Voodoo Flags
Voodoo flags are not my area of expertise, but I’ve spent a good deal of time around them and the artists and craftsmen who make them. For the cover of my new book, Farewell, Fred Voodoo (to be published in January, 2013), I’ve used a voodoo flag, and the positive and interested reaction to this flag has made me think about the flags in general.
Here’s a detail from a more sophisticated, contemporary voodoo flag (from the collection of the Galerie Monnin, in Pétionville). This is also an Erzulie flag, but obviously a syncretic Mary and Baby Jesus flag, as well.
I bought this voodoo flag in 1986 (see post on voodoo flags, above). It’s a quite plain flag with a veve calling design dedicated to the goddess Erzulie-Freda (at the top above the heart veve, you can just discern the word FREDA). Note that this flag...
Visit Haiti
This travel billboard (see photo below) just went up in Miami on I 95 at 69th Street. It’s a great idea for people to visit Haiti and see this incredible country. But this poster is unintentionally honest, hilarious, and tragic.
My favorite thing about it is the slogan: “Live the Experience.” I think it should say: Experience the life.
I wonder which experience of Haitians the promoters who paid for this sign are hoping that visitors will get to have? Living on a dollar a day? Not having running water? No health care? No house?
photo credit CBS Haiti tourism billboard, Miami See post above for my comments on this
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