The Quiet Genocide of Haitians is everywhere - But #FreeHaiti ReMEMBER always, Janjak Desalin, especially on his earhday today, September 20, 2021
zili danto
A #FreeHaiti Movement Desalin Sept 20 to Oct 17th posting
https://bit.ly/39oeUu6
We Will Fight From One Generation to the Next. -- https://bit.ly/3nSUzFS
Mèsi Papa Desalin
Thank you Father Dessalines* by Felix Morisseau-Leroy
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Below is the famous Felix Morrisseau-Leroy poem "Mèsi Papa Desalin" -
"Thank you Father Desalin", both in the original Kreyol and translated
in English, honoring Haiti's great revolutionary hero, Jean Jacques
Dessalines.
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Thank you Father Dessalines* by Morisseau-Leroy
Thank you Dessalines,
Father Dessalines, thank you
When I realize who I am today
I say Thank you, Dessalines
Every time I hear a colonized Negro,
A Negro that is still captive of censorship
I say : Thank you, Father Dessalines
Only I, know what you mean to me
Thank you, Father Dessalines
If I am a whole human being today
I have to say : Thank you Father Dessalines
If I can open my eyes and look at my surroundings
It is thanks to you, Dessalines
If I walk with my head up high
It is thanks to you, Dessalines
Every time I look at another Negro
I say : Thank you Dessalines
When I look at what’s happening in the world
I say : Thank you, Dessalines
When I hear the White men’s voices
I say : Father Dessalines, thank you
When I hear my brothers and sisters
I say : Thank you, Father Dessalines
Only I, know, what you mean to me
Mighty Dessalines,
Dessalines, my blood,
Dessalines, apple of my eye
Dessalines, my womb
Only I know why
All Negroes must say
Thank you Dessalines,
You showed us the way
Thank you Dessalines
You are our guiding light
Dessalines,
You gave us the earth we walk on
The skies over our heads,
The trees, the rivers
The sea, the ponds, it is all you,
Dessalines, it is you who gave us the Sun
The Moon,
You gave us our brothers, our sisters
Our mothers, our fathers, our children
It is you who shaped us this way
Who thought us to be unique
We are not like other Negroes
When I look people straight in the eye
It is you who is looking at them, Dessalines
It is you who gives us water and who quenches our thirst
It is you who gives us food and satisfies our hunger
Thank you, Father Dessalines
And, it is you who gives us shelter
The earth we harvest
It is you who taught us to sing
It is you who taught us to say : NO
They say some Negroes say : yes, yes!
Other says: Yes, master !
You taught us to say : NO!
Dessalines taught all Negroes on earth how to say : NO
Thank you, Father Dessalines
Some Negroes try to explain
That today does not resemble yesterday
And that now,
Human fraternity,
Humanity, civilization,
All that is gibberish!
All I know is Dessalines!
I say : Thank you, dear father
You gave me life
My mother is your daughter
Young boys and young girls are your children
Thank you, Dessalines
My grandchildren are your children
King Dessalines, thank you
No need to mention our flag!
No need to evoke Archaie
And Gonaïves
We already mentioned it!
Who needs to hear it again?
October 17th requiem mass?
Who visits the cathedral?
The Minister’s speech?
Who will listen to it?
As far as I am concerned
I will say one word : thank you
Thank you Father Dessalines
Some do not know,
I must tell them
That without you we would not exist
Thank you, Father Dessalines
Let us finish with our Pater noster
Your Eminence, Dessalines is not dead
Stop speaking French, Minister
Dessalines will never die
Dessalines is amongst us
This man cannot die!
Dessalines is in my heart
Ready to fight
He’s watching
The day will come when Dessalines will rise
That day, everyone will know
We will know if Dessalines made
1804
Archaie
Crête-à-Pierrot
And Vertières
So our writers could write poetry
So our ministers could say speeches
So our priests could sing Te Deum
So Your Eminence could give absolution
Dessalines does not need absolution
All that Dessalines accomplished is respectable
One day Dessalines will rise
And shouts will come from the Caribbean sea
Asking : Where is he?
Dessalines took his weapons
Arrest him!
At that moment, we will hear his voice like thunder
At the signal: Decapitate them, burn their houses!
They will ask that he be arrested
Dessalines’ voice will already be on the air
Decapitate them, burn their houses!
In Harlem, Dessalines is putting the house in order
We will hear : Arrest him!
All the way to Dakar
All the way to Johannesburg
We will hear : where has Dessalines gone?
Decapitate them, burn their houses?
Dessalines does not need absolution
Dessalines does not need God’s forgiveness
On the contrary : Dessalines is God’s hand
Dessalines is God’s justice
He does not need Your Eminence’s Pater noster
Some men are requesting the White men’s excuses
Dessalines does not need these actions
For all Dessalines accomplished : Father Dessalines, thank you
For all he will do
I say : Thank you , Father Dessalines.
* Translated by Marie-Hélène Destiné
Source: Windowsonhaiti
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Mèsi papa Desalin
Papa Desalin, mèsi
Chak fwa m’ santi sa-m ye
M’ di mèsi, Desalin
Chak fwa m’ tande youn nèg koloni
Ki poko lib pale
M’di: Desalin, mèsi
Se mwen k’ konnen sa ou ye pou mwen
Mèsi, papa Desalin
Si m’ youn nonm
Se pou m’ di : mèsi, Desalin
Si m’ ouvè je-m gade
Se gras a ou, Desalin
Si m’ leve tèt mwen pou m’ mache
Se gras a ou, Desalin
Chak fwa m’ gade lòt nèg
M’ di mèsi, Desalin
Lè m’ wè sa k’ ap pase lòt kote
M’ di: mèsi, Desalin
Lè m’ tande kèk nèg parèy mwen pale
M’ di: mèsi, papa Desalin
Se mwen k’ konnen sa ou ye pou mwen
Towo Desalin
Desalin, san mwen
Desalin, de grenn je-m
Desalin, zantray mwen
Se mwen k’ konnen
Se pou tout nèg di:
Mèsi Desalin
Se ou k’ montre nou chimen nou
Mèsi Desalin
Se ou k’ limyè nou
Desalin
Se ou ki ban–n tè n’ ap pile a
Syèl ki sou tèt nou an
Pyebwa, larivyè
Lanmè, letan, se ou
Desalin, se ou k’ ban-n solèy
Ki ban-n lalin
Ou ki ban-n sè, frè-n
Manman, papa-n, pitit nou
Se ou ki fè-n youn jan youn mannyè
Nou pa kou tout nèg
Si m' gade tout mounn nan je
Se ou k’ ap gade yo, Desalin
Se ou ki ban-n dlo pou n’ bwè
Ou ki ban-n manje pou n’ manje
Mèsi, papa Desalin.
Epi, se ou ki ban-n kay pou n’rete
Ou ki ban-n kote pou n’ fè jaden
Se ou k’ montre-n chante
Ou k’ montre-n di: non
Yo di gan nèg ki di: wi,wi.
Gan nèg ki di: yèssè
Ou montre-n di: non
Desalin, montre tout nèg
Tout nèg sou latè di: non
Mèsi, papa Desalin
Gan nèg ki vle esplike:
“Tan jodi pa tan pase
E ke wi alèkile
La fraternité humaine
L’ humanité, la civilisation”
Tou sa, se franse
Mwen menm, se Desalin m’ konnen
M’ di: mèsi, papa-m
Se ou k’ fè-m
Manman-m se pitit ou
Tigason, tifi, se pitit ou tou
Mèsi, Desalin
Pitit-pitit mwen, se pitit ou
Wa Desalin, mèsi
M’ pa bezwen pale pou drapo a!
Pa bezwen pale pou Lakayè
Pou Gonayiv!
Yo di sa deja
E ki mounn k’ ap tande sa ankò?
Mès rekwiyèm 17 oktòb?
Ki mounn ki pral Katedral?
Diskou Minis?
Ki mounn k’ap koute sa?
Men, sa m’ di la a
Se youn sèl mo: mèsi
Mèsi Desalin papa-m
Gan mounn ki pa konnen
Fò m’ di yo
San ou nou pa ta la a
Mèsi, papa Desalin
Epi, fini ak Patè Nostè-w la a
Monseyè, Desalin pa mouri
Ase pale franse, Minis
Desalin pap janm mouri
Desalin la
Nèg sa a ta ka mouri!
Desalin nan kè-m
Lam-o-pye
Desalin ap veye
Youn jou Desalin va leve
Jou sa a, nou tout n’ a konnen
N’ a konnen si 1804
N’ a konnen si Lakayè
N’ a konnen si Lakrèt-a-Pyewo
N’ a konnen si Vètyè
Desalin te fè tou sa
Pou ti nèg ekri powèm
Pou Minis fè diskou
Pou pè chante Te Deoum
Pou Monseyè bay labsout
Desalin pa bezwen labsout
Tou sa Desalin fè bon
Youn jou Desalin va leve
W’ a tande nan tout lanmè Karayib
Y’ape rele kote-l
Desalin pran lèzam
Arete-l
Lè a, w’ a tande vwa-l kon loray
Tout nèg koupe tèt boule kay
W’ a tande nnan tout Lamerik
Y’ ape rele: rete-l
Vwa Desalin deja an radyo
Koupe tèt boule kay
Nan tout "Harlem" Desalin ap mete lòd
W’ a tande: bare Desalin
Jouk "Dakar"
Jouk "Johannesburg"
W’ a tande: kote Desalin pase?
Koupe tèt boule kay
Desalin pa bezwen labsout
Pa bezwen padon Bondye
Okontrè: Desalin se bra Bondye
Desalin, se jistis Bondye
Pa bezwen Patè Nostè Monseyè
Ni eskiz nèg yo vle mande blan a yo
Desalin pa bezwen
Pou tou sa l’ fè m’ di: papa Desalin, mèsi
Pou tou sa l’ pral fè
M’ di: mèsi, papa Desalin
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The Story of Janjak
https://www.margueritelaurent.com/pressclips/Desalin09.html
I Have Avenged America – Janjak Desalin, Haiti’s Founding Father, the Greatest Hero to Ever live (born Sept 20, 1758, assassinated Oct. 17, 1806)
https://ezilidanto.com/2011/09/haitis-fouding-father-janjak-desalin/Celebrates Legacy & Triumph of Janjak Desalin, Hayti's Founding Father https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTt1g-Ccc9o
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The Story of Janjak: The Greatest Hero who ever Lived
http://www.margueritelaurent.com/pressclips/Desalin09.html
*
Galipòt – se chwal Desalin kap cheche yon lòt cavalye– travay Jean Claude Martineau/Koralen Galipòt - Who Can Ride Desalin's Horse today? http://bit.ly/1p0dGZI
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Kouwòn pou Defile - Marie Sainte Dédée Bazile
by Michel Sanon https://bit.ly/1vFEuSW
*
“Recall everything I have sacrificed to fly to your defense – relatives, children, wealth, so that now the only riches I possess is your freedom. Recall that my name horrifies all those who are enslavers, and that tyrants and despots everywhere only bring themselves to utter it when they curse the day I was born. Remember, if you should ever discard or forget the law that the God who watches over your well being has dictated to me for your happiness, you will deserve the fate that inures to ungrateful peoples.” — Janjak Desalin (Jean Jacques Dessalines), Haiti’s Founding father, quote from the Haitian Act of Independence, January 1, 1804 (Mèsi papa Desalin - https://bit.ly/2MI0AS3)
"...Never again shall colonist or European set foot on this soil as master or landowner. This shall henceforward be the foundation of our constitution."
Jamais aucun blanc ni Europeén ne mettra pied sur ce territoire à titre de maitre ou de propriétaire. Cette résolution sera désormais la base fondamentale de notre constitution. (Liberté ou La mort, Jean Jacques Dessalines, April 28, 1804)
"...No whiteman of whatever nation he may be, shall put his foot on this territory with the title of master or proprietor, neither shall he in future acquire any property therein..." (Jean Jacques Dessalines, 1805 Haitian Constituion, Art. 12.)
"...Aucun blanc, quelle que soit sa nation, ne mettra le pied sur ce territoire à titre de maitre ou de propriétaire, et ne pourra à l'avenir acquérir aucune propriéte." (Jean Jacques Dessalines, 1805 Haitian Constituion, Art. 12.)
Dessalines' Law laid down for Haiti to survive in a hostile environment as translated by Moriso Lewa: "The only good white is the white that shoots the bad whites - Sèl blan ki bon blan se blan k met fizi sou move blan yo" (Moriso Lewa - from "Blan Mannan")