HAITIAN DANCE, SONG, FOLKLORE

including Affranchi, Meringue maybe, that is not associated with Vodou. Vodou is pretty much a Haitian Traditional Religion.

As we go down the different tribes of our African Ancestors, the dances are as follow.

Yanvalou:

A ritual dance originated in Benin. It honors all the spirits of the rada nation. Yanvalou represents the undulation of the waves as they rise and fall and also the movement of spirit Dambalah, represented by a serpent. Dambalah is the source of energy and life. White is the color of the very pure rada spirits.

Parigol:

A graceful and subtle yanvalou associated with La Sirene, the mermaid. Possession: The spirits take control of the body. The human body becomes a horse for the spirit to ride.

Haitian dance is deeply rooted in the African Tradition of Vodou, and that word seems to scare a lot of people away from Haitian culture for many people think that vodou is black magic, witchcraft, and evil. The reason for that is that Haitian Vodou has been misrepresented in movies like The Serpent of the Rainbow and so on.

Vodou is an African word for Spirit. This tradition is the positive Health relationship between human and spirits. Vodou first began in Western Africa, especially in Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. Vodou was brought to the United States by a group of slaves call Yoruba. in Haiti by Benin and Yoruba people.
The Yoruba people believed in one God, Grand Met or Grand Master, call Otorum (Oldrum). In vodou ceremonies believers seek to establish contact with god. They hope to influence the spirits to get involved in Human or healthy matters, through gift offering, animal sacrifices, and so on. Vodou is practiced by more than %60 of the Haitian Population, and Haitian Dance or Haitian Folklore has its roots from vodou. There are only few dances

For the largest part of Haitian People, Dancing is an act deeply rooted in almost all of the important events of life, beginning with Christening of child, and continue beyond the individual's death. There is secular and religious dancing. In religious dancing, people dance to supplicate countless Afro-Haitian Loa, or spirits, to accompany the making of magic, to ward off devil and demons, to send the dead on their ways, and in honor of ancestors. They dance to make work easy; a good example of that is the dance Kombit.
Dance is a positive statement of life. It sets forces into motion. It has power to cure and vitalize. It is no wonder why many uprisings and revolts of the slaves in Haiti, during the eighteen-century, were born in dances (dance ba). A modern version of that can be seen in any Haitian protest. For example, during the march against FDA on Brooklyn Bridge, there were countless drums to warm up protestors.

Ibo:

A dance of the Igbo nation of Nigeria. It expresses the pride of the Igbo people, who preferred death to enslavement. The movement of this dance represent the breaking the chains of slavery. The colors of the Igbo people are red and white.

Song: Ibo Lele Ibo lele mayanman

Dessalin soti nan no li pote wanga nibo

Nago:

This dance derives from Nagos of the interior of the former Slave Coast. This dance honors the spirits of power. In this dance the dancer thrust the body forward, arms and chests, suggesting breaking through invisible barriers. Through this dance we honor Ogun Badari, St. Jack. And Ogun Feray, Osanj, etc.

Song: Salwi nagoe nago rive o

Mayi:

A dance named after the Mayi people. It honors Erzulie Freda and St. Jack of the Nago nation. You can see a version of that later in Ayiti La’s Erzulie.

Djouba:

A dance from the Djumba nation. These are spirit of the earth and farmers. Denim blue is the color of the djouba people. The subtle swaying of the hips in Djouba shows the elegant flirtation of peasant men and women. Kouzin is honored in this dance.

Petro:

A dance associated with the Haitian revolution because a Petro ritual in Bwa Cayiman preceded the initial uprising in 1791. Petro is a fire dance. A dance about sedition and change.

Banda:

This is the dance of the Gede nation. The Gede spirits are spirits of the life-and-death cycle. Their dance is erotic and decadent. The gede spirits wear black, white and purple rags and sunglasses.

Song: Rele Lwa yo Banda rive, lele iwa yo Banda rive