Accessed: March 20, 2010. 4 0 obj During the 18th-century, Haiti was the French Empires richest colony. In 1493, Columbus returned to the island of Hispaniola, and realizing that his men were all dead and the settlement destroyed, he sailed to the eastern coast which is known today as the Dominican Republic. %PDF-1.3 From outlawing activities that should be simple common sense to avoid, to laws that are clearly never enforced, these 21 weird laws in Hawaii will leave you scratching your head, wondering how exactly they came to be enacted. In the eighteenth century, St. Dominique (Haiti) was the richest colony in the French Empire and was known as the Pearl of the Antilles. It grew rich mainly through the importation of slaves and through devastating environmental degradation. He was president again from 1994-1996 and then from 2001 to 2004, when he was ousted again. km.). Source, 5. Having your chickens cross the road in Georgia This isn't a joke: don't let your chicken cross the road in Georgia. Following the Zoot Suit Riotsa series of race-related conflicts that took place in 1943the Los Angeles City Council banned zoot . group tour of Citadel Laferriere from Cap-Haitien, Bahamas Highest Ranked Caribbean Country on Quality of Nationality Index. Most wealthy students attend college outside of Haiti. (Thus the need for your passport.) In Haiti, same-sex sexual activity is legal. See our information and advice page for the LGBT community before you travel. Interracial Marriage. Repblica Dominicana via Wikimedia Commons. Haiti has a rich culture with influences dating back as far as pre-Columbus times when the island was populated solely by the Tano and Arawakan people. Why? Electric fences are banned. Albeit too late to save the Tano, Las Casas was able to persuade the Spanish government that the Tano could not withstand such cruel treatment. The newly independent country took the name Haiti, the aboriginal name of Hispaniola. The debt was later reduced to 90 million francs but it was not until 1947 that Haiti had paid off what many have regarded as an immoral and illegal debt. [1] In 2004 the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs reported that its hotline received more than 700 calls from children reporting abuse. Unfortunately, we live in a society that puts this type of union in an unbelievable prejudice. Of course, this is permissible if the mayor gives you consent (per Only in Your State ). Politically active from an early age, Duvalier wrote . More than 10% of Haitian children die before age five. 1. Haitis southern peninsula is very vulnerable to hurricanes (tropical cyclones) in comparison to other regions. We use some essential cookies to make this website work. (See Genesis 12:2-3, 18:18, 22:18, Exodus 9:16; Joshua 4:23-24; Psalm 9:11, 96:3; Isaiah 49:6, 51:4) As a light to the world, their . Initially, Las Casas believed Africans to be suitable for slavery, but he later came to oppose their enslavement too. CHAPTER I. His regime was notorious for its autocratic and corrupt rule. However, the attitude of many Haitians to the LGBT community is hostile. Anemia affects 59% of Haitian children between the ages of six months and five years. Since the 1980s, its economy has shrunk steadily. After winning independence in 1804, Haiti went and built the largest fortress in the Americas atop a 3000 ft mountain in order to keep the French out. Women, Girls Rape Victims in Haiti Quake Aftermath, 100 Interesting Facts That Will Amaze You, Native Haitians were pre-Columbian Amerindians called Tano, the good people. The Tano named their land Ayiti, meaning Land of. If an unmarried man and woman register at a hotel as a married couple, they are legally married. Lots of wacky laws have been written over the years, and they were all written for a reason. {{}x4ZM{al0TF FJ`dmLQ 8l{q#^cW\S\4gRrsL@216ycc892)tX\CiC|=Ke9cKM= hzu5^E4]= Photo Credit: Aliceba via Wikimedia Commons. Found these facts about Haiti interesting? [24] Unlike slaves in the traditional sense, restaveks can run away or return to their families, and are typically released from servitude when they become adults; however, the restavek system is commonly understood to be a form of slavery. The massive deforestation by the French later led to frequent natural disasters like hurricanes and floods which the country still suffers from today. Taino society and culture on the island of Hispanola were divided into five caciquats or kingdoms including Marin, Magu, Maguana, Jaragua, and Higey. 9The World Factbook: Haiti. Central Intelligence Agency. The Republic of Haiti. 10. From Spain to Austria: 13 interesting laws across Europe, Local Laws and Customs in Vietnam: Know Before You Go, How to Avoid Crime & Corruption in Indonesia, Laws in Mexico: Illegal Things Travelers Shouldn't Do, Crime in New Zealand: What You Need To Know, It is illegal to wear camouflage clothing in several countries in the Caribbean including, It's illegal to shout offensive words in any public place in, If you're on a bike, you must keep both feet on the pedals, Any kind of nude artistic display is verboten, It's against the law to drive while wearing flip-flops. April 20, 2022. 1. I came to realize that black slavery was as unjust as Indian slaveryand I was not sure that my ignorance and good faith would secure me in the eyes of God," Las Casas wrote in The History of the Indies in 1527. It's a misdemeanor for a man to seduce a woman by "means of deception and promises of marriage," punishable by up to a year in jail. ----Patreon---- Show more. Launched in 2014, Caribbean & Co. has won five travel media awards. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.,2008. Now micro stamping has been proposed by Governor Murphy, and it exists in California. Well send you a link to a feedback form. Ancient imperial law stipulates that anyone caught sharing the secrets of sericulture (otherwise known as silk-making) was to be tortured to death. 1. Haiti is shaped by many cultures with African, French, Spanish, and Caribbean influences. Citadelle Laferriere aka Citadelle Henry Christophe aka The Citadelle in Haiti. The dead were replaced by new slaves from Africa.[4]. In Virginia Beach, it is illegal to curse on Atlantic Avenue and the boardwalk. These ranged from the Sacatra which were seven-eighths black, to the several varieties of Sangmeles, which are only one-sixteenth black. Haitis constitution incorporates features from the French and United States constitutions. Six species of globally unique frogs were rediscovered in the few remaining rainforests of Haiti. The Spanish settlers who arrived with Christopher Columbus carried many diseases to which the people on Hispaniola did not have immunity. In the Chinese county of Gongan, there was a really strange law up until recently. force must be met with the same force. The first recorded smallpox outbreak in the Americas occurred in Hispaniola in 1507. She loves traveling the region in search of the best cultural and foodie adventures, places to stay and live/work opportunities. That's $3.50 per gram for pot and $50 for each gram of cocaine. In 1791, what would become known as the Haitian Revolution began. [13] "The macoutes were Papa Doc's version of brownshirts and the Waffen SS, except that their usual uniform was blue jeans, T-shirts, sunglasses, and they carried clubs or pistols," wrote journalist and author Herbert Gold in Best Nightmare on Earth: A Life in Haiti. km.). The law came into effect in 2008, and many teenagers were outraged and protested. [citation needed] Few statistics regarding the wider problem of child abuse have been collected. After the Haiti earthquake, the Feed The Children website claimed that the charity was providing medical relief for 12,000 people. The plundering of the land and the people had dire consequences. In New Orleans, you cannot throw anything from a window or balcony that is more than 8 feet above the ground. Under the Duvalier regime, lawyers were intimidated from defending their clients through pressure and violence. Source, 22. if someon pull a knife and you shoot him, you have committed a crime. The worlds largest solar-powered hospital is in rural Haiti and its capable of producing more than 100 percent of its required energy. During radical ex-priest Jean-Bertrand Aristides second term as president, the government established Voodoo as a state religion along with. Source, 8. 8. While Haiti has experienced its fair share of tragedies including various natural disasters, its people remain resilient and the country has much to be proud of including successful rebellion and independence from France. Haiti (Cultures of the World). 4Dash, J. Michael. Cock fighting is a traditional sport in Haiti. We compiled a list of weird laws around the world you may not believe exist. a\{ [1] Rape, although illegal, rarely results in prosecution of the perpetrator. [5], "We're talking about 200 hundred years of this cycle of debt that Haiti has gone through, which of course has devastating consequences on the capacity of the state within the country," Haiti historian Laurent Dubois has said.[6]. of highways. Get Updates And Stay Connected to the latest offers and news from the Caribbean. That said, below is some additional insight on the countrys government and financial situation including a few quick facts about Haitis major sector. The country's poverty made it vulnerable throughout its history to political instability and human rights abuses both by Haitian state officials and foreign interventions. What people do not know, however, is that Haiti officially named the Republic of Haiti is a nation with a rich cultural depth and history and its people are among the most resilient. These ordinances were passed as a protest when the creation of new cemeteries was denied. A slice of pizza, corn on the cob, any food on a stick, a Twinkie, and definitely fried chicken. Contact us for full details. Source, 14. Haiti has a hot and humid tropical climate. If youre caught in possession of drugs or suspected of drug trafficking, you may be arrested and jailed for weeks or months before appearing before a magistrate. (perhaps they could benefit from one of these strange gadgets) 10. Lance Cheung/USDA // flickr. In Oxford, it is illegal to drive around the town square more than 100 times in a single session. Jean-Jacques Dessalines, First ruler of Haiti. Even though today there are many legal options for home beer making, if you're caught with the books you can be fined or do some jail time. [1] In practice, many provisions are not respected. He fled the country a year later after being ousted in a military coup. It is illegal for autonomous vehicles to drive over 60 miles per hour. 1. Columbus men built a fortified encampment, La Navidad and initially, relations between the Spanish and the Tano people were good but it soon turned south resulting in the locals killing the new settlers. Source, 7. People tend to greet with bonjour (good morning) or bonswa (good afternoon) with men often shaking hands and females often kissing each other on the cheek. Haiti map. The . In the early 1980s, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention traced a number of the first AIDS cases in the U.S. to Haitian immigrants. 8NgCheong-Lum, Roseline. Ain't no poking fun at this one. Before the 2010 earthquake, the United Nations estimated there were 430,000 orphans. 10Women, Girls Rape Victims in Haiti Quake Aftermath. The New York Times. An old law requires you to own a boat [1] Wives do not enjoy the same right.[20]. [1] Trafficking of children also is a significant problem. So it is somewhat ironic that Alaska passed a law banning people from getting drunk in bars. In Barcelona, you can be fined for wearing swimwear anyplace other than the beach, as well as for spitting. However, if the child is more than 6 months old, the mother faces a fine (via Stupid Laws ). Shutterstock. . Haitis entire annual budget is $300 million, less than that of many small cities in the United States. 25% of Haitian children age 517 live away from their biological parents. Other Tano indigenous names for Haiti include Quisqueya (or Kiskeya) meaning mother of all lands and Bohio. Keep a copy of the photo page of your passport and relevant visa stamp separately in case your documents are stolen. 1. Many resort to begging or prostitution to survive. Did you know these four things were illegal in Mexico? KickassFacts.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. In 1803, Jean-Jacques Dessalines (1758-1806), Haitis first ruler, created the nations flag by ripping out the white stripe in the French red, white, and blue flag, claiming he would rip white people from the nation. February 9, 2010. The future of Haiti must be linked to the respect of the rights of every single citizen. Haiti also has a small population of Middle Easterners, descendants of Syrian and Lebanese people who came to Haiti in the nineteenth century. Haitis coat of arms sits in the center. Source, 10. FIRST ARTICLE: Haiti is an indivisible, sovereign, independent, cooperatist, free, democratic and social republic. Their eventual victory was the first successful slave revolt and helped establish Haiti as the first black republic. Source, 19. The proper etiquette for eating these foods is by using your hand and this weird food law demonstrates that fact. The country is heavily dependent on financial aid from foreign countries such as the United States, Canada, Germany, and France. Source, 27. To pay this, Haiti had to borrow money from and pay interest to French banks. Because jobs are so scarce (approximately 70% do not have regular jobs), those who do have jobs are afraid to speak out against unfair labor practices. These are 20 weird laws in Alabama you won't believe are true. [24] Increasingly, paid middlemen act as recruiters to place children with host families, and it is becoming more common to place children with strangers. [1] The Haitian government generally has respected religious freedom in the country. Among the many Haitian musicians, the actor, musician, and rapper Wyclef Jean is the most famous. 4) You mustn't drive a car shirtless. Senators are elected every six years and deputies every four. Travel through these interesting Ethiopia facts to learn more. Haitians have the lowest caloric intake in the Americas, which has led to chronic and often fatal diseases. Sadly, after becoming an independent republic in 1804, Haiti was not able to hold on to its wealth. The French government saddled Haiti with a debt of 150 million gold francs which they demanded as compensation for lost property including the formerly enslaved Africans, land, equipment, etc. New York, NY: Times Editions Pte Ltd.,1995. LGBT travellers should be mindful of local attitudes and be aware that public. These games require a license from the Kansspelcommissie or no-one wins any financial gain. Eighty percent of Haitians live under the poverty line and 54% live in abject poverty. An early defender of more humane treatment of the Tano was the Spanish priest Bartolom de Las Casas. Don't turn down a drink from a shared glass On many occasions you'll see Cubans passing around one glass of rum and taking a sip or a shot before it's passed on to the next person. Top 10 Crazy Laws in Nevada and Las Vegas. It started on August 22nd, 1791 when the enslaved Africans led by Franois-Dominique Toussaint Louverture, initiated a rebellion against the French settlers. Their eventual victory was the first successful slave revolt and helped establish Haiti as the first black republic.