Èske se kreyòl la k ap maltrete fanm ayisyèn
oubyen kèk Ayisyen k ap maltrete yo? E. W. VEDRINE |
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«Èske kreyòl apral kontinye maltrete fanm yo?» se tit yon atik Masyana Loko ekri e ki te parèt nan jounal Ayiti Fanm (Vol. 6 #23, sektanm 1996). Imedyatman mwen te fin li atik sa a, mwen wè l te nesesè pou m te fè kèk rektifikasyon pou lektè ki ka mal entèprete lang kreyòl la nan fason otè a ekri. Li kòmanse atik la konsa:
Depi nan fraz sa a, ‘men kreyòl la pa respekte fanm yo', otè a kreye yon pwoblèm kote kèk lektè kapab entèprete l tankou se blame l ap blame lang nan. Pi devan, nou pral jwenn kèk «kontradiksyon» otè a prezante kote l pral kòmanse pale de kote pozitif yo: «Nou jwenn fanm direktris, sekretè k ap ekri kreyòl nan administrasyon, òganizasyon yo. Nou jwenn fanm jounalis k ap ekri nan Ayiti Fanm, nan jounal Fanm Ouvriyèz, nan lòt ankò, nou jwenn fanm k ap pibliye liv pwezi. Anpil fanm ap feraye nan tout radyo. Gen lòt k ap fè alfabetizasyon oswa lekòl toulejou. Fanm yo sèvi avèk lang lan pou chanje sosyete a, y ap di bagay serye avèk kreyòl la». Donk la a, li klè nan sitiyasyon sa a pou wè itilizasyon lang kreyòl la (kote pozitif y ap sèvi avè l). Men si n kontinye, n ap wè Loko pral kritike lang nan, blame l oubyen minimize l (jan kèk kritik ka entèprete sa ): «yon lang vyolan ak fanm yo», «yon lang ki bay dwa kraze fanm». Dabò lang se yon mwayen pou kominike, e lang kreyòl la se lang natifnatal tout Ayisyen. Sètadi se ladan l Ayisyen pi alèz pou fè yon mesaj pase. Menm doktè Jean Metellus, youn nan potorik ekriven nan literati ayisyèn, k ap viv depi prèske 40 lane nan peyi Lafrans, ki pran anpil pri literè e ki yon gwo chabrak tou nan syans medikal fè deklarasyon sa a:
Donk, lang nan ka konsidere kòm yon machin, men sa depan de chofè k ap kondi l la; si l se yon bon chofè oubyen yon tètmato. Si se yon bon chofè, l ap fè tout posib li pou evite aksidan, fè vye kout volan pou l pa tonbe nan twou oswa nan falèz. Sa vle di, lang (an jeneral) pa gen anyen dwòl avè l men sa depan kouman y ap itilize l. Loko kontinye:
La a ankò, Loko kontinye ap blame lang kreyòl la ki inosan olye li analize pwoblèm «edikasyon» nan sosyete ayisyèn nan. Kisa m vle di pa «edikasyon»? La a, mwen p ap pale de moun ki pa konn li ak ekri byenke sa fè pati «pwoblèm edikasyon Ayiti», men se plis konpòtman yon seri moun nan sosyete a. Gen moun ki pase sou ban lekòl, ki dekwoke diplòm apre diplòm poutan, yo pa edike pou sa nan fason yo aji ak lòt moun oubyen jan y ap mennen bak yo nan sosyete a. Pakont, nou kapab jwenn malere, malerèz ki pa konn bekounaba nan fèy malanga men ki edike nan fason yo pale, aji ak lòt moun oubyen atravè sajès yo montre. Anpil fwa, moun ki te gen chans pase lekòl an(n) Ayiti santi l pa kanmarad sa ki pa t gen chans pase lekòl la, ki pa t rive lwen lekòl oubyen ki pa pale fransè. Nan sosyete ayisyèn nan, gen anpil negativite ladan l e sa ki pi rèd la, se moun ki te gen chans ale lekòl la ki fè plis tenten. Lè w ap pale ak yon peyizan (sitou si l apèsi ou «eklere», oubyen ou sot «lavil»), li retire chapo l pou l salye w, li pale avèk yon sajès, yon dousè tandiske se raman pou yon moun «lavil» aji konsa. Kritik negatif Masyana Loko a sou lang kreyòl nan atik li a, «Èske kreyòl la apral kontinye maltrete fanm yo?», gen yon «enfliyans kolonyal». Donk, fò n trè pridan lè n ap ekri, lè n ap fè kèk kritik pou n pa enfliyanse oubyen pou kouran kolonyal la pa bwote nou. Dabò, se te toujou kolon yo ki montre esklav yo tout sa k apateni a yo enferyè (pa ekz., lang ak kilti yo). Boujwazi ayisyèn nan, yon boujwazi restavèk, ti sousou, sankoutya, manfouben vin agrave bagay yo kote yo montre w tout sa ki bon fòk se Ewòp pou l soti. Nou viktim deja nan sans sa a, nan sa sèten Ayisyen ap ekri nan liv, sa moun ap ekri sou Ayiti, liv n ap sèvi lekòl ki pa gen reyalite ayisyèn. Enpòtan an, sèke fò n vin pran konsyans kilès nou ye, kikote nou soti oubyen fò n ta fè yon kout pye annaryè pou reyanalize filozofi «Mouvman Endijenis» lan, sa sèten ekriven, etnològ tèlke Jacques Roumain, Dtè. Jean Price-Mars elatriye… t ap eseye fè pandan «Premye Okipasyon Amerikèn lan» nan kad «dekolonizasyon» atravè ekri yo. Nan twazyèm pati atik Loko a, li voye je l nan yon diksyonè kreyòl pou l wè sa yo di sou «fanm» kote l di:
La a ankò, mwen kwè gen kèk ti rektifikasyon ki dwe fèt. «Bèl fanm, bèl malè» se jis yon pwovèb. Pwovèb yo se pa kreye yon moun oubyen kèk moun ki kreye yo. Nou jis leve jwenn yo. Se sa k fè yo rele yo tou «pawòl granmoun». Yo pa gen otè, men yo evolye nan fason yon sosyete ap evolye. Genyen ki parèt tou o nivo entènasyonal; pa egzanp, genyen ki soti nan lang laten, ki pase nan lòt lang epi yo tou rete la men gen pwovèb ki egziste sèlman nan yon kilti done. Se vre nan lang kreyòl la gen kèk pwovèb ki ta parèt negatif sou fanm oubyen gason tèlke:
Men, an reyalite se kolon yo ki devlope yon seri bagay negatif ki pase de jenerasyon an jenerasyon nan kilti ayisyèn nan pase lè w ap gade pa ekzanp peyizan ayisyen yo k ap travay ansanm nan kòve (konbit), eskwad, bout kadè kote youn ap ede lòt, sa montre w depi nan Ginen nèg te renmen nèg, nèg te konn travay ansanm. Sa montre tou ide «kolektivite» peyizan nou yo eritye nan zansèt afriken yo lè n analize kilti yo. Men fò n pa bliye tou si nou menm Ayisyen, nou youn rayi lòt jodiya, nou pa ka travay ansanm, nou pa eseye ede yon lòt ki nan bezwen se nan malatyong kolon yo nou pran. Se yo menm menm ki te simen semans divizyon an pami esklav ki t ap bourike Sendomeng yo nan avantay peyi Lewòp. Lè sa a si kèk esklav, yon fanmi esklav ta pale menm lang enben kolon an ta separe yo, voye y al bourike sou lòt bitasyon, vann yo ak lòt kolon, yon fason pou ta koupe tout kontak lengwistik antre yo. Ide «divizyon» an klè la a: yon filozofi «divize pou reye» e se pa t esklav yo ki te kreye l. Kolon yo te fè sa paske yo te gentan prevwa sa esklav yo te ka fè si yo ini, konplo yo te ka monte sou do yo si yo ka pale menm lang. Prèv la klè kou jou nan revòl esklav yo ki tounen yon siksè e ki abouti a «18 Novanm 1803 e Premye Janvye 1804». Kòm pwovèb la di, ou pa konn kote dlo soti li antre nan bwa joumou. La a, fò n apresye lang kreyòl la, yon lang revòl (pou nou menm «vrè Ayisyen»), yon lang liberasyon (liberasyon Desalin ban nou gratis ti cheri), yon lang natifnatal Ayiti Toma. Fò nou renmen lang sa a menm jan ak yon boubout nou damou pou li, tanzantan nou santi n ta miyonnen l. Nan sans sa a, fò n trè pridan lè n ap pale de lang kreyòl la, lè n ap itilize l pou eseye dechouke «aspè negatif» nan sosyete ayisyèn nan, lè n ap analize sous yo ki gen yon enfliyans kolonyal trè fò. Loko kontinye kout plim li sou lang kreyòl la pou l di:
Men kalifikatif sa yo se kèk moun ki itilize yo. Sa pa vle di pou otan se tout gason ki itilize yo kont fanm. Oubyen nou kapab di «ti pwason suiv kouran» paske gen fanm ayisyèn ki imite gason ayisyen (pozitivman ou negativman). Men fò n pa blame lang kreyòl la. Se yon timoun inosan li ye. Se sa k pa bon nan sosyete ayisyèn nan menm pou n denonse, kritike tout aspè negatif li pou n rive pote yon chanjman. Moun joure nan tout lang e se nan lang matènèl la yon moun esprime l pi byen lè kòlè l monte l kit li te Ayisyen, Fransè, Meriken, Espayòl…
Mango Dyesifò di:
Donk se pa yon kesyon kèk gason ayisyen itilize lang kreyòl la pou joure fanm oubyen lang fransè a pou file fanm pase gen fanm ayisyèn ki atann ou fè jakopyevèt dèyè yo an fransè. Si w pa file yo an fransè, ou mèt tou bat dèyè w ou mache. Yo ka menm ba w etikèt «gwo soulye» menm kan w ka trè enstwi. Donk kèk gason ayisyen tou pran woulib sou sa paske yo konn reyalite kilti a. Men verite se lwil l ap toujou rete sou dlo. Lè bonjan lanmou gaye, lanmou ki rele lanmou, lanmou ki pa ret ak lanmou, lanmou o pliryèl, ki lang ou panse ki parèt tèt li? Kreyòl, evidamman! Ki bonjan Ayisyen, Ayisyèn ki pral di w:
Non! Sa pa gen okenn sans nan lang Voltè a pou yon Ayisyen. Donk se pito yon kesyon ki lang ki parèt tèt li pi vit e nan ki sikonstans. Kreyòl la pa yon «lang ki vyolan ak fanm», ni «yon lang ki ba gason dwa kraze fanm». Si n ale pi lwen nan atik Loko a, n ap wè endirèkteman li vle pale de yon pwoblèm «kominikasyon» (plis ant fanm ak fason). Pwoblèm sa a se yon bagay grav kay yon seri moun nan sosyete ayisyèn nan an(n) Ayiti kou nan dyaspora a kèlkeswa klas sosyal yo. Koze «vyolans» lan, lè y ap pale de li, anpil moun sanble yo ta plis panche kote kèk gason ayisyen ap bat fanm, yo ta plis wè se koutpwen men, fò n analize l tou atravè «langaj» e lè n ap pale de langaj, se pa si se kreyòl, anglè oubyen fransè n ap itilize men se kisa k ap soti nan konvèsasyon an, kijan gason osnon fanm ap esprime mekontantman l. Anpil fwa, lè youn kòmanse joure, lòt la pa kalma (kò) l e si se yon gason men lejè, ki san respè pou fanm, premye bagay li wè pou l fè se ta leve men l sou li pou montre se kanson li pote (sitou nan peyi Ayiti kote kèk gason abize medam yo nan sans sa a paske pa gen lwa k ap pini yo tankou sa fèt nan peyi tèlke Etazini, Kanada elatriye… byenke gen kèk Ayisyen ki kontinye koze «vyolans» lan nan dyaspora a nan sans sa a e deja gen anpil ka ki anrejistre kote yo rive touye fi a tèlke nan Miyami, Nouyòk, Boston, Kanada ak lòt kote. «Faktè ekonomik lan» vin jwe yon wòl enpòtan nan koze a ni an(n) Ayiti ni nan dyaspora a. Pwoblèm nan parèt pi grav pou fanm Ayiti kote yo bije kouche ak patwon an (anpil fwa) swa pou jwenn yon ti dyòb oubyen pou asire pozisyon l. La a, se pa yon kesyon «bouzentri» pou ta blame fi a tèlke se yon vis oubyen pou satisfè dezi l. Anpil fanm Ayiti (swa yo marye, plase, yo yon manzè, yon nèg ap ba yo de kou) sou kont yon nèg (k ap travay, ki gen yon biznis, yon woulman kèlkonk). Nèg sa a konn reyalize lefètke se li k ap ede oubyen okipe fanm sa a, li ka fè sa l vle ak li: bat li, manke l dega pou ti krik ti krak. Nan ka sa a, «vyolans» lan konn vin agrave kote yon seri gason konn gade fi a kòm «objè seksyèl». Nèg la konn kontinye ap abize l e manmzèl bloke nan yon enpas ekonomik kote si l ta reyaji, nèg sa a ta ka pa soutni l ankò oubyen l foukan chimen. Tras pwoblèm sa a reparèt nan dyaspora a (pami kèk gason) lè se yo k ap travay, lè se yo k ap peye lwaye ak lòt fakti nan kay la epi si se yo ki bay dam nan rezidans menm, bliye sa ! Pou trè presi, mwen di «kèk gason»; se pa tout gason ki fè l men pa bliye lè Ayisyen janbe lanmè, li pote kilti l avè l tou (aspè pozitif e negatif). Pafwa tou, pa mank «edikasyon» (ki pa vle di moun nan pa t pase lekòl pou otan), swa fi a oubyen nèg la wè se tèl jan pou l esprime mekontantman l. Lè toulede an kòlè, sa vin tounen «gaz» ak «dife» nan fwaye a ki eksite «vyolans» sou tout fòm. Nan katriyèm pati atik Loko a, se la li pral antre nan nannan «kontradiksyon» an ki parèt nan esè li a kote l sanble li ta vle retire chay la sou do lang kreyòl la lè l di:
Se la a li pral montre lang kreyòl la kòm yon «zouti» oubyen nou kapab di yon «medyòm». Loko ap pale: «Lang kreyòl la son w zouti li ye pou moun kominike. Kreyòl la pa responsab betiz l ap di sou fanm». Men la a ankò, li te sipoze di «betiz k ap di sou fanm», yon fason pou kenbe «inosans» lang nan. Nan pati sa a, li vize mesye yo ki toujou gen pouvwa, k ap dirije, k ap ekri, k ap pran lapawòl, k ap fè diskou, k ap di sa yo pito, ki fè lang nan di sa yo vle men dapre Loko, fanm feminis anndan Mouvman Fanm di bagay yo p ap ka fèt konsa, fòk fanm yo di pwòp pawòl fanm yo. Men Loko kontinye blame lang kreyòl la (endirèkteman) olye li konsantre l sou kijan sèten moun nan sosyete a itilize l kote l di:
La a ankò, nou pa ka rann lang kreyòl la responsab jan Loko prezante l nan tèks li a. Ofiamezi, yon lang ap devlope, mo ap pran lòt sans, nouvo mo ap antre nan lang nan. Pafwa sa fèt nan yon moman done, pandan yon evennman presi. Gen mo ki devlope apati yon chante popilè, kèk chan kanaval ki an vòg.... Pa egzanp, si n ap gade mo ak fraz sa yo:
Lè n gade nouvo tèm sa yo ak estansyon yo pran nan ane 80, 90 yo, sa montre yon fenomèn lengwistik, tout yon evolisyon nou menm Ayisyen ki pale lang kreyòl la kòm natifnatal pa gen kontwòl sou sa. (Emmanuel W. Védrine, Yon koudèy sou pwoblèm lekòl Ayiti, pp. 32). Menm jan vèb sa yo vle di menm bagay la, se konsa tou sa egziste nan nenpòt lòt lang. Se plis yon kesyon vilgarite1 ak efemis2. Men toujou gen fason moun itilize lang nan: ki tip «langaj» ki itilize nan kèk sitiyasyon, kikote, ak kiyès, poukisa? Si n ta feyte yon diksyonè ago3 fransè pou n ta chèche sinonim pou «koupe» oswa «plimen», nou ta jwenn yon bann ak yon pakèt. Nou ta met de men nan tèt tèlman nou ta sezi. Nan itilizasyon yon langaj ak «souplès», efemis la jwe yon wòl enpòtan pou «netralize» sèten mo kèk moun ta konsidere vilgè. Men pa bliye tou, menm yon seri mo kèk moun ta konsidere vilgè, fè pati leksik4 lang nan. Byenke kèk nan vèb sa yo (kraze, frape, koupe, taye, plimen, konyen, deboundare ) ta parèt vilgè (pou sèten moun), nou pa ka di fò n retire yo nan lang kreyòl la oubyen pou n ta bay lang kreyòl la yon mestin pigatif. Ankò, sa depan kiyès k ap pale ak kiyès e kikote. Lang kreyòl la, kòm anpil chèrchè ayisyen dakò sou sa, pa parèt yon «lang seksis» jan Masyana Loko wè l la, men mo seksis la nan atik li a gen lè gen yon lòt sans pou otè a. Sanble li ta wè l atravè yon seri mo ki an rapò ak «sèks» olye yon «dominans lengwistik» ki kapab alafwa «sikolojik». Si l ta wè l konsa, se pa sa (san pou san) paske nan tout lang w ap jwenn mo ki gen rapò ak sèks men sa ki enpòtan, se analize fason moun itilize lang nan: èske nan tout sikonstans «gwo mo», «mo sal», «betiz» ap soti pou esprime «mekontantman», «vyolans», «manke dega»? Lang kreyòl la gen «egalite» ladan l kote n pa ka di tankou Fransè yo: «Le masculin emporte sur le féminin» e sa gen yon «enpak sikolojik» si n ap antre nan analiz apwofondi: ès ke se sèlman gramatikalman palan (nan lang fransè a oubyen nan kilti fransè a?). Lè n gade gramè fransè a, te mèt gen «99 fanm, yon sèl gason» se toujou «ils» (ki itilize kòm pwonon pèsonèl) tandiske lè w gade gramè kreyòl la, «li» mete gason ak fanm egalego, «yo» melanje toulede pou montre «inyon» ant sèks maskilen ak feminen an. Nan ka sa a, lang kreyòl la pa ka konsidere kòm «lang seksis». Fò n di tou gramè fransè a, lè mesye grameryen yo t ap kouche règ gramatikal yo sou papye, fanm pa t gen lavwa o chapit. Se jouk apre ou pral wè kèk fanm ki vin manm «Académie Française». Si n ap gade lang fransè a nan peyi Kanada (pwovens Kebèk), enben feminis yo mande pou ta gen kèk chanjman fèt nan gramè a paske yo wè lang fransè a parèt twò «seksis»... Mwen kwè l ta pi bon pou Loko analize sosyete ayisyèn nan kòm yon sosyete «seksis» (an palan de dominans yon sèks presi ), yon sosyete kote gason domine olye pou l ta rann lang kreyòl la koupab). Enpòtan nan atik li a, sèke l ap eseye montre kòman fanm yo viktim nan sosyete a nan yon kontèks lengwistik kote sèten gason pran woulib sou sa pou nouri «vyolans kont fanm» men, estil li chwazi pou l fè mesaj li a pase gen kontradiksyon ladan l kote yon bonjan kritik ap plis konsantre sou lang kreyòl la li ta rann responsab. Loko kontinye:
La a, li klè; nou ka wè bagay ki merite fèt nan sosyete a pou ka amelyore kondisyon yo, diskite sou pwoblèm sa a (atravè medya), kritike l, men fò n ale pi lwen toujou paske pwoblèm «vyolans» lan ka egziste atravè «langaj» k ap itilize a nan kèlkeswa peyi a: gran peyi, ti peyi, peyi rich oswa peyi pòv. La a ankò, nou ka fè yon kout volan pou retounen sou mo «edikasyon» an pou redefini l. «Èske nou ka wete nan vyolans kont fanm ki nan lang nan?», se yon dènye kesyon Loko poze kote l vin ak kèk repons ki montre kijan se depi nou leve nou wè yon konparezon ant fi ak gason. Finalman, Loko wè «edikasyon tradisyonèl Ayiti» trè «seksis»; li kontinye pou l pale kòman dirijan yo responsab tou pou pouse pyon chanjman an; pa ekzanp, li mete anfaz sou yon seri tèks ki ta parèt seksis, ki ta minimize fanm, ki ta dwe revize e korije avan menm yo pibliye epi finalman, Loko mete aksan sou siyati gouvèlman an nan «Platfòm Bejin» nan ki mande pou tabli yon «sosyete non seksis». Nòt:
(E. W. Védrine)
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Is it Creole that is mistreating some Haitian women or some Haitian men who are mistreating them? Emmanuel W. Védrine "Is it the Kreyòl language going to continue mistreating Haitian Women?". This is the title of an article by Masyana Loko that appeared in the newspaper Ayiti Fanm (Vol. 6, #23, Sept. 1996). Immediately after I finished reading this article, I saw it was necessary to do some clarifications for readers who may misinterpret the Kreyòl language in the way the author wrote it. She started the article this way:
From this phrase "but Kreyòl does not respect the women", the author creates a problem where some readers may interpret it like she was blaming the language. Further down, we are going to find some "contradictions" where the author is going to talk about the positive sides: "We find women who are directors, secretaries who are writing Kreyòl in administration, organizations. We find women journalists who are writing in the Ayiti Fanm, Fanm Ouvriyèz newspapers, as well as in other periodicals; we find women who are publishing poetry books. Many women who are working hard in all radio stations. There are others who are working in literacy programs or who are teaching daily. Women use the Kreyòl language to change the society; they are saying important things in Kreyòl. So here, it's clear in this situation to see the use of the Kreyòl language (the positive sides that they are using). But if we continue, we will see that Loko is going to criticize the language, blaming it or minimize it (the way some critics may interpret it): "a violent language with women", "A language that can give the right to mistreat women". First, language is a means to communicate, and the Kreyòl language is the native language of all Haitians. That is, it's in it Haitians feel more at ease to communicate a message. Even Dr. Jean Metellus, one of the greatest writers in Haitian literature (who writes in French) and also one in medical science who has been living in France for over 40 years, an individual who have received many literary prizes makes this statement:
So, language may be considered as a car but it depends on the driver driving it (whether he is a good or bad one). If he is a good driver, he will do his best to avoid accident, to avoid making all bad turns in order not to fall in holes or into any cliff. Language, in general has nothing wrong, but it depends on how people are using it. Loko continues:
Here again, Loko continues to blame the Kreyòl language that is innocent instead of analyzing the problem of "education" within the Haitian society. What do I mean by ‘education'? Here, I am not referring to people who don't know how to read and write though that is part of the "education problem in Haiti", but it's more about the behavior of a series of people in the society. There are people who have been to school, who have degrees after degrees whereas they are not educated for this reason the way in which they act with others or the way they are behaving in the society. On the contrary, one can find poor men and women who are illiterate but educated in the way they speak, in the way they act with others or through the wisdom that they show. Many times, people who had the chance to attend school in Haiti feel that they are better than those who did not have the chance attending school, those who did not get far in school or who don't speak French. In the Haitian society, there are many negativities and what is worse is that its people who had the chance to attend school who behave the worst. When you are talking to a peasant (specially if he notices that you are "educated", or you are from the urban areas, he would take his hat off to greet you, he would speaks with you with such a wisdom, a sweetness whereas it's would be rare for people from urban areas to behave in this way. The negative critics by Masyana Loko on the Kreyòl language in her article has a "colonial influence". So, we must be careful when writing, when doing some critics in order not to influence or to fall into the colonial trap (or to be careful so that the colonial current to carry us away). First, it's has always been the settlers who showed the slaves that all that is belonging to them is inferior (e.g., their language and culture). The Haitian bourgeoisie, a RESTAVÈK, TI SOUSOU one, a shameless one, one that is MANFOUBEN worsens things where they show that all that is good must come from Europe. We have been already victim in this sense, in what some Haitians are writing in books, in what people are writing on Haiti, books that are being used in schools that don't have the Haitian reality. The important thing is that we must become conscious of who we are, where we came from or we must go back in history to reanalyze the philosophy of the "Indigenous Movement", what some writers, ethnologists such as Jacques Roumain, Dr. Jean Price-Mars, etc... were trying to do during the "First American Occupation" in terms of "decolonization" through their writings. In the third part of Loko's article, she quickly takes a look at a Kreyòl dictionary to see what they say about "women" where she says:
Here again, I believe there are some clarifications that needs to made. "Bèl fanm, bèl malè" is just a proverb. The proverbs have not been invented by a person or some people. We have been hearing them since birth. That's why they are also called "pawòl granmoun" (old people's idioms). They don't have authors but they develop in the way the society is developed. Some of them also appear at an international level; for example, some of them came from Latin, they went through other languages and they remain there, but there are proverbs that exist only in a given culture. It's true in the Kreyòl language there are some proverbs that appear to be negative about women or men such as the followings:
But in reality, it's the settlers who developed a series of negative things that were passed on from generations to generations in the Haitian culture because when take for instance Haitian peasants who are working together in “konbit, eskwad, bout kadè” (collective work in the field) where one is helping another, this shows that since from Guinea people liked one another, people used to work together. That also shows the idea of "collectivity" that our peasants inherit from the African ancestors when analyzing their culture. But also we should not forget that if we Haitians hate one another today, if we can't work together, if we don't try to help another who is in need, we have been caught in the settler's trap. They are the one who have sowed the seeds of division among the slaves who were swat up in Saint-Domingue in the advantage of the European countries. At that time if some slaves, a slave family would speak the same language, the settlers would separate them, sending them to plod away on other plantations, sell them with other settlers, a way to cut off all linguistic contact among them. The idea of "division" is clear here: a "divide to conquer" philosophy and it was not the slaves who created it. The settlers did it because they've already foreseen what the slaves can do if they are united, plot they could put up against them if they could communicate in the same language. The proof is clear today in slave revolts that have become a success and that ended up in "November 18, 1803" and "January 1, 1804". As the saying says "ou pa konn kote dlo soti li antre nan bwa joumou" (miracles are hard to explain but they happen). Here, we must appreciate the Kreyòl language, a language of revolt (for us "real Haitians"), a language of liberation (Liberation that Dessalines gave us free of charge), a native language of Haiti. We must love this language the same way we love a sweetheart that we are in love with, from time to time we feel that we would cherish that love one. In this sense, we must be careful when talking about the Kreyòl language, when we are using it to try to get rid of "negative aspects" of the Haitian society, when we are analyzing the sources that have a very strong colonial influence. Loko continues to write on the Kreyòl language saying:
But these qualificatives are used by some people. It does not mean that all men use them against women. Or we can say "Ti pwason suiv kouran" (The small fish follows the current). But we must not blame the Kreyòl language. That's an innocent child. We are to denounce things that are not good in the Haitian society, critic all its negative aspects in order to bring a change. People express anger in all languages and it's in the native language a person expresses best himself when is in anger whether he is Haitian, French, American, Spanish...
Mango Dyesifò says:
So, it's not a question some Haitian men use the Kreyòl language to roar women or the French language to court women because there are Haitian women who expect you do JAKOPYEVÈT after them, speaking French. If you don't court them in French, you may just walk away. They can even give you the label "GWO SOULYE" () even when you may be a very educated person. So, some Haitian men who take free rides on that because they know the reality of the culture. But the truth is oil, it will always remain on the water's surface. When real love is taking place, real sweet love, real good sweet, love between two people, what language do you think will appear? Kreyòl, evidently! Which real Haitian man or woman is going to say "Oh, honey, I feel that I am going to come, I am coming... Hold me! Hold me!" (in French) in such a circumstance? No way! That would have no sense at all in Voltaire's language for a Haitian couple. So, it's rather a question of which language quickly appears first and in what circumstance. Kreyòl is not "a violent language with women" nor "a language that gives men the right to mistreat women". If we go further in Loko's article, we'll see indirectly that she wants to talk about a problem dealing with "communication" (more between women and men). This problem is something serious among some people in the Haitian society in Haiti as well in the Diaspora despite of their social class. When talking about the issue of "violence", many people seem to lean more where some Haitian men are beating women, where they would see more fistfight but we must also analyze through the use of (harsh) "language" and when we are talking about ‘language', it does not matter whether we are using Kreyòl, English or French, but rather what is coming from the conversation, how men or women are expressing their anger. Many times when one starts to roar, the other person does not calm down and if it is a man who likes to physically abuse women, who has no respect for women, the first thing he sees that he has to do is raising his hand on her to show that he wears pants (specially in Haiti where some men abuse the women in this sense because there are no laws punishing them as it is the case in countries such as the United States, Canada etc... though there are some Haitians who continue to cause "violence" in the Diaspora in this sense and there are already many registered cases where they killed the women in places like Miami, New York, Boston, Canada, etc. "The economic factor" comes to play an important role in the issue both in Haiti and in the Diaspora. The problem appears to be worse for women in Haiti where they are obliged to sleep with the boss (many times) either to find a job or to assure their position. Here, it's not a question of "prostitution as a career" in order to blame the women as if it were a vice or to satisfy their libido. Many women in Haiti (either married, lived with a man, have an affair with a married man, have a man somehow who's having sexual relations with them) are living on the account of a man (who is working, who has a business, a WOULMAN somehow). This man sometimes realizes that the fact he is the one who is helping or taking care of this woman, he can do whatever he wants with her: beat her and disrespect her for anything. In this case, "violence" can be worse where a series of men can look at women as "sexual objects". The man would continue abusing her and she would be blocked in an economic deadend where if she would react, this man may not continue helping her any longer or just drop her. The trace of this problem reappear in the Diaspora (among some men) when they are the one who are bringing home the bacon, when they are one who are paying the rent and other bills in the house and if they are the one who give the women her green (alien) card card, forget it! To be very precise, I say "some men"; it's not all who do it but don't forget that when a Haitian goes abroad he also takes his culture with him (the positive and negative aspects). Also, sometimes, by lack of "education" (which does not mean that the individual had to attend school), either the woman or the man sees that s/he has to express his/her anger. When both are angry, that turn out to be "gas" and "fire" in the house and that excites "violence" on all forms. In the forth part of Loko's article, that's where she is going to touch on the nucleus of the "contradiction" that appears in her article where it seems that she would remove the load from the Kreyòl language's shoulder when saying: "What causes it, who is responsible?". It's here she is going to show the Kreyòl language as a "tool" or we can say a "mediumu". Loko is talking:
But here again, she should have said "dirty words that are being said about women", a way to hold on to the language's "innocence". In this part, she focuses on the men who always have the power, who are leading, who are writing, who are to say a few words, who are making speech, who are saying whatever they want, that makes the languages says what they want but according to Loko, the feminist women inside the Women Movement say that things cannot go on like that, women must say their own words. But Loko continues to blame the Kreyòl language (indirectly) instead of concentrating on how some people in the society use it where she says:
Here again, we cannot make the Kreyòl language responsible the way Loko presents it in her text. Little by little, a languages develops, the words are having other meanings, new words are entering the language. Sometimes that takes place at one time. There are words that develop from a popular song, some carnival songs that were popular... For example, if we are looking at these words and phrases:
When looking at these new terms and the extinction they have in the 80's and 90's that shows a linguistic phenomenon, a whole evolution that we Haitians who speak Kreyòl as native speakers don't have any control over. (E. W. Védrine, Yon koudèy sou pwoblèm lekòl Ayiti, pp. 32 - English translation: E. W. Védrine). The same way these verbs mean the same thing, that also how it exists in any other language. It's more a question of vulgarism and euphemism. But there are always ways in which people use the language: what type of "language" that is being used in some situations, where, with whom, why? If we were to turn the pages of a French slang dictionary to look up synonyms for "to fuck", we would find quite a bunch. We would be stun at how many we'd find. In using a language with "softness", euphemism plays an important role to "neutralize" some words that some people would consider vulgar. But don't forget also, even a series of words that some people would consider vulgar are part of the language lexicon. Though some of these verbs (kraze, frape, koupe, taye, plimen, konyen, deboundare) would appear to be vulgar (to certain people, circle), we cannot say we must remove them from the Kreyòl language or to reduce the Kreyòl by banning their use). Again, it depends on who is talking to who and where. The Kreyòl language, as many Haitian researchers agree on it, does not appear to be a "sexist language" the way Masyana Loko sees it, but the word sexist in her article seems to have another meaning for the author. It seems that she would see through it a series of words relating to "sex" instead of a "linguistic dominance" that can be at the same time "psychological". If she would see it like so, it's not it (100%) because in all languages one will find words that are related to sex but what is important, is analyzing the way people use the language: will in any circumstance, "dirty words", "obscenities" come out in order to express "anger", "violence", "disrespect"? The Kreyòl language has "equality" in it where we cannot say like the French: "Le masculin emporte sur le feminen" and that has a "psychological impact" if we are getting into deep analysis: is it only grammatically speaking (in the French language or in the French culture)? When we look at the French grammar, even if there are "99 women, and a single man" it's always "ils" (masc. plural) that is always used as personal pronoun whereas when looking at the Kreyòl grammar, "li" makes men and women equal, "yo" (the plural form of 'ils') mix both in order to show "union" between the masculine and the feminine sex. In this case, the Kreyòl language cannot be considered as a "sexist language". I must say also that the French grammar, when grammarians were writing the grammatical rules, women did not have their say. It was until later one is going to see some women who became members of the French Academy. If we are looking at the French language in Canada (the province of Quebec ), well, the feminists ask that there be some changes done in the grammar because they see the French language as one that appears to be too "sexist"... I believe that it would be better for Loko to analyze the Haitian society as one that is "sexist" (in reference to the dominance of a particular sex), a society where men dominates instead of making the Kreyòl language guilty). The important thing in her article is that she is trying to show how women are victims in the society within a linguistic context where some men take a free ride on that in order to nourish "violence against women" but, the style she chooses to send that message has contradictions in it where any real critic would concentrate more on the Kreyòl language that she makes responsible. Loko continues:
Here, it's clear; we can see things that are needed to be done in the society in order to better the conditions discuss this problem (through the media), criticize it, but we must go further again because the problem of "violence" can exist through the "language" that is being used whatever the country: developed, underdeveloped, rich or poor countries. Here again, we can go back to the word "education" to redefine it. "Can we take away from the violence against women in the language?" is a last question that Loko raises where she comes up with some answers that show how since we've been a child we see a comparison between woman and man. Finally, Loko see "traditional education in Haiti" as something very "sexist"; she continues to talk about how the leaders are responsible also to make the necessary change; for example, she puts emphases on a series of texts that would appear "sexist", that would minimize women, that should have been revised and corrected before even publish them and finally, Loko puts emphasis on the government's signature in the "Beijing Platform" that requires the establishment of "non sexist society".
Emmanuel W. Védrine |
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