HAITIAN PARTICIPATION IN CALLE OCHO MILLION PEOPLE MIAMI CARNIVAL.
By Noe Dorestant, E.E.
Sunny Sunday, blue sky March 14, and Calle Ocho filled to 1 million human souls of all races, nationalities and ethnic background marked the 20th celebration of the carnival of Unity in diversity, otherwise known as "Calle Ocho carnival". A colorful sea of human being could be seen from the 4th Ave to the 27th avenue as one looked down 8th street while traveling on I 95 south. As one approached the main musical stage one could hear the rhythm of Afro-Caribbean-Latin music, as one gets closer one begins to see the multitude shade of skins of people from all over the WORLD. There were flags of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Brazil, Honduras and umbrella(parasol) with the colors of the Haitian national flag, etc...
A sunny rainbow color of people in tropical Calle ocho .
With almost no cloud in the sky and not even the least amount of cool air that we often inherit from the wintry northern American states or the Canadian Arctic, almost everyone was looking for shades at the beginning, while people slowly got in the grooves of things and got adjusted to the sun for that beautiful "All day long of dancing in the street. .
Everyone seems to smile, speak, walk and dance to the tune of the music that serenade their ear drums. Salsa, meringue, blues, African, Haitian Compa, you name it.
Singer from the Dominican Republic acting/singing his musical/dance using all the body language he knew. He later shouted: "Thank you Miami, this was my first trip on a plane."
As I said earlier, you name the music, some as exotic as the music played by the Indians of the Andes mountains with special flutes sounds that took one into a journey that some of us could only imagine from film or videos of the lands that one has not set foot on before.
Besides the music, there were plenty of things to buy: foods, drinks, coconuts, sugar cane, arts and crafts, some from Africa and elsewhere.
For those who like to cross the border, they did not have to walk very far to hear some genuine Mexican music. Not sure if the members of the band had some Texan-Mexican connection, however their cowboys hats and their western style clothes made one think so, otherwise the music was as Mexican as you could get.
Wait a minute! some of you may say. I saw the Haitian flag, but I did not see any Haitian band. Well! Surprise! Very often we say, that we save the best for last. As the hot sun was hiding its ultra violet rays intermittently behind a four o'clock clouds, the musician from the Haitian band "Strings" made their way on the stages while a breeze of welcoming fresh air came from the fan like leaves of some nearby trees. Up to 14 microphones had to be synchronized properly for all the drums and the acoustic guitars on the set. The women announcers did their very best to warm up the crowd for a special treat that was slow and coming from the musicians of the island of Haiti, which were hand picked for this carnival because of their musical virtuoso.
The warm and vivacious Spanish woman announcer introduced with passion and conviction the band "Strings" straight from Haiti and reminded everyone that: "The Haitians are here and are part of this community celebration." "Let's all welcome them and let's give them the applause they deserve.
Once the band "Strings" got going, almost everyone started to dance on the side alley and on the main street. For some Haitians present in the mix crowd of multinationals, it was a time for joy and celebration as they danced with nostalgia, reminiscing of the good old days of Haitian colorful masked Carnival, that some old enough had the chance to enjoy in Haiti's good old days of yesteryears.
Haitian band "Strings" performing a mixture of Flamengo and Haitian flavored music using all acoustic instruments.
Haitian woman enjoying Strings music with hands in the air.
Haitian ladies clapping with joy as they are entertained by the sound of the Haitian band "Strings".
As far as I could tell, the carnival ended as beautifuly and as peacefully as it started. Everyone went home with a joyful piece of memory of only what they could see or hear. Since, with a crowd of one million people and 23 blocks of musical stages and street vendors; it was not humanly possible to see all that could be seen in one day and enjoy it all; for the lapse of time that one would or could dedicate to each musical band show. It was apparent that each band had a special way to addict and keep captive for the duration of their performance the audience that had come to see them perform. One could rightfully say, that the Miami Carnival of unity "Calle Ocho 99" was a musically: united, diversified, peaceful, and a multicolor sunny success.
Haitian man enjoying the band "Strings" under the shade of his Haitian flag parasol during Calle Ocho 1999 Carnival.
Written by: Noe Dorestant on March 17th, 1999.
Note: All pictures were photographed and/or provided by Noe Dorestant as a token of his civic contribution to help promote the Haitian community on the Internet. If you copy and plan to reuse any of these picture. PS give credit to the originator. All rights reserved 1999. Web page designed by Noe Dorestant.
Shedule of Miami Carnival every year
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Miami Carnival Calle Ocho on SW 8 street near downtown Miami & Little Havana: is traditionally held on the 2nd Sunday of March every year so far (Check with Kiwanis of Little Havana for exact date). Take I95 south and exit at SW 7 street, cross the light when it is green, find a place to park, then enjoy on foot 27 blocks of Carnival with all the ethnics and music diversities of the native American indians, the old and new immigrants/residents of South Florida, from Europe, Africa, Asia, South America, Central America and the Caribbean.
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