Arab Manje Koulev

At its second showing in Haiti this past Wednesday evening about 50 some people showed up to watch the film ‘Un Certain Bord de Mer’ at MWEM, an experimental center for visual communication and the only place to catch a good flick in Port-au-Prince. A film by Haitian director Mario Delatour, ‘Un Certain Bord de Mer’ is unique in its subject, the migration of Arabs, from Syria, Lebanon and elsewhere to Haiti since 1866 and their role since then.

During Haiti’s tumultuous history the division of rich verse poor has been to some equally measurable in the division between black and white. Although this film doesn’t directly address the division it does help bring a more cogent perspective to the presence of Arabs in Haiti. In interviews with this predominantly business class you witness how Haiti’s violent downfall has contributed to arming these individuals. And you are left wondering what is keeping a certain handful from closing up shop in the violent downtown neighborhoods they operate in. Not all are part of the extremely wealthy class but some make up the middle and upper middle class running boutiques, small grocery and depots near the wharf and downtown area of Port-au-Prince.

In the end you see they love this country and are hanging on in their own relative way to what they still have.