Photo credit: Noelle Theard
NATI DRED - NATHALIE GUILLAUME
Cultural advocate, Social activist, ‘Backyard Show’ TV Host
Nathalie, thanks for taking time out to give me some background on your life, projects and TV Show endorsing positive reinforcement ‘Made in Haiti.’Indeed our community is loaded with many living positive heroes. A thousand thanks for taking time out to do this with me...
Will you please tell us about your childhood and what shaped the path you as an adult followed?
I would like to start by eliminating all titles associated to my work and would introduce myself as a simple human… I often think of the “marron inconnu” theory and greatly look up to our history of anonymity as a stepping-stone to success.
My childhood was privileged to be touched by inspiring individuals in the arts and sciences of Haitian Culture who in deed shaped my personality today. From the piano lessons with Serge Villedrouin to the dance practice at Lynn William Rouzier’s troop to the unforgettable moments in Tiga Garoute’s art studio, I have embraced multiple aspects of art with a tremendous passion for life…
I know that you also studied with Tiga as a youngster; will you share with us your memories from these sessions and what stayed with you from having had Tiga in your life?
My mother (a visual artist as well) always asked me how come I speak of Tiga’s role so often in my artistic life! But I think once she understood my creativity level and aptitude to transcend, she quickly understood that it had a lot to do with my training with Tiga. My experience with him was multidimensional as I learned to manipulate a wide range of mediums including clay and stone.
Apart from the art, the most important concepts that I acquired was his philosophy…the ‘TIGASOPHIA!’ Respect for others, understanding of higher self, removing limitation of thoughts and embracing traditions. He had this very particular coffee ritual during which you toast as you look in your surrounding’s eyes… the mirror of their soul… letting go of all inhibitions as you toast to life!
He was the one who told me as an artist you should have no sex… I used to sign NATIE and it was feminine identity, which later became simply NATI, simply NATURE, simply identity-less. Then I later found out that he was also an accomplished composer and writer, from which a great deal of my musical inspiration comes from today. OCHAN POU TIGA!
Would you tell us how you began on this cultural militant path of yours?
In reality, it began with just the thought of a change in my generation’s mentality. It was very difficult to accept that my surroundings had no concept of Haitian historical facts. They didn’t know the difference between May 18th and January 1st, they didn’t know the meaning of the conch in the revolution, in a word, they knew nothing about their roots and consequently their universal meaning. Words are too limited to describe infinite emotions such as freedom or revolution; such strong words can be felt in your core, via body language. These kinesics are more accurately learned through conversation with your family, close peers, or more simply your LAKOU which translates the BACKYARD. It has a certain sense of belonging and identity, breaking all the barriers of confusion. If the intellectuals wrote ground breaking manifestos in times affected by turmoil, it was for the sole purpose of having them revived by a new generation of freedom. Freedom is above all the backbone of civil rights! So this movement is about bringing this long awaited identity to the youth, it is time for them to break the chains of society that has locked their minds for so long…
How has taking the core of our cultural community to a next level turned-‘Backyard Show’ TV concept begin?
It was not easy to speak of hidden theories on TV, I mean, it’s not even easy to do it with your own family. Western society is based on fear and invests in all the elements that can scare a people. Rather to connect with the five elements of nature, we want to erase their existence and focus on the products. Like, very few people would realize that the computer is made of metal, or the chair of wood, and the shower we took this morning was sponsored by father water, the burger we had for lunch as particles of wheat that grows in the field and was picked by starving children somewhere in east Asia… we forget ourselves in this fast pace world. Consequently, our children suffer from the lack of a core cultural community based education, which is why the TV show is very important in
When where you last in
I do multiple trips a year and conserve an intimate contact with my friends who still reside there. My last visit was in January and it was in deed fruitful. My concept of
If I go to
What is a Nati day like, can we tag along and find out what makes you happy?
As I type this on my Mac laptop sitting on my Rada drum (picture it… it is a quite interesting sight), I’m sitting outside of a Miami Dade College hall waiting for at 12 o clock Dance and Humanities class in which I have a presentation on Haitian Rhythm. I’ve been up since 7 and had a cup of ginger tea and a huge amount of lime water since.
After my presentation, I have to go to
After that, I will probably make some calls and mobilize more institutions about bringing Haitian rhythms in the classroom. This is what I work on. Bring Haitian culture to the classroom. Learning from myths will bring us no where, we need facts and they are all there. From olds recordings of Choeur Simidor, to the entire collection of “revue du bureau d’ethnologie” there are immense resources for our youth to connect with Haitian culture and see it as a true culture.
Ok, back to Nati’s crazy day (I get carried away when I speak of culture, I am sure you understand Kafe!)I’m really into organic food and would probably splurge on some “mayi moulen ak fey” with a fruit smoootie as I will do some more research on my computer, connect with fellow musicians on myspace or simply prepare power point presentation for my classes as this is a typical DAY OFF for me.(I CAN SAY THAT WE PROBABLY SPEND THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME ON THE COMPUTER KAFE... SAD BUT TRUE…)
On work days, I could be anywhere between teaching meditation & herbology classes to doing dance workshops with special needs kids for hours, to tapping long sets of shows or taking footage for documentation I would use for documentation purposes… the possibilities are infinite and spontaneous. I do practice the drum and keys to a certain extent and write daily in my journal. On other days of non-work, I am in school finishing my doctorate in oriental medicine (specializing in anti aging) in which I believe truly. It is so similar to Haitian folk medicine. The Asians have such a strong culture, it is probably because it is not based on myth or fear, you can’t tell me you haven’t eaten Chinese food before or read the message in the fortune cookie! Did you get scared though? Throughout my learning experience in the Chinese culture, I have become stronger in my belief that
Knowing the real factors blocking us as a community to be seen positively, do you find it harder to keep an optimistic attitude advocating on behalf of Haitian causes when most news coming out of Haiti seem so depressing?
Meditation, meditation, meditation! We are 70% spiritual and 30% physical, if the 30% is failing, you can still keep on keeping on. It is the way to go especially in this cold cold world. Tiga himself survived for days with failing organs, meditation in all forms is a way of life.
Has it been hard to build your own platform as a woman in a field requiring balls---all the while taking a stand as a cultural advocate on a newly explored weekly TV turf?
What is a turf? Why do we think we own people and own things when we really don’t! As a woman, the world is my country (Virginia wolfe) and I live by that. I believe there is enough space for innovation and creativity for everybody. When you turn on the TV, there are over 20 news channels and they’re all giving the same news. If they had to fight over turfs, nothing would get done. Haitian people still think like slaves, like they have a big bad master somewhere that will embarrass them or degrade them, that is soooo 1803! Hihi!
What I bring is different; first of all, I am only 23 and can by no way surpass those who have been broadcasting for over 30 years. I can be their daughters, and in all honesty, that’s what I want to be, a child of the sun, always seeking from the master… I need a directory of mentors who are willing to bring me wisdom, not just words, but silent powerful actions of progression. I am sure many other young advocates would sign up if this was being offered in the Haitian community. Nobody is perfect in this world, but only through the acceptance that we are both the student and the teacher, the object and the subject, the I and the I, will we accept to teach like the rightful master does.
As an advocate of culture, at times I feel overwhelmed with the influx of negativity to combat against bringing
I’ve done workshops with a room full of 200+ foreigners playing rara, singing djouba and dancing yanvalou. They have no such concepts once you bring positive energy with your presentation. This one time, an 8 year old said “what about the kids who are starving in
It is obvious- we lack so many basics as a country; do you feel discouraged at times finding yourself defending a lost case on behalf of our unstable nation?
In deed is a true mission to get anything running accurately in
Living in the states has confirmed another truth, perhaps the saddest to face pushing Haitian issues surrounded by a local community knowing very little or nothing of its own history and culture’s strength- how do we engage parents to endorse our longing to mold the upcoming generation growing away from Haiti-yet much Haitian nonetheless?
Once there is a class called “Haitian music” or “Haitian Art” or “Haitian Religion” and more in the school’s curriculum, I don’t think parents will be able to do anything about it. It is a little much to ask for a working parent to become superhero on this manner. Like I said before, we all have a calling. The teacher’s calling is to teach the truth and it is time for all specialists to excel in a field that is their own and teach it to those who seek the knowledge.
Being a classical pianist and an avid supporter of traditional music, how do you feel when at an advertised Haitian Festival you hear other genres blasting getting their extra share of promotion when our own confined variety of rhythms have yet been recognized as valuable in the heart of the many Haitian born and growing up Haitian on foreign territory?
“Lapriyè, lapriyè pou moun sa yo! Nou soti nan ginen an poun vin sove peyi a! Lapriyè”
There is nothing we can do about this problem but pray, it seems. No matter how much we want to involve other rhythms in the Konpa, it is just not welcome. But little does the Konpa fan know that this music is based on Ibo, just one of the dozens of core Haitian traditional rhythms. First of all, what’s up with the Bongo? Is that even a Haitian percussion? I mean, we are dealing with musicians who don’t read, composers who don’t write and singers who can’t scat. I think this discussion will stop here for now… I want to see a SHOW, you know like when you pay $50 to see PRINCE and he puts on a SHOW, yeah, give me my money back b****!!!
I have for years spoken against this ‘need’ it would seem promoted by musicians and supporters alike for Kompa music to be appreciated positively beyond our shores through this so called ‘crossing over’ the goal. Your music when played well will get noticed-naturally. Making of ‘crossing over’ IT as a form of validation to me is illogical. What do you think?
We have crossed over centuries ago. Why even think that adding some western instruments that thousands of musicians have mastered via Ivy League universities and extensive research will help us cross over? If we just take the time to appreciate the facts that make us stand out, the items that we has a people have mastered by tradition, we would have crossed over but just on paper because I believe we have crossed over already.
Along the same genre-It is obvious that this musical community has so much to do prior? If we as Haitians can’t even enjoy a weekly kompa venue without drama, what crossing over are we talking about when we would be crazy to invite foreigners to some live gatherings?
There is nothing cultural about a music played by individuals dressed like wanna-be rockstars, singing songs with no universal context (you can only say I love you baby in so many ways!) in front of a crowd filled with 99.9% Haitians. The 0.1% is left for lovers, friends and families of Haitians who have merged races and has nothing to do with a general public seeking for Haitian culture. The foreigners know where to get the true music, you will find them eating at Chez le bebe in little
I don’t even think that konpa is a problem, rather the fact that we are scared to identify with ourselves, and accept it as a successful music able to “cross over”. Maybe if it was played the way Nemours Jn Baptiste intended, there would be hope… It is the same for the Haitians playing reggae or calypso, this is not ours, we have to stick to our roots. Foula did it with jazzy melodies, Zekle has done with with new age sounds and so many other masters have done it as well. We have to identify with ourselves…it is the key to exciting new cultures to discover ours.
Pausing on the similarities and divergence of these two Caribbean nations-Jamaica and
Unity! Unity! Unity! Just like Bob took all the best musicians to form the Wailers, we should put together the best musicians and form a dream team. Even Kassav did it, so many others have done it, but Haitians are not going to accept that there is actually one vocalist better than another without turmoil, let the lead singer shine and take us to higher heights.
The music of
In your heart, what is our worst handicap as a country? Although our culture is strong and perhaps the last thing we have to fall back on with pride, how can our culture to you be more used to bring some positivism to our island?
Look around you. Did you look? What do you see? Fatra, kidnapping, lamizè, tèt bese, vant mare, let us talk about things that do matter… things that can bring life back into our hearts… things that go so far back that they can no longer be broken… there is again so many ways to say I love you without sounding redundant. Hi hi!
There is this intentional faux-pas from news articles to show our poverty as a badge to illustrate any article or segment about
We don’t like to accept our reality. Therefore we will remain stuck in this vicious cycle of ignorance and the saddest thing to say is that our children will suffer the most. When
That was a reality, and they created the most powerful empire with their concept of self-production and non-individualistic success. They have literally imposed their culture to the world and that’s why there is a
How has the concept of your ‘Backyard Show’ been received? Who are behind the scene?
I never received a call from anybody in the Haitian community to either compliment or support the project. When I see the “leaders” in community activities, they tap me lightly on my back asking me for the show like it was a child attending boarding school. They have signed contracts and disappeared, they have shredded documents, they have lied about our beliefs, ala pale yo pale… do nou laj! Pa gen danje!
This is no joke, this is a real production, it involves a budget, a dedicated staff and long hours of editing, without counting the marketing, the administration, the writing, the involvement in the Haitian community’s overall events and more… so in a world, my child is in boarding school and she is fine. Hihi!
She is growing and becoming stronger with all the advanced classes she is taking and is surely healthy thanks to her father Richard Pierre Louis (my executive producer), her two aunties Magdala Orelus and Pamela Paultre (my assistant producers), her uncle Jean Philippe Guillaume (my webmaster), and grand mother Marie Josee Guillaume (manman jazz la!).
So many other individuals are involved thanks to their contributions to the movement either by giving us a space (Il Castillo), a production studio (New Era Productions), wonderful clothing (Shades of Africa), memorable footage (Noelle Theard Photography) and more… as you can see it is a movement and not just a TV show. So many great people are involved and we think of them as an intricate part of our success.
Thanks to them, the Miami Herald, the Sunsentinel, the Broward Times, le Nouvelliste, Spotlight Magazine, Ticket Magazine, Television Nationale D’Haiti and so many other positive media outlets have helped promote the movement and attract more viewers to see the amazing productivity of Haitians living abroad. You will receive pictures of my dear child very soon as she is graduating kindergarten soon!!!
Working on a project dedicated to only speaking of the good ‘made in Haiti’ I don't feel that I am unrealistic in the want to counterbalance the redundant display of repulsiveness upon the shoulders of Haiti choosing to share only its good sides. For already doing your part stimulating positively Haitian awareness-I commend you and thank you.
Any last words Nati?
Vodou a pa diab!
Nou marye ak vodou a!
Sanyan Sanyan!
Vive le TAMBOUR!!!
C’est un cycle de la ‘Rotation Artistique’ de Tiga.
Kafe mwen avew 900% e mwen pa pè poum dil. Map bay vim pou mouvman an. Si poum viv lot bo dlo nan iyorans m pito pa viv. Fok mwen travay pou yon ti soley ka klere fè nwa menm si se yon ti twou li ye.
Ou pa jenm wè yon twou nan yon do tol lakay epi soley la pèse nen mitenl? Se konsa mwen Nati Soley Natif natal vle ye.
Tout atis fanm mwen yo, rale tambou nou nan fant janm nou epi komanse bat li pou sove timounn yo.
Ago!
Kafe, stay tune for our new video contents in our website www.thebackyardshow.net promoting all aspects of “Made in
Kafe, ou konen tout lanmou m gen pou ou deja, ou se on fanm vayan tout bon vre. Se ou ki soley la pou peyi Dayiti e ou gen tout yon mouvman dèyèw… Ayibobo pou ou…
Kafe-Pascal Garoute
“Made in
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