January is the New.

Touissant-L'Overture was the most important leader of the Haitian Revolution. He overthrew the French commissioner and made strides to reestablish the economy in Haiti. He is important because he helped to make Haiti the first nation that was bound by slavery to gain its independence on January 1, 1804. I always found that it was interesting that this day always coincides with the beginning of the new year for most people around the world. I am proud that Haiti was the first enslaved country to gain its independence. It gives me hope that things will change in the country. Haiti was occupied by both the Spanish and the French at one point in history and this has impacted the unique culture it still has today. Even the British occupied Haiti when it was considered an important part of gaining power in the Carribean. Being from a diverse country such as Haiti is sometimes confusing because there are traditions that I do not understand. One tradition that I've recently learned more about is the tradition of eating squash soup on the Haitian independence day. My mother told me that the reason for this is because the slave owners would not allow the slaves to eat soup which was considered the most luxurious of foods at that time.


To learn more about Haiti and its extraordinary history, the best website I found is Discover Haiti