SEREMONI BWA KAYIMAN, PART 1

Hundreds of years ago, Africans in the plains and valleys, forced to be passive every second of the day in order to survive the European planter's lashes, would sneak out in the dead of night, up the rocky Maroons' mountain roads to secret forest caves and hidden clearings, for the Vodun ceremonies, where they would watch their kinfolks practicing the art of war, productively sloughing-off impacted rage to the Vodun drum's syncopated beats... Haitian children learned in Vodun ceremonies the uses of cutting and slicing a chicken and goat's throat, early on in life, for the time when the Petwo nations would come and mount them, so they would stop being the sacrificial lambs, the scapegoats whose blood was being lapped up by the white settlers.

So, in Vodun, there is the time before the Petwo nations arrived to the war dance to unify the cocktail of multilingual African tribes - and the time after.

The more temperate nations that were there before, subduing Petwo were called Rada. Originating like Petwo, from West and Central African peoples.

But the Africans who became Haitians in the land of the Taino Haitians had to pull hard for the psychic energy within themselves that would allow them to kill the current of negative European energies swallowing them whole.

And when these Blacks, on a hilltop at a wood clearing called "Bwa Kayiman," had reached back, past their divisions, past even the God making impulses that creates dictators. Way back. Past self-gratification. Past giving any one particular element - spirit or thought abstraction - omniscient sovereignty; way past these twilights and a thousand eternities. Then this, this spiritual consensus, this, a new psychic wave, was reached. The differing African groups in Haiti were then so quickened, that together as one PSYCHIC FORCE, they had passed Babylon's babbling towers, setting a new watercourse beyond forever: transmuting mental spasms and a cacophony of noises into ONE TONGUE, one powerful action - swearing to God and the Devil to be free or die.

And when Agaou's thunder clapped next, the cosmic sea - home of the ancestral deities, of all the lwas who had become abstracted over many generations - that sea opened; Africa's sacred abstractions had come to life. A new nation called Haitian was formed, where unity lives in veins reaching the cosmic center - that nexus between the spheres of the living and dead, between action and reflection. Then, the Haitian Revolution came, beating back Napoleon's forces, then the English, Spanish and French again. Twice. This, Petwo's multination red force and strength, works when Rada is its base. Rada and Petwo, they spewed forth together as one, each making way for the stronger. They are the Lovers-of-Liberty, economic democracy-in-action. And their strongest symbol was Ezili Dantò - the warrior mother, love and Go(o)d principle who carries a dagger. She cuts out evil with good.

I didn't know what i was. How i came to be created Kreyòl or much about Vodun until after i had returned from Haiti and started feeling the tones of Red, textures of Black and cold distance of the Moonlight. But, it is the unified Petwo/Rada nations, living within my psychic heritage, that call to me with this vision of a world that's reached past its divisions, angers, hatreds and envies to where many "nations" coexist. I'm practicing remembering that the amalgamated Africans in Haiti had no money to bribe or amass and wield power with; no gun arsenals for shows of force to control or subjugate the masses and classes with; no laws to shoot hope and dreams, forever deferred.

No.

The Africans, who became African-Ayisyen, in the land of the Taino-Ayisyen expected the tools of combat to crawl from their bodies and mind, and it did. Their veins are the vortexes for a unified African PSYCHIC FORCE: and they surrendered to that.

****END OF CEREMONY BWA KAYIMAN, PART 1 MONOLOGUE****

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For more on Bwa Kayiman, go to: Bwa Kayiman, Part II- Beyond 2004
See also: Kayiman Play ; Bwa Kayiman Video Clip; Full Text of Anba Dlo, Lan Ginen - Reaching for Black ; Bio of Ezili Dantò, 1791; Bwa Kayiman, 2008: Reclaiming the Haitian People's Vodun Narrative at Bwa Kayiman; Bwa Kayman 2009 Photos by Kesler Pierre;The Divine Warrior Mother - Ezili Dantò/Aset/ Isis ; Miami Video and RBM Video Reel; The Sanba Movement; The Haitian union forged at Bwa Kayiman has never wavered; Ezili's counter-colonial narrative on Vodun and Boukman's Prayer - Lapriyè Boukman.

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HAITI EPISTEMOLOGY

The Bwa Kayiman Call
Spoken in the KiKongo language on August 14, 1791 - The Bwa Kayiman Prophecy and Call, which began the Haiti revolution, is: E, e, Mbomba, e, e! Kanga Bafyòti. Kanga Mundele. Kanga Ndòki. Kanga yo!

Ezili's English translation: The Supreme Creator (E, e, Mbomba, e, e!), Master of Breath shall foil the black collaborators/traitors (kanga bafyòti). Kill/tie up/stop the tyrannical white settlers/colonists, strangers (kanga mundele). Bind all their evil forces/sorcerers (kanga Ndòki). Stop them!

(Listen to the Welfare Poets' song Sak Pase and their reciting (2:05) of the Bwa Kayiman invocation: E, e, Mbomba! Kanga Bafyòti. Kanga Mundele. Kanga Ndòki. Kanga li! - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1DnBmvMjkU)

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At Bwa Kayiman, on August 14, 1791, the enslaved Haitian rejected bourgeois freedom and fought for universal justice and freedom. The struggle for human rights and dignity continues today...

Reclaiming the Haitian People's Vodun Narrative at Bwa Kayiman
http://bit.ly/XaY2M

Bio of Ezili Danto, 1791 - the spiritual mother of Haiti and the preeminent cosmic symbol for Black independence, the warrior mother, unity, love principle, self-determination, justice, equality and freedom. http://bit.ly/11N7y8


The Divine Warrior Mother - Ezili Dantò/Aset/ Isis

Anba Dlo

Anba Dlo, Lan Ginen - Reaching for Black - http://bit.ly/3Of0w (See RBM Miami Video Reel for performance of Anba Dlo Lan Ginen http://bit.ly/5EFWjv )

Lè Marasa, lè Mò e lè Mistè
http://bit.ly/5zLY42


Ezili Dantò/Aset/ Isis (Photos)

Inyon Fè la Fòs" coalition: The Haitian union forged at Bwa Kayiman has never wavered http://bit.ly/9uzMXS

Vodun Konbit and Vodun Lakou
http://bit.ly/a6AWH8

Haiti's First Declaration of Independence
http://bit.ly/9k7Abq

Going Back to Root - Lasous O M Pwale - I'm Returning to the Beginning - http://bit.ly/9ZoLHK

Chènn Sa a Pap Janm Kase! - The three powers lifted up at Bwa Kayiman: Fòs, Pouvwa, Inyon http://bit.ly/PAEcn

Ezili's counter-colonial narrative on Vodun
http://bit.ly/8Mdpse

The Three Ideals of Jean Jacques Dessalines - Haiti's Founding Father
http://bit.ly/8bKdp9

The Story of Janjak: The Greatest Hero who ever Lived
45- minutes Storytelling Theater Dance presentation http://bit.ly/W8p5G

Haiti’s Founding Father - The Women who Influenced him, his Ideals and Legacy http://bit.ly/76fkOZ

Boukman's Prayer- Lapriyè Boukman - at Bwa Kayiman, the gathering that began the continuing Haitian Revolution, Aug. 14, 1791 http://bit.ly/8Owp0r

The Haitian struggle - the greatest David vs. Goliath battle being played out on this planet http://bit.ly/2vqDXL

Revolutionary Haiti: its creeds, values and struggle
http://bit.ly/degAmI

Does the Western economic calculation of wealth fit Haiti -fit Dessalines' idea of wealth distribution? NO!

Ibo Granmoun : The Roots of Haiti Democracy

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HLLN Recommended BWA KAYIMAN Links:

SEREMONI BWA KAYIMAN by Ezili Dantò
http://bit.ly/9JsDHU


Chènn Sa a Pap Janm Kase! - Travay Ezili Dantò (Haiti's unbroken circle| An Ezili Dantò performance ritual ending the Bwa Kayiman celebration) http://bit.ly/PAEcn


Bwa Kayiman, Part II- Beyond 2004


Bio of Ezili Danto, 1791 - the spiritual mother of Haiti and the preeminent cosmic symbol for Black independence, the warrior mother, unity, love principle, self-determination, justice, equality and freedom. http://bit.ly/11N7y8

The Divine Warrior Mother - Ezili Dantò/Aset/ Isis

Bwa Kayiman Video Clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NgtZ0Xm1LA

Kayiman Play

Bwa Kayiman, 2008: Reclaiming the Haitian People's Vodun Narrative at Bwa Kayiman

Bwa Kayman 2009 Photos by Kesler Pierre
http://www.pbase.com/kesler/bwaka

Audio recording in Kreyòl
Bwa Kay Iman interview -emisyon Bouyon Rasin 16 out 2009 by Jafrikayiti. This one-hour Kreyol interview covers Haitian Vodun, the revolution and Bwa Kay Iman. Special guest: Erl Jean-Pierre and Oungan Jacques René. There's audience participation and Vodun music by Zao Jakata, Wawa and Lataye.
http://bit.ly/9X9MXP


Ezili Dantò performs at Carnegie Hall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwiWhLgXkFA

YouTube - Ezili Dantò live in Miami with Sanba Yatande, TiRouj & Manno
http://bit.ly/5EFWjv

RBM Video Reel
http://bit.ly/bRrVSQ

Ezili's Performance poetry for Bwa Kayiman

Full Text of Anba Dlo, Lan Ginen - Reaching for Black...

Re-membering Bwa Kayiman 2009 - Reaching for Black keeps me from bursting into flames...

Mumia on Black August, 2004 http://bit.ly/cdk12H

The Sanba Movement
http://bit.ly/7eJggM


Avatar parallels: Warrior Mother, Vodun and the Sky People
http://bit.ly/6E02R3

The Avatar Movie From A Black Perspective
http://bit.ly/6Jo64Y

Lecture on Haiti ("Until She Spoke") by Frederick Douglass
(in Kreyòl with the English link) http://bit.ly/9b1Cre

Black are the original peoples on planet earth, including the Americas

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Chènn Sa a Pap Janm Kase! - Travay Ezili Dantò

(An Ezili Dantò performance ritual ending the Bwa Kayiman celebration)

Boukman ohh nan Bwa Kayiman. Nou nonme non ohh, nou pa detounen w. Nou pa t fè Bwa Kayiman pou sevi etranje...Papa Boukman ohh, nou soufri ase. Lafanmi divize. Lafanmi doz-a-do. Nou pral mete Lwa yo devan. Devan, devan. Latibonit ohh, fò nou mete Lwa yo devan...Nou gen fòs. Nou gen pouvwa. Nou gen inyon pou nou kapab fè tout travay Ginen mache lan lapè ak kè kontan.

Nou se Ginen depi lè marasa, lè mò e lè mistè. San yo se san nou. Nou fè yon sèl kò. Inyon nou fè fòs nou. Pouvwa yo se pouvwa nou.

The three powers lifted up at Bwa Kayiman: Fòs, Pouvwa, Inyon.
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Ezili Dantòs Bwa Kayiman ending ritual first premiered, done in the month of August, for the HLLN/Free Haiti Movement, after Ezili Dantò's performance readings of Red, Black, Moonlight performance pieces such as Bwa Kayiman, Beyond 2004 or the Bwa Kayiman Play used to commemorate the Ancestors who began the Great Haitian Revolution at Bwa Kayiman, August 14, 1791.

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Ezili Dantò's Performance ritual for re-membering Boukman, Dantò, Lwa yo, tout Zanset e Ti Moun yo in August for Bwa Kayiman:

PERFORMANCE RITUAL: Chènn Sa a Pap Janm Kase! Travay Ezili Dantò of HLLN

Bondye pa ka wè malfektè. Lwa racine yo pa ka wè malfektè. Nou fè yon sèl kò. San yo se san nou. Nou konnen sa nou ye. Nap wè Bondye selman. Sa nou wè isit donnen Anba Dlo epi vinn leve isit ankò lè nou tonbe. Nou wè Bondye selman. Nap rele Bondye andan nou an, nap rele Ginen yo. Nou rele tèt nou, noumenm menm. Nou fè yon sèl kò. Nou se Ginen. Nou pa mele ak malfektè. Pitit Ginen te fè yon chènn inyon lan Bwa Kayiman. Venteyen nashon te fè yon sèl kò. Anyen paka detounen n. Nou se Ayisyen! Men an men nap rive fè tout travay Ginen mache lan lapè ak kè kontan. San yo se san nou. Nou fè yon sèl kò. Chènn sa a pap janm kase.

(Direksyon) Kanpe. Ann nou fè yon sèk. Mete men nou ansanm. Melanje li. Gason ak fanm kenbe men n ansanm an nou fè yon sèk an ron. Tout moun k ap tande vwa mwen, k ap gade mwen - tout moun lan Kanada, Miami, Ayiti, tout moun lakou New York, lan Karayib la, Ewòp, Afrik... Tout kretyen k ap tande mwen oubyen k ap gade mwen kelkeswa, pa radyo, sou Entènèt, oubyen sou konferans videyo - tout moun, tout pitit Bondye atravè mond lan. Nou pral fè yon chènn inyon, tet ansanm. Nou pral fè yon sèl kò.

Kanpe. Kanpe. Fè yon sèk. Mete men nou ansanm. Melanje li. Gason ak fanm kenbe men n ansanm lan yon sèk.

Fè yon ti balanse. Dakò. Balanse, (a dwat, a gòch, a dwat a gòch). Men an men. Balanse.

Aksyon sa li senbolik. Men, lè nou retounen lakay nou, lè nou pa ansanm konsa, fòk nou toujou kenbe chènn inyon sa a lan tèt nou toutan. Pa kite l kase ditou. Men an men. Tèt ansanm. N'ap fè yon sèl kò. Nou se Ayisyen! Men an men nap rive fè tout travay Ginen mache lan lapè ak kè kontan. Dakò. Kounye a, leve tèt nou, gade enwo. Alamèmtan, leve men nou anwo. Kenbe sèk sa a solid. Pa kite chènn sa a kase. Yo di lòt Nachon-yo ap sevi ak nou paske nou pa gen inyon. Pa kite chènn sa a kase. Lè l kase, se nou tout l ap detounen. Se nou tout k ap pran lan pelen kolon blan yo. Tande lapriyè Zanset nou yo. Balanse. Tande lapriyè Boukman. Kontinye balanse.

Ok. Kounye a, ann chante ansanm (Boukman ohh nan Bwa Kayiman. Nou nonme non w ohh, sa pa detounen w. Nou pa t fè Bwa Kayiman pou sevi etranje...) Apre chante sa a, map fè yon ti lapriyè Zanset nou yo. Apre lapriyè sa, nap fè chènn-men nou an desan ak gran fòs. Chak fwa nou desan men nou. Nap di: Fòs, Pouvwa, Inyon! Moun ki ka wè m. Gade jan mwen fè l. Fòs, Pouvwa, Inyon! Anvan nou fè sa pou fini, fòk nou salye Dantò, salye Ginen yo. Fòk nou mete Lwa-yo devan, devan, devan. Nou kwè lan limyè Ginen yo - limyè Ginen Fran. Djab la di l ap manje nou, se pa vre. Se pa vre Timoun yo, se pa vre. Gen Bondye. Gen lè sen yo. Gen noumenm. Gen Lwa racine yo. Nou se Ayisyen Arada, nou pa ka nwaye. Lanmou pa nou an pi fò ke lanmò. Si nou pakapab pase isit n ap pase lòt bò. Nou se Ginen. Nou pa mele ak Djab yo, san konsyans yo, kriminel yo k ap vann peyi a bay Kolon. Ginen Fran yo ap toujou jwenn yon chimen. Nou se Ayisyen, kè nou pa sote. Nou se pitit Papa Desalin, kè nou pa sote lan jou malè (2010-sa a, 2010-sa a...)

(Direksyon:) Lè mwen di "Nou fè yon sèl kò." Nou tout pral reponn: "Chènn sa a pap janm kase!"

Nou fè yon sèl kò. Chènn sa a pap janm kase. Nou fè yon sèl kò.

Dakò (ok).

Nou se yon sèl kò. Desalin pa ka janm mouri. Nou fè yon sèl kò. Boukman pa ka janm mouri. Cecil Fatiman, Katerin Fon, Marijann, Toya, Defile, Sanit Belè, yo pa ka janm mouri. Nou fè yon sèl kò. San Lwa yo se san nou. Dantò pa ka janm mouri. San Lwa yo se san nou. Gede-yo pa ka mouri. Yo pa ka touye Rwa Wangol ak katouch Loni. Yo pakapab achte l, ni vann li.

Nou fè yon sèl kò. Chènn sa a pap janm kase!

San yo se san nou. Nou fè yon sèl kò. Chènn sa a pap janm kase!

San yo se san nou. Nou fè yon sel kò. Chènn sa a pap janm kase!

(Repete apre m:) Lanmou pa nou an pi fò ke lanmò. Si nou pakapab pase isit, nap pase lòt bò. Nou se Ginen. Nou pa mele ak Djab yo, san konsyans yo, kriminel yo k ap vann peyi a bay Kolon. Ginen Fran yo ap toujou jwenn yon chimen.

Nou se Ayisyen. Nou fè yon sèl kò. Chènn sa a pap janm kase!

Wi, se konsa.

Nou se pitit Papa Desalin. Nou fè yon sèl kò ak li e tout lòt zanset yo. Yo pakapab refize Desalin azil. Yo pakapab mete Boukman lan prizon. Yo pakapab detwi Neges e Nèg Ginen.

Nou fè yon sèl kò. Chènn sa a pap janm kase!

OK. Tande yon ti priyè/chante Zanset yo moutre-m pou m pòte pou nou jodi a.

Prayer- Lapriyè Salu Dantò
1. Se Ibo Evida.

2. Se Ibo Evida Nayide.

3. Danbala viyè, viyè, n ap salu Dantò.

4. Egiye se Ago Ouse.

5. Se Ago Ouse.

6. Ago Lisagondè.

7. Se Ibo Evida Nayide.

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Then say (epi kounye a di): FOS, Pouvwa, Inyon!

(Direksyon) Kenbe chènn inyon an. Leve men nou anlè, di "Fòs" pandan nap desan men nou tout ansanm.

Leve men nou anlè, di "Pouvwa" pandan nap desan li anba.

Leve men nou anlè, di "inyon!"" - pandan nap desan li.

Nou fè yon sèl kò.

(repons:) Chènn sa a pap janm kase!

AYIBOBO!

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END

BWA KAYIMAN PERFORMANCE RITUAL
(c) 2006 Ezili Dantò. All Rights Reserved.

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Ezili's Bwa Kayiman Links http://bit.ly/9Sjur6 & Haiti Epistemology
http://bit.ly/9Vd10f

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