When most of us think of 'Voodoo' we think of powerful evil spells often portrayed by rag dolls being pierced by pins.
In fact, we are told by experts that Voodoo in practice consists of more good than evil.
Voodoo is described as a black religious cult practiced in the Caribbean and Southern US and brought to the West by those unfortunates caught up in the Slave Trade of the 1700s and 1800s.
I was surprised to find that one can purchase Voodoo spells on-line...again, mostly good ones such as those seeking happiness and good health.
The centre of Voodoo has always been Haiti... population slightly under 11 million and sharer of a Caribbean Island with the equally populated Dominican Republic. In Haiti the spelling of 'Voodoo' is Vodou.
In fact, we are told by experts that Voodoo in practice consists of more good than evil.
Voodoo is described as a black religious cult practiced in the Caribbean and Southern US and brought to the West by those unfortunates caught up in the Slave Trade of the 1700s and 1800s.
I was surprised to find that one can purchase Voodoo spells on-line...again, mostly good ones such as those seeking happiness and good health.
The centre of Voodoo has always been Haiti... population slightly under 11 million and sharer of a Caribbean Island with the equally populated Dominican Republic. In Haiti the spelling of 'Voodoo' is Vodou.
Even if Voodoo or Vodou is a practice consisting of more good than bad - the Island Nation of Haiti has most certainly been Majorly Cursed.
Since discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492, Haitians have suffered death and destruction on an unimaginable scale, it has gone from occupation to occupation, one revolution to another, one failed presidency to the next culminating more recently - 2010 - in a massive Earthquake that took the lives of upwards of 250,000 poor souls.
Most recently we have seen as many as a thousand more Haitians die at the hands of number 5 of 5 strength hurricane Matthew.
While citizens on the mainland were warned to flee the Atlantic coast and go inland - no such warnings went to the poor folks in Haiti...they had no-where to go and since the Earthquake, have been living in tents and paper shacks. No protection whatsoever against the 240 mile an hour winds of Matthew.
'So okay Galagher, Haiti is cursed - call it Voudo or whatever, what is your point?'
My point is - and I have made it in a past Blog but given recent events it is well worth repeating - how can we in the Americas - especially us in North America - look ourselves in the mirror knowing that a close neighbour is living in such dreaded conditions. More to the point, how can we expect to make a positive contribution to the world at large if we are helpless in the face of a small nation on our doorstep living in hell?
In my earlier blog, I set-out what needs to be done so I will not fully repeat myself in that but I will remind everyone of the failure of two personages who could have made a difference - but didn't...- America's own Bill Clinton and Canada's Michaelle Jean.
First Michaelle. Plucked from the obscurity of French Canadian broadcaster Radio-Canada she was appointed Governor General Canada - arguably the least qualified person to ever assume that role. When her term ended in 2010 she was appointed United Nations Special Envoy for Haiti.
I viewed the latter appointment as being quite appropriate since Jean had immigrated to Canada from Haiti in 1968. She would therefore be expected to have an innate loyalty to her country of birth and the contacts she made during the 5 or 6 years as Governor General of Canada would no doubt be invaluable to her as she set about helping her former countrymen.
The fact that she remained based in Canada was somewhat puzzling but I chalked that up to the fact that she might be better positioned to work from there rather from the earthquake torn Haiti. If you don't need to get your boots muddy - why bother.
Anyway her term a Special Envoy was for 4 years but hardly a year in - she up and quit to take the position of Chancellor at Ottawa University.
So much for her commitment to help her former countrymen.
I could not nor do I believe you would be able live with that on your conscience.
But our next personage an even a bigger failure than was Jean...is no other than Bill Clinton.
I say that because compared to Clinton - Jean is very much small potatoes. Bill Clinton on the other-hand is likely the most connected person throughout the world. The Washington Post reported in 2014 that the Foundation he founded in 1997 had during that period raised in excess of $2 Billion Dollars. Money and Influence just seems to attract to that guy.
So when he too was appointed a UN Special Envoy to Haiti in 2009 - it was accompanied by great fanfare. When the massive Earthquake struck a mere year later - again the media was awash in stories that thankfully Clinton was on the scene and would make a big difference to the ongoing lives of Haitians.
My review of the Internet shows that Clinton's term as Special Envoy was a bust. And recent reports from Haiti in the face of Hurricane Matthew confirm this.
I am not for a moment criticizing either Bill Clinton nor Michaelle Jean for failing to make a difference - in fact it is doubtful any one person or even a large group of people could make a difference inn such a backward State as Haiti. But I am disappointed at their apparent lack of commitment.
Why didn't they 'jump up and down' and demand that North America - through the United Nations ..Or Not - get peacekeeping troops on the streets of Haiti to bring about law and order and keep those troops there for however long it takes - that is to say, at least 20 years or more to allow for an educated class of Haitians to takeover?
Our own Government is currently on the lookout for peacekeeping opportunities in far away Africa which almost by definition would be guaranteed to fail. Why not look under their very noses and bring about peace and prosperity in Haiti which is not only doable but long overdue.
As I see it...
'K.D. Galagher'
First Michaelle. Plucked from the obscurity of French Canadian broadcaster Radio-Canada she was appointed Governor General Canada - arguably the least qualified person to ever assume that role. When her term ended in 2010 she was appointed United Nations Special Envoy for Haiti.
I viewed the latter appointment as being quite appropriate since Jean had immigrated to Canada from Haiti in 1968. She would therefore be expected to have an innate loyalty to her country of birth and the contacts she made during the 5 or 6 years as Governor General of Canada would no doubt be invaluable to her as she set about helping her former countrymen.
The fact that she remained based in Canada was somewhat puzzling but I chalked that up to the fact that she might be better positioned to work from there rather from the earthquake torn Haiti. If you don't need to get your boots muddy - why bother.
Anyway her term a Special Envoy was for 4 years but hardly a year in - she up and quit to take the position of Chancellor at Ottawa University.
So much for her commitment to help her former countrymen.
I could not nor do I believe you would be able live with that on your conscience.
But our next personage an even a bigger failure than was Jean...is no other than Bill Clinton.
I say that because compared to Clinton - Jean is very much small potatoes. Bill Clinton on the other-hand is likely the most connected person throughout the world. The Washington Post reported in 2014 that the Foundation he founded in 1997 had during that period raised in excess of $2 Billion Dollars. Money and Influence just seems to attract to that guy.
So when he too was appointed a UN Special Envoy to Haiti in 2009 - it was accompanied by great fanfare. When the massive Earthquake struck a mere year later - again the media was awash in stories that thankfully Clinton was on the scene and would make a big difference to the ongoing lives of Haitians.
My review of the Internet shows that Clinton's term as Special Envoy was a bust. And recent reports from Haiti in the face of Hurricane Matthew confirm this.
I am not for a moment criticizing either Bill Clinton nor Michaelle Jean for failing to make a difference - in fact it is doubtful any one person or even a large group of people could make a difference inn such a backward State as Haiti. But I am disappointed at their apparent lack of commitment.
Why didn't they 'jump up and down' and demand that North America - through the United Nations ..Or Not - get peacekeeping troops on the streets of Haiti to bring about law and order and keep those troops there for however long it takes - that is to say, at least 20 years or more to allow for an educated class of Haitians to takeover?
Our own Government is currently on the lookout for peacekeeping opportunities in far away Africa which almost by definition would be guaranteed to fail. Why not look under their very noses and bring about peace and prosperity in Haiti which is not only doable but long overdue.
As I see it...
'K.D. Galagher'
