Tasha Dougé

Glass bowl, paper mâché, 2019. Courtesy of the Artist.

For many, January 1st is more than the start of the New Year.  It is the mark of Haitian Independence and a reminder of over 200 years of liberation.  To celebrate, Haitians all over the world are joined by others to eat and share in our Freedom Soup; Soup Joumou.  Once a delicacy for the oppressors’ tongue, the soup has become a deeply rooted tradition that commemorates Ayiti’s victory over France and enslavement. However, what does it mean to celebrate without context?

For years, many Haitians, including myself, have consumed this nutritious meal within a vacuum, mainly knowing the result of a 12-year battle.  However, learning of the soup’s origin from a fellow Haitian woman, Nancy Herard-Marshall planted a seed and catapulted a deeper dive and investigation into how we won the revolution. rebòlution highlights historical texts and sentiments from our founding forefathers. It also serves as an homage to Marie Claire Heureuse Félicité Bonheur Dessalines, the first empress of Ayiti (Haiti), who began the tradition of distributing Soup Joumou across the island. It was her mission to honor this renewed freedom for many Haitians by promoting health, education, and justice.  As an emblem of ritual, sacrifice, victory, and community, rebòlution offers a starting point to examine and excavate truths of the past and be more present with our culture while envisioning our future.  Moving forward, the soup and the bòl are our storytellers.