Dreams of winning the lottery

November 21, 2013

Lottery ticket boutiques are colloquially referred to as a “banks,” because they will take “investment” wagers as small as a single goude. This “bank” is on the outskirts of Croix-des-Bouquets.

Last month, I was in North Carolina riding in the car with my friend Laura, when we passed “her 7-11″ convenience store.  I say “her 7-11” because every Friday, without fail, she goes in and buys a lottery ticket, expectations low, but hopes high.  Striking it rich would be a good way to end the week, after all.  She pointed it out as we buzzed by and she told me, “Do you know, I have a friend that actually won a million dollars there.  He did – ONE MILLION DOLLARS!  He never goes to my 7-11, but he did that day, and he won.  I hardly think that’s fair, do you?”  She laughs, “I actually kind of feel like he won MY million dollars, though I do try to be nice about it.”

So who among us has not fantasized about winning the lottery? Wouldn’t it be great?  Think of the possibilities, even after taxes! (Laura’s friend got $600K after the State of North Carolina took its cut.)  Hope springs eternal the world over and Haitians are no different from the rest of us in their love affair with the possible.  The dream persists – without regard for likelihood – that Lady Luck will smile, a jackpot will be won and luxury, comfort, and leisure will be delivered forthwith.

In Haiti, however, the dream seems somehow more desperate.  It is estimated that Haitians spend between $1.5- 2 billion on the lottery every year, amounting to nearly one-quarter of the impoverished country’s GNP, and it is the Haitian poor that “invest” the most heavily.  Starting at 1 goude/3 cents per number, it is often the only “investment” they can afford. However, because the Haitian State does not tax pay-offs, there is no tax revenue to put into state projects, such as infrastructure and educational development.  Thus, when a Haitian player loses, he really loses.  His goude is for naught.

Each lottery ticket comes with a set of three two-digit numbers.  The idea is to choose one, two, or all three numbers correctly, with the pay-off being 50-1 for the first number, 20-1 for the second, and 10-1 for the third. Rather than approaching the lottery as a game of chance, however, Haitians employ a rather complicated strategy of dream interpretation to increase their odds of winning.  Though the success rate is dubious, the reasoning flows somewhat logically.  If the ultimate dream is to win the lottery, then one’s nightly dreams, correctly interpreted, will point the way.

In accordance with this method, elements in a dream such as a child or a chair or a feather, or whatever, all

It is estimated that there are 200,000 lottery boutiques in Port-au-Prince alone.

correspond to a specific number.  These numeric correlations are all documented in a book – available at every single borlette (Kreyol for lottery boutique) worth its salt – known as “tchala.” So, for example, if one observes a red feather prominently in a dream, one simply looks up the number assigned to red feathers in the tchala and there it is.  The first wager thus becomes clear.

To the casual observer, this dream interpretation strategy may not seem like it would make much difference to whatever lottery gods there be. Perhaps, though winning isn’t entirely the point.  As Pooja Bhatia put it so elegantly in her April 2010 article for myAiti.com, “The borlette allows Haitians to feel as though their dreams and ideas matter.  As long as they dream, they will play.”

Contributed by Linda for Beyond Borders/It’s Cactus

America Recycles Day

November 12, 2013

These old discarded steel drums are soon to become beautiful folk art sculptures. Recycling at its finest!

I’m going to cheat a little bit and not write a blog this week.  I just found out that this Friday, November 15th is America Recycles Day. (Yes, I live in a cave.  A dark one.  Very little outside exposure.) Because protecting the environment is very near and dear to the hearts of all of us at Beyond Borders, I’m going to pass along these reminders, published by Keep America Beautiful, Inc.  of how we can all do a better job of taking care of each other and our planet by recycling.

Did you know…

1. Half is better than none. You may not be able to recycle your whole pizza box, but in most communities you can tear off the top (as long as it’s grease-free) and put it in your recycling bin.

2. You bet your bottle tops you can recycle them. The caps on your plastic bottles are recyclable, too. Empty your bottle, replace the cap, and recycle.

3. Plastic bag and film recycling: more than grocery bags. Along with plastic grocery bags, recycle the bags from your dry-cleaning, loaf of bread, and newspaper. Remember to take clean, dry bags to recycling centers or retailers with plastic bag recycling bins.

4. A trick up your sleeve. Paper cups aren’t always recyclable because of the wax lining, but don’t forget to recycle the cardboard sleeve!

5. Look beyond the daily paper. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), paper and cardboard are America’s most recycled materials by weight. In addition to newspaper, most communities accept corrugated cardboard as well as cereal and tissue boxes. Some accept mail, catalogs and phone books.

Make Recycling a Habit

6. Close the loop. The recycling process doesn’t stop at the bin! After materials are processed and back on the shelf as new items, it’s up to you to buy recycled products. Look for products and packaging with recycled content (and efficient packaging) to do your part as a recycling-conscious consumer.

7. Recycle on the go. Keep two bags in your car – one for your trash and one for recyclables. Pre-sorting makes it easier to transfer your recyclables into a recycling bin once you’ve reached your destination.

8. Recycling: it’s not just in the kitchen. Don’t trash your detergent and shampoo bottles just because you don’t have a bin in your bathroom or laundry room. Keep a plastic bag for collecting recyclables under the sink or take a few extra steps to put your empty bottles in the recycling bin.

9. Reduce and reuse. Minimizing the trash we generate and reusing products reduces our impact on the planet and our resources. For example, consider reusing that plastic bag. Also reduce unwanted direct mail by unsubscribing at CatalogChoice.org.

10. Know your limits. Putting materials in your recycling bin that aren’t collected in your community contaminates the recycling process and creates extra work for recycling facility employees. To recycle items that your local program does not collect, check AmericaRecyclesDay.org to find where they may be recycled in your community.

Actions You Can Take Now

11. Can it! Metals are among the most valuable materials in the recycling stream. Aluminum and steel cans are always welcomed by recyclers, and most metals can be recycled again … and again … and again.

12. Answer the call to recycle your wireless phone! More than 100 million cell phones retire each year to sit in our drawers or closets, according to the EPA. Do you have out-of-use phones in your home? Consider donating them to a local charity or visit AmericaRecyclesDay.org to find a recycler.

13. Recycling: don’t exclude your food. Start composting your food waste. If you aren’t quite ready for a compost bin or pile, consider tossing a few biodegradable items into your garden or window boxes instead of the trash. Egg shells and coffee grounds enrich soil and break down easily.

14. Do your homework. Different communities collect different materials for recycling. Visit AmericaRecyclesDay.org to find what is recycled in your community.

15. Spread the word. Now that you’re an expert recycler, consider hosting an educational recycling event in your community. See AmericaRecyclesDay.org/toolkit for ideas and resources that can be downloaded.

About Keep America Beautiful, Inc.

Keep America Beautiful is the nation’s leading nonprofit that brings people together to build and sustain vibrant communities. With a network of more than 1,200 affiliate and participating organizations including state recycling organizations, the organization works with millions of volunteers to take action in their communities. KAB offers solutions that create clean, beautiful public places, reduce waste and increase recycling, generate positive impact on local economies and inspire generations of environmental stewards. Through programs and public-private partnerships, KAB engages individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community’s environment. For more information, visit www.kab.org. To join America Recycles Day, visit http://americarecyclesday.org.

Outside a workshop in Croix-des-Bouquets, recycling is in progress.

For your reading pleasure and personal edification: “State”

November 7, 2013

A new book by Robert Arnaud and Paolo Woods reviewing the meaning of “State” as it applies – and doesn’t in Haiti.

A new book by Arnaud Robert and Paolo Woods entitled, “State” was released in France in September and just this week has become available for pre-order on Amazon. It has been generating a good deal of attention both here and abroad for its examination of the national identity forged in Haiti in spite of the State.  Through photos and text, Robert and Woods show how the country of Haiti is actually held together by resistance, humor, creation and culture.  It articulates a nation in the absence of State.

Their choice of Haiti as a subject was hardly a good one from the perspective of news. Photo editors complained that they had had their fill of images depicting the ravages of the earthquake and the cholera epidemic that swept the country. Misery reporting overload obliged Woods and Robert to stay away from the photo stories that had typically come out of the island. Working on pieces for a variety of European and American publications from a new location and a new perspective, they based themselves in Les Cayes and thereby escaped the usual tug of the news cycle in Port-au-Prince. In so doing, they were able to delve into several topics of great importance that had been largely overlooked.

Among the many aspects of Haitian life that they took on, the one that has generated the most controversy is also perhaps the most intriguing. Woods and Robert spent a great deal of time with Haiti’s moneyed elite. On the instituteartist website, (Click here to view: http://www.instituteartist.com/) Woods is quoted as saying, “The country’s top-tier wealthy citizens have been denounced as corrupt profiteers, but I have a strong respect for them.  They are entrepreneurs who have made their fortunes here and could have easily taken their money and moved to Miami to lead very comfortable lives.  But to stay, to live and work in Haiti is not easy.  You have to love your country enormously to do that.”  In fact, he points out, the top 500 taxpayers in Haiti represent 1% of the population, yet account for 80% of their tax revenues. (How’s that for a tax burden?) Woods believes that wealthy individuals may well represent the winds of change for Haiti; change for the better that outsiders have tried and failed to accomplish.  Perhaps outrageous, and definitely inflammatory, it’s an opinion that bears consideration. Change born from within instead of imposed from without. It might be the change that succeeds.

“State.”  Buy it or borrow it, and then read it. At least look at the pictures and see what you think.  (I feel another book club coming on…)

One of a kind “Reading Angel.” by Edward Dieudonne

Contributed by Linda for Beyond Borders/It’s Cactus

The Fat Lady Sang

October 30, 2013

Cineus Louisme, showing us one of his terrific new tree of life designs.

Brutus Wiseton, shown here with his wife in the doorway of their home.

One of the things that we do at Beyond Borders that perhaps does

the most good, and gives us the greatest joy, is to bring artists from Haiti to visit the United States for a couple of weeks.  While they are in this country, they demonstrate their craft at shops and special events; they sell their work, meet the people that buy their art, and gain a larger view of the business of selling art beyond what they do in their village workshops. It is a tremendously valuable experience for these select artists; they have an incomparable opportunity to learn and then to share their knowledge. They work hard while they are here to be sure, but they are also able to earn relatively large sums of money in a short amount of time. In every case, they have been able to return to Haiti and use those earnings to dramatically improve their own lives as well as those of their families. When you stop to consider how much money the United States, and indeed the world as a whole has poured into Haiti in foreign aid, (According to the USAID website, $318 million was appropriated to Haiti by the United States alone in fiscal year 2013.) you would think that the US government would be HUGELY in favor of Haitians earning their own money and stepping away from the cycle of dependency that has been created over the decades and been re-enforced to an astonishing level, since the 2010 earthquake.  YOU WOULD THINK! Haitians learning, earning, and being empowered to stand on their own two feet.  Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?

Yet, the US government works in mysterious ways.  (That’s the kindest way I know how to put it.) Beyond Borders contacted two of our long-standing, solid producing artists and said, “Do you have a passport?  Can you get one?  We’d like to bring you to the US for a couple of weeks.  What do you think?” The artists, Cineus Louisme and Brutus Wiseton were over the moon with excitement.  They had seen what a huge boost it had been to other artists we had brought over in the past and they were eager to have those same experiences.  They got their passports, we purchased their roundtrip plane tickets, they filled out their visa applications, we bought, BOUGHT (Yes, you read that correctly, at $135 a pop.) their visa appointments from Soge Bank, (A Haitian national banking franchise) and then, when the appointment day rolled, around they went in to the US embassy in Port-au-Prince and were both turned down cold.

At that point, Beyond Borders as a whole sprang to action.  We brain-stormed.  We called people.  We wrote e-mails.  We posted on Facebook.  We asked questions.  We called in favors.  In short, if there was a tree to bark up, we did.  Last week’s phonecalls to the embassy again went unanswered.  It’s tough to know what to fix, if you don’t know what’s broken.

We’re still clueless.  Did we not apply in time?  We started the process six months ago.  Was that not enough?  Was there something out of order in their paperwork?  If so, what?  Not enough money in their bank accounts?  How much do they need? After writing and calling and what felt like begging and pleading, we are no further ahead in our goal to get Cineus and Brutus here by mid-November than we were a week ago.  Though we have not given up the hope of bringing them in at some point in the future, for now, the fight is over.  The fat lady sang.

Sometimes We Just Need a Little Help – Part III

October 24, 2013

This triptych has sat on my buffet table for years, but it occurred to me that it makes a wonderful holiday hearth screen. Wow! I thought outside the box!

What would the holidays be without hauling out the holly and fluffing up the beard on the “soon to be an heirloom” Santa pillow and putting out a few (in my case dozen) poinsettias?  Christmas decorating fills my heart with joy, it’s true, but I do find that I put the Santa pillow HERE because it always goes HERE and the nativity set goes HERE and the Three Wise Men go HERE and so on.  In other words, without meaning to, and often without me even realizing it, I get in a rut, decoratively speaking.

So not that it would ever happen to you, but if in fact, you did fall into a similar creative void, here’s a look at some ideas that might infuse your thinking with new possibilities.  These holiday sculptures may already be part of your “stash.”  and if so, you might be inspired to use them in a different way.  And if you love what you see, but have not yet acquired, well, My Friend, we can help you with that!  Scroll on down, and see what moves you…

Though it has a hanger in the back to display on a wall, the Three Kings can also be propped up on an easel for a tabletop arrangement.

You can tie a bright, sparkling bow on and give this birdie a different tree to roost in.

A present on a present! But if you need to put it back with the tree of life after the holidays, be sure to trim the package of someone that lives at home!

So maybe you took this idea from a previous post. Well, if the tree of life comes down and the holiday sampler that your sister-in-law did goes up, here are a few ideas for the birds…

Julio Balan’s Angel Stake 3084LE can become a herald angel in a potted Christmas tree. Give her a little dash of color with a holiday hair ribbon.

Sometimes We Just Need a Little Help – Part II

September 26, 2013

Wire a tree of life to your iron gate. Nice!

I would imagine that at one point or another, probably when we first got acquainted, you were in our shop or stopped at one of the many wholesale or retail shows that we do each year.  While there, you no doubt observed that all of our Haitian sculptures are hung on brightly painted panels or interior walls for display.  Knowing that the art is good for hanging indoors or outdoors, you may have wondered how it looks hung in various outdoor settings.  The answer, with all due modesty, is TERRIFIC!   Here then, are some ideas for you to use Haitian art to embellish your outdoor space.

A small sunface with climbing vines hung near a front door can be welcoming.

Bees buzz above the flower beds.

In a window, hung with a hook from the frame, a happy faced mask peeks over the sunflowers.

Sometimes, we just need a little help…

September 19, 2013

Crazy good antique store that still has MY French typewriter. Coulda, shoulda, woulda….

Horizontal pieces, such as this one-of-a-kind angel by LaGuerre Dieufaite, can add interest above an interior doorway.

A few weeks ago, I had the great fortune to have a morning to wander through the Sablon section of

Brussels for a few hours, all by myself.  The Sablon neighborhood is upscale and wonderful with the highest density of antique shops per square block that I can possibly imagine.  In fact there were so many, I started taking photos of them, just for fun.  But I didn’t go into any; most were a bit, um, rarefied, shall we say?  Except one.  It had a

“wanderer-friendly” appearance and in I went.  There, amidst the art deco glass and brass buckets was the most glorious manual typewriter.  It was French, I could tell by the arrangement of the keys and the accent marks. Accent aigu! Accent grave!  I loved it.

LOVED IT.  But I didn’t know what to do with it, so I didn’t get it and now I am left with nothing but

aching melancholy and remorse. I bet I could have thought of something.  Surely I could have.  I’m a clever gal.  I could have done something great with that fabulous old typewriter with the French accent marks.  Maybe I just needed a little guidance.

Which got me to thinking:  How many times have I overheard the remark at trade shows and in the shop, “You know, I really love

this Haitian metal piece, but I don’t know what I would do with it.”  OHMYGOSH! Let me spare you the anguish of loving and leaving – your guidance is HERE! Take a look at a few of these ideas for displaying Haitian iron.  These photos are not meant to be directive, but suggestive.  Hopefully, they will inspire a few ideas of your own.  So much the better!

Make a grouping that combines color, texture, and depth. Hang a few birds as though they are about to perch in the tree. (RND 253 plus SM491 B and E)

Tuck a smaller piece into a smaller space, such as a corner by the window.

First in a series. Contributed by Linda for Beyond Borders/It’s Cactus

The Price of Poverty: 300,000 Cinderellas and No Ball

September 13, 2013

Beyond Borders – fighting poverty with art. Fair trade keeps families healthy, safe, and together.

When I was little, I loved the story of Cinderella.  In fact, I had it read to me so often that there came a time when I could recite it, word for word, knowing exactly when the page turn came and frustrating every attempt to shorten the story before bedtime. (I’m not kidding, you can ask my mom.)  I knew exactly how that story went and no one was going to change ANYTHING about it.

What I didn’t know was that it really was a story of human rights violation.  Poor Cinderella was bound in perpetual servitude to her wicked stepmother and two ugly stepsisters.  She worked from morning ‘til night with no monetary compensation, she wore rags for clothing, her meals were crumbs and leftovers, and she slept by the hearth for warmth.  By any other name, she was a slave. Thank heaven for that ball!

Jean Robert Cadet didn’t have it quite so lucky.  No fairy godmother, no fabulous ball at the palace, and no glass slipper that fit only him.  His mother died before he turned four and he was given as a “domestic gift” to his father’s mistress. From then on, he labored; assigned the most menial, distasteful of tasks and given crumbs for food.  Rest was found at the end of each arduous day under the kitchen table.  The physical and mental abuses he endured were unspeakable.  Eventually, at the age of 16, he and the woman to whom he was “given” moved to the States.  Shortly thereafter, she threw him out.

As are an estimated 300,000 child slaves in Haiti today, Jean Robert was a victim of the restavek system.  Restavek is

The Jean Robert Cadet Restavek Organization is working hard to keep families intact and enable little sisters to walk hand-in-hand with their big brothers home from school.

a seemingly innocuous Kreyol term meaning literally, “to stay with” but in reality representing a harsh childhood of servitude and it is, unfortunately, woven into the fabric of Haitian poverty. Children born into families who have no way to care for them are not uncommonly “given” or even sold to families of greater means.  The handshake agreement is that the child will be fed, clothed, and schooled in return for “some” extra help around the house.  In function, it rarely turns out that way; the children are exploited, often grossly, by the receiving family.

The “magic” occurred for Jean Robert when a social worker found him sleeping in a laundry mat. She got him enrolled in school, from which he graduated in 1972.  He enlisted in the Marine Corps, and following his discharge, attended college and became a high school French teacher.  Today, he is the head of the Jean Robert Cadet Restavek Organization, working tirelessly as an abolitionist, not only advocating for cultural change, but also assisting restavek children by giving them clothing, decent food, clean water, and providing for their education.  Collaborating with universities in the US, he has developed a kindergarten curriculum that is in place in Haitian schools which teaches children – all children – of their worth as human beings.  The material for the students is presented in discussion, stories, and music to convey its vital message. (To read more about Jean Robert Cadet and his work, click here:  http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/09/08/haiti-anti-slavery-foundation/2782649/ )

For today’s restavek children of Haiti, their “fairy godmother” comes as a middle-aged male, wearing a baseball cap and blue jeans.  He fully understands the gravity of their plight, and though he has no wand to wave, his dedicated efforts as their tireless advocate could well be their salvation.

Port-au-Prince: The Chill Factor

August 30, 2013

Imagine this as Surprised Angel on silver skates, executing a perfect triple lutz,

Usually, when I write a story for Beyond Borders, I try to tie it into the art that we carry.  And usually, this is not a problem; our metal sculptures range greatly in theme and design and I can always find something to fit.  In fact, it is not unusual for me to I start with the  sculpture and build a story around it. However, this time is different, and I’m going to beg your forbearance and ask you to use your imagination as you ponder the attendant photos because the story is at once so absurd and intriguing that I can’t NOT write about it.  The story is about ice skating in Haiti.

The idea for bringing a professional ice skating performance to Port-au-Prince began when Haiti’s tourism minister, Stephanie Villedrouin, met Francois Yrius of Super Canal Prod, a Guadeloupe-based exhibition company at a music festival last year. Using what must have required nearly every persuasive technique in her arsenal, Villedrouin convinced Yrius to put aside his reservations and produce an international ice show spectacular.

It may come as no surprise that there were a few setbacks along the way, starting with Hurricane Sandy and the subsequent state of emergency that was declared last November, when the show was in its formative stage.  In fact, the opening had been cancelled more than a dozen times for various reasons, many having to do with the difficulty of keeping the ice frozen. At first, Yrius tried to hold the event outdoors, but organizers finally surrendered to the heat and moved into a gym. Now that the heat of the long tropical summer has set in, the electricity to run the generator that keeps the ice solid costs a whopping $1,600 an hour. It might give one pause to contemplate such expenditure in a country so monumentally afflicted by poverty, but the ice was made, the Haitians were skating on it, and the tickets had been printed, so one is left merely to shake one’s head in wonderment.

If you close your eyes and concentrate, she becomes Child Angel with Stars on Ice.

At long last, the show finally, FINALLY did open on Monday of this week.  The skaters, including Fernand Fedronic of France, and Shawn Sawyer of Canada, performed to a light, but enthusiastic crowd.  The costumes were elegant, the torch routine was anything but, and Sawyer’s backflip was fearless and flawless. (Watch the highlight video here: http://www.haitianinternet.com/articles/newsletter/video-haiti-on-ice-it-is-finally-happening.html ) Is ice skating destined to become Haiti’s next national obsession? Well, let’s just say, it might be a slow go.  They did, at long last, get the ice to freeze.  That was a start.

Contributed by Linda for Beyond Borders/It’s Cactus

The Art of Michee Remy Lives On

August 23, 2013

Angels by Michee Remy

Two years ago, one of the most highly acclaimed active metal sculptors in Haiti died at the age of 41.  Michee Ramil Remy began his artistic career at the age of 14 in the workshop of his stepfather, master craftsman Gabriel Bien-Aime.  Over the next 28 years, he honed a distinctive style and level of expertise that generated international awards and accolades. From the first invitation to participate in the Haitian National Arts Exhibition in 1993 to attending the Smithsonian Folk Life Festival as a guest artist the following year, Michee’s talent became widely recognized.  He was on the radar; busy and with an ever-growing demand for his work.

His association with Beyond Borders extends back to the mid-nineties.  For fifteen years, we purchased and carried Michee’s work consistently, though almost always as one-of-a kinds. Throughout that time, he collaborated with Beyond Borders on only two catalogue pieces, preferring instead to produce single pieces of his art.  It was a decision that founder Casey Riddell to this day acknowledges was for the best.  “Some artists should never go into production.  Their work is pure. It is uniquely their own and should stay that way.  Michee is one of those artists.”

Fast-forward to 2009:  Michee’s participation in the International Folk Art Market in Santa Fe attracted the attention of the Clinton

At Michee’s workshop in Croix-des-Bouquets

Global Initiative.  He, along with Serge Jolimeau, another Haitian metal artist of distinction and Toyin Folorunso, a skilled metal artist from Nigeria, were commissioned to create sculptural awards for the Clinton Global Initiative’s Global Citizen honorees. Said Robert S. Harrison,  Chief Executive officer of the CGI, “These men are not only talented artists, but they have become leading social entrepreneurs – creating jobs, invigorating the art community and training new generations of artists to pass along their traditions.” This selection brought further opportunity, in the form of a joint exhibition for Michee and Serge, originating at the North Miami Museum of Art and travelling on to the Clinton Presidential Library, where it was featured for several weeks.

In March of 2011, it all came to an abrupt end.  Michee had battled numerous health issues for years; it was a battle he was not to win. Beyond Borders is both proud and fortunate to carry many of his remaining works.  In them, the memory and creative genius of Michee Ramil Remy live on.

Contributed by Linda for Beyond Borders/It’s Cactus