Welcome to Joumou

Bonswa zanmim. Mwen kontan we w!

Welcome to Joumou

Before the Haitian Revolution enslaved Africans of St Domingue were prohibited from eating Soup Joumou. A hearty soup full of vegetables including pumpkin or squash and sometimes the most flavorful cuts of meat- was denied to the very people who prepared it as a clear indication of class and status distinction. When the people won their independence, they celebrated by making and eating Soup Joumou. Every year on January 1 this soup is made and shared by Haitians all over the world as a symbol of reclaimed dignity, access to health and wellbeing, and community solidarity. These are the founding principles of Joumou.

Joumou will serve as a repository of reclaimed stories of people displaced, dispersed, and labelled diaspora. Joumou is where I let my thoughts wander. Joumou is an invitation for you to share a dream into a world not yet seen. Here you will find works based on themes such as living through grief, finding and making joy, life beyond labels and stereotypes, and the importance of small revolutionary acts. Joumou creates a space of Onè (honor) and Respè (respect)- a space where we all are entitled to live with dignity. Joumou is not a melting pot but a stew made of many different but equally valuable ingredients. I hope that you are able to find or make what you need.