10.5070/F7411042303">
 

Of Bosal and Kongo: Exploring the evolution of the vernacular in contemporary Haiti

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2018

Department/School

African American Studies

Publication Title

Ufahamu: A Journal of African Studies

Abstract

In this article, I trace the multiple layers of meaning behind the words “bosal” and “kongo” in contemporary Haiti. I read the socio-political origins of the two terms, both of which issue from the slave era, and trouble the attributes that scholars traditionally ascribe to them. I also explore how two Haitian folklore characters, Uncle Bouki and Ti Malis, reflect and comment on historical and con-temporary class divisions. Then, using interviews as a basis for my discussion, I explore the two terms’ varied meanings within popular culture before analyzing them as terms not only of denigration but also of empowerment. To do this, I compare popular uses of the terms with the appropriation of the term “nigger” in African Ameri-can popular culture

Link to Published Version

10.5070/F7411042303

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