Konpa’s candidacy has been officially submitted to be included on the representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of Humanity at UNESCO.
In a press release dated March 26, 2024, the permanent delegation of Haiti to UNESCO announced that the ambassador, permanent delegate of the Republic of Haiti to UNESCO, Dominique Dupuy, formally submitted the candidacy of Konpa /Compas of Haiti for inclusion on the said list.
In the press release, Konpa is described as a form of music and dance which occupies a prominent place in Haitian intangible cultural heritage. “In all its varieties – Compas Direct, Hounsi, Boule de feu, Molésse, Cadence Rampas, Makyavèl Karamèl, Digital, Stéréo, Manba, Malouk, Kèkal, Timtim, Funk, Love, etc. –, it offers a space of recognition and celebration for Haitians, both inside and outside the country,” we read in the press release.
It is also specified that Konpa had been included in the National Register of Haitian Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2019, and that this submission constitutes the country’s third to this list since the ratification of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, after Soup joumou/Giraumon soup and Kasav/Cassave.
The permanent delegate, Dominique Dupuy, is delighted with the massive support for this candidacy and the very large number of letters of consent received, as well as the efforts made over several months within a “Konpa/UNESCO” consultation group. bringing together the Konpa community and numerous cultural associations, notably the Association for Haitian Music and Dance (AMDH).
The permanent delegation also expresses its gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture and Communication, in particular Andy Durosier, for coordinating the production of the video and photos, as well as the members of the National Commission Haitian cooperation with UNESCO, researchers from the State University of Haiti and the heritage expert, Ricarson Dorcé, who ensured the scientific aspect of the file.
Haitian Konpa, also known as Konpa Direct (Konpa or Konpa dirèk in Haitian Creole), is a musical genre originating from Haiti. Imagined by Haitian saxophonist and guitarist Nemours Jean-Baptiste in the mid-1950s, Konpa Direct fuses various influences. It draws its roots from Haitian meringue and quadrille, as well as twoubadou, while drawing inspiration from jazz and Cuban music.
