In a country, where food is generally scarce, people would prefer not to hear that they're losing weight. Telling someone that they've lost weight, to them, might mean that they’re looking sickly.
Presently, Haitians in Haiti are not facing the same weight issues as in the USA. One day, when Haiti becomes something other than an underdeveloped country, Haitians might become obsessed with being overweight. Right now they are not.
When my siblings and I were little, my mother’s special instruction to our caretakers was, “Feed them well. For if they are too skinny, the neighbors might think we’re so poor we can’t feed them.”
Even though I was properly fed as a child I was still skinny. People (including my siblings) nicknamed me “zobege” for that reason. I hated that name. I understand now I had a fast metabolism.
Hunger and poverty are like an epidemic in Haiti. Why should the people worry about eating too much?
In Haiti, It is considered a desirable attribute to have some meat on your bones.
Being fat hints that you are well fed, therefore, not experiencing hardship.
Tell someone in Haiti that he’s gain weight, and he’ll most likely answer that it’s the grace of God.
In church one day, I did hear this lady testify that her “fatness” was evidence of the favor of God.
In the same church this man, named “Milo”, often spoke of his misfortune to have stumbled upon a “skinny” wife. He goes on to explain how he held on, caring for the poor skinny lady, feeding her, giving her love until she began to fill up . He says, “Now, I enjoy significant warmth in my bed at night”. Yes, that was his pride and joy.
To lose weight (v.) – megri, pèdi pwa, desann
To gain weight (v.) – gwosi, pran pwa
