Haïti Chérie
"Haïti Chérie" (French pronunciation: [a.iti ʃeʁi]: Dear Haiti)[1] is a traditional patriotic song of Haiti of a poem written by Othello Bayard that was initially called it Souvenir d'Haïti ("Memory of Haiti")[2] and composed to music in 1925. It is widely considered as a second national anthem,[3] and one of Haiti's most famous méringues.[2]
Lyrics
- Ayiti cheri pi bon peyi pase ou nanpwen
- Fòk mwen te kite w pou mwen te kapab konprann valè w
- Fòk mwen te lese w pou m te k ap apresye w
- Pou m santi vrèman tout sa ou te ye pou mwen
- Gen bon solèy bon rivyè e bon brevaj
- Anba pyebwa ou toujou jwenn bon lonbraj
- Gen bon ti van ki bannou bon ti frechè
- Ayiti Toma se yon peyi ki mè chè
- Lè w lan peyi blan ou gen yon vye frèt ki pa janm bon
- E tout lajounen ou oblije ap boule chabon
- Ou pakab wè klè otan syèl la andèy
- E pandan si mwa tout pyebwa pa genyen fèy
- Lan peyi mwen gen solèy pou bay chalè
- Diran lane tout pyebwa ap bay lonbraj
- Bon briz de mè toujou soufle sou nos plaj
- Ayiti Toma se yon peyi ki mè chè
- Kon w lan peyi blan ou wè tout figi yon sèl koulè
- Lanpwen milatrès bèl marabou, bèl grifonn kreyòl
- Ki renmen bèl wòb bon poud e bon odè
- Ni bèl jenn nègès ki konn di bon ti pawòl
- Lan peyi mwen lè tout bèl moun si la yo
- Sòti lan mès ou sòti lan sinema
- Se pou gade se pou rete dyòl lolo
- A la bon peyi se ti Dayiti Toma!
- Lè w lan peyi blan ou pa wè mango ni kòk di tou
- Lanpwen sapoti ni bèl kayimit vèt ou vyolèt
- Lanpwen zanana ni bèl ti pòm kajou
- Ki ban nou bon nwa pou nou fè bon ti tablèt
- Ou jwenn zoranj ki sòti an Itali
- Men ki fennen ki toujou mwatye pouri
- An Ayiti sa si bon se koupe dwèt
- E sou se rapò nou bay tout peyi payèt
- Lè w lan peyi mwen kote ou pase tout lon chemen
- Se bonjou konpè e makomè e pitit la yo?
- Sa n pa wè konsa manyen rantre ti bren
- Pou n bwa ti kichòy pou nou jwe de ti kout zo.
- Fin bay lan men se rantre lan gran pale
- Se politik se movèz sitiyasyon
- Sa pou nou fè se pou nou pran li kou l ye
- Men bon Dye si bon la ban nou benediksyon
- Lè w ou lan peyi blan ou pè pwomennen nuit tankou jou
- Tout moun pè mache prese prese wa di se chen fou
- Kote yo prale pouki y ap kouri konsa?
- Yo pè pèdi tan yo pa janm di: kouman sa?
- Lan peyi mwen moun pa rete avèk lè
- Genyen libète ou gen tan pou pran frechè
- Kote ou pase se bonjou se bay lan men
- Moun pa janm prese yo koze tout lon chemen
- Lè w an Ayiti ou pa janm manke tan pou soufle
- Sak pa fèt jodi ou k ap fè li demen si ou vle
- Kan demen rive ke l bon ou kel pa bon
- Sa pa fè anyen tout moun konn di bon dye bon.
- An Ayiti moun pa janm dezespere
- Nou gen la fwa lan yon Dye ki pa janm manti
- N ap fè jodi kan demen pa asire
- A la bon peyi o mon Dye, se Ayiti!
- Haiti Chérie translates to(translation corrected by @growninhaiti):
- Haiti, my beloved, no other land is more beautiful than you.
- I had to leave you, in order to better understand how valuable you are
- I had to leave you, for me to appreciate you
- So I could truly feel all that you were for me
- There is sunshine, nice rivers and great drinks
- Underneath the trees, you'll always find great shade
- Where you'll find a gentle breeze to keep you cool
- Haiti, is a country dear to me
- In the white man's land, you're freezing and it's never good
- And all day, you're forced to burn coal
- You can't see clearly because the sky is always dark
- And for 6 months, all trees are without leaves
- In my country, there is sunshine to provide heat
- All year long, the trees continue to provide shade
- A soft breeze always blowing on our beaches
- Haiti, is a country dear to me
- Once in the white man's country, all faces are one color
- There is no variety such as our different shades of Kreyòl (Milatrès, Marabou, and Grifonn)
- That love beautiful dresses, powders and fine scents
- Nor black beauties that know the sweetest things to say
- In my country, when all of these beautiful people leave church, it's like going to the movies
- you have to see this, you would remain wide mouthed and open eyed
- What an amazing country Haiti is!
- When you're in the white man's country, you don't see mangoes or roosters anywhere
- Neither sapoti or beautiful green and purple star apples
- Neither pineapples or beautiful cashew apples
- that give us great cashews to make delicious brittle with
- You'll find oranges that came from Italy
- But that are passed ripe and half rotten
- In Haiti, everything is finger licking good!
- And on that note, we're better than any other country
- When you're in my country, wherever you go and along your path it's: "hello sir" "hello miss" "how are the kids?"
- without knowing, you're invited in for a drink and to play some games.
- Every handshake invites a conversation
- Its politics, it's a bad situation
- what we need to do is accept it how it is
- If God is good, he will grant us salvation
- When you're in the white man's country, you're afraid to go out day or night
- Everyone is walking so fast that you'd think they're crazy dogs
- Where are they going? Why are they running?
- They in such a hurry that they never stop to ask how you're doing
- In my country, people don't go by time
- You have the liberty to take your time
- Wherever you go, it's "hello" and friendly handshakes
- People are never in a rush, we chat along our path
- When you're in Haiti, you always have enough time to whistle
- what doesn't get done today, can get done tomorrow if you want
- If tomorrow works, cool... If it doesn't... cool.
- It doesn't matter, everyone knows that God is good
- In Haiti, people are never desperate
- we trust in a God that never lies
- We'll do whatever we can today, because tomorrow is never certain
- What a great country, my God! It's Haiti!
Versions
- Audrey Landers, is an American actress and singer who recorded a version in 1984.
- Cornelia Schutt, known by her stage-name TiCorn, is a Haitian folk singer and songwriter recorded Haiti Cherie in the 1960s.
- Georges Moustaki, has long maintained "Haïti Chérie" in his Francophone repertoire.
- Harry Belafonte, has recorded several versions of "Haïti Chérie" in English.
- Nancy Ames, recorded a version in Haitian Creole in 1963 or 1964.
See also
References
- ^ Jegede, Dele (2009). Encyclopedia of African American Artists. p. 170. ISBN 9780313337611. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
- ^ a b Post, Jennifer C., ed. (2013). Ethnomusicology: A Contemporary Reader. Routledge. p. 262. ISBN 9781136089541. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
- ^ Edmondson, Belinda (1999). Caribbean Romances: The Politics of Regional Representation. p. 112. ISBN 0813918227. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
