fond-des-Blancs, Haiti. 

Site Overview

During our site visits, it was immediately apparent to us that the parameters of the site were smaller than we had envisioned. The west side of the site has slopes on each side of the stream much steeper than we originally thought. The vegetation is lush, with many different types of trees and shrubs.

Site boundary at stream crossing. Photo by Cassidy Barnett

A group palm trees at the front of the site creates a natural shaded area.

Palm trees. Photo by Cassidy Barnett

There are also several cleared-out areas, as seen below.

Photo by Zach Smith

Image Tour of Fonds des Blancs Haiti - December 2011

Fonds des Blancs Friday MarketThe following images and gallery are created from my first trip to Haiti with John McRae and Chris King as part of the haiti_utk project. The images represent my first impressions of the Haiti and our work to be done this spring as an ongoing effort with Jean thomas to design a school and residential community for Fonds des Blancs Haiti.

Rural Home in Fonds des Blancs Haiti