Konpa added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list

NEW YORK — Konpa/Compas, Haiti’s signature music and dance tradition, has officially been added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list, following a vote on Dec. 10 during the organization’s 22nd Intergovernmental Committee session held in India.

The recognition marks one of the most significant cultural milestones for Haiti in recent years, placing konpa among the world’s most valued traditions and reinforcing its central place in Haitian identity.

UNESCO delegates described konpa — also known as compas or kompa — as a cultural practice that unites generations, communities and the diaspora. The decision places Haiti alongside dozens of nations that have secured international protection and visibility for their traditional arts.

Haiti’s former foreign affairs minister, Dominique Dupuy, greeted the recognition with emotion. Writing on X, she described the inscription as a moment of light during one of Haiti’s darkest periods, calling it “an ode to joy” for a people who continue to create beauty despite crisis.

Konpa genre was created in 1955 by Nemours Jean-Baptiste and has since become one of Haiti’s strongest cultural exports. The genre blends slowed-down merengue with Haitian drum patterns, brass arrangements and guitar lines. Over the decades, the music grew into a global movement, carried by bands, singers, DJs and dancers from Port-au-Prince to New York, Miami, Paris, Montreal and beyond.

UNESCO’s inclusion underscores the genre’s social importance. The konpa rhythm is now rooted in community life, celebrations, political moments and everyday joy. Haitian cultural advocates have long argued that konpa deserved protection and recognition at the international level, especially as it continues to influence other Caribbean and francophone genres.

The decision resonated strongly in Haitian communities abroad.

Just last week, New York City designated July 26 as Haitian Konpa Day, recognizing the genre’s role in shaping the city’s Haitian cultural life and celebrating its global influence. That local honor came after years of advocacy from Haitian artists, educators and community leaders in the diaspora.

For many, UNESCO’s announcement feels like the next natural step.

Konpa has expanded far beyond Haiti, from nightclub stages to global festivals. Groups such as Carimi, Tabou Combo, System Band, Magnum Band, Kreyòl La, T-Vice, Djakout Mizik, Zenglen, Tropicana, Septentrional, Klass and Zafèm, among others, have built large international followings. Soloists like Rutshelle Guillaume and Joé Dwèt Filé, along with DJs such as Michael Brun and Tony Mix, have brought the rhythm to younger audiences and cross-genre collaborations.

Patrimoine Conservation expert Ricarson Dorcé, a lead researcher on Haiti’s UNESCO submissions team, said on Radio Caraïbes that the designation could boost national efforts to preserve musical archives, expand konpa education in schools and support young artists worried about losing cultural roots during a time of crisis.

He added that the listing may also draw more investment in music training, documentation, and cultural institutions — helping preserve the legacy of pioneers like Némours Jean-Baptiste, Wébert Sicot and the generations who shaped the genre.

With this recognition, konpa joins Haiti’s other internationally recognized traditions — soup joumou and grated cassava — and secures a place in UNESCO’s global registry. For Haitians at home and abroad, the announcement is both an honor and an affirmation: a reminder that, even in difficult times, the country still gives the world something powerful, joyful and uniquely its own.

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