Experiencing Boukman Eksperyans
I've been working on a video art project for the last few weeks. I've been inspiring myself with African, Cuban, Polynesian and Haitian music. I've really been enjoying an album I've had for a few years now by Boukman Eksperyans. Boukman first rose to popular interest after they began winning Best Song at Carnival. In the aftermath of the the September 1991 army coup against the Aristede government, Boukman struggled against censorship culminating in having their 1992 Carnival entry, Kalfou Danjere, banned by the military authorities as "too violent". They were excluded from Carnival celebrations and their songs were prohibited from being aired on the radio.
Boukman take their name from a Vodou priest who helped to unify the Haitian slaves. The slave leader led the revolution against the French colonists which ended in 1804 with the former slaves victoriously forming the first Black republic in the world.
This summary is from the African Music Encyclopedia. Another detailed biography can be found at DirtyNelson.Com.
"The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive."
Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826)
U.S. President
"To fly we have to have resistance."
Maya Lin (1959 - )
Artist
