Haitians Keep Heritage Alive Through Arts

SunSentinel

September 4, 2005 By Arlene Barochin Staff Writer

While the media portray images of poverty, death and political instability from Haiti, some South Florida residents are trying to shed a positive light on a different aspect of Haiti for the incoming generation.

Community members are passing on their culture and ideas through one of the oldest forms of Haitian communication: art.

“Art is not limiting. Through art, people liberate themselves,” said Pascal “Kafe” Garoute, 47, of Lauderhill, lifelong artist and daughter of the internationally acclaimed artist Tiga.

“Art for us is not an objective; it is a way of life,” Garoute said.

Many Haitian artists share these ideals, and fear upcoming Haitian-American generations will lose sight of this part of their heritage. “Your children will know nothing about Haiti,” Garoute said, “and that will kill me.”

To bridge the gap between the generations, artists such as Garoute and husband Christian “Kristo” Nicholas, 50, strive to expose the world to Haitian culture through art. They founded Utopia Art and Entertainment Inc., a company based in their Lauderhill home, designed to share art with parents, community leaders and youth.

“I want to see Haitians shining — showing the world what we are capable of doing,” Nicholas said. Using a gallery in their Lauderhill home as the site of the operations, the couple have hosted public gatherings featuring visual artists, musicians and writers.

Utopia Art and Entertainment Inc. is one of the many programs recently created in South Florida that use visual arts, theater and dance to educate Haitian-Americans about their heritage. Garoute calls it a movement.

Haitian-born artist Jude “Papaloko” Thegenus, 40, of Miami, is a part of this movement.

A former political activist and youth leader, Thegenus uses the arts as a means of educating and voicing his opinions to the masses. Through Papaloko Kids, a Miami-based educational group, he teacheschildren the powerful and spiritual component of art through dance lessons, story telling, and drumming exercises.

“What is the Haitian culture? The stories, the fairy tales, the art,” Thegenus said.

Berwick “Underscore” Augustin, 29, of North Miami, produces and directs plays throughout Broward and Miami-Dade counties starring Haitian youth. The plays address cultural issues Haitian youths face.

“What they know now is going to determine what the Haitian community becomes,” Augustin said.

Actor Genji Jacques, 31, of Fort Lauderdale, is one of the leaders in Mark-Jack Vision, a youth and young adult production company.

“I think it’s important for Haitian youth to get involved; it gives them an opportunity to tap into their talent and take it elsewhere,” Jacques said.

To preserve and promote the efforts of recent and historical artists, Eveline Pierre, 32, of Miami Shores, and Serge Rodrique, 35, of Miami, founded the Haitian Heritage Museum in Miami.

Although the museum is still in the planning stages, it has already played an integral part in the South Florida Haitian community by hosting programs targeting the youth.

“It will show the kids ownership,” Pierre said. “It will raise their self-esteem and self-awareness.” Pierre works with youth every day. Interns come into the office several times a week and are an integral part in coordinating and budgeting events in the upcoming year.

Cassandra Francois, 19, of Miramar, said her internship has taught her lessons about life and career. Francois, a political science major at the University of Florida, hopes the museum “opens everyone’s hearts and minds to different people.”

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