| These rules of conduct
mold a person’s mind, yielding what can be understood as "Soul Power".
This expression refers to a particular sort of power or force that seems to be specific to
each person and that allows the individual to fully affirm his or her own participation to
humanity. When applied to a group of people who thinks and acts in a relatively coherent
manner, one may safely refer to it as the group’s or the community’s "Soul
Power". |
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In fact, Soul Power is indicative
of a total affirmation of one’s personality and at the same time of a relentless
quest for what could be interpreted as the self’s or the group’s "real
usefulness". This search does not necessarily imply looking for the greatest amount
of material comfort nor the longest life expectancy. Rather, it is the search for a
non-affected or non-hypocritical kind of life that brings about the greatest amount of
freedom and happiness. This truest sort of life has nothing to do with living forever,
which nobody can do, but instead with living better and well, given natural limitations
and contingencies. |
| In other words, Soul Power embodies
the sum of efforts one necessarily has to exert upon oneself to live well, behave
correctly and be recognized by others as an honest human being. "Being poor but
honest" seems to be the most valid answer most Haitian persons would offer when
questioned about his or her economic condition. |
| That sum of efforts makes the
difference between human beings’ lives and those of all other animals. It defines
what may be meant by "living a reasonable kind of life". So, Soul Power makes
the difference between what is understood as hominisation, which is a biological fact, and
humanization which is a cultural one. It is thus the capacity every human being has to
live humanly, that is to think more clearly and in a more just manner, and to act better.
Without this Soul Power, people would simply be inhuman and even cruel. |
| These principles are real in most
African societies that live in Africa or in the New World. Though unwritten, these laws
prescribe the use of proper manners as the consequence of a particular frame of mind. What
is termed here "proper manners" is the desire to think and act in
conformity with virtuous morale, character and with the admitted usage and customs. |
| To expose just a few of
these precepts – some of them being quite different from Judeo-Christian teachings and
values and sometimes even antithetic to them -, I will freely translate some of the ideas
generally regarded as wise by the people of Haiti. Most of them are included in Vodun,
this country’s popular religion: |
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"For a human being, the body which is also called
‘Ko Kadav’ or cadaver is just a stepping stone upon which individuals should
elevate themselves toward the development of the mind and then to spirituality."
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"Prudence is an excellent disposition of the Soul that
should never remain idle in a normal human being. It allows one to judge correctly what is
good or what is bad in all occasions."
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"Good and evil are not creations of God, but rather of
the human being. So they should not be considered as absolute in value. A glance at
everything the human mind might have conceived reveals nothing which may be viewed as
absolutely Good or absolutely Evil, except one’s good will and the goodness of
one’s heart. Intelligence, sharpness of the mind, ability to judge and the capacity
to think … all the many talents, whatever their name might be, such as courage, power of
decision, intuition, perseverance … are certainly desirable qualities for one to have.
But, they may also be very Evil if and when the Will of the person using them (his or her
character) is not a good one."
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"Respect, politeness and gratefulness are basic
qualities that everyone should always make use of. One starts learning them when one
learns to say hello, please, thank you and pardon me."
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"A dancer unwillingly steps on your foot, that is not
wickedness but clumsiness. When you accept his or her apologies, that is not a pardon. It
is simple politeness."
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"Faithfulness is an obligation among friends, lovers and
spouses. One must always remain faithful to oneself, to one’s word, to the Tradition
of the ancestors and to the Lwa. The point is that one should never betray one’s
self, one’s community, one’s country and what humanity has made of one as a
human being."
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"We regard virtue
as acquired through self-discipline and predicate it of human beings only. Morality involves conformity to an accepted code of right conduct.
It is less elevated but more concrete than virtue. Rectitude
also implies conformity to a moral code, but stresses intention or disposition. Hence, a
human being’s morality may arise from fear of punishment or of censure, but that
person’s rectitude can only come from a love of the right and a conscious desire to
follow it. The opposite of any kind of virtue are vices, evil and despicability, all the
many forms of ignobleness."
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"Lying is never a virtue, but neither are stupidity or
putting oneself in a suicidal position".
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"In life, it would be pure stupidity to put forward the
other cheek when someone hits you in the face. Against violence, pull your machete. But
make sure you had previously learned how to hit well and how to ward off."
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"Those who behave like earthworms should never be
surprised when people walk over them."
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"Justice is the respect one shows for the equality of
the other person’s rights, not for his/her might or strength."
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"It is never good enough to live and not suffer, one
must also live happily. Happiness is not just a question of luck, it has to be built on a
daily basis by a constant practice of politeness and good morales. It is never given and
should never be taken for granted." etc… etc…
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| These principles or
rules of conduct are many and they take into account the many different relationships
which may exist between the human being and the Universe, these include relationships with
the entirety of celestial bodies, the cosmos, and in a more restricted sense, the earth,
sun, moon, humanity, plant and animal kingdoms. Consequently, they determine a definite
and specific personality. |
| By using the freedom of will
that everyone disposes of, one may "willingly" decide to ignore some, or even
all, of these precepts, particularly when migrating toward foreign lands. But, generally,
in choosing to disregard any single one of them, one automatically becomes conscious of
doing wrong. Therefore, and at the same time, in choosing not to behave properly, one also
chooses to endure the negative consequences of that decision. |