Anthem
raises note of hope at Haitian Flag Day celebration By
Rafael A. Olmeda
Sun Sentinel
May 19 2004 As
she stepped up to sing the Haitian National Anthem on Tuesday night before an
audience of more than 150 people, Yonie Marcel couldn't help thinking of the city
and the country she left behind just three months ago. "Pour
le pays, pour les ancêtres, marchons unis, marchons unis," she sang.
"For our country, for our forefathers, united we march, united we march."
The country, and those who left it, celebrated Haitian Flag Day on Tuesday, and
as the nation struggles to recover from political and social turmoil, the day
served to remind Haitians living in South Florida of the successes of the past
200 years. It also reminded them of the challenge of the immediate future. "The
only way Haiti will survive is if our people unite," said Marcel, 33, who
left Port-au-Prince in February and now lives in Miramar. "Haitians living
in Haiti and those of us living abroad need to work together to rebuild the country." Marcel
was one of the performers at the Flag Day celebration at the Miniaci Performing
Arts Center at Nova Southeastern University in Davie. The crowd eventually grew
to nearly 300 as the event's host organization, Minority Development & Empowerment
Inc., marked the occasion with songs, dances and awards for those in Broward County
who have worked to assist and bring attention to the needs of Haitians here and
in the Caribbean nation. "One
has to understand why Flag Day is so important," said Broward County Commissioner
Josephus Eggelletion, whose great-grandmother came to the United States from Jacmel,
Haiti, nearly 70 years ago. "Haitian independence in 1804 fueled the slave
revolts in the United States." Haiti
was the first black, independent republic in the Western Hemisphere, and it has
known conflict. The country endured more than 30 coups in its history before President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide resigned and left the country at the end of February. Today
his temporary replacement, Prime Minister Gérard Latortue, will be at another
Flag Day celebration in South Florida, sponsored by the Louverture Center for
Freedom and Development. The event will be at the Worldwide Christian Center Church
in Pompano Beach, which had a celebration Tuesday and plans two more, on Thursday
and on May 28. The
Miami Police Department also scheduled a commemoration for late Thursday morning. Miami
Police Officer Paule Villard said the flag was an important rallying point for
Haitians. "When
we celebrated in Haiti, there was a big parade," said Villard, 43, who came
to the United States 21 years ago. "It's a day of pride. You feel like you
have something that is yours, something no one can take from you." Among
those honored Tuesday were South Florida Sun-Sentinel reporters Alva James-Johnson
and Tim Collie and photographer Mike Stocker. James-Johnson covers Caribbean affairs;
Collie and Stocker wrote and photographed the special report "Haiti: The
Eroding Nation." Rafael
Olmeda can be reached at rolmeda@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4207.
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