Haitians and 1804

[Gelin]

Haiti's Unique Journey: To 1804 And Beyond!
J.R. Gelin 2/7/2021

After Haiti gained its independence from France at the end of the revolutionary war, Dessalines together with the other leaders of the new nation restored the pre-colonial name of the island and called Haiti once again. Excellent decision!

The birth or re-birth of Haiti in 1804 sent shockwaves to the entire world, especially countries or empires which based their whole economy on the slavery of kidnapped Africans. For example, it’s only very recently that the word Vertières was added to the French dictionary for the first time because authorities in France apparently wanted to ostracize the name of the place where their troops lost the final battle again the emerging nation of Haiti in 1803. This change came more than 200 years later. Eventually, the success of the Haitian revolution helped to topple slavery and colonialism in other parts of the world, like Latin America.

As time goes on, and with technology facilitating a quick and global spread of information, more people throughout the world are being exposed to the many truths and symbolism of 1804. Many Haitians, concerned with the way their country is being managed, have also developed a longing to return to the philosophy, ideals and aspirations of the founders of the country – including mental independence and self-governance.

At the same time, however, there are some people inside and outside the country who would apparently prefer to move away from what 1804 represents, and in a sense would perhaps choose Hispaniola or Saint-Domingue in place of independent Haiti.

Considering what has been happening in Haiti during the last few decades, how would you characterize the country’s position with regards to 1804? Are Haitians effectively moving closer to or away from 1804? What do you see?

Thanks for reading. And please share your comments below.
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Source: https://www.haitionceagain.com/blog/hai ... and-beyond