CAP-HAITIEN — The festivities in Arcahaie, the birthplace of Haiti’s flag, began last Friday with the customary children’s march. Dressed in white or red T-shirts and blue jeans, the children assembled in front of the city hall, waving the red-and-blue, and reciting.

‘Jean-Jacques Dessalines created the Haitian flag.’

‘Catherine Flon sewed the Haitian flag.’

Afterward, they marched in the streets alongside their instructors, to the sound of a marching band’s trumpets and drums. Later, a bigger parade followed with thousands of people, including men on horseback dressed as Heroes of the Haitian Revolution, women sporting folkloric dresses dancing and high school students in their uniforms.

“The soul of the May 18 Meeting is in Arcahaie,” said attorney Jean Amilcar, an Arcahaie native. “The vibration, the energy is in Arcahaie and they can’t move it.” Click here to read more.