Strange things: Children of Haiti

I was lucky enough to be invited to the screening of 'Strange things: Children of Haiti' by a good friend earlier this month, as part of the 5th I WILL TELL International Film Festival. The theme - forgive and tell. The film documented the life of a few young men living on the streets of Haiti. I was immediately engrossed in their journey. These young men exemplified street smarts: savvy and resourceful, having to get through each day. No schooling, absence of family in some cases, their brotherhood giving them strength. According to the film, street kids are called 'sanguine' in Haiti which translates as 'soulless' in Creole. Ironically, What I found particularly interesting was that despite their plight, they conveyed strength, big dreams and were wise beyond their years, something a school book could never teach you! Moreover, recounts of their revolutionary history rolled off the tips of their tongues, and lived within them. By the end of the film, some of the boys had started the path to their dreams and some has fallen off...What really touched me was their resilience through the adversity that had been thrown at them throughout their lives and I left the room with hope for them all. One issue that arose was the difficulties in some of them adapting to the traditional school system. The structure that it required, juxtaposed by their chaotic lifestyle. It really made me think just how important it is to be creative in the way that we approach teaching children. One size does not fit all!

I find it disconcerting that the write up on the film, a reflection of the theme of the festival, states "Sometimes, for your own sake, it is better to forget the past and keep your eyes focussed on the future." What does this actually mean? From my perspective, the young men seemed to draw strength and pride from Haiti's fascinating history and showed determination to change their lives, away from their past. I don't believe it is better to forget the past, for me it gives me the push to be proactive and inspires and motivates me to fight for my dreams. To live and not simply exist.

Much props to the director, Alexandria Hammond and the team who put this together. Those beautiful young men drew me into their lives and were far from 'sanguine'. In fact they were inspirational in many ways. The film was raw, emotional, and touching. It made me reflect on my own experience in Haiti this year. It was great to see the astounding natural beauty of Haiti again and the vulnerabilities, strength and spirit of the Haitians, particularly the young people. I hope to attend the 6th instalment of the festival next year.