Half-Haitians is considered by many as being born out a Haitian parent and another ethnic group.  Unless your mom is Haitian and your dad is Jamaican or vice versa as an example, then i can see why people consider yourself as half haitian and half jamaican.  Being born in a country does not give you the privilege to lose your ethnic identity partially or fully. You still eat diri kole ak sos pwa, mayimoulin, fe bagay (Konyen) nan fenwa etc.  Being Haitian or to the matter American, Chinese, and the like is related ONLY by blood, not by the country of which you were given birth to unless the ones who're feeding you that bullcrap is IDIOT, IGNORANT, STUPID, AND MOST ALL possess LOW SELF-ESTEEN.

Sincerely,

The Hater Guest!!!!

Tibod, Ape_man, beauticajou, elatriye ki sa nou panse?

Quote: Originally posted by Hater Guest on December-30-2003

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Half-Haitians is considered by many as being born out a Haitian parent and another ethnic group.  Unless your mom is Haitian and your dad is Jamaican or vice versa as an example, then i can see why people consider yourself as half haitian and half jamaican.  Being born in a country does not give you the privilege to lose your ethnic identity partially or fully. You still eat diri kole ak sos pwa, mayimoulin, fe bagay (Konyen) nan fenwa etc.  Being Haitian or to the matter American, Chinese, and the like is related ONLY by blood, not by the country of which you were given birth to unless the ones who're feeding you that bullcrap is IDIOT, IGNORANT, STUPID, AND MOST ALL possess LOW SELF-ESTEEN.

Sincerely,

The Hater Guest!!!!

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Hater Guest,

If a child is born to Haitian parents and raised in China, do you think they can claim their Chinese heritage?

I think one must be careful when they are attempting to define themselves using a nation as a standard.  I say this because I know a girl born to German parents and raised in Dominica.  She is fully immersed in their culture, and it has become hers because that is all she knows.

Truhaitian,

I think that the "half Haitian/ half whatever" is for those who are born to parents of 2 different nationalities.  I consider those born here to Haitian parents as Haitian-Americans.  That acknowledges both sides of that person. 

Just my humble opinion.

one

I don't think it's that clean of a cut ... you're not gonna get away with that one so easily. At least not on HX! Racial or national identity by blood is not enough; in some instances, it's not even a factor.

Are we what we are because of our genealogical blood or by our culture, engagement and committment?

Example 1- Joe was born in the US, mother Haitian, father American. But the latter abandoned the family since the mother was pregnant. The father was a racist who inpregnated the Black Haitian mother because he was drunk. Joe was sent to Haiti since he was a few months old. Joe was raised as a typical Haitian. He attended school there until he was 19 (Philo). Then he received a scholarship to France thanks to his good grades. At the age of 25, he went back to Haiti and open his own business.

Now Joe is 42. Although he visits his mom every year, he doesn't know anything about American life. He barely speaks English. In fact, he hates the language and swears to never attach himself with anything American. His life is devoted to better Haiti and to uproot anything American on the island. He is the ANTI-AMERICAN prototype par excellence.

Now, because Joe's father is an American, is he half-American, half-Haitian? Trust me on this, CULTURE AND PERSONAL COMMITTMENT ARE THICKER THAN BLOOD when it comes to national identity!

Example 2- Two tourists -an Australian and a German- met in Haiti (different gender) and gave birth to Marie by inadvertent unprotected sex. They didn't want the child. They were in a one-year vacation deal. Because of so many constraints and their personal goals in life, they decided to leave their child in Haiti under the supervision of a foster family. They send $$$ when needed in secret to that family.

Marie never left Haiti and was told that her parents died when she was young. Now she's 36, married (to a Haitian man of course). Her whole life, culture, committment, engagement etc ... are all about Haiti and Haiti only.

Now, because of her genealogy, is she half-Australian, half-German and 0% Haitian? Do you see my point, guys, BLOOD HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH NATIONAL IDENTITY. The culture you know, the interest you develop toward a specific nationality, the life committment you engage yourself in is what constructs your national identity. WE ARE WHERE ARE HEART IS and NOT from whom our blood came.

I AM 200% HAITIAN and my biology has nothing to do with that identity. It's an inevitable CHOICE! (sorry mom, sorry dad)

Quote: Originally posted by tibobdenazareth on December-31-2003

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Do you see my point, guys, BLOOD HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH NATIONAL IDENTITY. The culture you know, the interest you develop toward a specific nationality, the life committment you engage yourself in is what constructs your national identity. WE ARE WHERE ARE HEART IS and NOT from whom our blood came.

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Tibobdenazareth,

That was my exact point when I mentioned the German girl who was raised in Dominica! 

Heck there are even Chinese kids raised in Dominica.  Trust me those children are more Dominican then they will ever be German or Chinese!

There is so much more to it then just what your parents are.... I think this is a great discussion- it actually hits to the core of several political debates that are going on as we speak!

I think you are only half Haitian if one of your parents was born somewhere other then Haiti...whether you were born on the moon and never been to Haiti, if your parents are full Haitian, you are Haitian...

See there are the Haitians, Half Haitians and the Haitian but he/she was born elsewhere Haitian

for ex: I am Haitian because I was born in PAP...my younger brother is Haitian but born in the U.S. other then the born in the U.S. there's no difference, you cant tell him he's not Haitian...

It is a simple issue complicated by misunderstandings of history, culture, and race.

In Tibob's example #1,   I see Joe as a Haitian born in the US of part American ancestry (father).   Was the white father an Irish American?

In his example #2, it's even more clear cut, Marie is a Haitian of Australian and German ancestry.  We could go deeper, was one parent an Australian of German ancestry?  In this case we have a full German-Haitian.

In both situations as Tibob pointed out, we are dealing with Haitians.

When populations move and intermarry, it becomes difficult to describe someone with one word.  It also depends on the society; some recognizes the bloodline, others the place of birth. It also has to do with politics; Dominican law recognizes the place of birth rule but uses the blood line rule to discriminate against Haitians.

Another factor is history and how a people/nations see themselves.  Generations of Koreans born and raised in Japan are not considered Japanese.  Generations of Chinese born in other Asian countries are still considered Chinese.  Part of the reason is that in the Old World even when people moved they usually intermarried within their own group and maintained a good amount of their culture.

With the new world and colonialism however, the idea of the melting pot and more recently the mosaic began to take hold. Nationality and ethnicity was now fluid.  These new nations were not made up of one ethnic group or of different groups with different identities.  After one or two generations, anyone could become an American, a Brazilian, a Haitian, or a Panamean.

So today especially in our part of the world,  we need a whole phrase to describe many people.  Take Colin Powell for example; his roots trace back to Panama, then Jamaica, then Africa as well as to England's royal family. 

So to answer the first poster and whithout going into the issues of race and nationality,  you and your siblings are all Haitians, or Haitian-Americans, or Americans of Haitian ancestry. (not half Haitian half American).  To call anyone HALF, half of the bloodline must come from somewhere else. Their bloodline is 100% Haitian.

kreyolbro@aol.com