Today would have been the biggest party in Jacmel, a laid back seaside town located 25 miles South of Port- au- Prince. Jacmel is renowned for its bustling arts community and dazzling Kanaval. The costumes, masks, dances and music capture the spirit of the Haitian people. The three day long party is the lead up to the somber Lenten season in this predominantly Catholic country.
Kanaval was cancelled; there is no momentary suspension from reality this year; little reason to gather in the streets from dusk to dawn, sun kissed and sweaty to dance and sing; not with the fresh memory and smell of pungent corpses still rotting under the rubble.
I am reminded of my lovely grandmother and great uncle who would face the phone to the streets so I could get a taste of the sweet horns blaring; how I wish there was joyous music coming out of Haiti right now instead of wailing motherless children.
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