haiti
In this recording, acclaimed author Edwidge Danticat shares what she describes as "crisis sounds" specific to Haitian culture and Haitian Kreyól. Danticat's novels were key readings in a course on public health and Haiti taught at Duke University in the fall of 2015. Danticat was interviewed by students via Skype during the semester and later contributed this original recording to the Sonic Dictionary to demonstrate some of the unique sounds and expressions associated with her novelistic renderings of Haiti. View the class' exhibit "Sonic Signatures of Trauma in Haiti" here.
This sound captures the smashing of two windows using a tool. The video from which this sound was originally adapted is a demonstration of breaking a car window using an Automatic Center Punch tool. This video was recorded as a demonstration of the tool’s function for the manufacturing company’s promotional purposes. Extracted via YouTube clip.
Thousands of anti-government demonstrators filled Haiti's capital to call for the resignation of the island's president and prime minister. Police fired tear gas to try to break up this demonstration.
An audio excerpt from footage shot by the Associated Press of a public protest over fuel price hikes in Port-au-Prince. Shouts can be heard from the mob at the beginning of the recording, followed by orders from a Haitian policeman speaking through a megaphone. The policeman’s announcement is quickly followed by the sound of a gunshot and more shouts and clamor.