Boston Haitian neighborhood joyfully stomped, danced and marched their method down Blue Hill Ave. for the twenty third annual Haitian-American Unity Parade on Sunday.
“We turn out as loud and proud as ever,” stated Rachelle, a first-generation Haitian American, sporting a “Haitian Queen” shirt and watching an enormous crowd dance round a DJ as they marched previous. “No one scares us off. It’s a great community here.”
The annual Haitian-American Unity Parade, which marks the anniversary of the creation of the flag through the nation’s revolution, kicked off at 1 p.m. at Mattapan Sq. on Sunday. The parade moved down Blue Hill Avenue and completed off at Harambee Park in Mattapan.
The environment was heat and joyful Sunday, regardless of cloudy skies and a brisk breeze. Loud music got here from drummers, bands and DJs marching by way of in addition to audio system posted up at companies alongside the route. Baton twirlers and brightly-dressed dancers had been joined by parade goers fast to hitch the rhythm and decked out within the nation’s signature pink, blue and white colours.
Marchers included all aspects of the neighborhood from sports activities groups to Mattahunt college kids to native non-profits just like the IFSI-USA Immigrant Household Providers.
“I grew up here — I went to church just right here,” stated Remy Saintil, pointing at a church down Blue Hill Ave. then additional down. “I went to middle school right there. And the majority of my friends were first generation Americans, whether it be Haitian, Jamaican, Trinidad; we were all first generation. So you’re just part of the culture of Mattapan and having the West Indian culture within this community.”
Saintil, who moved to Atlanta however was visiting for a commencement, stated the immigrant neighborhood right here is “very unique,” noting that the place he now sees Caribbean communities “scattered” within the South, the persons are extra “centralized and condensed” in Boston.
Haiti-native and Rockland-resident Larissa, standing along with her Haitian flag-wrapped buddy, echoed the cross-cultural appreciation, calling it an “honor so many different people from different countries come to watch us.”
“I walk down the street, I can hear people talking Creole and speaking Patois or whatever,” Saintil stated. “Just coming home, it really feels good for me to go home and get back to my roots.”
