Some or most folks like the idea of associating Saint Domingue or Hayti or Royaumne D’Hayti, or Haiti to the poverty of pipers, it was not always so for this once Royal Kingdom. Henri Christophe a runaway slave, decided to set up a kingdom. Why? - a beneficial asset for enslaved folks? Under the lawfully and legally crowned King Henri I, he was King in the northern part (from 1811-1820) of the island only; as the French settlers and mulattoes (ie French/Africa), did not want Henri I to be their king, and selected a mulato, Petion as their leader. The indigenous Taino Indians occupied the eastern part of the island, with the western part occupied by the Maroons, maybe just maybe inclusive of the Obeah folks! Speculatively, King Henri I was probably not from an obeah tribe, because he banned obeah!

Henri I, had an excellent adviser and writer, a mulato or mulatre, who guided and staunchly supported Henri during his Kingship, this was during the reign of Napoleon. Henri I was not keen on the Europeans but he was wise enough to know that he needed them to help build up the island’s infrastructure and for education, so during his royal ‘palace building galore’ reign, folks were educated, preferably by educators from the UK – of the King’s choice!

Haiti's economy was based mostly on coffee beans, which Henri I, sold to the Europeans, only for gold, nothing else only gold. Everything Henri I, sold was in exchange for gold! And thus, Haiti had a good, stable enviable economy due to the accumulation of gold! Not only was this highly intelligent black King ridiculed, but the European political manoeuvring was basically to put an end to any kingdom in this muscavado-coffee isle full stop - Haiti economic growth caused European suspicious, rebellion rumours, enough to make poor Henri I take his own life. His wife, the Queen and children came to London where Henri I, had already shipped loads of gold for his royal family arrival! Supposedly, the family died in Italy – so what happened to the gold?

So, I put forth an argument that the gradual and quick demise of ‘Royaume D’Hayti’ , from my perspective may have been due to certain factors, the result of the politically split of the island, due to complex racial interactions coming from Petion in the south; and of course the growing suspicious of Hayti gold economy by Europe, with the irrepressibility coming from Europe to render this once ‘colonial’ Kingdom powerless and that is what has happen to date – Haiti has been rendered to a certain degree powerless? Whose fault? - Shall we all point fingers at voodoo, a derivative path from obeah, for rendering the isle powerless for growth? Or France? or Petion? And now who cares? Was this an ‘inside’ Haiti rebellious act - did Petion had a share of gold for his southern part of the isle folks? Did the Taino Indians bury the gold? Did the Maroons too had a share in the gold?

Some folks blame the natural calamities, for Haiti's demise, I argue that disasters can and do unexpectedly occur in any country or isle, and even within our own bodily health or household rendering us at times powerless – who should we blame?


On a cultural point, during late 1800’s most Haitians did not view themselves as Africans, but as a ‘French Blackman or woman’ So, I ask a question, should folks from the other isles have seen themselves in the same light, as a ‘English blackwoman or man’, instead of using the phrase, ‘I am West Indian’? How different would the Caribbean islands had been today, if they have followed King Henri I and had crowned Kings and Queens? Is Hayti seemingly demise, the island and their ‘French blackman or woman’ deep mysterious yearning for another Royal Kingdom?

On a literary note, some fine writings written by elite Haitians mulattoes, have emerged from this so called voodoo isle, that with due respect, and I am willing to be corrected, have not emerged from other isles during the middle 1800’s giving insight of colonial slavery and life in a sovereign ‘once colonial’ isle.

On a visionary note, this perpetual mourning by Haitians, due to the economic clouding based on ‘political colonial tactics’, and inter-island politics, may be lifted with the currently prepared ‘slavery reparation court case against the eleven European countries! And, I am further delighted to endorsed this by exercising my right to write this post , in support, not of man’s justice, but God’s justice for right outcomes for this stripped Royal Kingdom of Haiti and its still golden citizens! I believe that the people of Haiti should be given the opportunity to set-back-up their Royal Kingdom.
Now, I am left wondering, with all this isle movement of slaves and 'gold' , was I related to King Henri I?

Merci beaucoup, King Henri I, rest in peace!