INTL 190 - Haiti in a Transnational Context

The Humanism Relationship between Haiti and Chile

Humanism Relationship between Haiti and Chile

The humanism relationship between Haiti and Chile is based on the concept of unanimity and harmony of every force of nature that is founded on the principles of the power of collectivity over individuality, and the concept of interconnectedness and interdependence of those forces. Michel (2012) found that every force of nature has a meaning in the world. Therefore, bringing divisions in communities, interfering with harmonious flows of things, and creating dissonances in the polyrhythm of nature can cause moral transgressions in the systems of beliefs associated with the relationships between people, nature, and the mystic powers of the earth. In Haitian humanism, a person occupies the most important cosmic position that is humanistic and anthropocentric. That means people are the core of creation though they are not the “rulers'' of it.

The goal of creolized African humanism in Haiti is to improve the people’s living conditions in the universe. Fick (2010) noted that this Vodou paramount goal was evident in the language, dance, religion, world view, and medicine. Every word of the sacramental Vodou hymn was almost, if not exclusively, of African origin. Different African languages comprised forms of cultural protest against colonial directives, and reinforced self-consciousness and cultural identities independent of the white bosses. Generally, creolized African humanism practiced in Saint Domingue constituted a broad synthesis of different religious beliefs and practices of all the African nations forming the slave population.

Haitian worldview regards human connection in favor of collective personhood. Haitian worldview indicates that individuals become genuine only through interaction, and people gain the strongest and the balanced sense of selves through receptive and conscientious association with others (Michel, 2012). On the other hand, humanism in Chile has been emphasizing the worth of human influences rather than looking at the spiritual, divine, or religious matters (Cha, 2019). As a result, the humanism relationship between these two countries has been ingrained in the impression of people having ethical responsibilities to lead lives that are personally fulfilling and contribute to the welfare of other people.

Humanism in Haiti and humanism in Chile have been stressing the importance of human dignity and values, focusing on helping a person live well, making the world a better place, and achieving personal growth. For example, in Haiti, Michel (2012) found that a person is not only responsible for their actions but also accountable for the people around them. Therefore, each of their activities and acts influence the stability of the outer world. However, ignoring family responsibility and jeopardizing the communal interest are serious ethical wrongdoings that lead to the disapproval of the person. On the other hand, Castilla-Feliu (2016) noted that Chile is the most harmonized nation of Latin America in cultural and ethnic terms. The implicit rules and customs regulate responsibilities and commitments toward the collectivities and institutions that create them. As determined by financial means, status, and seniority, material support, respect, and allegiance are all due to every member of the community under all situations.

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