Haitian Culture Essay

According to The Central Intelligence Agency (2013), the native Taino - who inhabited the island of Hispaniola when it was discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 - were virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola. In 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the island, which later became Haiti. The other two thirds of the island is also known as the Dominican Republic. The island itself can be compared to the size of the state Maryland.
According to The Central Intelligence Agency (2013), 95% of the population’s Haiti’s race is black and the other 5% is mulatto or white. The wealthiest people tend to be lighter-skinned or white. The languages two main languages Haitian’s speak is French and Creole.
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and one of the poorest in the world. Some the chronic problems that the Haitian’s face is food insecurity and hunger. According to Schwartz (2004) 77% of
Traditional rural staples are sweet potatoes, manioc, yams, corn, rice, pigeon peas, cowpeas, bread, and coffee. More recently, a wheat-soy blend from the United States has been incorporated into the diet. Haitians generally eat two meals a day: a small breakfast of coffee and bread, juice, or an egg and a large afternoon meal dominated by a carbohydrate source such as manioc, sweet potatoes, or rice. The afternoon meal always includes beans or a bean sauce, and there is usually a small amount of poultry, fish, goat, or, less commonly, beef or mutton, typically prepared as a sauce with a tomato paste base. Fruits are prized as between-meal snacks. Non-elite people do not necessarily have community or family meals, and individuals eat wherever they are comfortable. A snack customarily is eaten at night before one goes to