Saut D'Eau, A Cultural Celebration
By Hyppolite Pierre
With a climate of security that is decent, a summer season that has travelers packing their bags and going to Haiti for vacation, Saut d'Eau became the place of focus a few months ago, for most or all Haitians.
Saut d'Eau is a well, where legend has it that a Saint had appeared sometime in the past. It has become over the years, a place of pilgrimage for those who believe in the power of the supernatural. It has also become a favored place for those who wish to go somewhere have some summer fun. This year, many musical groups left the capital and other large cities, to go there and either enjoy the festival, or pray their favorite saint asking for favor. Usually hundreds and even thousands of Haitians make the trip which by most account, is well worth it. The scenery, the prayers, the music, the fun, the food, all make it such an ambiance that very few who have been there would not have wanted to return. It is an experience, according to most. Even the Port-au-Prince media reports on that event, sometimes LIVE, as the culture of Saut d'Eau and its yearly fun and prayers are now entrenched in the Haitian psyche and culture.
If Saut d'Eau was originally a religious celebration, it has over the years even outgrown its original purpose. People still claim the miracles that they experience, from having gone there and expressed to the Saint their concerns. People from the Diaspora go back to Haiti, during that time, either to thank the Saint, or to enjoy the pleasure of the time at that spot. The question becomes, as usual, how can Haiti market that phenomenon, so it can bring larger revenues from its tourism industry?
