'Mèsi Papa Desalin' (Thank you Father Desalin) is a famous poem by Felix Morrisseau-Leroy, written in 1979 -"Thank you Father Desalin", in the original Kreyol and translated in English. This poem in honoring Jean-Jacques Dessalines shows in which regard Dessalines is held until this day, over 200 years after his victory over the French army under Rochambeau (in 1803), which led to the proclamation of independence.
The poem also illustrates the difference between foreigners of european descent, who often highlight Dessalines killings of French colonialists, and Haitians and others of african descent for which Dessalines achievements in the fight for freedom from colonial oppression and the lasting impact on the African diaspora are dominant.
The contemporary view of Dessalines and his struggle for Haiti's independence, which this poem illustrates, gives a small glimpse of how large the events of 1804 and their protagonists loom in everyday Haitian life.
Kreyol Version
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Mèsi papa Desalin [1]
Papa Desalin, mèsi
Chak fwa m’ santi sa-m ye
M’ di mèsi, Desalin
Chak fwa m’ tande youn nèg koloni
Ki poko lib pale
M’di: Desalin, mèsi
Se mwen k’ konnen sa ou ye pou mwen
Mèsi, papa Desalin
Si m’ youn nonm
Se pou m’ di : mèsi, Desalin
Si m’ ouvè je-m gade
Se gras a ou, Desalin
Si m’ leve tèt mwen pou m’ mache
Se gras a ou, Desalin
Chak fwa m’ gade lòt nèg
M’ di mèsi, Desalin
Lè m’ wè sa k’ ap pase lòt kote
M’ di: mèsi, Desalin
Lè m’ tande kèk nèg parèy mwen pale
M’ di: mèsi, papa Desalin
Se mwen k’ konnen sa ou ye pou mwen
Towo Desalin
Desalin, san mwen
Desalin, de grenn je-m
Desalin, zantray mwen
Se mwen k’ konnen
Se pou tout nèg di:
Mèsi Desalin
Se ou k’ montre nou chimen nou
Mèsi Desalin
Se ou k’ limyè nou
Desalin
Se ou ki ban–n tè n’ ap pile a
Syèl ki sou tèt nou an
Pyebwa, larivyè
Lanmè, letan, se ou
Desalin, se ou k’ ban-n solèy
Ki ban-n lalin
Ou ki ban-n sè, frè-n
Manman, papa-n, pitit nou
Se ou ki fè-n youn jan youn mannyè
Nou pa kou tout nèg
Si m' gade tout mounn nan je
Se ou k’ ap gade yo, Desalin
Se ou ki ban-n dlo pou n’ bwè
Ou ki ban-n manje pou n’ manje
Mèsi, papa Desalin.
Epi, se ou ki ban-n kay pou n’rete
Ou ki ban-n kote pou n’ fè jaden
Se ou k’ montre-n chante
Ou k’ montre-n di: non
Yo di gan nèg ki di: wi,wi.
Gan nèg ki di: yèssè
Ou montre-n di: non
Desalin, montre tout nèg
Tout nèg sou latè di: non
Mèsi, papa Desalin
Gan nèg ki vle esplike:
“Tan jodi pa tan pase
E ke wi alèkile
La fraternité humaine
L’ humanité, la civilisation”
Tou sa, se franse
Mwen menm, se Desalin m’ konnen
M’ di: mèsi, papa-m
Se ou k’ fè-m
Manman-m se pitit ou
Tigason, tifi, se pitit ou tou
Mèsi, Desalin
Pitit-pitit mwen, se pitit ou
Wa Desalin, mèsi
M’ pa bezwen pale pou drapo a!
Pa bezwen pale pou Lakayè
Pou Gonayiv!
Yo di sa deja
E ki mounn k’ ap tande sa ankò?
Mès rekwiyèm 17 oktòb?
Ki mounn ki pral Katedral?
Diskou Minis?
Ki mounn k’ap koute sa?
Men, sa m’ di la a
Se youn sèl mo: mèsi
Mèsi Desalin papa-m
Gan mounn ki pa konnen
Fò m’ di yo
San ou nou pa ta la a
Mèsi, papa Desalin
Epi, fini ak Patè Nostè-w la a
Monseyè, Desalin pa mouri
Ase pale franse, Minis
Desalin pap janm mouri
Desalin la
Nèg sa a ta ka mouri!
Desalin nan kè-m
Lam-o-pye
Desalin ap veye
Youn jou Desalin va leve
Jou sa a, nou tout n’ a konnen
N’ a konnen si 1804
N’ a konnen si Lakayè
N’ a konnen si Lakrèt-a-Pyewo
N’ a konnen si Vètyè
Desalin te fè tou sa
Pou ti nèg ekri powèm
Pou Minis fè diskou
Pou pè chante Te Deoum
Pou Monseyè bay labsout
Desalin pa bezwen labsout
Tou sa Desalin fè bon
Youn jou Desalin va leve
W’ a tande nan tout lanmè Karayib
Y’ape rele kote-l
Desalin pran lèzam
Arete-l
Lè a, w’ a tande vwa-l kon loray
Tout nèg koupe tèt boule kay
W’ a tande nnan tout Lamerik
Y’ ape rele: rete-l
Vwa Desalin deja an radyo
Koupe tèt boule kay
Nan tout "Harlem" Desalin ap mete lòd
W’ a tande: bare Desalin
Jouk "Dakar"
Jouk "Johannesburg"
W’ a tande: kote Desalin pase?
Koupe tèt boule kay
Desalin pa bezwen labsout
Pa bezwen padon Bondye
Okontrè: Desalin se bra Bondye
Desalin, se jistis Bondye
Pa bezwen Patè Nostè Monseyè
Ni eskiz nèg yo vle mande blan a yo
Desalin pa bezwen
Pou tou sa l’ fè m’ di: papa Desalin, mèsi
Pou tou sa l’ pral fè
M’ di: mèsi, papa Desalin
[1] Tèks sa a ekri daprè òtograf lwa 18 sektanm 1979 la.
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English Version
Thank you Father Dessalines - translated by Marie-Hélène Destiné.
