Blanc

The image you see to the left is a portion of an amazing fountain in St. Joseph's. For me it symbolizes a number of different things. In Haitian Kreyole, Blanc means Non Haitian. In French blanc means white. I did not see this fountain until the end of our trip, but it represents what we experienced during our trip. While we were in Haiti, the food riots of this year were in full swing. We were unable to move about freely as car fires, road blocks and general unrest were running rampant. People were rioting against the high cost of rice, a major staple in their diet. We stayed in our guest house most of the time, but Peter ventured out on to the streets with a local guide. While he was walking to the Catholic Church in Fermathe, he was told to go away. Not because he was a Blanc, but because they were afraid for his safety. I also received a surprising response when I was on the roof of our guest house with Gesner, one of the residents of Wings. The women on the street gave me disgusted looks, again not because I was a Blanc, but because of who I was standing with. Haitians have religious roots in Voodoo. Voodoo believes a handicapped person should be put out as they are demon possessed. Gesner holding my hand in public represented a number of religious and cultural taboos in their minds. Once we left Wings and went to St. Joseph's I could not shake the image of the women from my mind. I was both angry and surprised to see women hold such animosity and to harbor more than the men I saw. Then I saw this fountain and thought, if only we could all look at each other without description. The blank and colorless face of this fountain made me pray for all humans. I prayed we all would view each other more like this fountain and not be influenced by color or disability. Naive, I hope not, because I honestly believe in heaven their are no such distinctions and we are all equal.

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