Dartmouth Events

Haitian folkloric dance and drumming is rooted in the vodou rites established by African peoples brought to the island as slaves during the colonial period. Key sites of entertainment, worship, organizing, and resistance, the ritual "dances" of enslaved peoples enabled the revolution that ended slavery and founded the republic of Haiti in 1804. The mid-century negritude movements revitalized Haitian expressive culture as a national treasure and attracted international attention. Katherine Dunham, the black American scholar, dancer, and choreographer became an expert in Haitian dance and transformed the genre for a global audience. Peniel Guerrier follows in this legacy. Trained as a master drummer and dancer at L'Ecole Nationale des Arts (ENARTS) in Haiti, he now runs the NY-based Ballet Folklorique Tamboula D'Haiti, which performs worldwide. From 2-3:30 pm, he will offer a drum and dance demonstration during which he will address the ritual significance and political possibilities at stake in Haitian expressive culture. At 4 pm, he will present a short dance performance, followed by a reception.

This event is sponsored by the Robert A. 1925 and Catherine L. McKennan Fund for Anthropology, the African and African American Program, the Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Program, and the Dickey Center for International Understanding
Anthropology Department