“Bwèt nan do” (those who carry a box on their back), and “Arab manie koulèv” (Arabs eat snakes). These are the words thrown sometimes light heartedly, sometimes with rancour, at Arab immigrants who arrived in Haiti during the 1880s. Coming from Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Morocco, carrying boxes of small goods on their shoulders, these immigrants quickly settled near the seaside in Port au Prince. Today, their descendants own most of the businesses in the country, and practice the liberal professions. This documentary relates the journey of this heterogenous group, who professes a strong attachment to the host country, although they never forget their original culture.
Medium Length (52mins) Cultural, Historical | Haiti, France
French
Amistad Films
Mario Delatour