“Exploring Little Haiti in Miami to learn about Haitian Vodou and the underground of Haitian culture is a truly immersive experience. In this video, I delve into the history of Haiti and its influence on the vibrant neighborhood of Little Haiti, while also exploring the delicious Haitian cuisine that is often overlooked. From tasso and fried pork to legum and fried plantains, the flavors are rich and savory.
But it’s not just about the food – it’s about the people. The warmth and friendliness of the Haitian community in Little Haiti is truly inspiring. I had the pleasure of meeting Paul, a Haitian man who shared his story and thoughts on the current situation in Haiti. His message of unity and peace resonated deeply with me, as he expressed his desire for people to come together rather than fight against each other.
Haitian culture is not just about voodoo, it’s about resilience, strength, and a rich history that has shaped the identity of the people. Little Haiti may not be a tourist destination, but it is a hidden gem in Miami that deserves to be explored and appreciated. Join me on this journey to discover the beauty of Haitian culture and heritage in the heart of Miami’s Little Haiti.”
Watch the video by Davidsbeenhere
Oh being haian in America that’s number one America that’s your best place in this earth to be live to be live but the system not good I remember they used to be independent the first black country independent unit don’t like that that’s why we we we pay right now we still pay
That the price friends they don’t like that why One Life to Live you’re not going to be here forever everybody going to be gone one day so why we can be United together this is the biggest Haitian Comm community in the United States Little Haiti in Miami today I’m
Going to be exploring Haitian culture food and most importantly voodooism it’s not what the media portrays it to be it’s not some black magic this is part of their identity and it’s a very important religion in African Haitian and Caribbean cultures come with me and let’s explore Little Haiti so this is
Pman Bach hope I’m saying that right but I’m looking for some tasso and some G some fried pork and some fried goat looks close though hello sir very good let me ask you is it open today they open looks closed right now yeah I mean there’s no sign you
Know it is open yeah so that’s the flag the history so over 200 years we’re at 220 years that it was completely independent and um we’re going to see if we can eat here I’m excited they have some they have some goat back there bro T fried ah little ha is different you
Know it’s one of these places that most people don’t go to in Miami it’s not a tourist destination but it’s right next to all touristic spots you got the beach right over the bridge you have Design District Winwood everything lots of good food here this is one of the best places
Um from the list of places that we saw and I actually came here like 5 years ago um uh but yeah I ordered one dish today I’m waiting for that and it all started in 1791 when a voodoo ceremony started the Haitian revolution and that lasted until 1804 and that’s when it
Became compl independent and uh yeah so a lot of history there Napoleon tried to take it back they killed the main guy very very confusing yeah the French controlled it uh the other side of Espanola was controlled by the Spanish and then there was a point I think uh
1822 to 1844 where they could took over all of Espanola and then they lost it again but you know the reason why Haiti has the the the issues it has because during that time when they had to like buy their way out to to the French they
Sold everything they got rid of all the gold so they lost all the resources later in 19 I think 1914 1915 the US went into Haiti and took over for about 15 years so in the 60s it was a dictator and they were getting scared at the flea
In the K United States but because of segregation laws in Florida they all left to New York that’s why there’s a huge population up there but then later in the 70s after Jim Crow you know segregations eliminated that’s when everybody started fleeing here and of course it’s right there I mean pretty
Close and uh that’s sort of the story of Haitians in Miami all right and this is legum and this is uh fried plantains rice and beans staple and this one has meat we got pork in here this looks fantastic cannot wait let’s see the Caribbean it’s always rice
And beans we’re going to Dive Right In Here nice massive carrots there’s a squash in there as well where’s the pork right here scorching hot it’s good but it’s hot super hot oh it’s so rich so this is a mix of vegetables grab this little plantain those stest oh it’s epic right
Here you pull out the fat it’s a mix of pses well well and Stems this is a very economical meal perfect for the family to feed the family it’s huge if I eat this whole thing I not eating the rest of the day my favorite part is that pork fat
That’s pork belly right there so I do remember how good it was back then there some rice here Haitian Cuisine is so underserved people don’t know anything about it but here in Miami we have a lot I think there’s like probably 15 restaurants in the area serving Haitian
Cuisine I don’t get it enough fortunately I don’t live over here if you want you can have this with no meat but they also have a goat chicken I think they also have it what else lamb Beef Pork if you walk into a lot of Caribbean restaurants you walk in
Very little light fixtures they’re more separated you have the outside light coming in all wooden and then on the sides you have the Haitian flag over here they have all the gu the presidents of Haiti over here they have the menu and some Haitian beautiful art he what I
Like about Haitian culture is to be honest the friendliness you know I’m having a lot of people around here you know saying hey come let me let me show you let me talk to you I I think the only problem for me with the Haitian cultures I don’t speak French so most of
Them it’s either French Creo it’s it’s either or right most of them speak both hey Ren I’ve eaten a lot of beans in my life Latin beans similar to this but here you have way more liquid usually the Cuban style nothing almost nothing of liquids and we throw on top of the
Rice I love these beans though small bites my man sorry what’s your name Paul Paul how you doing how’s everything Paul I’m David by the way pleasure nice to meet you so you’re Haitian I’m Haitian I’m from Haiti born in Haiti born in Haiti coming in United States when I
Used to be 21 years old I’m going to be 53 years old in March 11 what what’s the story why did you come oh my why I come when I used to live in Haiti Haiti used to be perfect and cool right now Haiti is upside down people fight each other
We can be unit together that’s why I can go in Hai right now violence is everywhere everywhere in in Haiti yeah no yeah I’ve been looking at the news it looks crazy Porter Prince is like completely overr by gangsters that’s why I I born in pce that’s why I born since
I’ve been coming in United States when I 21 years I never been in hati one time in my life right now I think is upside down when I’m look at in hati is not only in Haiti think upside down is everywhere thing is upside down the
World is upside down only one thing I always thinking about I want people be unite together not fight each other while I see in the world people fight each other they don’t want to unite together I mean that’s in Haiti my flag mean if we unite together we going to be
A power but they don’t want us unite together that’s why is upside down right now but I hope one day it’s going to be all right one day Asian going to be all right because nothing that going to stay forever well I’ll jump to another question what’s your favorite Haitian
Dish is it g or taso oh G is the best one oh G is the best one with pi when you eat G with Pickles if you know people know how to cook G with Pickles that’s the best food that’s the best food asan and was it spiced Ates is that
Yeah that’s that’s their super [ __ ] like like their sambal or their Peppa yes sir yes sir my people is a nice people but they make you look different but we are ones how many languages you speak I speak uh French poito so I speak little so I speak probably five language
Five languages tell me something in America that’s number one America that’s your best place in this earth to be to be but the system not good the system blew up me so that’s why sometime things is upside down for me since I’ve been unit state but that’s a great country the people
The people wow that’s a great people that’s good people that’s a nice country after my country that’s the best country I can live in this earth after that I can live anywhere in the earth Voodoo what do you know about it what can you tell me about it but what I know about
Vodu but I don’t go up with vodu but when I been go I go up I see my mama been going with me in church to pray God but I respect vodo because how they play the the the bands how they play the Tambo so vodo is a part for Asian people
But people look at vodu different way but how I look at vodu when I used to listen about vodu so if you got a fever from example you come in for they say vodo people they know which way you can go to get some tea to drink for medicine
That’s why I know about VOD so the medicine they make you eat drink if you got a fever you don’t want to go to the hospital since I’ve been born I never been hospital for one time in my life I have a fever couple days ago what I do I
Go to Myan V people I say hey I got a fever I don’t feel good they tell me relax don’t go to the hospital so I’m going to tell you something to drink when I drink after a couple days I be Hefty you I mean V is to helping people
Not killing people but they make you in your mind so they for people but no to help people to be together that’s why going up in Haiti to be people together not not devis people you going to go to my place to to Haan V place is name L
And is not too far from here in 57 right here right there yeah yeah it just open that’s my friend I know that friend for 25 years you know what you know what he did about the V stuff he always tell me if you got bless me for some money he
Always help anybody in the nebor give you food give you money that’s why that man always do for 20 25 years always have people let’s have example I got a f going into hospital that’s Hospital yeah when I go down there I say hey dog I don’t feel
Comfortable he say man relax sometime he just do things whatever he called he call them people so he tell you what’s going on what’s up with your life what’s going on I mean so hey good people right now what I need after God I need me a
Liar to help me to open the door for me because door closed for me almost 25 years since I’ve been in this thing you know I mean so I I need me a liar but I can get any liar you I he can take care my case so that’s why I always been
Thinking about who I’m going to see to open the door for me God open the door for me no already but I need somebody to open the door for me because I’ve been s yeah for 25 years the issues are the system that’s why they doing hati I
Remember H used to be independent your first black country in depend that United St don’t like that that’s why we we we pay right now we still pay that that the price friends they don’t like that why One Life to Live you’re not going to be here forever everybody going
To be gone one day so why we can be unit together why you make my own all the gun come from United State I mean so I can go home they got haian people been here almost 75 years or probably 90 years they build house
And he they can go right there to enjoy them place that’s that’s the main thing we’re Al we thank you here that’s it’s the last that corner right there Messi Messi Messi thank you in hey my man thank you so much look at this miror right here so welcome to Little
Haiti 180 got the flag on a paper plane you have a lot of Haitian celebrities or people historical people in the history of Haiti right here we have a few Botanical Botanical are the places where like they have like medicine it’s more part of the the voodoo right and Sant as well
Oh this is a Haitian church first interd domination haian Church Santa Barbara Botanica this is a religious good store let’s walk inside oh wow look at this it’s incredible so this is like a it looks like a religious Saint uh like like a Catholic a Christian Saint and then they
Added stuff on top oh my boy sofla what’s up D how you doing man how you doing brother very good good to see you good to see you well welcome so tell me a little bit about this place so this is a Botanica it’s like a religious goods kind of
Store um this is very popular in the Caribbean within the different religions and offshoots and stuff like that definitely a part of uh the voodoo religion and and others as well yeah so the best way to explain this to you guys in terms of like the stems of different
Religions well think about like the Moses religions like you have Islam you have Judaism and then you have Christianity same thing same concept with voodu Sania there’s many other ones right right right so they all stem from from Africa from the Yuba people and then from there they Branch off into you
Know different sex or whatever it is and then eventually when they got to the Caribbean they became they evolved into something else and became other names and other things so what you’re seeing a lot of uh in here is a lot of like dual religion kind of stuff I see
Christianity Blended in there’s a mixture of Catholicism in particular mixed with some of the deities from Africa right so they’ll take some of the like the the the Catholic per se deities and Saints and then there’s some mixture within the African deities but you know each one has its own thing right like
Vu’s got its own thing sania’s got its own thing everybody’s got their own thing but they’re all kind of under one one branch got it yeah so this is very interesting I mean this is literally like when you walk into a church you see this so if not if I’m not mistaken
That’s Santa barara that is santaa if I’m not Mist it’s named after her yes the uh St Barbara the Catholic religion which The Duel if I’m not mistaken would be Shango and that’s why you see the the colors so all the statues have very particular colors that apply to the
Different deities so like red and black belongs to one yellow and green belongs to another uh White is kind of like another one which would be obatala but yeah look if you guys come around over here you’ll see a lot of different statues um that they have uh you know
One thing with the with with the Caribbean is we all kind of embrace the Native Americans the natives right the right because before the slaves uh you know got to the Caribbean and stuff like that these were the people these are the indigenous there so there’s always a
You’ll see this often where they’ll pay respect to the indigenous of the place um you know and a lot of these seem to be African but you can tell these are Catholic saints you know colored dark uh you know to symbolize their struggle you know and look you even see Jesus you
Know next to an African or a Haitian uh you know statue but it’s very rich in culture it’s it’s very beautiful you know what the media portrays it to be is not it’s not what it is you know really not what it is at all like vodun in in
The motherland is more of like being in harmony with nature and God it’s more about appeasing to the deities to the seasons to the Sun to the Moon to the river right giving thanks but for somehow or another it’s became you know black magic voodoo ah but it’s not
Really that Hollywood stop doing that no seriously dude here they got different candles and stuff oh wow and these different candles get lit for uh you know different occasions so that’s sort of like the blending of Christianity too cuz you go into a church always get a
Candle to pray but but I’m sure you’ve seen this all over the world candles are just a part of uh you know prayer and and meditations and religions and stuff you know but these in particular serve purposes some of these are you like for money some of these depending on the
Color you might like for health got it right and same thing with the beads you’ll see the different beads symbolize the different deities that you’ve uh that you subscribe to per se right uh you know this is OS yes named after a famous river in Nigeria the yosun river uh this is fertility
Beauty um honey it symbolizes a lot of things you know this would be Yaya if I’m not mistaken and this would symbolize like the ocean and stuff like that that’s why it’s blue and and white and I mean it goes pretty deep Bro it goes pretty deep but this is beautiful
It’s a lot of culture here you recommend s what do you think I don’t know man you know I I think I think this year is all about success and growth do you have a candle or something that we can light for more money for more success for more
Growth yeah I’m pretty sure we can get something like that which one the money candle the green one Mr Money Mr Money so this right here is donto Mr money so with this candle we like it and we can get some money it’s going to be a great year to uh here’s
The 2024 Mr the money baby Dono let’s do it I was walking by and I noticed I noticed this and I don’t know if you guys know what this is that’s obviously a boy doll and this would obviously uh I think be a girl doll but if you notice
These are the dolls that sometimes in certain uh ceremonies and stuff they put pins in it this is what they do to affect people all right so if you have an enemy out there and and he wants to go to war with you instead of hand-to hand combat they use uh spiritual drones
And they’re able to put pins in these and you feel it you know at your house so I’ll tell you this is this exact um I guess element in the religion is what distorts the religion the perception of it here in the United States cuz I’ve
Seen even the movie I think it’s called the key and it has this like they they do that break it and then you feel the person doing it and it’s all fake you know uh in this religion though it’s not fake you know if somebody really wants
To get you they can use one of these to get you well I just made expect that you’re going to break them you know right but but there is a there is a deal with this right and the deal within the religion is whatever you do to someone
Comes back to you three times worse woo so that’s the deal with this right if you if you do this to somebody for example you want to make somebody fall in love with you and you do some stuff to make this woman fall in love with you
Don’t be surprised if in 3 months she absolutely hates your gut because that’s how it goes you’re not really supposed to control somebody’s will in Destiny but you can technically but it has consequences so these are the cters guys this is a Florida Coter it’s a Terin the flag of Haiti and
What do you think Andre I I literally wore this on purpose look just like that look good right now I’m representing Haiti today I’m going to learn Creo by the end of the day Messi Messi oh this is great I’m going to put this in my
Store no it’s fine I’ll take this one if you don’t have the bigger one I love your store so many unique things a lot of African elements I’m going to Nigeria soon and I see a few things that I’m already thinking of buying in Nigeria
The big one here let’s see it oh we get it not upside down never upside down wow it’s big it’s a little dirty but it’s good it’s massive how much for this one 50 50 USD 15 oh 15 going to say it’s going to scare me dude cuz I’m going to
Put this in the store dude take both and we take the the candle thank you Andre uh so there’s some turtles in here some small turtles um a lot of times these get you know bought as pets but in some of these particular places they get used uh for different ceremonies um different
Abos uh and [ __ ] is like a sacrificial ceremony that they do um and so sometimes these get used for that you know Unfortunately they will be sacrificed and then hopefully later eaten sometimes not depending on the sacrifice but yeah sometimes you know the stuff that they say about the
Chickens and goats you know it’s true uh part of the religion is sacrificing but the the thought process behind that is uh without sacrifice there’s no benefits in life you know and and when an animal loses its life it’s taking your prayer directly to heaven with them and and
That’s kind of like uh the concept behind it so that’s why in the religion animals get sacrificed it’s not like they just do it for fun animal it’s it’s better something happens to that animal and that animal loses its life than you do for whatever problem you might be
Having at the moment so yeah direct uh direct communication with God through the sacrifice of an animal and then SOA can you tell us about these drums here what is how does that uh Incorporated another thing that’s pretty cool is the drums it’s very much a part of the
Religion the culture in general it’s part of just life for the Caribbean uh and for the religions but it all stems back from Africa these are batas and these are used in different uh ceremonies when they’re appeasing different deities uh you know each deity has its own songs for example what they
Would sing for you know for for this deity would be different for what they’d sing for another but they all incorporate uh these batas uh funny story when when I was in Africa I heard them referred to as the tum tum and I thought that was pretty cool I was like
Oh man you know why do you guys you know call him the TomTom and the guy was explaining to me that um the First music that we hear as humans is you know it comes from when you’re inside of your mother’s womb right that we’re we’re already in the
Womb being accustomed to music and the first song that you actually hear as an infant inside your mother’s womb is your mother’s heartbeat and what does your mother’s heartbeat sound like so that’s the basic beat of all you know Yuba music African music it all comes from the ttom one thing you have
To do is always support locals definitely come here Santa babara Botanical and buy yourself something they at the back Messi and uh I’ll say renman renman means I love you I appreciate you thank you so much I’ll see you soon all right thank you let’s roll hey many
Blessings thank you so we’re walking out and uh I don’t know where the candle just Falls and blows up so I don’t know if it’s bad luck but luckily that I wasn’t holding that bag I’ll keep it though still use it like this right welcome to little H number one bro
Another ban here let me park here I can’t park here no I’m going to park over there all right guys hold on sec I park right here what is this strip called This is 54 Street so 54th Street is where there’s a lot of restaurants and botanicas so right here we have St
Michelle super Botanica hello hi how you doing Unfortunately they didn’t let us swim in that Botanica but right across the street we have sh and they say is one of the best haian restaurants in the area hello sorry what’s your name my name is wikins w wikins wikins and where
Are you from I’m from Haiti you’re born in Haiti yes and whereabouts like what city what city I’m coming from Bela DEA bad bad yeah he close to the border from Republic Dominican in terms of being Haitian in America what can you what can you tell
Me about it I mean is it better your life here or what was life over there like I think the better life is going to be in my country that’s where where I’m coming from is the better life like you got a good River you got the the farm
And everything is good the way we live uh when I come in America I see most of the thing I’m eating is different it’s not the same thing in my country I eat the real food you eat organic food I mean it’s everything is like Farm the table there organic food
Yes you just go to the farm and gra up what you want and eat what what you want and eat like I remember my father he he was like a they call him a power man but that I know he wasn’t he was rich because when he want to eat good he just
Okay grab me a good grab the good and K the good and then come eat he want to like the the bread fruit just grab the bre food avocado grab the avocado and eat and here you got to buy everything yeah and my we didn’t do that and so
I’ve seen the news that Haiti you know they’re ping it as a super dangerous place of course pter Prince has huge problems but outside of pter Prince how is how is it there cuz people have been telling me like go up to the north of cap Haitian cap hatan uh said it’s super
Safe beautiful beaches food’s amazing so had is a safe country they try to make the the country become bad but it’s a safe country that’s all I know it’s a safe country if you want to live a better life go to Haiti how many languages you speak but I know some
Spanish English and speak and French Al So you you’re a poly yeah a polyot right here that’s amazing I speak Spanish in time but that that’s like it’s it’s so it’s a fusion the Creo is a fusion of French and then other stuff like African languages there were in the area which
Is your favorite griot or tasso I prefer tasso my favorite food is Ragu Ragu yeah Ragu is the best food ever hian spaghetti is the best spaghetti ever eat it anymore he’s the best spaghetti ever I haven’t tried it yet I heard they have it here but I’m not filming here right
Now I don’t know when you have time you can go inside the restaurant I think they’re going to give you a a good H and spaghetti yeah what are you eating right there oh now that’s called May cornmeal oh it’s is cornmeal yes corme Mash with
Beans yeah May Mayon and that Z BL yeah that’s just right mhm that’s s oh that’s the fish I got me here let’s see what you got there let’s see I’m about to eat with you bro I O that’s a that’s a red snapper looks like Pargo looks like
Pargo so that’s rice in peace that’s what the Jamaicans love man Jamaicans love it but I think it’s the best food ever they trying to sell Voodoo has a bad thing for for me that’s why I know Voodoo is my gun I use it when I want
It this is my gun to defense myself it’s not to hurt people I know voodo to defense myself if my baby sick my family is sick I can use Voodoo to treat them to make him get better youing but there’s people use Voodoo to do the bad
Thing but I mean that that I know voodoo voodoo is not bad voodo is the best thing the best gun if they can talking bad about Voodoo okay why the big country they make a big weapon Voodoo is love Voodoo you do the thing you don’t let people do for you
That’s what give you Independence yeah that’s why I give you my Independence I use my voodo to get my Independence I don’t use my Voodoo to hurt people I H my voodo to defense myself my country that’s all so you said that t your favorite here the tasso t is from is a
Beef but the the tasso the good tasso is the best yeah that’s the one cabita so gabita which means the baby goat yeah and it’s the best one here in this restaurant all of it all all the f is is good all food here is good yeah then we go
Tel T Tel so it looks good they have Maz so that’s M that’s corn mash I don’t know what that is poon no PO it sounds like poison yeah you’re not say I know I know it spelled almost like it and we got a got a lot of
Different things I mean the ox still looks great as well all right so what do we have here you have um white gold white wow so this is like almost like a Mayo got the fried goat and this is a pickles pickles and sauce pickles this
Is sauce this is spicy no the p is this one looks this is hot no this one hot so how do you recommend I eat this CU we also have the the stone so the mm this is going to be so mouthwatering look at this this goat this is the baby
Goat oh wow it’s still super hot so freaking good the fness super crunchy on the outside I think what this deserves is some pickly so it’s my first time guys first time trying it no Asian food is like the best dude it’s spicy you know what it is it’s the oils
In there can you have some water the pickl is is spicy it’s spicy you want some more I’ll have more but I want water first thank you spicy spicy is there Scotch bonnet in there I I don’t know if the Scotch bonnet but it reminds me of the excavates the
Excavates like the fish excavates that we had in I love the way they cut this too so they tenderize it they fry it best goat in Miami right here so the spiciness of this pickle cuts through the fat and the grease of the fried goat oh
Messy and this so this is almost like cons M it’s good soup I love it what’s in here is a tomato base no it’s meat sauce it’s mece for the for the tassel wow for the rice oh for the rice you just poured into the rice yes dud it’s
Amazing it’s thick stew salsa not spicy at all a beautiful bite oh man add so much flavor to that Rice I already love the peas and rice just like that and all over the Caribbean you’ll find this everyone does it a little differently sometimes they add some fat
You know from different animals to to really make it like flavorful so Haitian food is a mix of so many different cultures that are passed through there French Arabic of course African Spanish as well this is some of the best goat of all time guys I was going to have like
One bite I’m eating all of it most these dishes when you read them you would never be able to understand unless you speak French or Creo but that’s that’s the mix between the whole Caribbean most of them you’ll find all over the Caribbean like goats St ox tail
As well fried chicken turkey I haven’t seen anywhere I’ve seen it I’ve heard about it more in this this culture legumes Dominica had it Dominica you know what they don’t have bread fruit and they gu talked about it dude this is the best though this is like truly truly amazing
Me words can’t explain how happy I am I kind of like it’s really good the pickle is off the chain but it’s missing something right like let’s be honest we’re missing a little bit of hot sauce A little dab oh you see that that’s what they call a love puddle
This is how the pros taste it yeah it’s like hot and sweet hot and sweet yeah what do you think it’s good it’s very good yeah I like it you’re too kind I hope so how many language do you speak two two English and oh you don’t speak
French we we a little bit were you born in Haiti I was born in nasau but my family from Haiti oh you born in nasau okay I’m that’s that’s interesting so I’ve been to nasau a lot I used to go when I was young but I’m haian but
You’re Haitian of course of course so what’s your favorite dish all of them all of them I mean if somebody had to have one dish Haitian dish what would be the one that you recommend the most doesn’t have to be oxtail yeah oxtail oh the too Theo the F oh the g g
Okay and white so is g means fried or or or is it just Grio is fried pork no Grio is not yeah g is fried pork but good is so is pork this is so Good by way the food she’s the cook she’s the chef no
She’s the chef it’s good food oh the food’s amazing I’m yeah I’m Chef you’re a chef so what’s your favorite dish that you make what’s your favorite whatever she’s hiding right I can’t leave this do stone like it oh I love the stone yeah this is one of my
Favorites this with a little bit of uh rabo like a oxtail on top D I see you next time okay let them know I want to come back thank you she’s great all right guys next spot let’s R now we’re going to have some Haitian ice cream at Le benen welcome let’s See hello hi hey tropical Ice Cream Bakery so here they got some beef patties chicken codfish patties I can’t believe they have patties they’re bread they have drinks and then they have ice cream and I’m guessing they didn’t have any flavors there so there’s like one
What do you recommend in terms of the ice cream is there a specific one grenadia and what’s in grenadia that’s a Haitian fruit a fruit it’s very good and are you from Haiti I’m from 8 years yeah yeah how long you’ve been here in the states over 50 years 50 years yeah I’m
83 you’re what 83 you’re 83 dude I’m 38 is you look like like you 50 83 83 83 83 I know that’s impressive you look young you look like 45 thank you you’re literally my brother man you good how many languages you speak English wow I Spanish [Laughter]
Say I got some I got some amazing I just help you’re helping out yeah and re so I help her and what is the story of this place cuz we heard just heard Haitian ice cream online I was like we have to try this we will try want this so
The husband die and the husand build that place he okay and so she’s the owner of this lady back here and he died 3 years ago that’s it and that’s it we’re here I’m sorry what is your name my name is Edwin I’m David a pleasure again this guy’s the
Best he he’s he sold me on your ice cream he said the he said the fruit one good passion fruit passion fruit oh passion fruit a dude passion fruit is the best so that’s the passion fruit right there so right here we have passion fruit Haitian ice cream messy let’s try
This passion fruit is one of my favorites w you know what it has that consistency of sorbet but it’s still a little creamy how long have you been making ice cream 32 years yeah I was in the market you were in that market yeah doing Caribbean Market mm yeah we passed
By it today but it’s closed right it’s closed forever no I don’t say forever I don’t know no I’m just saying it’s closed like it’s not an open business now next time I come to you rum raisin and coconut okay you know what can I
Have a little rum raisin just a try yeah yeah for sure that the rum raisin is like a very Caribbean thing got that Sor would be another good one that’s another one yeah you don’t you don’t have sorrow right hi hibiscus you don’t have hibiscus what makes your ice cream so special you
You and is it common to to eat ice cream in Haiti I’m I’m guessing cuz the Heat usually in hot countries this will cool you down oh good oh another rum raisin guys you have no idea feel the alcohol in there no I make my waron with patient
War that’s the one I put in my oh got it and how long have you been here in America 40 years 40 years yeah and you from PTO Prince PTO Prince yeah wow and do you like it here in Little Haiti like I’m here but that’s not mean I like
It I I prefer to stay in my house but I got it I have but so you don’t live in Little Haiti though no I’m not living here I’m living in North Miami city north Miami city yeah so I know there’s another big Haitian population if you move to the next neighborhoods yeah
There’s another few strips of Haitian uh restaurants and uh markets what did you put here you put strawberry just strawberry strawberry at this point I’m mixing everything it’s part of what I do just mixed food oh yeah this one’s way more so right this one feels like it’s like
Almost no creaminess this one the passion fruit that’s number one that’s number one messy messy I have a question for you what is this over here is this like a I don’t know it looks like bread but but it looks like it’s Den star cookie oh cookie corn cookie corn cookie
When you put it in your mouth going like that so let’s try this is it sweet or is it sweet yeah you can get it sweet look at that I’ve seen cookies like this before especially like in grease they have something very similar so it’s a corn starch
Cookie oh it is very sweet crumpy and very airy mhm love this ice cream okay well thank you for your time yeah how much do I owe you let me pay $3 $3 perfect we’re going to enter this Botanica it’s called St Isidor and Carmel let’s go
Inside oh wow right when you walk in look at that love this so this is just one straight hallway you have over here all these icons over here we have a mix of the Caba Bowl you have have some holy water beautiful this is like to make
Fufu guys if you ever seen my videos in Ghana in Nigeria they do the same thing so This Is How They mash the plantains the yam all this good stuff oh this is hey what is this is this Mama hanana it’s the same similar seems like a t
This is like a I I’ve seen this in Dominican Republic it’s like the almost like mamana like all the herbs and you fill it up with rum sahian sahian uh style yeah so it’s just a just like basically bark herbs Twigs yeah same thing Mama yeah and so can you tell me a
Little bit about your store and what you sell here I sell a lot of stuff yeah I I love some of these like uh especially these right here statue the Statue but this is awesome that’s the that’s the corn that’s the corn so this is the
Horns of what the goat the goat that’s the goat so wow yeah is that is that is thata corn for okay the horn from the ram intense and how much does one of these cost uh $50 $50 and it’s handmade like you did this and someone who buys this what is
The purpose is this for protection for good luck they buy it for the put some inside for the protection oh and then you put your stuff inside yeah for protection the protection like massive Wicks that’s when you do the V M you light it you put on
This is protection so fend off evil spirits it’s beautiful and this is like over here statues with um snakes the different color wigs is for different de Spirit different Spirit right so the blue one is for what spirit for the D the d d yeah and the red red for the
OU blue black for Gabby and can you tell me a little bit about like Voodoo in general we’re trying to like break these misconceptions that people think it’s like scary and it’s like witchery not to ACC it you have to know before you say anything if you don’t know you can’t say
Nothing just Hollywood’s sort of change the way people see it maybe Holly would say it another thing he not it’s not like that it’s good for the the part for you part for me you understand what I mean when you have any problem you come and talk to me so I resolve the
Problem I’m not against you you understand protection protection if you’re sick or you’re feeling bad you go to somebody yeah cuz I’ll tell you my back is hurting and I don’t know if you have something you can help me with come here I’m coming I’m coming I’m not put
I’m not put flash this on there because it’s not he not uh I do this sweet one time so I can I can’t you can’t oh come here come here oh you see it oh wow wow so this this would be a shrine this is a
Shrine this is a shrine I’m going to fix it wow wow she has different things going for different parts of the shrine yeah let me show you this is for so this is Christian Saints oh wow Yaya Yaya yeah jonja in Africa so is this like a mermaid God is that like
What you would say here cuz I’ve never seen this before that is a some sort of a representation of the goddess of the sea yes so that’s one of the things they they had to do to like protect themselves and keep this religion alive was like merge it with Christianity so
That the the slave owners wouldn’t be like okay you’re you’re practicing Christianity get it get it but they the difference is it the prayer is very very different it’s not like kneeling they’re dancing and hitting the drums and then they put from my understanding is they
Go into like a trance and they put like white dust all over their faces I believe they also say Catholic prayer oh they say a Catholic prayer too I believe so so I want to point out something pretty unique right here yeah Marlene who’s that Sant St Barbara they they call it d
D you know what’s pretty cool about that look at the markings on her face yeah wow traditional African tribal markings yeah wow which you’ll see a lot of in Lagos when you go you’ll see two stripes and three stripes so the different tribes of Yuba people yeah they keep lot
Of people out they want keep people out got it yeah I mean this this area is becoming super valuable and we’re next to the Design District I mean it’s complicated one day I’m not there no more may I’m going looking another place well I mean you’re keeping this
Alive which is we’re super thankful for that I’ve never seen this before first time atasa atasa if I’m sick what can you do for me um cuz like even right now like I’m having a lot of backaches okay if I when I finish to do the do the card for you
Mhm oh so you got I see I see your problem okay so I charge you how much so I prepare you okay and can we we do that I’ll do it for you perfect let’s do it how much it cost it cost some money 50 $57 for the read after
That this is my people get it put it put it on yeah look at this guy yeah get out St Gerard yeah that’s St Gerard H uh H when people say call him he do help me do the thing with this one with Jack so right now she’s going to do
A reading it’s a reading slash uh I don’t know if you call it a blessing no consultation consultation it’s a consultation okay well we’re ready for the consultation okay this one let me show oo o strong When in Rome right uhhuh my favorite kind of consultation okay so
You’re just putting some corn on my head so everybody has to get corn everybody everybody thr put something in your mouth yeah okay I’m finished done yes fantastic and what does that what was that what that do that’s uh something for the speed may you have
To do it to do it just just like when you do masasa Masa that was some strong stuff like yesan one yeah I got hit with something right there like is that bobing cool that’s a bobing cool bobing cool I’ll have this for later you put it
There oh put it there Y no so is an offering or is that you put it here on the on the on the Masha oh in the back you say something good for you pray to it a little bit say some positive words and when you’re done you you toss it in
There oh that’s true I’m telling you that because that’s what we say in our house p p which means ask ask ask this is the moment for you to ask for whatever it is that you want in life and your sweet you know offering is to appease those that are listening I like
That so ask for whatever you want want y it’s yours brother and that is our offering to the spirits to say hey this is for you listen to us thank you so much this is Lazarus right do and if you remember Lazarus Rose from the grave and the dogs
Were licking his his wounds and making him you know whole again but here’s the wonderful thing about Lazarus in particular the synchronization between the Catholic the Catholic St Lazarus it combines with babalua from Africa from the Yuba tribe so again when we were talking about slaves hiding the religion from the
Slave masters this was a perfect example of how they did it they took a a a Catholic saint St Lazarus and they draped it with the colors of babalua and that’s where the syn synchronicity happens so yes while they were slaves the slave masters were like oh they’re just worshiping St Lazarus
Great they’re one of us but in reality they had the secrets of Baba Lu inside the Statue yeah inside the statues a lot of times they would put the secrets these are tools and and and stuff that they use for a the different deities serve different purposes in nature oon
Is like a a metal worker he creates weapons swords he’s a loner he lives in the corner of the forest by himself and it takes a lot to get him out and be social um but he’s the father of medicine the father of of weaponry and
Stuff like that hence if you look down here you’ll see we have these pots with these nails in it and a lot of times these will go right by a front door so if you ever see a black pot in a house by a front door it’s usually a goom wow
And that’s there for protection we’re going to try one more place we’re going to try Chef Creo and that is it right there what’s listen this is Chef Creo right here if he approves the hot sauce that puts us on another level I’ll tell you like this everybody’s
Tried it says it’s the best sauce they ever had it’s my partners are from suram so we have sweet pineapple and guava with Kashmir chili well tell you right now what’s up with the damn thing this is the Moment of Truth y’all Chef Creo is about to try David’s been here hot
Sauce oh my god let’s see that man not playing he’s giving you a a a trial trial by fire now I’m not going to look at the label of the hot sauce I’m just going to tell you what’s going on in my mouth the intensity of this hot sauce is
Good when I put it in my mouth you didn’t see me start coughing got a sweet taste to it it’s good [ __ ] it true what I’m saying true true overall scale for 1 to 10 I give it an eight thank you Chef look at that look look you could enjoy the
Sauce that’s what’s important with hot sauce en sauce but you can’t enjoy it if the choking you so I’m getting the third one this what is it what did he say this the fries Miami was the second he said it’s something like a SE GM in your
Mouth or something that caught on fire 19000 thank you my mom and dad are Haitian right I was born in in Nassau Bahamas that’s where I was born now everybody would say oh Chef you born in the Bahamas that makes you beham the education that I got in that
Household the food that I ate the tradition that I uh um celebrated and most of all the ass whooping that I got was from a Haitian so if my dad was German and he whooped my ass I’m sorry I’m German if my dad was Cuban he whooped my ass I’m
Cuban what makes you who you are is the discipline that goes behind the structure that you see today so I’m Haitian I was born in the Bahamas but everything about me is Haitian but I thank I thank uh uh God bless his soul the past prime minister Penland for entertaining all the
Haitians cuz you know it was a journey from Haiti the Bahamas from the Bahamas to America so now how has the food been influenced that’s where you’re getting at the food has been influenced by Jamaica and by Bahamas but the fundamental about Chef Creole the technique
Uh how we process process our food how we season our food all that is Creo based instead of say look here boy ice ice ice from nas here I made the Kunk speak Creo I went to Jamaica and got the ox it’s AAR it’s Ox that’s good up you now
Am see boy look here I made the oxtail speak Creo so people get this impression it’s like it’s Haitian food but infused with a little bit of Bahamas and then they got the oxto yeah I do have those infusions I do take in consideration uh some of the flavors and the seasonings that
Bahamians and Jamaicans use with their product but what I do is I help bring it to a different light with my Creo base and on that note let’s go to the kitchen let’s go so we’re here at Chef K with Ken the owner he is the chef and we’re going to
The kitchen to see how they cook some incredible Haitian food I can’t wait I’m going to have the fried Snapper that is their specialty and look so dude was this like a old drivethru restaurant or something this used to be originally a Kentucky Fried Chicken back in the 80s
In the 80s KFC I can’t get away from it how you doing oh my God it’s amazing put my face my man y’all doing it right to make sure you got enough film in there he going to wear the battery out he going wear good to see you let’s go let goo
Okay got that red snapper fresh now these fishes might have been running in the Atlantic Ocean and maybe Ecuador Maybe uh uh Panama but guess what they speak Creo now all right you killing me dude right come on down so we’re frying some fish got beans
Over here all right we got beans rice and bees big pot we don’t play up in here baby it’s serious business come on let’s walk oh my gosh guys this is the best part go all right see that see that fresh pork now if we’re cooking this pork where’s this pork
Coming from right look at it well seasoned right woo smells amazing all right this is the this is the finished product right here all right finished product all right so how long is that pork good for about two hours two hours all right your hands cold or your
Hands hot no they’re cold all right let’s go grab it ah I told you I told you you good you good good you good bom Bango fall off the bone Bango let’s go come on let’s go come on I need more pork bro it’s so good precious tender now
Look you see the fish how much fish we’re making in the day that’s just one bus pan of Fish N that’s just I got to do damn near 12 of these all right fish so what’s your best seller this one that’s this is my best seller right here
That’s your best seller that’s amazing I learn in one day everything I’m going to Haiti now got contacts in PID all right oh my gosh look here here we got the Peppa the pi give me a little bit Ave on hand okay all right here we go right
There woo that’s Scotch bonnet right that’s Scotch bonnet baby we do it it’s good when it’s hot no you need this in every with every dish got to add this woo going to melt we’re not talking about Scotch bonnet it’s here right in your face see what I’m
Saying that’s scary pepper now let’s let’s talk about what makes Creo Creo right let’s talk about what makes Creole cre oh wow what is this it’s like almost look like Shadow Benny from uh from Trinidad this is the heart and soul of of every Creole kitchen um I mass-produce it most people
Would have a blender but I got a whole food processor can I guess what it is called Peevy PE no it’s epies epies epies sorry epies epies okay look so what’s in it that they so good oh gosh you could eat this all by itself oh
Yeah oh yeah you put on everything oh for sure you see spice too I tell every I tell every man out there that may have may be having some marital issues if she’s giving you problems just put this on her and guess what she’ll stay forever guys this is the best right here
This is the secret ingredient in Haiti but also in Jamaica everything in Jamaica with this where’s Jamrock at all right let’s rock and roll let go so let me ask you does Haiti have KFC cuz the KFC in Jama no answer yall want to you want to
See your fish here or you want to see it outside oh let’s do it outside let’s do it outside yeah let’s do at the table that’s the fish yeah that’s a monster I told you man I told you sir wow that’s an amazing Snapper I love
Eating like this uh first all we start from here like this then you go here mhm then you go with your salad dressing on top of your salad and you add your pck on top of your fish and you start eating that’s all you got to do relax and start eating
Chef qu style and you guys also have Maduro so sweet plantains right here exactly I like that that’s like more that Latino exactly well hey thank you so much that’s a big fish though nice that’s a nice s fish yeah look at that beautiful meat and what I have to
Do oh man that is so fresh I like how what they season it with M nice spices you know the main thing you got to do here to make it truly Haitian is add the pickles pickles some is pickles the best one we tried today it’s spicier though and they add
Just way too much scus on it but it’s all good so in Haiti this is called panon free it literally is fried it’s red snapper Fri red snapper it’s always red snapper yeah yeah same thing in like if you go to any of the Central American Latin countries they always have bco you
You know B Rojo so red snpp and there’s so much meat and what I love about this fish almost no bones you got the spine in the middle and you can just break it up in half just like this look right there oh yeah this is what I’m looking for look
How beautiful nice white meat definitely had to add some more of the oh my God what was that it’s Miami mhm and you know you’re Creo when you add that rested peas small bites no it feels like I’m in Jamaica having this bite bro straight up you
Just need some Esco on there yeah no well that’s what this is for right oh that’s true the pickle is pick is so fire you said you’re from Boston but you’re Haitian background yeah a first generation uh Haitian I actually lived in Haiti when I was younger as
Well oh wow yeah yeah I moved to back to Boston you know in high school so yeah got it love it man I’m Haitian at heart and so what are you doing here in Miami in Little Haiti so I’m my well I I I landed two hours ago oh wow and then I’m
Like I have to come to Che to come taste the food but I’m also traveling tomorrow going to South um America nice so where you going uh I’m going to Panama and I’m going to Columbia nice awesome I’ve been to both okay they nice and so let me ask
You yeah how many languages do you speak I speak four languages you know Haitian Creole French I went to school in Haiti so in Haiti you have to speak French as like the professional language like in the setting of school and uh you know any professional setting you have to
Speak French English and also and so what can you tell me as a Haitian Living in America um differences of course I know the differences from news but I’ve never been to Haiti obviously uh as a a lot of Haitians it’s harder for them to assimilate here because of
The language barrier you know uh they don’t English is not their first language so you know when you come here Haitians are very intelligent you know they’re well educated but once you have that language barrier you have to learn the language you have to relearn everything so it’s you know it’s tougher
For most most of them to assimilate but they’re hard workers you know a lot of Haitians are hard workers most Haitians I know you know they’re hard workers but besides that uh I know Haitians are very patriotic they love being Haitian you know as as you could tell like I know um
There’s a lot of Haitians in Miami New York Boston there’s a big migration of Haitians and every Haitian I know love being Asian most of the Haitians I know personally are Protestant you know they go to Church my family was never exposed to Voodoo all of my uncles are pastors
My grandfather was a pastor most Haitians I’ve known are uh you know they’re from a Christian background but there’s also a misconception that Voodoo is negative you know uh which you know I don’t fully agree with that I think it’s you know that’s their uh religion that’s
What they practice I don’t I I wasn’t raised in that you know I don’t fully know everything about Voodoo but I could say uh they label Haitians as most Haitians are you know they practice Foody which it’s definitely a liot yeser it is part of the culture as well but
Not majority Haitians practice food absolutely not mean what is your favorite dish uh my favorite dish got to go with rice anything with rice rice and peas rice with lium I know you had that today was so good if if it’s a little too heavy you know we go with the frai which
Is like fried uh it could be fried beef fried pork with the pey on the side you know I love it you’re in American America and they’re in Haiti so the way you’re raised is a little bit different you know um I I can’t pinpoint exactly I
Haven’t been in Haiti and for so long but there is a difference because you’re you know there’s different set of rules here there’s different set of you know way you’re raised in Haiti even the educational point you know compared to here there’s absolutely a difference I
Can’t pinpoint it but yeah but as a Haitian American you feel like you’re treated differently than say if you were like born and raised there or absolutely when I was in um Middle School Haitians were definitely treated uh different um especially in the school settings but now as Haitian the culture has been
Popularized now in music uh just more Haitian figures and movies all types of you know scenes so their Haitian the Haitian culture the Haitian people are more welcome now in America so that’s what I’ve noticed yeah full full full you’re going to be famous on now so oh
Yeah make sure you cut up the good Clips what you think the flag bro the flag yeah yeah that’s original that’s original I know I know I’m going to walk into Haiti like this Porter Prince here I come yeah I’m going to get gun shot down
Dude I mean yo gun down it’s a it’s so it’s it’s crazy like the safety part oh go you know a lot of people I know I know a lot of foreigners they they have the privilege to go to that country you know it’s unfort you know how the
Government yeah it’s it’s unfortunate and I know most Haitians want to go back it’s down the street it’s a it’s the Caribbean island the sun is beautiful the beach is are amazing the food is great but it’s tough with the you know so if you come to America and your
Haitian you probably stay you don’t go back so they because of the current situation but most Haitians that I know that that moves to America they all want to go back yeah they all want to go back it’s like it’s like you’re you’re coming to someone’s home you don’t know how the
Things function you don’t know X Y and Z and you’re you’re being shoved these new rules you know and it’s hard like I said the the language barrier is harder for you to assimilate so a lot of them you know they want to make the money here
The money is here and then they want to go back that’s it guys peace
Video “This Is How Haitians Treat Me!! Voodoo And Haitian Food In Miami!! 🇭🇹” was uploaded on 03/02/2024. Watch all the latest Videos by Davidsbeenhere on Gretopia