Cap-Haïtien residents share smiles, laughs, and Soup Joumou on Independence Day | PHOTOS

CAP-HAITIEN — After enjoying his morning bowl of Soup Joumou on Jan. 1, Ricardo Guerrier made his way to a downtown charging station in Cap-Haïtien to pick up a battery backup. While on his way there, he saw a huge pot with a steaming and pungent orange yellowish liquid in front of Kay Mama, a restaurant on Street 21 H. It had to be Soup Joumou.

“If there’s Soup Joumou somewhere, I’m there,” Guerrier, 18, said.

The high school senior walked in and bought a bowl of the squishy pumpkin soup for 750 gourdes, or $5.75. Guerrier shared his bowl with a stranger, and the two struck up a conversation about how Haitians need to get along better and communicate more.

“Soup Joumou marks our pride,” Guerrier said. “If you go anywhere and say Soup Joumou, bannann peze (fried plantains), they instantly recognize you as Haitian. Eating Soup Joumou is a sign of recognition of what our ancestors did. They fought to give us freedom from slavery, and we have this soup now that we’re eating.”

“Soup Joumou marks our pride. If you go anywhere and say Soup Joumou, bannann peze (fried plantains), they instantly recognize you as Haitian. Eating Soup Joumou is a sign of recognition of what our ancestors did. They fought to give us freedom from slavery, and we have this soup that now we’re eating.”

Ricardo Guerrier, A Cap-Haïtien Resident 

As customary, thousands of Haitians drank Soup Joumou to celebrate Haiti’s Independence Day on the morning of Jan. 1 in Cap-Haïtien. While many celebrated at home with family, others gathered at restaurants or on the streets to enjoy the UNESCO-recognized dish with loved ones.

Sakapfèt Okap, a local media company, brought the community together with a vibrant Soup Joumou street party, feeding approximately 250 people near its office on Street 23 G. Residents gathered at tables dressed in crisp white sheets, savoring bowls of the traditional pumpkin soup. Bags of bread, placed centrally on the tables, added a perfect complement to the meal, fostering a shared sense of connection and celebration throughout the day.

Attendees cracked jokes with each other as they took sips from their bowls or chewed on the vegetables and meat. Here are some images from Soup Joumou Day in Cap-Haïtien.

The post Cap-Haïtien residents share smiles, laughs, and Soup Joumou on Independence Day | PHOTOS appeared first on The Haitian Times.

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Cap-Haïtien residents share smiles, laughs, and Soup Joumou on Independence Day | PHOTOS was first posted on January 2, 2025 at 11:37 am.