Dreaming up a Cocktail fit for an Ex-President

The 'controversially' elected President of Haiti Michel Joseph Martelly, whose Presidency ended in Feb 2106, is raising eyebrows in Haiti again.

MJM in case you misssed his tenureship, as one of Haiti's best-known musicians (of a style of music called Compas) for over a decade, going by the stage name "Sweet Micky",will not least be remembered for his parting shot a 'controversial' food song!

Apparantly, his song fuels 'an unsupportive environment for women in the media' - according to Janelle Nodhturft Williams writing for the CIMA - ' PARTING WORDS FROM HAITI’S NOT-SO-SWEET MICKEY..' (read more - http://www.cima.ned.org/blog/women-in-media-haiti ) - blasting Martelly for using ‘his own flair of sexual aggression when responding to his female critics’ in his songs.

Martelly, in an apparently ‘unusual move’ by a then ‘sitting leader’ released a song entitled "Bal Bannann Nan" — Haitian Creole for "Give Them the Banana"

To make matters worse, the songs 'overt sexually suggestive lyrics' were aimed at one woman in particular.

One of Haiti’s most well-known Radio Journalists and longtime Human Rights Activist - Liliane Pierre-Paul, the first Haitian to win the International Women’s Media Foundation’s courage in Journalism Award in 1990 and an outspoken critic of Martelly.

The IWMF are a prestigeous organisation, responsible for much in the sphere of Women in Media 'Reshaping The Narrative' (read more - https://www.iwmf.org/programs/reshaping-the-narrative/ ) Indeed, Such was the outcry, that even the UK media commented - 'Haiti President Michel Martelly embroiled in sexism row' (read more... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-33801311.

Back in Haiti meanwhile, 'Ministers resigned in protest over the song', even as it was mostly dismissed as 'tasteless'. Some women saw the funny side and 'laughed' at the song lyrics but according to the country's media, the real outcry 'fell short - or was 'washed out by the political heaviness of the moment'.

Giving the world food for thought. (For more insight https://britishbooks.me/read/if-they-come-in-the-morning/)

But back to the said song 'Bannann'. According to the blurb, belonging to a genre of hiatian music stemming from the 1940's best described as 'a mix between jazz, blues, and African drumming', updated in the 1950's the new, popular style of music was called Kompamusic, coined by Haitian musicians Nemours Jean Baptiste and Weber Sicot. Its still a 'food song' though, which is all very well, but for me, it was a ....'Oh Oh'.. not another food song! And, at a risk of upsetting those who pen, sing and love 'food' songs, at best there a little bit iffy!

That said, there’s something to be said about the name 'Sweet Micky'; sounding more like a Cocktail - along the lines of the ‘Flaming Bob Marley' or the 'Che Guevara Cocktail' to name a few.

So, got together with the girls (my Cocktail Crew) and put on a record…some Fugees and an ips and a dips later, came up with, a brand new ‘cocktail. ...A‘Sweet Micky of course!

1 Oz White Tequila

0.5 Oz Grenadine Syrup

2 Oz fresh orange juice

To Garnish:

A Slice of Orange

A Cherry

Fill a Cocktail Glass with ice

Add 50ml white tequila.

Slowly pour in 90ml fresh orange juice Oh and - DO NOT STIR

Add 10ml grenadine (The grenadine should sink to the bottom of the glass)

Garnish with a slice of orange and a cherry.

To Haiti with Love. X

So what of the Ex-Haitian President in 2018?

Getting 'banned from carnival'? (Jan 2018) ?

That said, the former Presidnent has received the Foundation Award, a prize given to notable actors of Peace, Freedom and Democracy at the Crans Montana Forum, a get together of African Leaders to debate economic, social and environmental development.

Martelly said; “Haiti is Africa, we have Africa in our blood. We are Africa in our skin, in our culture,”

There's more; “We are the African diaspora, we are the children of Africa, so we belong to the world. In fact, we should already belong to the African Union.” (See - http://www.euronews.com/2018/03/20/african-leaders-debate-economic-social-and-environmental-development-at-crans)

A rousing Unity speech...The Jury's may be out for a while, but from me and the West London Crew, wishing you all the best x 'Sweet Micky'.

X

For Us Brits - London Cocktail Week isn't until October (2018). But there's plenty in the capital to practice and a Carnival besides; hello Compass Music may well make a splash this side of the pacific!

CHEERS!

LONDON COCKTAIL WEEK - https://www.designmynight.com/london/whats-on/london-cocktail-week

IT IS POSSIBLE that I have dreamed up a new Cocktail; so to apply for a utility patent for “any new and useful process, article of manufacture or composition of matter". According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), I googled around.

just saying, so If you have invented a completely new drink, in the cocktail department, especially one that relies on a new mixology technique or unique ingredients, it can be patented. This will protect your drink form being made by anyone else, even if the patent process is 'lengthy and expensive' and usually involves using a patent attorney, but it's doable. (Like becoming President)!

Happy Mixology days!

!Cheers!

Presidential cheers aside, if you've never heard of Haitian music well, here's a shout!

Nearly every genre of music exists on some level in Haiti. From rock to jazz and folk but they still have their own dominant forms that are especially significant to Haiti’s cultural framework.including, Compas perhaps Haiti’s best known musical genre.

A genre borne out of the French Meringue, that originated in Haiti in the 19th century and gained international prominence in the 1950s too, when Nemours Jean Baptiste became in an in-demand touring artist in the US and Europe. Compas then has also been extremely influential on other music genres in the Caribbean, such as in Martinique and Guadeloupe, and Dominica, where it evolved into zouk music. Compas has directly incorporated Western pop music elements into traditional compas, creating a more mainstream, radio-friendly style...(read more - .https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compas