1. Cultural Competency: A Student’s Examination of Haiti
By: Heidi Dotson
May 5, 2011
Lippitt Hall Room 402
3:30-4:45
Thank You for coming!

2. Outline Timeline Introduction My Methods Haiti’s Story
What can be done?
What I learned?
My presentation will proceed across the timeline of Haitian history

3. Timeline Treaty of Ryswick Haitian Independence U.S. Recognition
Final Payment of Debt
January 12 Earthquake
Hurricane Jeanne Hits
Aristide into 2nd Exile
Begin U.S. Occupation
Francois Duvalier
Jean-Claude Duvalier
Baby Doc into Exile
Jean-Bertrand Aristide
4 Natural Disasters Hit
1697
1804
1862
1883
1915
1957
1971
2010
2004
1990
1986
2008

4. Introduction What do we know about Haiti?
Beyond the numbers
Political Strife, Earthquake, Disease
First minute of Video
Beyond the numbers – a people’s story: history & culture: religion, family, economy

5. My Methods
History
Interviews
Literature
News
Reflections

6. Colonization Spanish Colonization 1697 Treaty of Ryswick
1751 First Slave Rebellions
Spanish decimated native populations to near extinction, survivors pushed to mountains
1503 Spanish brought over Africans to work as slaves on plantations
1697 Spain ceded western third of Hispaniola to France in Treaty of Ryswick
French creulty – Every Haitian Believes in Vodoo – 75-80% population is Catholic, extreme faith
Growing Mulatto Class
1751 First Slave rebellions in Northern Saint- Domingue begins revolution

7. Revolution
“In overthrowing me they have only felled the tree of Negro liberty… It will shoot up again, for it is deeply rooted and its roots are many” -Toussaint L’Ouverture
“If something is not done, and soon done, we shall be the murderers of our own children” –Thomas Jefferson
1804 Dessalines declares Independence
The proud history –First black republic – every schoolchild knows this story
Toussaint L’Ouverture, Henri Chrostophe, Jean-Jacques Dessalines
America’s unrecognized younger brother
Salvery in American South Paradox
France was poor and forced to sell Louisana – Louisana Purchase – U.S. profited

8. International Recognition
1862 US recognition
1883 Repayment of debt to France
Abraham Lincoln recognizes Haiti as independent nation in 1862
President Lysius Salomon repays Haiti’s debt to France for independence
Debt was 150 million Francs (21 billion US dollars) reduced in 1838 to 60 million Francs to be paid over 30 years
2010 French government was urged to repay the money to Haiti to help them rebuild after the earthquake – government response was that this was "morally, economically, and legally unassailable“

9. U.S. Occupation
“The United States is at war with Haiti. Congress has never sanctioned the war. Josephus Daniels has illegally and unjustly occupied a free foreign land and murdered its inhabitants by the thousands. He has deposed of its officials and dispersed its legally elected representatives. He is carrying on a reign of terror, brow-beating, and cruelty, at the hands of southern white naval officers and Marines. For more than a year this red-handed deviltry has proceeded, and today the Island is in open rebellion” -W.E.B. DuBois
1915 U.S. Occupation begins – lasts 19 years
Shut down press, took charge of banks and customhouses, compulsory labor for poor Haitians – Slavery or “road building”?
U.S. Marines under William B. Coperton
Josephus Daniels – President Woodrow Wilson’s Secretary of the Navy
1933 Treaty to withdraw U.S. troops and end the U.S. occupation – leave in 1934

10. Distrust of Foreign Intervention

11. Duvaliers’ Dictatorship
1957 Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier
“Haitians have a destiny to suffer” – Francois Duvalier
1971 Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier
1986 “Baby Doc” flees Haiti
1964 consititutional amendment makes Papa Doc President for Life
1970 Mass Diaspora
1971 Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier
Tonton Macoutes – based off of childhood tale – denim clad bogeyman who stole unruly children away in Gunnysack to eat for breakfast
1985 consititutional amendment creating Prime Minister position
1986 Baby Doc flees Haiti
Terror against Macoutes

12. A Priest in Power 1990 Jean-Bertrand Aristide
1994 U.S. reinstalls Aristide
2000 Aristide reelected
2004 Aristide flees into exile again
Well-known for helping the poor
U.S. reoccupies Haiti in 1994 under sanction by the United Nations – Aristide is reinstalled – U.S. hands over military control to UN, but maintains effective control of occupation
2004 Left and quoted L’Overature

13. Modern Struggles 2004 Hurricane Jeanne
2008 Tropical Storm Fay, Hurricane Gustav, Tropical Storm Hanna, and Hurricane Ike
January 12, 2010 earthquake
October 21, 2010 Cholera Epidemic
2004 Hurricane Jeanne kills over 1,900 people
disasters in 1 month – 800 dead, quarter of economy decimated
2009 Bill Clinton appointed as United Nations special envoy to Haiti – to reinvigorate country’s economy
January 12, 2010 a 7.0 richter scale earthquake
October 21, 2010 CDC confirmed Cholera Epidemic
1 year post earthquake 5% of rubble cleaned up; 1 million refugees living in tent cities

14. What can be done? Haiti vs. United States
Education , Healthcare, Role of Women, and Racism
HOPE
What can URI do?
Revolution; Slavery; Hurricane Jeanne vs. Hurricane Katrina; September 11, 2001 vs. January 12, 2011
Restaveks, 50% children receive no education, most don’t proceed past 8th grade
distrust of western healthcare, Hougans – vodoo doctors, midwives not trained to handle complications in childbirth – tradition to have first child at home
Women rule the family, polygamy- changing family style, women holding women back
Racism determines social status, wealth, education, political ties
HOPE and Faith are the people’s greatest virtue
Housing, Nursing, Teaching – but they must understand this country first
“Do-gooders” vs Haitians helping Haitians – community involvement is the key

15. What I learned We are so alike in many ways
Understanding a people’s history and culture is key to understanding how to help them
Cultural Competency can be applied to all fields
My professional career
I was shocked by how many similarities there were between Haiti and the U.S.
Theme of understanding and community involvement in successful aid projects
When working with people, it is important to remain sensitive to cultural differences
Much needed skills in healthcare community