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North Department - Haiti Observer Blog

North Department, Haiti Observer Blog. Read the following articles about North Department


 

Acul-du-Nord in Nord Department of Haiti

In the country's northern part lies the Nord Department, which is made up of Acul-du-Nord Arrondissement that is composed of three municipalities, namely Acul-du-Nord, Plaine-du-Nord and Milot. The department is home to more than 100,000 Haitians.

The municipality of Acul-du-Nord, often referred to as Akil dinò in Creole. It is divided into six small towns: Bas de l'Acul, Camp Louise, Coupe a David, Grande Ravine, La Soufriere, and Mornet.

Acul-du-Nord is the home of 51,337 Haitians who concentrate on agriculture as their main source of livelihood. The common produce in the municipality are coffee, different kinds of fruits, and rice. Haitians in this region also practice beekeeping for attaining honey and selling this in the local market and in foreign trade. Majority of Acul-du-Nord's population are Roman Catholics due to the introduction of Christianity in the 1600s by Haiti's European colonizers. One of the earliest marks of Christianity in the municipality is the Camp Louise Parish located in the town of Camp Louise, which was built and completed in 1699 by the colony's former governor, Saint Domingue.

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North Signature Dish - Poul ak Nwa - Chicken with Cashews

What you will need to make Poul ak Nwa - Chicken with Cashews
:
• 6 Chicken pieces (Three thighs and three legs preferably)
• 1 tbsp. of Tomato Paste
• 1 Lime
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• 4 tbsp. parsley
• 4 tbsp. garlic
• 4 tbsp. thyme
• 4 tbsp. scallions
• Salt (to taste)
• 4 tbsp. onion powder
• 1 cup of cashews (raw)
• 2 tbsp. of Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp. of black pepper
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 large onion (red or white)
• 1 1/2 tbsp. chicken bouillon (optional)
• 1/4 tsp. of chopped hot pepper (optional)

What you should do:
1) Juice the lime and set juice aside.
2) Clean chicken pieces with the squeezed lime then rinse in cold water and use paper towel to pat the pieces dry.
3) Combine chicken and parsley, black pepper, garlic, thyme, onion powder, scallions, reserved lemon juice, salt and pepper, then marinate for two hours (preferably overnight).
4) In a heavy pot, add chicken and let stew on medium flame for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5) Boil cashews in a separate pot in water until cooked halfway. Drain and set water aside as well as cashews.
6) Empty pot of chicken and its juices, then add oil and tomato paste to the pot while stirring. Cook tomato paste for a few minutes and add chicken to be browned all around, stirring constantly to avoid sticking.
7) Add tomatoes, bouillon, onions and hot pepper. Cook for five minutes then stir in cashews, adding water from cashews as necessary.
8) Cook for a half hour or until chicken and cashews are cooked. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

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First North Administrative Complex Part of De-Centralization Initiative

President Michel Martelly's de-centralization initiative has taken a significant step forward with the opening of the First North Administrative Sociocultural Complex (FNASC) in Vaudreuil. All Department Directorates and local State agencies will be housed in the Complex. It is a big structure with room for more than 100 offices, a circular-tiered auditorium, and spacious meeting rooms. It contains structural accommodations for those with physical impairments including ramps and mobile staircase chairs.

Vandreuil Complex is part of a network of other such structures being built in Departments around the country. The government of Haiti (GOH) is administering the Complex project with help from the Technical Implementation Unit; Urban Rehabilitation Unit; and Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation. The Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) is providing the funding.

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Beautiful La Victoire Town In Haiti

La Victoire is located in Haiti's Nord Department at an altitude of 1417 above the level of the sea. In the Saint-Raphael Arrondissement, it is a municipality. It is inhabited by around 6421 people.

Getting To This Beautiful Destination
This is a mountainous region in Haiti. The town is beautifully surrounded by hills and steep valleys. Small rivers and streams flow at the bottom of these valleys. Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital was destroyed in the 2010 earthquake and people in significant numbers fled to La Victoire town taking a toll on its scarce resources.

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Ranquitte, a Tiny Community

Ranquitte is a rural village placed within the Saint-Rafaël Arrondissement, under the Nord Department. Located in the north-east sector of the island of Haiti, it has a population numbering about 24,000. Three districts comprise it: Bac-à-Soude, Cracaraille, and Bois-de-Lance.

Agricultural farming, the main economic force in the community, relies on coffee growing and small crops of lemons, limes, pineapples, and oranges. The under-production of coffee crop yields, lack of a paved road system, and on-going corruption activities have all ruined the coffee business there. When Ranquitte was first colonized, it had a notable reputation as a center of coffee production.

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Saint-Rafael Gains Sovereignty from Dominican Republic

Saint-Rafael, a cityship within the Saint-Rafaël Arrondissement, is part of Nord Department. Established in 1761 by Viscount José Meléndez of San Rafaël de la Angostura, the town was originally named after his city, but later shortened to Saint-Raphaël. By 1783, about 1,000 residents populated Saint-Rafaël.

Until 1929, the Dominican Republic (DR) still laid claim to Saint-Rafaël. A treaty signed that year and revised in 1936 sought to reclaim Saint-Rafaël as the domain of its majority population. The revision indicated that residents, who comprised the dominant part of the population in a region, be granted sovereignty. As a result, the DR had to cede considerable land acreage.

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Dondon Cave History Intrigues

Dondon, situated within the Saint-Rafaël Arrondissement, is a third-level government division, part of Nord Department. Five rural villages make up Dondon: Bassin Caïman, Laguille, Brostage, Haut du Trou, and Matador. Estimates of the village's population range from 26,000 to 50,000.

Dondon is a farming village that produces coffee, cocoa, lemons, and sugar cane. The village infrastructure is weak, with no access to electric power and no paved roads. Very little auto traffic exists, the main modes of transportation horses and walking. No airport exists either, with the nearest located in Cap Haïtien.

The landscape of Dondon is striking, with mountain ranges, plains, and rivers bordering the village. From the ground floor looking up, an awe-inspiring sight greets the viewer. Colorful dwellings embedded in the mountainsides soar heavenwards, and stunning mountain-peak vistas succumb to plunging ravines everywhere in the village. And the villagers have heard rumors valuable mineral ore is hidden in the ridges burrowed into the mountainside.

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Plaine-du-Nord and Saint Jacques Fiesta

Haiti's Nord Department is in the northern most part of the country. It is where the small municipality of Plaine-du-Nord, often referred to as Plèn dinò in Creole, is located. It is considered an essential part of Haitian history and is one of the centres of the voodoo religion in the country.

Plaine-du-Nord is the historical site where the battle between Haiti's French colonizers and African slaves who worked in plantations began. This led to Haiti's independence from its colonizers and the freedom of slaves who became the very first official Haitians. The municipality is currently considered as the country's Pilgrimage Festival capital, which attracts thousands of worshippers and foreign visitors yearly. One of Plain-du-Nord's biggest, most important festivals is the Saint Jacques Fiesta, which is celebrated every 25th of July. It is then followed by the Saint Anne celebration a day after. Pilgrims usually stay for 15 days in the municipality during these festivities in order to offer food to the less fortunate, light candles, and donate money to the local churches.

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The town of Borgne known for simplicity

Haiti's Nord Department is the site of the most beautiful and breath-taking coastal cities and towns in the country. One of these is the small town of Borgne, known for its simplicity and its captivating beaches, as well as its thick flora and fauna. It is about 45 kilometres from the city of Cap-Haitien, the Nord Department's centre and capital.

Borgne, also referred to as Au Borgne, is home to about 60,000 Haitians that mainly rely on agriculture and fishery as their sources of income. The most common produce in the town are bananas, cocoa, coffee, and oranges. It has a library, a theatre, and a small hospitals sponsored by the Haitian government.

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Milot, home of Sans Souci Palace

One of the Nord Department's municipalities is one of the most popular sites in the northern area of Haiti. Milot is a leading tourist attraction of the country, housing several historical landmarks and sites and having a rich history.

Milot is 20 kilometres from Cap-Haitien, a popular coastal city in the northern part of Haiti. In the 1800s, it was proclaimed as the country's first site capital by King Henri Christophe. Under King Henri I's rule, the beautiful Sans-Souci Palace was constructed from 1810 to 1813. The construction also included the building of eight smaller palaces, fifteen chateaus, several forts and summer homes, as well as twenty plantations, all owned and managed by the then royal family. The Palace is the notorious site of King Henri I's suicide in 1820. In 1842, it was destroyed by a strong earthquake and was never rebuilt. Despite its rough shape, it remains one of the most enamouring sites to see in Haiti, resulting in its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982.

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