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Abstract

This project, Haiti, and the Sense of Being, explores Haitian identity through the intersection of music and traditional cuisine. By composing five original pieces inspired by iconic Haitian dishes like Soup Joumou, Dlo Fre, Pikliz, Fresko ak Pistach, and Legim.I used food as a metaphor to address themes of freedom, struggle, resilience, and unity. Initially intended as a celebration of culture, the project organically evolved into a deeper reflection on social injustices and historical memory, connecting musical storytelling with lived experience. Drawing from compositional techniques learned at Berklee Global Jazz Institute and rooted in Haitian rhythms, each piece fuses traditional and contemporary styles in ways that express complex narratives. Through this process, I not only embraced my cultural roots but discovered music’s power to inspire awareness and healing. The overwhelmingly positive response revealed the potential of the project to spark dialogue across generations. Looking ahead, I plan to expand this work into an immersive concert-album experience and cultural outreach tour. This project redefined my approach to music-making, affirming its role as a vessel for truth, identity, and transformation.

Publication Date

7-1-2025

Campus

Boston Campus

Keywords

Cultural symbol; social justice; freedom; metaphor; soup joumou.

Haiti, and the sense of being!

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