Haitian Creole Text: Haitian Creole Story

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Learn French, English, and Haitian Creole with this new booklet. Read the story of Tijan and his godfather, Mr. Bonifas!

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Translation :

Poukisa Tijan P-al Lekòl –
Why Tijan Does Not Go To School
The Godfather’s Mercy – Parenn Pran Pitye

Once upon a time a little boy named Tijan decided to learn how to read and write. Tijan was born in a little village located next to Léogâne, Haiti, on top of a huge mountain called Katwen. He is Mrs. Altidor’s second child. He has an older sister who is living with her father’s relatives. Tijan’s older sister’s name is Marijo. Tijan does not have the same father as Marijo. In fact, he does not know his father. Marijo’s father has sent her to school. Tijan does not have a parent who can send him to school.

Every year, he gets very sad when he sees his older sister’s new uniform, shoes, socks, books and other supplies. Tijan would like to learn how to read and write too but his father did not recognize him.

Mrs. Altidor can not help Tijan find his father. She does not know the identity of her son’s father. Mrs. Altidor does not remember anything at all because she is always drunk. She enjoys drinking Tafia (a strong alcoholic beverage in Haiti), alcohol, and smoking cigarettes. When she earns any money, she wastes it in beverages, junk food, and fried goodies. That is why Marijo’s father had taken her away from her.

Tijan is ten years old now. His friends have started to tease him and to call him names such as “idiot, dumb beast, animal.” They thought he was imbecile. However, he knows he is not dumb. He has a plan. “If only the plan can work, I will be able to show everybody that I am an intelligent guy.”

That is how Tijan decided to walk to the residence of his godfather who was living in the city of Léogâne. His godfather had a lot of contacts in town. He has sent all of his children to school. Mr. Bonifas took pity of Tijan who broke out crying and complaining.

“It looks like you are moving away, Tijan!” remarked Mr. Bonifas as he spotted him. “Where is your mother? Why did she not come with you?”
“Godfather, I want to live with you. I can not take it any longer up in the mountain,” Tijan replied. “Manman-m, my mother does not want to do anything for me. All the money she earns goes to her alcohol. I am ten years old. I do not know how to read and write.”
Surprised, Mr. Bonifas asked, “Your mother has not sent you to school?”
“No. She is drunk all the time. She does not have a dry day. She has no time to think about such things.”
“Your mother has never told you about your father.”
“No. Do you know my father? You know I am fatherless. Marijo has a father. She is living at her grandparents’ home.”
Mr. Bonifas looked at his eyes. He did not utter a word. Neither did he try to answer his question or reveal his father’s identity.
“What were you doing during all these years?”
“Every year I thought my mother was going to send me to school. But she never had time to do that.”
Mr. Bonifas became meditative. He was taken aback by his godson’s declarations. He thought Tijan had the same providing father as his older sister, Marijo.
“Alcohol is a bad thing. It is a vice. The woman neglected her responsibility because of tafia. That is what is destroying the country.”

Mr. Bonifas opened the back door of the store. He took the little box of clothes and sandals that Tijan had carried. That was all his possession. He placed it in a room behind the counter. He said, “Welcome home! Welcome to my home! I am going to do all I can do for you. I am going to raise you just like my ten sons and daughters.”
“Am I going to become your 11th child?”
“Yes. You are my godson, Tijan. The only thing I ask is to work hard at the store and at school.”

Mr. Bonifas telephoned his wife to announce the news of Tijan’s arrival.
“Darling, I have news for you. Do you remember my godson who lives on top of the mountain of Léogâne?”
“Hello darling. Yes, I do. The mountain people who know have told me that she has no more strength to walk down to trade around here. She drinks too much tafia.”
“Aha! You know her very well.”
“She is a drunkard. She has other vices too. She smokes. No men want to stay with her too long. Did they ever find out who the father of her son is?”
“Cheri, darling. I can not answer this question.”
“Why not, honey?”

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Free Haitian Creole Text: On New Year’s Eve And Haiti’s Independence Celebration

Alavèy Nouvèl Ane Epi Fèt Endepandans Ayiti

On New Year’s Eve And Haiti’s Independence Celebration

Excerpted from "Let's Learn and Speak Haitian Creole in One Week - Ann Aprann, Ann Pale Kreyol nan Yon Semen" with "Haitian Creole Grammar Reference"

Listen to this text's audio at http://haitiancreolemp3.libsyn.com

Tout moun ap prepare yo pou y-al banboche, pran gwo plezi. Nowèl fin pase. Tout timoun fin resevwa kado yo. Granmoun pa gen anpil tan pou yo repoze. Fòk yo fè pwovizyon pou Premye Janvye ak de Janvye, de gwo fèt Ayisyen. Genyen ou pa, tout Ayisyen mete pi bèl rad yo de jou sa yo. Timoun leve byen bonè pou yo swete granmoun ‘Bòn ane.’ Epi yo konnen yo pral bwè bon jan chokola ak pen espesyal. Vè midi, yo pral tonbe bwè soup joumou ki gen tout kalite vyann, malanga, pòm de tè, ak legum. Olala, se gwo koze!

Gen aktivite toupatou nan kanton an. Yo pwofite lalun pou yo mache ale nan veye kote yo danse, manje a minwi. Anpil legliz òganize sèvis espesyal alavèy Nowèl oswa alavèy nouvèl ane. Le 24 Desanm, manm legliz yo patisipe nan pwogram Nowèl ki montre kouman Jezu te fèt. Epi aprèsa, dirijan legliz yo sèvi moun yo manje ak bwason. Chak ane, anpil moun nan komunote a espere manje gratis nan okazyon sa yo. Pou reyalize fèt Nowèl, pafwa legliz yo resevwa don espesyal nan men pitit legliz yo ka-p viv nan peyi etranje oswa parenn legliz yo. Kon fèt Nowèl fin pase, Ayisyen kòmanse planifye fèt premye ak de Janvye.

Se pa sa sèlman. Ayisyen ki pa afilye ak yon legliz al nan peristil pou yo patisipe nan selebrasyon pa yo. Yo fè bon jan muzik. Yo bat gwo tanbou ak ti tanbou. Houngan yo sèvi lwa yo. Yo trase vèvè. Yo mete manje espesyal pou tout espri yo ap sèvi. Gen anpil moun ki gen lwa ki monte yo. Yo vire epi yo ponpe. Yo danse. Yo leve pye lou yo. Men yo sou anpil. Yo bwè anpil tafya, wonm, ak kleren. Lwa yo fè yo mache sou dife, kraze boutèy ak po men yo epi fè yo rale sou vant ak do yo. Se yon bagay ki dwòl ke yo pa blese. Genyen patisipan ki la sèlman pou file fanm. Nan sezon sa-a, fò ou aprann viv ak tout son tanbou, bri epi chante k-ap sòti toupatou, nan platon tankou nan mòn.

Ki sa Ayisyen renmen fè pou yo selebre fèt endepandans yo ?

Anpil Ayisyen chwazi fè lòt bagay tou. Si yo konn jwe muzik oswa yo apresye-l, y-al nan bal anba lavil, sou wout Dèlma oswa Petyonvil. Gen gwo bann ki òganize bon bal. Moun ki vle patisipe supoze peye pou yo antre. Gen Ayisyen k-ap jwe pyano, gita, twonpèt, flit, vyolon, amonika, tanbou, saksofòn, senbal epi tchatcha. Se nan bal yo nou ka wè tout bwason Ayisyen ka bwè. Wonm Babankou se gwo koze pou moun ki ka achte yo.

Gen Ayisyen k-al wè fim nan sinema. Si yo pa soti, yo rete lakay yo pou yo koute muzik sou radyo. Yo ka gade televizyon too. Leplusouvan, moun ki rete lavil kote ki gen elektrisite pwofite anpil. Pafwa, blakawout anpeche yo patisipe nan pwogram woutin yo. Moun andeyò yo al nan bal tou. Si yo pa moun k-al legliz, y-al parye sou kòk k-ap bat nan gagè. Tankou nan peyi Filipin ak peyi panyòl, kòk ki bat nan gagè jwenn yon tretman espesyal. Mèt kòk sa yo trete yo oswa pran swen yo tankou atlèt. Yo fè yo fè egzèsis. Yo pran vitamin ak dlo pwòp. Men yo file zepon ki pèmèt yo touye lòt kòk byen fasil. Granmoun rakonte istwa. Yo konn bay lodyans tou. Gen anpil zanmi ki reuni jus pou yo ka bay blag. Yo tire kont tou.

Kòmanse alavèy premye Janvye jouk de Janvye, tout Ayisyen pran bon jan plezi yo. Yo ka jwe kat, domino, damye oubyen kay. Timoun jwe oslè ak marèl. Pandan tout tan sa yo, yo manje epi yo bwè kremas, wonm, tafya, ju, epi dlo. Lè yo fatige, y-al dòmi. Yo reveye pou yo koumanse fè plan kanaval k-ap rive byen vit.



VOCABULARY – VOKABULE (Vokabulè)



Ale nan gagè – to go to a cockpit

Gade bat kòk – to watch cockfighting

Bat kòk – to fight cocks

Rakonte istwa; bay lodyans – To tell stories

Bay blag – To tell jokes

Tire kont – to tell folktales and riddles

Renmen pran plezi – to like to have fun

Al nan bal – to go to dances

Banboche – to carouse

Bwè wonm – to drink rum

Enstruman – Instrument

Volebòl – Volleyball

Baskètbòl – Basketball

Tenis – Tennis

Ping Pong – Tenis tab

Foutbòl – Football

Pwogram radyo – Radio programs

Espò ou pito – Sports you prefer

Gade yon match foutbòl – Watch a match of football (soccer)

Tanbou lou aprè dans – Drums are heavy after the dance

Gade televizyon – To watch TV

Koute Radyo – to listen to the radio

Vyolon – Violin

Flit – Flute

Twonpèt – Trumpet

Saksofòn – Saxophone

Gita – guitar

Pyano – Piano

Amuze/amize – to have fun

Bann – band

Moun lavil – City dwellers

Moun andeyò – Mountain people

Tcheke – to check

Bonbe – bulge

Pandye – to hang







Translation of Above Text:



Alavèy Nouvèl Ane Epi Fèt Endepandans Ayiti

On New Year’s Eve And Haiti’s Independence Celebration



Everybody is getting ready to carouse, celebrate and have a great time. Christmas is over. All the children have already received their presents. Adults do not have much time to rest. They must go shopping for January 1 and January 2, two major Haitian holidays. Whether they are fortunate or not, all Haitians wear their best outfit on these two days. Children get up very early to wish their parents “Happy New Year.” And they know they are going to have good chocolate and special bread. By noon, they are going to start having pumpkin soup with all kinds of meat, taro root, potato, and vegetables. Wow! It is a big deal!

There are activities everywhere in the village. Residents take advantage of the moonlight to walk to end-of-the-year vigils where they can dance and eat midnight meals. Many churches organize special services on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. On December 24, church faithful participate in Christmas programs that show how Jesus was born. After that, the church leaders served foods and beverages to all congregants. Every year, residents of the community expect to eat without charge on these occasions. To realize these Christmas celebrations, churches often receive special gifts from the church children who are living overseas or the church sponsors. As soon as Christmas is over, Haitians start planning their January 1 and January 2 parties.

That is not the only thing they are thinking about. Haitians who are not affiliated with a church go to peristyle to take part in their own ceremonies. They produce all kinds of music. They play huge as well as small drums. The voodoo priests serve their spirits. They trace designs on the grounds. They place special food items on the ground for the spirits they are serving. Many participants end up being possessed by the spirits. They turn around and jump. They dance. They lift their feet rendered heavy wit alcohol. They are very drunk. They have consumed a lot of tequila, rum and other alcoholic beverages. The spirits make them walk on fire barefootedly, break bottles with their bare hands and make them crawl on their belly and back. It is a funny thing that they do not get burned or injured. There are participants who are in the ceremony only to go around with women. On this occasion, you have to learn with all kinds of drum beats, noise and songs that spring from everywhere, in flatlands as well as mountaintops.

What do Haitians like to do to celebrate their independence day?

Many Haitians choose to do other things too. If they can play or appreciate music, they go to dancehalls downtown, on Delmas Road or Petionville. Big bands organize huge dance parties. Those who want to participate pay entrance fees. Some Haitians play piano, guitar, trumpet, flute, harmonica, drums, saxophone, cymbals and chacha. We can see all the beverages Haitians can consume in these dance parties. Haitian-made Barbancourt Rhum is a big deal for those who can afford it.

There are Haitians who go to the movie theaters to see movies. If they do not go out, they stay home to listen to music on the radio. They may watch TV too. Most of the times, those who live in cities that have electricity take more advantage. At times, blackouts prevent them from participating in routine activities or programs. Mountain people go to dances too. If they are not churchgoers, they go bet on fighting cocks in the cockpit. Just like in the Philippines and the Dominican Republic, fighting roosters receive a special treatment. The owners of these cocks treat them or take care of them like athletes. They make them do exercises. They take vitamins and clean water. However, the owners file their spurs which allow them to kill their opponents easily in the cockpit. Adults tell stories. There are many friends who gather together just to tell jokes. They tell folktales and riddles.

From New Year’s Eve till January 2, all Haitians find all kinds of entertainment. They may play cards, domino, checkers or hole. Kids play bones and hopscotch too. During all this time, they eat and drink Cream, rum, tequila, juice and water. When they get tired, they go to bed. They only wake up to start making plans of Carnival that arrives soon.