“Naissance d'une diaspora”, perspective on Haitian diaspora

“Naissance d’une diaspora” [t/n: “Birth of a diaspora”] is a documentary film available for streaming on filmhaiti.com since 2019. It was directed by Richard Sénécal.

In 2017, more than 100,000 Haitians (mostly young people) entered Chile. This documentary gives voice to this new diaspora. With their words, they explain why and how they left everything behind, their first steps in Chile, their disappointments, their pains but also their hopes and successes. Is also told the inevitable cultural shock, rampant racism and concerns of the Chilean society to what some do not hesitate to call an invasion.

In his fictional work, Richard Sénécal generally offers a representation of Haitian society as in his film “Barikad” (episode 4 of the podcast Karukerament available in French and English). Through the documentary format, his analytical style stands out all the more as it is the case with “Birth of a Diaspora”.

Mentioned in his interview for the Fanm On Film podcast in 2018, this investigation tells the story of the lives of Haitians in Chile. In some countries such as the United States, Canada or France, the Haitian community is so well established that Haitian characters appear in films or series now. Are they well represented? That's another debate, but in any case they’re present. However, it is rare to get explanations on the origins of this migration in another country. Currently, the world is at a standstill because of COVID-19 but the migration of populations is a major issue in the functioning of our global society. This is why it is interesting to listen directly to those who choose to leave everything in the hope for a better life.

“Ayiti is a rich country but a country that dies of poverty.” (“Birth of a diaspora”, 2019)

Women are an overwhelming minority, but the three interviewees (if my memory serves me right) symbolize, for me, Richard Sénécal's approach to create a slide show of varied experiences but from which similar elements emerge in the individual gaze that these immigrants have on their diaspora status and on Haiti.

The individual vs. the community

Interviews are individual. We don’t know whether the interviewees know each other, whether they associate with each other or use the same support networks to survive. Their words are the only way to link them together. We don't see their daily life, which allows us to avoid the show-like documentary and fall into poverty porn. They recount their daily life, they tell their stories to each other and thus exercise control over the narrative made about them. The fact that the identities are declined only once in a quick montage at the very beginning reinforces the impression that their voice is speaking with a common ground to denounce suffering, discrimination and disappointment but also to make their successes heard. For these few faces chosen for this film, one feels that there’s a crowd of anonymous people facing the same questions about their future.

Refusal of a life of misery vs. the dream of a better life

All the interviewees are young. The majority are in their twenties and thirties. Most of them are graduates in fields important to create a functioning nation such as agriculture, education or justice. They’re part of the vital forces that Haiti would need to begin building a society where inequalities would be minimized. The bitterness into which the current situation in their country has plunged them, the lack of prospects and the fear for their safety in Haiti motivate each of their decisions. Perhaps this is what helps them to endure discrimination, exploitation in some cases. What does it mean to have a better life? What is living decently? Certainly, there is material comfort (and again, the notion of comfort is relative), but the discourse of each interviewee reflects the aspiration for a certain serenity.

Resignation vs. Resilience

In the face of discrimination, Haitians are resigned. It is striking to hear the adjective used by different people to refer to the same situation. The need to survive triggers a mechanism where one sometimes has to forget one's status as a fully-fledged human being in order to cope with hardship. Everyone, in his or her own way, embodies this idea of "I have to keep trying, no matter what the circumstances. As long as I am alive, I will continue". Nevertheless, they manage to organize themselves to try to improve their situation in the country they live. Religion plays an important role in setting up the solidarity network. In the discourse of the interviewees, it is only a means to achieve their goal. And this is explained by a Chilean man who works for a congregation that helps Haitians. Having learned Creole, he displays a spirit of openness and willingness to welcome them. However, he is aware that these Haitians are not in the perspective of settling down and taking part in the Chilean community.

Vectors of a strong culture and history, these women and men carry Haiti within them and keep their dignity intact. Personally, this is what intrigued me the most. The strength of their emotions can be seen in the rare stammerings or in the pauses between words, but their plain words reflect a clear-sightedness and determination that underlines all the more the injustice of their situation. For them, it is impossible to have a future in Haiti without a significant change in the political and economic problems. Chile is just a place of passage in order to continue this quest for a better life. Studying or training to become an expert in a field is the number one way to make their dream come true. However, will they all succeed in achieving their goals? It is still too early to tell. Nevertheless, they won't be able to look back in ten years and say they haven't tried. Some of them are even starting to start families with Chilean people, which gives full meaning to the title “Birth of a Diaspora” and suggests a sequel to watch in a few years.