On Saturday August 20th, several artists and friends gathered at Five Myles  Gallery for “Pwezi Anba Tonèl: An Evening of Haitian Poetry and Music”. The space in which the event took place was alternative, innovative, and decidedly intimate.  The audience sat outside while the captivating artists performed in an open garage-like space. Throughout the evening, POEMobile projected texts from the poems on the wall of the gallery. La Troupe Makandal and Master Drummer Frisner Austin began the transformation of the space with the mystical sounds of percussion.  Their lengthy performance certainly set the tone of the evening, leaving the audience wanting more.  At any point during the evening, attendees were free to enter the indoor space of Five Myles Gallery to enjoy refreshments and peruse the newest exhibitions. After La Troupe Makandal, amazing poets Michele Voltaire Marcelin, Denize Lauture, Jennifer Celestin and Robert Josaphat-Large shared poems and stories on themes ranging from life and death, to love and identity.  Though each performer was unique and intriguing in her or his own right, the common theme was undoubtedly about the complexity of their Haitian/Haitian-American identities and the interplay of their identities with their lives.  It was clear that the audience wanted much more after the scheduled performances ended and they were satisfied when each of the performers returned for encore performances.  After the encore, all attendees mingled.  It was at the close of the event where I heard the most incredible responses calling the event “absolutely  enthralling”, “magical” and “amazing”.  I could not agree more.  ”Pwezi Anba Tonél” was a stellar experience.

This event was brought to you by Haiti Cultural Exchange in collaboration with City Lore and Bowery Arts + Science.

-Written by Naika Apeakorang
Naika will soon be joining the HCX team as Communications Intern.