A pertinent and impertinent exploration of the profit motive, and its…
Black Dawn
- Description
- Reviews
- Citation
- Cataloging
- Transcript
BLACK DAWN recounts the founding of Haiti through the eyes of two captured African tribespeople, Sili and Simba.
Starting with their capture in Africa, the story follows their trans-Atlantic journey on a slave ship to Haiti. There they escape their slavery on a French plantation and join the fight for independence led by Toussaint L'Ouverture and Dessaline, ultimately joining in the celebration of the first raising of the Haitian flag.
Animated from paintings by thirteen of Haiti's foremost artists, including Rignaud Benoit, Philom Obin, and Philippe Auguste, BLACK DAWN celebrates the strength and artistry of the Haitian people.
'A colorful meld of visuals, music, and narration that sketches the noble origins of a people's nation, this folklore production will be an enlightening and entertaining addition to public library, community group, and elementary and junior high school programs.' - Booklist
'Superbly animated... an authentic view of Haitian culture. Recommended for all ages!' - Film Library Quarterly
'Portrays the culture and history of a unique people in a sensitive, colorful, and artistically rich fashion.' - Filmnews
'A wealth of... Haitian paintings help to bring this animated film to life.' - Landers Film Reviews
Citation
Main credits
Lloyd, Robin (film producer)
Lloyd, Robin (animator)
Kraft, Doreen (film producer)
Kraft, Doreen (animator)
Furnari, Meri (film producer)
Furnari, Meri (animator)
Fouche, Frank (screenwriter)
Andre, Ali Maurice (narrator)
Other credits
Participating artists: Phillip Auguste, Jacques Cheri, Gerald Paul, Rigaud Benoit, Madsen Mompremier, André Saturne, Fritz Valcin, Celestin Faustin, Guy Joachim, Blaise, Dieujuste Cadet, Philome Obin, André Pierre; animated by Robin Lloyd & Doreen Kraft; musicians, Amos Coulages and Maritou, Groupe Folklorique National.
Distributor subjects
African-Americans; Animated Films; Art; French History; Haiti; Multi-Cultural Studies; The CaribbeanKeywords
WEBVTT
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[sil.]
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Once upon a time, perhaps, it was
only yesterday or early this morning,
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two men started out before sunrise
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with a load of mangoes for market.
Their names were Bouki and Malice,
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and they live on a little island
called Haiti. One of them,
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Malice was tall and thin and the
other Uncle Bouki was short and fat.
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They hadn\'t traveled very
far, when the donkey decided,
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they had gone far enough.
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[music]
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At this rate, we will never get to borrow plants.
We would probably miss the president speech.
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Bouki, let\'s lie down and relax for bit.
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We don\'t have far to go. Mm-hmm, but if
don\'t get there early to sell the mango,
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we would have enough money
to buy a bottle of rum.
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Bouki, calm down, all right? I would
tell you a story. \"Oh, yeah?\"
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But not one of your old stories.
\"Since, this is Independence Day,
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\"I will tell you the
story of the beginning.\"
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Make yourself comfortable, Bouki.
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[music]
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Long ago,
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before our people were brought to
Haiti, they lived in Guinea, in Africa.
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In a land, rich and beautiful, often this land,
the Greek God of thunder, guarded his people.
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He saw that both, human and
animals lived in peace.
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[music]
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One day, a man from another
tribe entered the garden.
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He was working for the white people
who wanted to enslave the blacks.
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[music]
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Our people called out
to their gods for help,
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but this was the time, when even
the gods were powerless(ph).
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[music]
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[sil.]
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The spirits of the people
hovered of other slave ships
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as they left Africa for the new world.
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They were brought to the small churches,
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baptized as Catholics and forbidden to practice
their African religious beliefs of voodoo.
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[music]
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It was as though, the soil
in which the sugarcane grew
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was fed by the blood of the slaves.
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[music]
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Some other people run into the mountains,
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enjoying those who had already escaped.
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[music]
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One night, a very special voodoo
ceremony was held deep in the forest,
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to invite the gods to come and
help the people (inaudible)
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to fight the white colonist.
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Suddenly, the God spoke.
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The Goddess Erzulie, entered a woman\'s body
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and replaced her spirit with her own.
By possessing her,
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she gave the woman the wisdom
and strength to fight.
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The people were honored
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that the queen had come to the ceremony.
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Later that night,
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Ougan, the warrior God, and feel
the people with determination
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to fight for the freedom.
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Words spread about the ceremony.
All across the island,
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slave wars against the plantation owners,
and set fire to buildings and crops.
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Out of the flames, the Greek men came,
fought to leave people in independence.
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Toussaint Louverture was
brilliant military leader.
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[music]
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[sil.]
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Threaten by his people\'s courage. He soon swept the
island of most of the French colonies then soldiers
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and announced a constitution
for his people.
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[sil.]
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But Napoleon, the ruler
of France was enrage,
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that slaves were able to fight
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and win battles against his finest soldiers.
He ordered his generals to arrest Toussaint,
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no matter, what the cost.
Toussaint was captured
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and taken away to a prison in France.
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From his prison cell, he
said, \"In capturing me,
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you\'re only cutting the trunk of the tree
of liberty, but it will flourish again
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for it\'s as strong and deep.\"
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And he was right. For out of
the roots, came Dessalines,
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another great general,
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who finally opened an independence
for the Haitians from the French.
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[music]
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He tore down the tri-color flag,
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without the white striped and
from the two remaining colors,
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created the Haitian flag.
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[music]
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Everyone on the island, danced and sang on this
afternoon, that was our first independence there.
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[music]
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[sil.]
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Hey Bouki, are you sleeping? Mm-hmm, no.
Uh… I was thinking.
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[sil.]
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\"We got independence, so long
ago and we\'re still not free.\"
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We don\'t even know how to
work together like earlier.
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When we were pulling the donkey
in different directions.
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Well, what about it? We were
confused, if we work together,
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we can guide the donkey. We will both
hold a rope, I\'ll let go off the tail,
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it will go better. This time,
\"I would say, you are right.\"
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he sun is rising, let us go, my brother.