Analysis of Haitian Culture - Assignment Example

Haitian Culture Overview/Heritage The Haitian culture has links to French and West African ancestry. Even though a greater population comprises Blacks, the French ancestry comes as a result of the French colonizing the state whereby the Haitian music, creed as well as language portrays this ancestry much (Largey, 2012, p.14). However, the culture also constitutes of contributions from Taino as well as Spanish imperialism. The name Haiti descends from Taino, which is an Indian language meaning “mountainous country” whereby this ethnic resided in Haiti ahead of colonization by French. A considerable fraction of Haitians approximately 80% to 85% are Christians (mostly being Catholics), with a small portion representing Protestants. Additionally, another small portion include the Hindus as well as Muslims who commonly presently inhabit Port-au-Prince (Largey, 2012, p.14-15). Generally, most Haitians exhibit a significant link to the event of the 1804 expulsion of the French, an occurrence that led to Haiti being the first sovereign Black state as well as being second in the Western Hemisphere to attain self-rule from imperial Europe. Communication Haitian’s culture depicts the meaning of touch in various forms. This is quite evident among the male gender whereby they exhibit a tendency of holding hands in public. For outsiders, this action may be a depiction of homosexuality. For Haitians, however, holding hands in pubic portrays friendship but it is extremely rare for them to show affection publicly towards their females for this to them ought to be in privacy. Affection towards, family members may be shown overtly and holding hands of family members may not be regarded inappropriate (Migraine-George, & Jackson, 2014, p.7-8). Further, in the case of professionals, for instance, health-care providers, physical contact only comes as a result of shaking hands whereby actions like kissing regard them as inappropriate. However, touch by health-care providers during service provision normally receives appreciation. With regards to personal spatial and distancing strategies, most Haitians do not mind so much about personal space. Therefore, in most instances, interaction tends to be close, be it with a friend or a family member. Generally, compared to Americans require less personal spatial thus in most cases they position themselves closer to one another when communicating. Further, during a conversation, for most Haitians, direct eye contact is considered appropriate especially when used with friends or persons of same age group as well as family members. This is always trailed by an active tone of voice. However, direct contact, according to Haitian culture, must always be avoided when conversing with an individual of authority or someone of a higher socioeconomic status. Haitians also mostly use gestures for the purpose of making themselves well understood. Often, they like to engage in strident laughter coupled with talks because mostly an individual’s hand gestures accompany storytelling or a discussion. If in case an individual is too busy to have conservation with someone else, they may simply greet the other through nodding their heads up. Moreover, most Haitian men usually say “pssst” when they want to gain someone’s attention; particularly when they want to gain a woman’s attention (Largey, 2012, p.64-66). An action such as clicking the tongue (often referred to as a chipe) implies a sign of disgust or disapproval, and most Haitians deem it impolite (Largey, 2012, p.64-66). Moreover, most Haitians give greeting a considerable importance, particularly the Haitians living in the rural areas. In rural Haiti, for instance, many exhibit the tendency of saying “hello” several times to each other whenever or wherever they meet before actual conversation commences. Therefore, failing to give greeting may be considered rude and impolite. Usually, on meeting or departing, males greet. In case both sexes meet, as a sign of greeting, may be kiss each other on the cheek. A woman may also kiss a fellow woman on the cheek to imply a greeting. Rural Haiti women, however, may at times kiss their female friends on the lips to signify friendship. They also consider personal greetings extremely significant. For instance, when joining a group or entering a room, one must greet every individual around physically; men prefer shaking whereas females kissing especially with a new acquaintance. Haitians also have the tendency of addressing persons of high status or superiors by title (for example, Doctor, Master, Monsieur, Madame, etc.) preceded one’s last name. However, friends use initial names or nicknames (normally related to that individual’s name) for the purpose of addressing one another. Further, an older individual may be referred to as “uncle” or “aunt” to signify respect even if no relation exists amid the speaker and the old individual (Migraine-George, & Jackson, 2014, p.8). High-Risk Behaviors Often, Haitians openly and willingly share opinions, ideas and feeling with outsiders and with each other. Most of them prefer sharing issues concerning factors that can help conserve their culture. They also share a lot regarding their economy, livelihood and religion. Ideas, thoughts and feelings on certain topics, however, are hardly discussed candidly and may be regarded a taboo. For example, most Haitians deem discussion of sexuality a taboo (a factor that has intensified the spread of HIV/AIDS and other STIs). During the initial years of HIV pandemic in Haiti, for example, most of Haitians associated the disease to male homosexuality; an action regarded a taboo in traditional Haitian society. Even the medics felt embarrassed asking their ailing concerning homosexual activity and even the patients hardly ever volunteered such information. However, some few years after the initial incidence of the pandemic in Haiti, the disease spread to the heterosexual population; most Haitian homosexuals also had sex with women. Currently, women form the largest portion of the Haitian population living with HIV/AIDS (Largey, 2012, p.78). Additionally, since discussion of sexuality is a taboo, most Haitians have inappropriate and undesirable attitudes concerning methods of birth control and STIs. Most people become very distrustful and sensitive during discussions on topics on HIV/AIDS and STIs. Ordinarily, considering sexual orientation, Haitians regard homosexuality a taboo whereby gay as well as lesbian individuals remain closeted (Colin, 2011). Therefore, feelings, thoughts and ideas concerning sexuality are not willingly given in Haiti. Additionally, Haitians do not openly discuss matters concerning intimate relationships and do not publicly display sexual behavior. Workforce Issues A clear exploration of Haitian culture simply depicts that the cultures worldview is past and puts less focus on the present and the future. Haitian culture, for instance, intensifies the prevalence of gender bias. For instance, males are believed to be the breadwinners while women are left to do household work, take care of children and give birth. In addition, gender roles, are strictly emphasized in Haitian culture (Colin, 2011). In health-care, for example, people consider physicians to be men and nurses to be women. Therefore, a male working as a nurse or a female working as a physician may not receive the expected trust and authority from the locals. This negatively influences health-care. Moreover, Haitian culture, in the name of taboos, shuns discussion of essential issues that affect the society’s wellbeing. Therefore, Haiti never moves forward and is poverty stricken due to such issues; in other words, the nation is not future oriented. Health Care Practices/ Practitioners Haitian culture has over the years and at the present negatively affected nursing and generally the health-care system. A factor that makes the work of nurses and other health-care providers have less meaning to Haitians is that most Haitians view the cause of illness as either natural or supernatural. They also believe that illness can be caused by sympathetic magic like the voodoo dolls and they have magico-religious beliefs (Migraine-George, & Jackson, 2014, p.16). Some, for instance, when an infant has gastrointestinal problems (diarrhea), normally believe that it could be as a result of someone glancing at the infant enviously (evil eye; “maldyok”). In such cases the first priority would be to take the infant to a voodoo practitioner or an herbalist instead of a health-care provider. In addition, when one is ill, instead of being referred to a health facility, most Haitian prefers home remedies that embrace herbal preparations, over-the-counter resolutions as well as massage. Normally, these remedies mostly pass through generations. Furthermore, most Haitians have the trend of using biomedical care simultaneously with magico-religious, and they have the belief that a person’s health is signified by the quality of the individual’s blood (Migraine-George, & Jackson, 2014, p.25-27). These are some few factors that make nurses find it hard to offer their services to the natives; few individuals take them seriously. References Colin, J.M. (2011). Cultural and Clinical Care for Haitians. Indian Health Services. Retrieved from http://www.in.gov/isdh/files/Haiti_Cultural_and_Clinical_Care_Presentation_Read- Only.pdf Largey, M. D. (2012). Vodou nation: Haitian art music and cultural nationalism. (4th ed., p. 14- 98) Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Migraine-George, T., & Jackson, R. (2014). Haitian Identities: Expanding the Discourse. Journal of Haitian Studies, 20(1), 4-38. Read More