Jemesouviens,

Thank you for sharing your experience and overcoming that aspect of your life. It is very difficult for young haitians in the diaspora to deny their heritage due to the negative stereotypes. First remember as much as you want to hide it will always show somehow just how that dominican girl found out. The best thing is being honest with yourself and never putting your head down. That's the whole objective why haiti's bad media. The poorest country in the western hemisphere has been coined as Haiti while they never or seldomly show the rich areas of haiti. Anyway, I am glad for you and having a dominican realize your roots is even better. There are some good dominican people out there and I have experience it and seen dominicans treat haitians in a low class well. So we haitians must recognize that and tell the world that as well. Haiti will improve and must in order for the island to prosper. Dominicans are a large group of people and you'll find the bad and the good. Let's focus on the good and bring them the good in our society so that we can over come barriers and our differences

I think it is important for all Haitians, no matter where they reside, whether it be in France, United States or in Haiti to have an understanding of their nations history and to feel some sort of connection towards it. Theres no doubt that Haiti may have its problems but, beneath the veil there is unsurpassed beauty. This is what we need to stress to our kids and the future generations of Haitians.

Jemesouviens brings up something interesting that is rarely discussed but that I have seen first hand. Here, I've seen other blacks look down on haitians and make derrogatory comments about them. I've heard such talk from African Americans, Jamaicans, Bajans, etc..just out of curiousity why do you think that is Jabao or Jemesouviens?

Cibeano, it is just based on how the media percieves Haiti and Haitians to be. If you constantly see a bunch of Haitians on T.V. riding around in a truck waving their rifles, setting fire to tires, attempting to break into their own palace, beating up their own people, then you will start to think that all Haitians are like that. Add that with being the poorest nation in the western hemisphere and that simply makes it worse. The media will never show you footage of a man peacefully sleeping on the beach near Cap-Haitien, or the French style mansions in Petionville, nor would they show you the sun setting off the coast of Port Salut. when you constantly see negative image of a group of people, you tend to have a negative view of them.

"when you constantly see negative image of a group of people, you tend to have a negative view of them."

I agree with you 100%. On another note, I'm interested in visitng Hinche next time I go to the island. I don't think there's really anything there but it's where my ancestors first settled on the island and lived for several generations (that is until touissant ousted them). Is such a trip feasible? Is such a trip safe?

I wouldn't worry about safety in that part of the country, but Im not sure if there's anything to do around there....?

I have co-workers that own property there so I'm sure I'll find something to do for a day or two

If you didn't know there is a visible population of Dominicans and/or Haitians of Dominican descent, which I find very interesting.

"If you didn't know there is a visible population of Dominicans and/or Haitians of Dominican descent, which I find very interesting."

Are they concentrated in any specific area? and where do all these haitians of polish descent I'm always hearing about reside in the country?

If you walk/travel around the city you will clearly see and hear them talking spanish. My father was there last summer and said he saw a handful of Dominicans there. They dont make a major portion of the population, but they are present nonetheless.In regards to the Haitians of Polish descent, their presence goes back since the late 1700's and early 1800's. Contrary to what many people believe, Dessaline that not exhile/kill all of the whites who were on the island. Im not sure in exactly which area you can find most of them though. I take it that you will know when and if you see one though.