Unesco: Haiti's "soup joumou" joins the intangible heritage of humanity

The soup joumou of Haiti, or giraumon soup, makes its entry into the intangible cultural heritage of Unesco, this Friday, December 17, 2021. Photo dated January 1, 2021, the day when everyone is looking for their soup joumou.

© RFI / Amélie Baron

Text by: RFI Follow

3 min

The evaluators of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), announced this Thursday, December 16, 2021 the inscription of the "soup joumou", "soup of giraumon" in French, on the list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

A consecration for the traditional cuisine of the island of Haiti.

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Our" soup joumou "is now part of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity 

," enthuses the daily

Le Nouvelliste

, which still insists on the same words: " 

The" soup joumou "

now belongs to humanity.

 "

Among the ambassadors, those of Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Poland, Switzerland, Tunisia, Djibouti, Japan, Peru, Sri Lanka, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Sweden, from Poland, in particular, defended this candidacy, as of this year since it was initially to be examined next year.

Our “Soup joumou”, classified intangible heritage of humanity by UNESCO https://t.co/74X44dupc3

- Le Nouvelliste (@nouvelliste) December 17, 2021

It is the ambassador of Port-au-Prince to Unesco, Dominique Dupuy, who requested last March, exceptionally, a faster treatment of the case in order to be able to give at least good news to his people.

The island press seems to have appreciated the “ 

elegance 

” of the Swiss representative. “

 If today we accept the candidacy of giraumon soup on the list, it is not out of generosity due to the exceptional circumstances that Haiti is going through,

but it is because of the quality of the file. The criteria have been met and this,

it must be emphasized,

 ”said Muriel Berset Kohen.

“ 

Giraumon soup is an inclusive tradition.

It is prepared and shared in both rural and urban areas across the country.

It strengthens social ties.

The viability of the element has been guaranteed by women and families who play a key role in the informal transmission of preparatory techniques.

The process respects the participatory approach

 ”, confirmed the evaluation body of Unesco.

🇭🇹Soup joumou is coming!


D-15 before January 1st 🔥😋


Bravo @unesco_haiti @DominiqueDPH 👏👏 https://t.co/fgSED7cg6m

- Amélie Baron (@Ameliebaron) December 16, 2021

 On behalf of the Republic of Haiti, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to each of the members of the intergovernmental committee. I would like to thank the evaluating body which issued a favorable technical recommendation 

, ”replied Ms. Dupuy.

This historic moment belongs to all the Haitian people, themselves bearer and guardian of this heritage woven into their DNA, the ultimate symbol of the fight against slavery, against colonialism, against racism, today raised to this noble register. of humanity (...) May all Haitians, young and old, wherever they are, remember today that their contribution to the history of the world, their voice, and their dignity can never be invisible again. This inscription of the soup joumou, at this gloomy moment in our journey as a people, at the end of a most trying year, is a new torch which will revive our solidarity and our faith in a better tomorrow. Haiti says thank you to Unesco! Humanity says thank you to Unesco! Ayibobo!

The Kuwaiti ambassador, who had raised procedural points, came to greet his Haitian counterpart after the adoption of the file, at his office, where the ambassadors marched to taste the famous soup.

It's good!

 “, Launched the Tunisian representative, even asking for rab, according to

Le Nouvelliste

.

It is the first meal shared by the first black people of humanity.

On January 1, 1804, the wife of Jean-Jacques Dessalines, the father of the independence of Haiti, decrees that this soup is the national soup.

A booty from this anti-colonial war that he had just won, because the soup, during the colony, was reserved for the colonists, prepared by the slaves who were not allowed to drink it because they were not "civilized". "

Dominique Dupuy, Ambassador of Haiti to Unesco

Clea broadhurst

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