Author Archives: makandal1758

Unknown's avatar

About makandal1758

Makandal channels multiple media to educate and enlighten the public about Haiti, the Haitian diaspora, and all those touched by the rich legacy of Haiti. The company's activities include research, archiving, theatrical productions, and the promotion of artists.

Tales from the Archive: Fire Dancing in the Ballroom

Posted on 02/09/2015 by makandal1758

Sometimes the line between the lurid and the divine is not so apparent. So I didn’t know how to react when Frisner told me we were doing a “voodoo” midnight show at a West Indian ballroom in Flatbush, that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Tales from the Archive | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Tales from the Archive: Frisner’s Souvenir

Posted on 26/08/2015 by makandal1758

We weren’t the kind of people who stressed over holiday gifts. Frisner had come up out of a struggling community—he literally slept on a dirt floor as a child. I had developed an aversion to the annual shopping mania, and, as … Continue reading →

Posted in Tales from the Archive | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Tales from the Archive: Vodou in Church

Posted on 19/08/2015 by makandal1758

We finally got a gig with World Music Institute! Founded in 1985, WMI, in 1986, was already on its way to becoming one of the world’s leading presenters of contemporary music and dance from around the world. I had spoken … Continue reading →

Posted in Tales from the Archive | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tales from the Archive: Telling the Roots

Posted on 12/08/2015 by makandal1758

How did it all start? With a wish, a worry, a dream, maybe a phrase of music? Yes, yes, yes, yes… An interview I set up more than thirty years ago gets it in a nutshell. I say “set up” … Continue reading →

Posted in Tales from the Archive | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tales from the Archive: The Spirits Rock The Town Hall

Posted on 05/08/2015 by makandal1758

I had never been inside The Town Hall before, not until today, September 22, 1989. I was impressed by its monumental aura. Maybe not as grand and elegant as Carnegie Hall, but arguably more noble in purpose than all the world’s highbrow houses … Continue reading →

Posted in Tales from the Archive | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Chante! Sing!

Posted on 20/07/2015 by makandal1758

But wait a minute! Who said I can’t sing? I think I did. How did the child of two musicians, one a pianist, the other a singer—yes, a singer—become so timid with her voice? Is it reversible? Well, I will … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Vodou Love in Outer Space

Posted on 16/07/2015 by makandal1758

Pluto has a heart! Scientists looking at the first images from NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, which just arrived in the Pluto zone after three billion miles and nearly ten years, have spotted a heart-shaped region on the frosty planet. They’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 2 Comments

A Message to You

Posted on 09/07/2015 by makandal1758

I’m writing to you, that free spirit who can’t stop dancing to the beat of a drum. You must have come out of the womb this way. Am I right? As far back as you can remember, your proclivities failed … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Why I’ve Renamed This Site

Posted on 07/07/2015 by makandal1758

Short and sweet today. I’ve opted to rework the title and the tagline of this site. Take a look above and see “Welcome to Makandal” (title) and “Bridging the Past and Future of Traditional Haitian Arts” (tagline).   What happened to “La Troupe … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Introducing the Woman behind the Rudder

Posted on 06/07/2015 by makandal1758

I am Lois, and I blog on behalf of La Troupe Makandal. As you walk through our virtual space, you’ll note that a collective of performing artists who specialize in the classic drumming and dance traditions of Haiti constitute Makandal. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment