History Of Rara
In Catholic tradition, the seven days following Easter Sunday in any given year is called Easter Week. In Haitian tradition, rara, a brilliant and colorful music festival, takes place throughout this holy week. This genre is said to have begun in the 1700s, most likely in the latter part of the century, when French colonization was still strong but African-Haitian sugar plantation workers were riling up. In order to gain independence, Haitian slaves fought literally (during the Haitian Revolution) and culturally (through new art, music, and dance forms). The first instance of rara reportedly took place on Easter Sunday in Saint Domingue, the historic hub for Affranchi social development. Some speculate that the lower-class and oppressed citizens of African descent organized and marched as troupes, parading through the streets with drums, horns, and singers belting in rich Creole. There are no known official documentations of these originating claims; instead, stories have been passed orally from generation to generation.
