Slave to History

Denver Westword News ^ | January 3, 2008 | Luke Turf

[forkinsocket]

Before Haiti became the world's first black republic, it was a slave nation. On the island, there were quarantines, where a new slave was broken down, beaten physically, informed of his inferiority and told to be thankful to his captors — because it was the work that the slave would do for his masters that would lead to forgiveness and acceptance into heaven.

Now, more than 200 years after the slaves revolted, a former Colorado couple wants to commemorate the quarantine, which they believe is the source of the Western world's violence, racism and greed. "Our culture, our society did that," says Carla Bluntschli, who's lived in Haiti for 22 years. "And I'm a part of it."

Back in 1978, Carla's husband, Ron Bluntschli, who'd gone to high school in Greeley, got out of the Navy and enrolled at Colorado State University, bringing his wife and new daughter to Fort Collins with him. While Ron earned first a bachelor's and then a master's degree in crop sciences and plant breeding, Carla had another child. And then the couple signed up to work on a reforestation project in Haiti through the Mennonite Central Committee — even though neither was a Mennonite.

While Carla had never been out of the country before, Ron had fond memories of Haiti from a stop there during his Navy days. The couple worked for the Mennonites for eight years in various capacities, finally running a guest house where new volunteers received their orientation training. During a 1991 coup, the family took in nine Haitian activists who were being hunted by the military, including Ari Nicolas.

When the Bluntschlis finally finished up with the MCC, they stayed in Haiti and got involved with fact-finding missions for human-rights organizations.

[forkinsocket]

Slavery theme park:

A typical day's journey through the Memory Village beginning at 7AM ending approx. 7PM includes 7 main references that include these different sites:

Preparation: -Reception, welcome and choosing degree of participation Ancestors: -Activities in a Native American village, including an exploration of primordial sciences -Activities in commerce, science and religion in a small Medieval European city -Activities in an African village during a full celebration (ancestral/religious, agricultural, communal, etc.) Slave Trade: -Capture and imprisonment by slave traders -Embarkment on a slave ship -Arrival and sale in a slave market on the island of St. Dominique (Haiti) Slavery: -Submission by means of quarantine -Work on a sugar cane plantation "Mawon" or Escape: -Escape to encampments of freed slaves and remaining original Taino people Revolt: -Reenactment of the first African Congress meeting of unification to fight for freedom -Tribute to the "Act of Independence" and J.J. Dessalines' speech January 1, 1804 -Walk the "Road of Resistance" Reflection: -Partake in a bowl of "Independence" soup -Complete the experience at the meditation monument over a cooling brook for a guided debriefing and personal reflection

[Berlin_Freeper]

“...they believe is the source of the Western world’s violence, racism and greed.”

I am not violent, racist or greedy.

[forkinsocket]

[Iron Munro]

Which stage is “Grovel In Self Pity”?

[endthematrix]

"Carla says she feels indebted"

Colorado Liberal White Guilt. They have good intentions...to show that slavery was bad. But no money...until they returned to the Den of Vipers (USA).

[piasa]

JANUARY 1, 1804 : (GONAIVES, HAITI :) Declaration of Independence from France by Haiti’s African slaves in Gonaives on January 1, 1804, after a 12-year revolution.——— “Mbeki’s Haiti Visit Backfires,”
IOL ^ | 1-3-2004 | Peter Fabricius

1800s : (HAITI : THOUSANDS OF FRENCH SOLDIERS LOST TO MALARIA; LOSSES GIVE NAPOLEON SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT KEEPING LOUISIANA) Haiti. ... one of Napolean’s defeats. After losing thousands of French soldiers from malaria in Haiti, Napolean decided to sell off Louisiana rather than send armies there.——10 posted on 01/03/2004 11:12:15 AM PST by Paleo Conservative

1823 : (USA : MONROE DOCTRINE IS ANNOUNCED) ...the Monroe Doctrine, announced in 1823 as Europe sought to subvert local governments in America’s backyard...-—— “French surprise in Haiti,” by Kenneth R. Timmerman, Washington Times, 2/20/04 fri

1825 : (HAITI PAYS OFF THE FRENCH FOR THE DAMAGES DONE TO FRENCH CIVILIANS IN 1804 REVOLUTION) -— “The Haitian Nightmare - “Operation Restore Freedom” ten years later,” by Michael Radu, FrontPageMagazine.com, 1/21/04

1957 : (HAITI : FRANCOIS DUVALIER aka “PAPA DOC” IS ELECTED)-— “The Haitian Nightmare - “Operation Restore Freedom” ten years later,” by Michael Radu, FrontPageMagazine.com, 1/21/04

1990 : (HAITI : ARISTIDE IS ELECTED DESPITE HIS VIOLENT THREATS ABOUT BURNING HIS OPPONENTS ALIVE) Aristide’s election in 1990 (when he promised to “necklace” his opponents, or burn them alive) is often declared to have been Haiti’s first free election.   -— “The Haitian Nightmare - “Operation Restore Freedom” ten years later,” by Michael Radu, FrontPageMagazine.com, 1/21/04

[Tainan]

Appropriate comment left in the section...;)

[Colonel Kangaroo]

"Our culture, our society did that," says Carla Bluntschli, who's lived in Haiti for 22 years. "And I'm a part of it."

Maybe your society lady, but not mine nor most Americans.

[CondorFlight]

“because it was the work that the slave would do for his masters that would lead to forgiveness and acceptance into heaven.”

Not sure what this refers to. In most of Haiti, Christianity was deliberately NOT taught, since it led to democratic ideas of equality, and also to literacy. That’s the reason Haiti retains so much of its African pagan heritage, in contrast to the neighboring British-run islands where missionaries—although sometimes arrested and whipped for trying to preach to the slaves—ultimately
converted the populations.

[Lucky Dog]

"Our culture, our society did that," says Carla Bluntschli, who's lived in Haiti for 22 years. "And I'm a part of it."

Maybe your society lady, but not mine nor most Americans.

One should ask Carla Bluntschli who (whose culture) captured and sold individuals into slavery.

[ops33]

My 5th great grandfather, Abraham Moise, fled Haiti with his family because of the slave revolt. They were warned by a loyal house servant that former slaves were going to sack his plantation and helped them escape during the night. The settled in Charleston, SC.

[docbnj]

Couldn’t we have had a barf alert on this article?

[Jabba the Nutt]

It’s just so goo-goo, gaa-gaa. That woman has lived in Haiti for 22 years and has learned nothing. Gawd!

[Calvin Locke]

I guess she was out sick the day they covered how the Western world was the first to outlaw slavery, led by the England, and enforced by her overpowering navy.