CULTURE
Traditions:
The culture of Haiti is the fusion of the African, West Indian and the French cultures. The national language of Haiti is "Creole" and this language is widely used in arts, literature, drama, music and dance. The people of Haiti are known as Haitians and they are very creative and artistic people. Works of art of Haiti are recognized world wide because of their unique features and colorful portrayal.
Celebrations:
The most festive time of the year in Haiti is during Carnival (referred to as "Kanaval" in Creole or Mardi Gras). The festivities start in February. The cities are filled with music, parade floats and people dancing and singing in the streets. Carnival week is traditionally a time of all-night parties and escape from daily life.
Rara, a festival which occurs before Easter, is celebrated by a significant number of the population as well and its celebration has been led to it becoming a style of carnival music. Many of the youth also attend parties and enjoy themselves at nightclubs called discos, pronounced in local slang as "deece-ko" (not like the discos of the U.S), and attend Bal.
Alcohol:
The legal drinking age for alcohol beverages is 16.
Sports and Hobbies:
The football is the most popular sport in Haiti. Certainly, the national pastime is the football. Unlike in Dominican Republic or Puerto Rico, the Haitian people don’t like the baseball.
In the 20th Century, football became the most popular sport on the Island, thanks to such heroes as Sylvio Cator, Joseph Gaetjens and Emmanuel Sanon. In 1974 Haiti qualified for the World Cup in Germany.