Nemours Jean-Baptiste. Visual credit: MPAP.
The Ministry of Culture and Communication (MCC), headed by Minister Augustin Antoine, wants to celebrate the 69th anniversary of Konpa direct. On this occasion, the ministry says it is honoring the memory of Nemours Jean-Baptiste, founder of this musical genre in July 1955. By modernizing traditional Haitian music, Jean-Baptiste introduced more fluid rhythms and a constant tempo, creating a symbol of Haitian musical identity that has crossed borders, the ministry maintains in a press release.
In its statement, the MCC highlights the contributions of pioneers and new generations to the evolution of Compas Direct, citing groups such as Tabou Combo, Septentrional, and Tropicana d’Haïti who popularized the genre. Performed during national holidays, carnivals, and community events, Compas Direct remains a vibrant expression of Haitian identity, the state institution emphasizes.
To mark this anniversary, the ministry is planning a series of activities bringing together stakeholders from the music sector. The MCC says it salutes all those who keep the Compas alive. The institution headed by Augustin Antoine takes the opportunity to recall that Haiti submitted the Compas’ candidacy for the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity to UNESCO, thus reinforcing its cultural importance.
Loop is better in the app. Customize your news feed, save articles for later, view your reading history and more. Click the links below to download the app for Android and IOS.
