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PORT-AU-PRINCE — In the heart of Haiti, amidst rolling landscapes, steep mountains, and torturous roads, the summer months come alive with the pulse of Fèt Chanpèt a tapestry of celebrations that brings together the spiritual, the cultural, and the communal fabric of the country. Each year, from June through August, the regional towns burst into life with more than 30 fèt chanpèt as Haitians from all corners of the country, and even from abroad, converge to experience these festivities.
The Northeast regional town of Terrier Rouge celebrated on June 29, the annual celebration of Saint Pierre and Saint Paul, a vibrant mix of faith, tradition, and community spirit.
A fèt chanpèt, from the old French term for a country holiday, is a local celebration held on the anniversary date of a rural town’s Catholic patron saint. Fèt Chanpèt celebrations are deeply rooted in both Catholic and Vodou traditions. For nine days leading up to the festival, Catholics gather in prayer, seeking the intercession of their patron saints. This period of worship culminates in processions, masses, and offerings at ornately decorated altars, where the faithful pour out their hopes and prayers. Meanwhile, Vodouists engage in vibrant ceremonies, expressing their gratitude to the lwa (spirits) and presenting their demands through song, dance, and ritual offerings at sacred sites like rivers, waterfalls, and mystical caves.
This dual celebration creates a profound link between the two worlds of Catholicism and Vodou, allowing adherents of both faiths to coexist in harmony. In the country, many people identify with both religions, moving seamlessly between church pews and Vodou ceremonies. A typical day during Fèt Chanpèt might see a devout Catholic attending mass in the morning, and later in the day, visiting a sacred Vodou site to honor the lwa. It’s a remarkable testament to the country’s spiritual syncretism and its people’s ability to find unity in diversity.
Throughout the years, The Haitian Times’ different coverage of the spiritual and communal fête showed that the main thoroughfares of cities like Cap-Haïtien, Plaine du Nord, Gonaïves, and Jacmel, where the streets and sidewalks come alive with vibrant marketplaces. Vendors line the main streets, offering fresh produce, handmade crafts, and devotional items such as rosaries and handkerchiefs. The air is filled with the tempting scents of street food, accompanied by the rhythmic beats of rara music, creating an atmosphere of unbridled joy and community.
In the rich tapestry of the fèt chanpèt, the celebrations at Saut-d’Eau in the Centre department and Gelée in Les Cayes Southern department stand out for their profound cultural significance and vibrant festivities. Saut-d’Eau, celebrated annually in mid-July, is one of the most famous pilgrimages in Haiti, attracting thousands of Catholics and Vodou faithful to its sacred waterfall in the Central Plateau. Pilgrims come to honor Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the Vodou spirit Erzulie, believed to manifest in the cascading waters. The fervor is palpable as devotees bathe in the falls, perform rituals, and leave offerings, blending traditional Vodou practices with Catholic veneration.
Devotees leave candles, offerings under a tree at a recent Saut D’Eau célébration. Haitian Times file photo
In towns like Ouanaminthe and Fort-Liberté, these celebrations are not just religious observances but vibrant community events that electrify the streets. Every summer, the renowned festivals, paying homage to saints like Saint Anne, Notre-Dame de l’Assomption, Saint-Jacques, and Saint Jean-Baptiste, among others, attract crowds of people from nearby areas and distant places. They gather to take part in a collective ritual that weaves together the sacred, the secular, and the communal, infusing the streets with a buzzing energy.
A woman, holding her passport to ask the saints to leave the country, during the fèt chanpèt procession honoring the Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel anniversary in Haiti’s Centre Department on July 16, 2022. Photo by Francoise Conteq for The Haitian Times
Last year, during the Saint-Anne festival in the northern town of Limonade, the voices of congregants praying, supplicating, and crying out at Eglise Sainte-Anne rose into a roar that could be heard from outside of the church. Traditionally, during the anniversary honoring the towns, hundreds of celebrants, Catholics and Vodouists alike in the towns, pressed up against each other as they stood inside the church’s blue-and-white statue of the patron Sainte-Anne to make their demands, ritualistic requests, and give thanks. Some held candles. Others, mostly the Vodouists, wrapped their heads in headscarves or wore folkloric clothes in blue, the saint’s color. Many laid gifts and lit candles underneath the bust. At night, the soundscape was punctuated by the lively performances of local orchestras like Orchestre Tropicana d’Haiti.
In the essence of Fèt Chanpèt, we find a story of unity and cultural spirit in Haiti. Each event is a unique expression of the town’s culture, blending religious reverence with joyous celebrations, drawing people from all over to participate in the festivities. Throughout the summer, The Haitian Times will share photos and videos of some of the regional towns famous Fèt Chanpèt.
To start, here’s a list of some notable fèt chanpèt held across various regions of Haiti throughout the year, particularly during the summer and fall seasons:
The post Across Haiti’s cities, Fèt Chanpèt celebrates vibrant culture and spiritual heritage appeared first on The Haitian Times.
