Let us, Haitians everywhere, make our ancestors proud!

Let us, Haitians everywhere, make our ancestors proud!
By Rev. Duval Denis

May 18, 1803-May 18, 2022, it has been 219 years since the Haitian flag was created at Arcahaie, Haiti.  The Haitian flag consists of two horizontal bars, blue over red.  The blue represents the black Haitians and the red the mulattoes.  The trophy of weapons indicates that the blacks and the mulattoes are ready to defend freedom.  The motto on the white scroll reading “L’union fait la Force,” means through unity we found strength or in unity we are strong.  May 18th, the observance of Haitian Flag Day has become a symbol of pride, unity and individual liberty.  As we, Haitians, commemorate Haitian Flag day in the diaspora community, let us remember our ancestors, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, Henri Christophe, Alexandre Petion, who have created this bi-color blue and red to fight the colonialism and to make us live free forever!  Let us also remember the Haitians in the motherland who have lost so much in the earthquake of January 12, 2010 and continue to work hard and harder to rebuild the country!

Let us, Haitians in the USA, make our ancestors proud!  Let the flag inspire us to work harder, to follow rules, to work hand in hand, and to love one another!  The Haitians used to be friendly, polite, respectful, loving people.  Today, they fight each other.  They destroyed the country for which their ancestors fought for.  Gangs violence is almost everywhere.  They kill each other.  Did the Haitians lose their values?  Did they lose their identity?  Haitians everywhere, let us go back to our roots, let us make again our ancestors proud!  Our ancestors were willing to die for the flag and for our country.  Are we willing to value their sacrifice by the way we conduct ourselves?  Are we willing to make our ancestors proud again of us?  On this special day of celebration of Haitian Flag Day, let us reflect on the last stanza of the National Anthem of Haiti, La Dessalinienne (The Song of Dessalines), honoring Jean-Jacques Dessalines, the founding father of our nation!  This anthem was written by Justin Lherisson and composed by Nicolas Jeffrard:

Pour le Drapeau, pour la Patrie (For the Flag, for the Country)

Mourir est beau, mourir est beau! (To die is a fine thing, to die is a fine thing)

Notre passé nous crie: (Our past cries out to us)

Ayez l’ame aguerrie! (Have disciplined soul!)

Mourir est beau, mourir est beau (To die is a fine thing, to die is a fine thing)

Pour le Drapeau, pour la Patrie ( For the Flag, for the Country)

Mourir, mourir, mourir est beau (To die, to die, to die is a fine thing)

Pour le Drapeau, pour la Patrie. (For the flag, for the Country.)

Let us, Haitians everywhere, make our ancestors proud!  Let us have disciplined souls!

Let us work hard and harder to build a new Haiti and to make our ancestors proud of our accomplishments!  May God bless us all!  May God bless Haiti!