Holidays & Observances in Haiti

Haiti is a French-speaking country in the Caribbean. It shares the large island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. Haiti was the first republic in the world with a majority black population and a leader of African descent (though it was occupied by the US for 19 years in the early 1900s). It has never enjoyed a stable political scene or a healthy economy, but it has a strong sense of national identity keeping ties to its African roots. Many people in Haiti practice the African religion of Vodun, though most proclaim themselves Christian. In many cases Vodun and Christianity are mixed. Many Vodun festivals are celebrated in Haiti, and many of the Christian holidays celebrated incorporate Vodun traditions.