Bongu

So much has happened this past week. What I really like about being in
Haiti, is that we do a ton of volunteer work, but we also go out and
explore and have fun in Haiti with Haitians. So Monday night there was
a big event/parade/party in the streets called "Karnival de Fleurs"
Which is carnival of flowers. It lasted four days/nights
Sunday-Wednesday. Nobody worked it was declared a holiday. So Monday
night we decide to go its kind of rainy/windy so I wasn't really
excited. Plus everyone kept saying you're going to have your things
stolen you're going to get groped you're going to get lost memorize
someone's phone number.... which is pretty much what we get told every
time we go out at night. So I wasn't really nervous, but I was a bit
more cautious. So we hop in our rented taptap and drive on down there.
And literally the streets a PACKED I would say at least 200,000 people
were there. The best way to explain it would be like New York on New
years eve crowded/Thanksgiving day parade/ Mardi Gras party mentality.
So we get there and we are standing in front of the crumbled palace
(which hasn't been rebuilt since the earthquake....just like the rest
of Haiti) and everyone is dancing and what not. Well in the middle of
the streets pushing around people are these GIANT truck like floats.
Each float is participating in a band competition. So each float is
home to one band that is playing just one song and moving slowly
through the street/crowd. So we stand at our spot for like five
minutes and then my group leaders turn to me and say "Callie, you're
in charge. We are getting on that float." I was like lovely. So they
leave and miraculously end up on the float. And then some of the
Haitians we are with are like okay, lets all get on this float! So
they go up talk to the security (As the float is still wading through
the crowd/streets) and persuade them to let all us blancs on this
Bongu (evaporated milk sports shake) float. So we get in, walk up to
the second level. Everyone is wearing a yellow bongu shirt and
apparently bought VIP tickets to be on the float. All we had to do is
be white. White privilege in Haiti is crazy. The lighter your skin,
the more you get. Its so dumb. (But I'm not complaining about the
perks I get...just wish it was more fair ha) So we get up and the band
is on the front of the float. Our leaders have somehow made their way
to the front with the band. There is a security guard standing on a
railing not letting anyone pass. I crawl under his legs and join them.
Ha.
So we are dancing and watching the thousands and thousands of people
below either dancing or flipping us off (ha). We also watch the mobs
of people getting beaten by police and their batons. Men, women.
Didn't matter. If they were in their way they got of piece of it. I
was just super glad that I was up on the float and not down below.
Even though I know because of my white privilege I doubt I would have
gotten beaten, but still the crowds were crazy. It was just a really
awesome moment. (Besides the police brutality) Just seeing the nation
stricken with such poverty coming together and dancing the night away.
They don't care that they live in tents, they just laugh and have so
much fun and are so grateful for the things that they do have.
The best part, is that this whole Karnival was televised.
When I went to school the next day, guess what all my students told me?
I saw you T.V. last night!
What a great role model I am. Hahaha