N a Sonje document published in 2003

THE "N A SONJE" FOUNDATION AND THE MEMORY VILLAGE:

Reliving the historical encounter of the Americas, Africa and Europe in an interactive living historical village in order to bring healing to the trauma of this encounter.

We Will Remember or What is "N a Sonje"?

"N a Sonje" is a simple phrase in Haitian Creole that translated into English means "we will remember". They are words that bring to mind memories of what was worthy of community value from the past through alluding to lost, forgotten or simply untold histories of the present.

The "N a Sonje" Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in Haiti, which began informally in 2000 and gradually took form to being legally recognized in August 2002. It is based on the re- balancing of history, particularly focused on the tri-continental encounter. This vision has been entrusted to and developed by its three founding members, Harry Nicolas, Carla Bluntschli and Djalòki Dessables who are also associates and founders of DOA/BN[1], an historical, cultural, alternative educational tourism business in Haiti since 1992.

Objectives

Foundation "N a Sonje's intention is to offer a place that encourages understanding based on respectful and equal relationships between peoples of different cultures, particularly the trans-atlantic cultures: Amerindians, Europeans, Africans and their respective descendants around the world. In its continual search for new models of inter-cultural interactions that promote better comprehension, peace and justice, the Foundation emphasizes a more complete memory of historical events that created the current political, economic, interpersonal and international dynamics at the level of nations, communities, families and individuals involved in this history.

On January 1st 1804, after more than 300 years of colonial rule, slavery and genocide of Amerindian and African peoples, the slave population of St. Domingue brought an end to the trans-atlantic slave system and created a free nation. Even after succeeding in a revolution that shook the entire western world's economic and political system to the core, this challenge to established religious and scientifically based "truths" and justifications by the colonizing powers continues to this day.[2]

Because of Haiti's unique position both geographically and historically, it is particularly appropriate for the location of the Memory Village. Therefore in honor of Haiti's 200-year anniversary of independence, the singular success in creating the beginning of the end to slavery on a tri-continental scale, Foundation "N a Sonje" will be offering to the worldwide public, the permanent participatory park, The Memory Village. This long-term vision will draw on the research and discovery of lost or hidden facts of history that will provide sustainability and evolution for generations to come even beyond the 200th anniversary celebration in 2004.

Why and What is "The Memory Village"

"N a Sonje" believes that the day has come when seeing and hearing alone are no longer sufficient to transmit historical truth (such as through traditional reading and documentation), but now more effectively through a more personally direct and dynamic means. "N a Sonje" is offering an opportunity to relive events and conditions of others, if only for a short moment, so that understanding, healing and courage might be forged on a personal level with the hope that this will lead to an eventual impact on a global scale.

The Memory Village is envisioned as a living interactive historical village where people from all over the world will have the opportunity to re-live the three main cultures of the trans-Atlantic slave trade from before the turning point of 1492 through the ensuing 500 years either by vicariously experiencing or by observing the historical re-enactment of capture, selling, shipping and enslaving African people up to the time of the revolution and the 200 years following the victory of independence in Haiti.

Situated on approximately 3-4 acres of land in the rural mountains, the Memory Village will be located in an area called 'Gwo Jan' (a village established by Africans who escaped from the sugar plantations during the colonial era), a provincial community of the city of Petionville, a main suburb of Port-au-Prince. (See maps included below. Please note that on the second map, the location of Gwo Jan in red is approximate and the lettering is out of proportion to the size)

The Experience

A typical day's journey through the Memory Village beginning at 6AM ending approx 7PM involves 7 main references that include these different sites:

1) Preparation:
· Reception, welcome and choosing degree of participation
2) 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)
3) 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)
4) Slavery
· Submission by means of quarantine
· Work on a sugar cane plantation
5) "Mawon" or Escape:
· Escape to encampments of freed slaves and remaining original Taino people
6) Revolt:
· Re-enactment of the first African Congress meeting of unification to fight for freedom
· Tribute to the "Act of Independence" and first President, Jean.Jacques Dessaline's speech
January 1, 1804
· Walk the "Road of Resistance"
7) 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

Current Status

Here is what has been accomplished to date thanks to the enormous voluntary work and many professional hours. Many friends, family and organizations have graciously contributed either in time, money or materials towards this work along with the sponsoring finance and vision of DOA/BN:
· deposits towards land acquisition for the Memory Village
· topographical study completed

· topographical miniature scale model built of the land
· layout designs for the land and village

· documentary videos

· Haitian radio and television promotion

Major research and financing for the training and education of the local population, theatrical personnel and administrative staff are essential in order to accomplish a true rendering of such diverse cultural histories by building authentic representations and reproductions necessary for deep personal experiences. The "N a Sonje" Foundation is looking for partnerships and support to begin building of the Memory Village as well as preparatory staff training in order to start operating with public access.

Conclusion

We, the members of The "N a Sonje" Foundation, are dedicated to the honor and memory of all African and Native ancestors whose blood and dreams were spilled across the Atlantic Ocean and spanned the entire American continents for over 300 years but most specially those who endured the extremity of horror on this tiny but sacred land of the Arawak/Taino people who wisely referred to as Ayiti[3]. May our lives and dreams give reason and hope for their suffering and for our future.

[1] DOA/BN stands for: D for delegations, groups hosted to provide cultural and historical experiences in Haiti; O for orientations, sessions of lectures based on Haitian perspectives of reality; A for Atizana in Creole or crafts, but more comprehensively promoting all products made by Haitian hands/ Bluntschli, Carla and Nicolas, Harry, founders. http://www.haititravels.org/

[2] Religious justification by church authorities of the 17th and 18th centuries, the most ferocious period of slavery, used the "black legend" from the story of Noah and the curse of Ham as justification of black slavery as well as a providential means to "evangelize" the cursed race. The science of anthropology at the time led by the famous French philosopher, Buffon, puts forth the theory that there is an apparent hierarchy of the races of humanity. In this pyramid of races, blacks challenge the orangutans for last position with the white at the high-test pinnacle of ethical, aesthetic and physical perfection.

[3] One translation of the word Ayiti in the original Taino language says it means "the land that enables one to rise to one's higher self".