Flag Day

Today in the United States it is Flag Day. Funny enough, but I sure couldn't tell on my way to work! Now, let's do a quick comparison to Flag Day in Haiti, shall we?

Flag Day was May 18th. Flag Day is an important holiday for Haitians. There is no school or work, and all schedules are paused to take a day to celebrate and remember the country's history of struggle and freedom. I had forgotten that Flag Day was in May, and it put a kink in my plans during my trip as I couldn't get any work done. So, instead, I went to have fun and join the crowd!

Driving around PAP, there were flags everywhere! The blue and red colors were vibrant and well displayed while Haitians celebrated and partied the day away late into the night. In the afternoon, my driver took me to Fort Jacques in the mountains above PAP. This was one of two forts built to protect PAP. It took awhile to get there, but once we did - I was amazed! There were hundreds of people with street vendors selling an abundance of food and drinks and loud music pumping from the large flatbed trailer with huge speakers. It was about 3pm, and this party probably didn't stop until the early hours of the morning. From the fort, you have an amazing view of the city and the bay. We climbed all around the fort (unfortunately damaged by the earthquake) and the old cannons. It is in a national forest area, so there are tons of hiking trails to explore to imagine what Haiti was like during the revolution.

One thing that never fails to amaze me is a Haitian's pride for their country. Haiti was the first black independent republic in the world after gaining their independence from France in 1804 during a slave revolt. The flag was sewn by a lady names Catherine Flon, and it has gone through a few transitions over the years. It is red and blue with a white square which includes the coat of arms of Haiti with the national motto "L'Union Fait La Force" meaning "unity makes strength."

So, even though we don't celebrate our flag day in the same fashion as the Haitians, may all Americans take a moment to remember what our flag stands for today - independence, liberty, justice, a nation undivided, and opportunity. May we be as proud of our flag and the land in which we live. May we be thankful for the sacrifices made by our ancestors which gives us the chance to grow and prosper in America. And, may we remember that our country's history might have been very different if it hadn't been for the Haitian slave revolt . . . imagine our flag with less then fifty stars . . .