Friday, May 18, 2012

MrsChaddie - Bonjou! This was posted on Facebook by some of my Haitian friends. Can you help me understand it and the cultural feelings behind it? Un nègre riche est un mulâtre et un mulâtre pauvre est un nègre Mesi e Bon Fet Drapo!

Hi MrsChaddie, It actually says: 'A rich negro is a mulatto and a poor mulatto is a negro.'  It's an idiom from way back, when there where different social classes in Haiti based on the percentage of black blood running  in one's vein.

This idiom mainly states that Wealth is important, or Money talks.  Or you can even translate it as:  Money is power (in Haitian colonial times of course).

3 comments:

  1. MrsChaddieMay 19, 2012 at 2:44 PM

    Ah, that makes sense based the circumstances at the time it was posted. Mesi! Does it have somewhat of a negative connotation or is it a neutral statement?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MandalyMay 19, 2012 at 4:28 PM

      Mostly neutral. Stated sometimes as a fact of life (during that period).

      Delete
  2. MrsChaddieMay 19, 2012 at 10:58 PM

    Thank you Mandalay for your clear answers and for this wonderful website! It has been such a blessing as I seek to communicate & work with my new Haitian friends!

    ReplyDelete