Later in the evening, I went back to Little Haiti in hopes of witnessing the weekly
rara procession which occurs every Friday night.
Rara is a Haitian music genre and cultural practice that involves bands of musicians and marchers that proceed through the streets in Haiti during the period of Lent from Ash Wednesday through Easter. Ostensibly a celebration of the resurrection of Christ,
rara musicians and marchers in Haiti often satirize public officials. When two bands meet, the ritualized battle that follows seems similar to that of Mardi Gras Indian gangs in New Orleans. In Miami, however, most
rara events are associated with a band called Rara Lakay (literally the “House of Rara”, or perhaps “Rara from Home”), and they occur throughout the year, not just during Lent. The purpose of the processions in Little Haiti seems to be more about building a strong Haitian community and preserving Haiti’s traditional culture for the youth, so the year-round nature of Rara Lakay makes perfect sense. Unfortunately, nothing looked very promising upon my arrival to the neighborhood, because the streets were empty, so much so that it felt as if I’d entered the Twilight Zone. The shops were beginning to close for the evening, sliding down their metal gates, and, except for the small group of men barbecuing in front of the Piman Bouk Restaurant, all was quiet. Of course I had forgotten that the Miami Heat were playing, and everyone was at home or at a bar watching the game. Eventually, some of the guys from Rara Lakay (whom I had reached out to by social media) met me at the mural of the Neg Mawon (Black Maroon, a national symbol of Haiti) at Northeast 2nd Avenue and 60th, and led me to a rehearsal of the band.
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