Haitians whip out flavorful dishes on Agriculture and Labor Day | PHOTOS

CAP-HAÏTIEN — Haitians across the northern region held vibrant, mouthwatering food fairs to celebrate Agricultural and Labor Day on May 1 in cities including Cap-Haïtien, Trou-du-Nord and Ouanaminthe.

In downtown Cap-Haïtien, there were no major food gatherings in the morning as organizers waited to see whether the day would remain peaceful. Demonstrators had taken to the streets since April 27, demanding that city officials repair roads and restore irrigation canals, particularly in Vertières, a historic neighborhood in the city.

By the afternoon, however, vendors and chefs scrambled to prepare their most delicious traditional dishes—and they delivered.

Collège Sacré-Cœur (Sacred Heart Private High School) hosted a flavorful food fair where women dressed in vibrant folkloric clothing munched on corn and coconuts while chatting and laughing together.

At Place d’Armes (Arms Plaza), vendors poured spoonfuls of lalo (jute leaves) over rice, while nearby customers savored tchaka (traditional Haitian stew) from kwi (calabash bowls).

Trou-du-Nord and Ouanaminthe also delighted residents’ taste buds. The fairs brought together several hundred people, including students, farmers, community leaders, and political figures.

These events aimed to showcase domestic production while encouraging local consumption as a strategy to combat food insecurity. In a country heavily dependent on imports, organizers called for greater support for farmers and the revitalization of the agricultural sector as a pillar of economic development.

For Trou-du-Nord Mayor Edlyn Étienne Joseph, the day served as a reminder of the country’s agricultural traditions. “It reminds us how our ancestors used konbit (collective work) to sustain agriculture,” he said, calling for a return to these community-based practices.

Enjoy these images capturing the smiles, laughter and cuisine of a rushed but successful Agricultural and Labor Day across Haiti’s northern region.

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