Que de vies ont changé. que d'espoirs perdus, combien l'anticipation est présente depuis ce terrible séisme qui nous a boulversé en Janvier dernier.
Les artisans de Jacmel s'étaient préparés joyeusement a un carnaval 2010 en préparant des masques élaborés et magnifiques.
Plus de carnaval cette année!
Plus de maisons pour beucoup d'entre eux!
Plus de masques, détruits sous les décombes!
Plus d'espoir!
Les artisans, comme le reste de la population d'ailleurs commencent a vivre en résignation constante. Certe l'aide internationale leur a donné des tentes et des sachets beiges marqués en grosses lettres MRE, mais il manque quelque chose; quelque chose de trés important. Il manque l'assurance de soi, la dignité et l'espoir.
Un artiste ou un artisan doit pouvoir se sentir assuré qu'il peut pourvoir a sa famille tout en gardant la tete haute.
J'entend dire que le festival d'art Folklorique de Santa Fe permettra aux artisans de Jacmel de vendre leurs produits a cette foire. Beaucoup sont déja affairés a preparer des petits colibris et des coqs en papier maché. Il y a espoir de ventes.
Maintenant, grace a un effort conjoint entre différents acteurs, le Smithsonian va acheter de l'artisant de Jacmel pour le revendre au Street-Life Festival cet été.
Peut-on esperer que l'artisanat va se relever?
Peut-on esperer qu'un meilleur jour est en train de poindre?
mercredi 31 mars 2010
lundi 29 mars 2010
Le séisme du 12 janvier 2010
At 4:53 PM on Tuesday January 12th, 2010 life had another meaning in Jacmel.
I was sitting in my living room watching a silly TV show after work. Paule was out in the countryside visiting the Bahá’ís in Cayes Jacmel; when suddenly the living room started swaying softly then very violently. What! What? Ya Bahá’ul-Abhá! (O Thou the Most Glorious of all Glories)
It must be an earthquake! Ya Bahá’ul-Abhá! Ya Bahá’ul-Abhá! Ya Bahá’ul-Abhá… I was shouting at the top of my lungs.
Noise was everywhere; it seemed to have been generated by the earthquake itself. My shock was too intense to identify it: glass breaking, wood falling, rock falling, books collapsing on the floor. The cat was running in all directions. Then it stopped.
The thick cloud of dust started to settle. The air was irrespirable. With pangs of anguish I started to look around. Cabinets were open and broken on the floor, dishes and glasses broken all over, there was a complete mess everywhere… and the cloud of dust.
I tried to call Paule on the phone. There was no connection. I tried calling Denise, my mother’s maid… again no connection. I decided to go check on my mother while repeating prayers in silence.
A young man on the street came to help me go down the stairs as the broken plaster off the wall filled my path and the dust filled my lungs.
When I arrived on the sidewalk, I was horrified by the sight.
There was rubble, broken wood and metal doors everywhere. It looked as if a bomb hit the street. The house next door was split open near the roof and on the side. I could not breathe from shock. I quickly crossed the street, went through the hotel Florita, ignoring the lamenting tourists and the screaming people. One was calling a child and a woman was crying. I rapidly arrived at my mother’s house and found her in total shock. My mother is 80% blind and 90% deaf. She is on a wheel chair and is 94 years old.
Janjan, our trusted friend and handyman arrived and moved us to the garden as Mother’s house was unsafe with so many cracks on its walls.
The garden all round was a total mess. A huge wave brought all the trash on the beach inside of the garden while the earthquake brought down the property walls on both sides. I was shocked to see a boat stuck between the wall and a coconut tree.
I could not reach my wife on the phone. Of course! The phone’s antenna must have fallen too, yet Janjan and I continued trying as our mind was imagining the worst case scenario. Ah! Janjan finally reached Paule on his cell phone. She was on her way home from a teaching trip and was rushing home to what she imagined to be the worst case scenario. We spoke briefly as she was arriving near our house.
As Janjan and I walked back toward our house, we left mom in the ramada in the garden with both her servants.
As we crossed the Florita again, we heard that a woman had her arm severed from her body and that she died on the way to the hospital.
Janjan and Paule went to check the condition of the apartments we rent, the water system and the factory. The water pipes were broken and Janjan quickly went to work on repairing them as I went up to the house to check on the degree of the damage.
The house was trashed everywhere with dinnerware, books, paintings, broken glass and mirrors, moved furniture, and what not. It is difficult to imagine how much junk one can accumulate through the years.
Upstairs was the same thing. The bathroom door was stuck closed as a mirror frame fell behind it. I pushed my way in…O my God! What a mess.
As we were resting on our bed, looking in dismay at all the mess around us and worrying about my mother sitting on her chair in the ramada in the garden, wondering what to do and how to survive the night, another earthquake hit us and made the room tremble, the another… O God! When will is stop? Then Danielle Saint Lôt called and said she was spending the night with her daughter in the garden of the nuns by the airstrip. She recommended we should bring my mother and do the same. After some thought, we decided to do the same.
Paule, the eternal organizer, took care of all that with Janjan, Denise and Toma. In two trips we brought armchairs, pillows and blankets and through the night, we endured two scary tremors, followed by screams then prayers. No one slept. We dozed off on and off. Everyone was talking, trying to get some news. Gradually, information started arriving. So and so died in the earthquake – I just heard Mrs.… died, then so and so… that went on all night.
We were so depressed when morning came, and hungry too. We ate the few tangerines and cookies we brought. At noon, we ordered some food at the near-by restaurant for mom and the servants while Paule and I went to rent two rooms in that guest-house.
After they ate, we moved everybody there. It was a very humble guest-house, but there was a bathroom, beds and a fan. I was able to get online while arrangement for our diner took place.
I must have answered over 50 emails from friends, family and customers who were worried about us. I used Facebook as a central information center.
Diner was mediocre and sleep was very difficult, especially as I tried to doze off and the earthquake experience would play again in my mind. Staying at that hotel was expensive. It was OK for one night but we could not imagine paying all that money on a regular basis; it was then, after breakfast that Paule had the brilliant idea of moving us into one of the vacant apartments. Pauline, who usually cleaned the store came but refused to help us. Marjorie, our maid came as well but said she would not help us clean. Janjan always at our side as well as Denise and Toma, helped us arranged the bedding, the water system and the generator and inverter systems. We settled slowly, finding our way into the new surrounding while still fearing strong tremors would come again.
Today, Sunday evening, has been our third day in our new environment.
Mother has her bead in the living room with a makeshift bathroom for her Upstairs is Paule and my bedroom. We ran the generator one night to fill our batteries. Now they are dead and our fuel is very low. We are keeping it for dire emergency. The car’s gas tank is on half full. We’re saving on that too.
Telephones are dead with rarely and sporadic outbursts of agonizing life. I only got reconnected today.
A couple of days ago we bought a solar panel for US$ 1,000.00 it is to keep our fans functioning at night, but no lights. We still have candles and matches.
Denise was able to buy some food at the market. We consolidated all the food we could find in both homes and that is our reserve. We were able to buy 15 gallons of treated water but now we hear that swindlers put unhealthy water in commercial bottles and ask big money for them.
We are taking it one day at a time until help comes to Jacmel.
We hear airplanes and helicopters fly over us all day long, but I haven’t seen help yet
Wednesday, January 20th
We woke up this morning to a strong tremor; it must have been a 5.0 one. I wonder how many damaged houses collapsed today.
After breakfast, Paule cut my hair and I will soon shower and get ready for the day.
I heard the Americans are to create a new airstrip for larger planes today.
I offered my services of translation to Cine Institute today and I hope they will accept my offer as they are doing a great reporting job.
Subjects: Emmet’s visit
On Thursday, early afternoon, Emmet Murphy, head of Acdi-Voca arrived with a Swedish photographer to take pictures of the street and evaluate the damage. They were both very hungry as they worked non-stop since Tuesday. I invited them in to share with our rice and vegetables. By the way they ate, one could see that they did not eat for a while. They apologized on eating and running. Of course, we understood.
Jonas & Hector
At the time of the earthquake, Jonas (a Baha’I of Jacmel) and Hector Guerrier were standing in the street by their house. As soon as the tremor started they both dashed into their house. Hector ran downstairs and Jonas climbed the stairs fast. The House, unfortunately collapsed under Jonas’ feet as he saw himself landing unhurt on top of the collapsed building. His brother didn’t make it. A few tenants died as well.
Guides/blancs
It was heartening to see that compassion has not died with the earthquake. A few tourist guides, who in normal times showed unacceptable behavior,
Poisson Florita
As we arrived on Thursday to the house, we saw Jean from the Florita hotel busy trying to clean up. A great cooking smell emanated from the court yard. I made a comment about it and he said his freezer was full of fish and that he started distributing it to his personnel so it would not be wasted. He then handed us two nice size fishes that our servants we very happy to devour.
Our Boutique
Amazing enough, our boutique was not so affected by the earthquake. The sitters were all unmoved on the shelves. Everything was in place except a couple flower vases that were toppled. Not a single crack on the wall. It is so surreal!
Miami Herald
Friday morning, as I was on the street, a reporter from the Miami Herald interviewed me on the damage of our street. Jorgen Leth’s house crumbled on the ground attracts a lot of media.
Winter, not Summer
What a blessing that the earthquake happened in the Winter and not in the Summer. More people would have died in the aftermath from heat, bugs and dehydration. The angels of heaven softened the horrific blow
Janjan, one of the angels
In a Tablet of Bahá’u’lláh it says that if anyone would travel to another country to spread the divine fragrances of his Lord, God would send with him a company of His chosen angels, each carrying a chalice of pure light. We are very fortunate to know intimately one of them, although still living on this earth. Janjan (Jean Max Casimir) is one of these angels. He has been taking care of us from the very beginning. Without him we would have certainly endure much graver hardships.
Denise and Toma
Denise, my mother’s servant and cook, stayed with us all the time although she has family responsibility and feared for her children’s safety. We later found out that they are safe, although their house was badly damaged.
Toma, the gardener, who occasionally gave us problems with his drinking and very independent thinking, had shown heroic attributes. He too, stayed with us and carried heavy loads. Thank you Toma and thank you Denise.
.
I was sitting in my living room watching a silly TV show after work. Paule was out in the countryside visiting the Bahá’ís in Cayes Jacmel; when suddenly the living room started swaying softly then very violently. What! What? Ya Bahá’ul-Abhá! (O Thou the Most Glorious of all Glories)
It must be an earthquake! Ya Bahá’ul-Abhá! Ya Bahá’ul-Abhá! Ya Bahá’ul-Abhá… I was shouting at the top of my lungs.
Noise was everywhere; it seemed to have been generated by the earthquake itself. My shock was too intense to identify it: glass breaking, wood falling, rock falling, books collapsing on the floor. The cat was running in all directions. Then it stopped.
The thick cloud of dust started to settle. The air was irrespirable. With pangs of anguish I started to look around. Cabinets were open and broken on the floor, dishes and glasses broken all over, there was a complete mess everywhere… and the cloud of dust.
I tried to call Paule on the phone. There was no connection. I tried calling Denise, my mother’s maid… again no connection. I decided to go check on my mother while repeating prayers in silence.
A young man on the street came to help me go down the stairs as the broken plaster off the wall filled my path and the dust filled my lungs.
When I arrived on the sidewalk, I was horrified by the sight.
There was rubble, broken wood and metal doors everywhere. It looked as if a bomb hit the street. The house next door was split open near the roof and on the side. I could not breathe from shock. I quickly crossed the street, went through the hotel Florita, ignoring the lamenting tourists and the screaming people. One was calling a child and a woman was crying. I rapidly arrived at my mother’s house and found her in total shock. My mother is 80% blind and 90% deaf. She is on a wheel chair and is 94 years old.
Janjan, our trusted friend and handyman arrived and moved us to the garden as Mother’s house was unsafe with so many cracks on its walls.
The garden all round was a total mess. A huge wave brought all the trash on the beach inside of the garden while the earthquake brought down the property walls on both sides. I was shocked to see a boat stuck between the wall and a coconut tree.
I could not reach my wife on the phone. Of course! The phone’s antenna must have fallen too, yet Janjan and I continued trying as our mind was imagining the worst case scenario. Ah! Janjan finally reached Paule on his cell phone. She was on her way home from a teaching trip and was rushing home to what she imagined to be the worst case scenario. We spoke briefly as she was arriving near our house.
As Janjan and I walked back toward our house, we left mom in the ramada in the garden with both her servants.
As we crossed the Florita again, we heard that a woman had her arm severed from her body and that she died on the way to the hospital.
Janjan and Paule went to check the condition of the apartments we rent, the water system and the factory. The water pipes were broken and Janjan quickly went to work on repairing them as I went up to the house to check on the degree of the damage.
The house was trashed everywhere with dinnerware, books, paintings, broken glass and mirrors, moved furniture, and what not. It is difficult to imagine how much junk one can accumulate through the years.
Upstairs was the same thing. The bathroom door was stuck closed as a mirror frame fell behind it. I pushed my way in…O my God! What a mess.
As we were resting on our bed, looking in dismay at all the mess around us and worrying about my mother sitting on her chair in the ramada in the garden, wondering what to do and how to survive the night, another earthquake hit us and made the room tremble, the another… O God! When will is stop? Then Danielle Saint Lôt called and said she was spending the night with her daughter in the garden of the nuns by the airstrip. She recommended we should bring my mother and do the same. After some thought, we decided to do the same.
Paule, the eternal organizer, took care of all that with Janjan, Denise and Toma. In two trips we brought armchairs, pillows and blankets and through the night, we endured two scary tremors, followed by screams then prayers. No one slept. We dozed off on and off. Everyone was talking, trying to get some news. Gradually, information started arriving. So and so died in the earthquake – I just heard Mrs.… died, then so and so… that went on all night.
We were so depressed when morning came, and hungry too. We ate the few tangerines and cookies we brought. At noon, we ordered some food at the near-by restaurant for mom and the servants while Paule and I went to rent two rooms in that guest-house.
After they ate, we moved everybody there. It was a very humble guest-house, but there was a bathroom, beds and a fan. I was able to get online while arrangement for our diner took place.
I must have answered over 50 emails from friends, family and customers who were worried about us. I used Facebook as a central information center.
Diner was mediocre and sleep was very difficult, especially as I tried to doze off and the earthquake experience would play again in my mind. Staying at that hotel was expensive. It was OK for one night but we could not imagine paying all that money on a regular basis; it was then, after breakfast that Paule had the brilliant idea of moving us into one of the vacant apartments. Pauline, who usually cleaned the store came but refused to help us. Marjorie, our maid came as well but said she would not help us clean. Janjan always at our side as well as Denise and Toma, helped us arranged the bedding, the water system and the generator and inverter systems. We settled slowly, finding our way into the new surrounding while still fearing strong tremors would come again.
Today, Sunday evening, has been our third day in our new environment.
Mother has her bead in the living room with a makeshift bathroom for her Upstairs is Paule and my bedroom. We ran the generator one night to fill our batteries. Now they are dead and our fuel is very low. We are keeping it for dire emergency. The car’s gas tank is on half full. We’re saving on that too.
Telephones are dead with rarely and sporadic outbursts of agonizing life. I only got reconnected today.
A couple of days ago we bought a solar panel for US$ 1,000.00 it is to keep our fans functioning at night, but no lights. We still have candles and matches.
Denise was able to buy some food at the market. We consolidated all the food we could find in both homes and that is our reserve. We were able to buy 15 gallons of treated water but now we hear that swindlers put unhealthy water in commercial bottles and ask big money for them.
We are taking it one day at a time until help comes to Jacmel.
We hear airplanes and helicopters fly over us all day long, but I haven’t seen help yet
Wednesday, January 20th
We woke up this morning to a strong tremor; it must have been a 5.0 one. I wonder how many damaged houses collapsed today.
After breakfast, Paule cut my hair and I will soon shower and get ready for the day.
I heard the Americans are to create a new airstrip for larger planes today.
I offered my services of translation to Cine Institute today and I hope they will accept my offer as they are doing a great reporting job.
Subjects: Emmet’s visit
On Thursday, early afternoon, Emmet Murphy, head of Acdi-Voca arrived with a Swedish photographer to take pictures of the street and evaluate the damage. They were both very hungry as they worked non-stop since Tuesday. I invited them in to share with our rice and vegetables. By the way they ate, one could see that they did not eat for a while. They apologized on eating and running. Of course, we understood.
Jonas & Hector
At the time of the earthquake, Jonas (a Baha’I of Jacmel) and Hector Guerrier were standing in the street by their house. As soon as the tremor started they both dashed into their house. Hector ran downstairs and Jonas climbed the stairs fast. The House, unfortunately collapsed under Jonas’ feet as he saw himself landing unhurt on top of the collapsed building. His brother didn’t make it. A few tenants died as well.
Guides/blancs
It was heartening to see that compassion has not died with the earthquake. A few tourist guides, who in normal times showed unacceptable behavior,
Poisson Florita
As we arrived on Thursday to the house, we saw Jean from the Florita hotel busy trying to clean up. A great cooking smell emanated from the court yard. I made a comment about it and he said his freezer was full of fish and that he started distributing it to his personnel so it would not be wasted. He then handed us two nice size fishes that our servants we very happy to devour.
Our Boutique
Amazing enough, our boutique was not so affected by the earthquake. The sitters were all unmoved on the shelves. Everything was in place except a couple flower vases that were toppled. Not a single crack on the wall. It is so surreal!
Miami Herald
Friday morning, as I was on the street, a reporter from the Miami Herald interviewed me on the damage of our street. Jorgen Leth’s house crumbled on the ground attracts a lot of media.
Winter, not Summer
What a blessing that the earthquake happened in the Winter and not in the Summer. More people would have died in the aftermath from heat, bugs and dehydration. The angels of heaven softened the horrific blow
Janjan, one of the angels
In a Tablet of Bahá’u’lláh it says that if anyone would travel to another country to spread the divine fragrances of his Lord, God would send with him a company of His chosen angels, each carrying a chalice of pure light. We are very fortunate to know intimately one of them, although still living on this earth. Janjan (Jean Max Casimir) is one of these angels. He has been taking care of us from the very beginning. Without him we would have certainly endure much graver hardships.
Denise and Toma
Denise, my mother’s servant and cook, stayed with us all the time although she has family responsibility and feared for her children’s safety. We later found out that they are safe, although their house was badly damaged.
Toma, the gardener, who occasionally gave us problems with his drinking and very independent thinking, had shown heroic attributes. He too, stayed with us and carried heavy loads. Thank you Toma and thank you Denise.
.
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