10 chapters. – A textbook prepared for high school level, for native speakers who want to master writing in standard Creole, and for learners of Haitian Creole (intermediate & advance level) with questions on each chapter, and a Creole – English glossary. --- Sezon sechrès Ayiti, is a searing look at the life of Haitian peasants in the late 20th century.  It’s a novel that had to be written where the Haitian peasant has been a hidden phantom waiting to rise again in human worth in his own country. --- We don’t really find works of fiction like Sezon sechrès Ayiti in Haitian literature.  The novel addresses a very important reality of the peasants. Since very early in the twentieth century, many of them had to leave the provinces in search of a better life in the country’s capital and abroad. For instance, a large contingent would go to Cuba, during the sugar cane seasons. Later, they would stay closer geographically and select the Dominican Republic to do this kind of work.  There is another group who travels by kànntè boats, a risky trip, to be dropped off on other islands or in Miami. The novel tries to capture these situations and the emotions and politics behind them. However, it must be noted that many of the problems then that confronted the peasants still exist today for them.  In some cases, the challenges are worse. Life has always been difficult for them. There is no solution yet; the situation is worsening... --- With the deforestation problem everywhere in the country to make charcoal, drought and erosion have been heavily damaging mountain tops. Peasants lost the raising of creole pigs under foreign pressure to destroy them. Many of these people are still unemployed because of the lack of finding great technical assistance, and tools to help them work their parcels of land. – And then the question of irrigation, a problem that the peasants have been facing.  There has been water being wasted in many places in the country nonetheless they are not being channeled to help peasants. This causes flooding to the point of devastation; for example: flooding carries away the rich top soil, animals, gardens, people and all it can find. --- Technology exists also in order to develop irrigation in our mountains to plant and harvest in great quantity; that way, hunger and necessity would not force them to be humiliated abroad... --- The book takes a look at the zenglendo phenomenon that appeared after the fall of Duvalier (February 1986), an insecurity issue of armed thieves panicking everywhere in the country. Sezon sechrès Ayiti represents the existential along with social and political challenges that have faced the Haitian peasants then and now.  A reflective but realistic portrait of Haiti that will get the serious questions on its future agenda again …

[Notes & Data for research:  Black studies; Cultural anthropology; Caribbean literature; Haitian creole lexicon; Haitian education; Haitian environment; Haitian history; Haitian immigration in the Dominican Republic; Haitian language; Haitian literature; Haitian migration; Haitian novel in Creole; Haitian politics; Kreyol; Research on Haitian Creole and Creole linguistics; Teaching materials in Creole for high school level; Teaching materials for intermediate and advanced learners of Haitian Creole; Translation (Haitian Creole – English)]

                                                            Other books by E. W. Védrine (written, co-edited)

Dictionary of Haitian Creole Verbs with phrases and idioms (1992); Un stylo international (poetry, 1993); Di yon vèb tire yon kont (riddles, 1994); Ide pou kreye yon ‘high school’ ayisyen prive nan Boston (debate, 1994); Materyèl Edikatif pou Bileng Ayisyen (essay, short stories, poetry, 1994); Poetry in Haitian Creole (1994); Ti istwa kreyòl: Short stories in Haitian Creole (1994); Yon koudèy sou pwoblèm lekòl Ayiti (essay, 1994); Koze lanmou (pwezi: poetry, Vol. 1, 1995; Vol. II, 2009); Petit lexique du créole haïtien (1995); 23 Poèmes en français et en haïtien (poetry, 1995); Dis powèm sou lanati (poetry, 1996); 100 Kesyon ak repons pou Ekzamen Sitwayènte Amerikèn (civics, 1998); An annotated Bibliography On Haitian Creole: a review of publications from colonial times to 2000 (2003); A bibliography of theses and dissertations related to the Dominican Republic (co-edited, 2005); Premye etap avèk yon òdinatè (co-edited, 2007); Haitian Creole – English Dictionary (Indiana University, co-edited, 2007); Kreyòl without toil: an introduction to Haitian Creole (2010)… and over 70 articles focusing on Haiti and on Haitian Creole.

 Viré monté