Lala, Lili, and Lila's Adventures in Rescueing Child Servant Tifani Restavek

Three adventurous and well-off Haitian girls, Lili, Lala, and Lila set out to rescue a servant girl named Tifani Restavèk from a mean neighbor family who mistreats her and makes her do all kinds of forced labor while their own children, especially KansonFè IronPants, tease her while watching her work her heart out in the stiffling Caribbean sun. These three girls go to private catholic schools in Port-au-Prince. Way before the quake that hit Haiti, the three girls devise a plan to start reading stories to Tifani while she stands by the fence. They want to teach her to read and write. In general, Restaveks (servant boys and girls whose parents can not take care of them and economically forced to let them go live with well-off city dwellers) do not expect to be treated well and go to school. Will these girls ever even get close to Tifani to tell her about their plans? A miracle would have to happen first. All of Tifani’s work is for nothing. Her only reward is more work and belittling. Tifani can not go to school or even take reading and writing lessons. Her supervisors, the Mesye and Madanm of the house would not let that happen. Then, on January 12, 2010, a 7.1 quake hit and destroyed Port-au-Prince and its nearby communities in less than 35 seconds. Lili, Lala and Lila’s mission changes. They set out to find and rescue Tifani from under the mountains of rubble. Will they ever find her alive? Is the quake the miracle that will make her supervisors, Mesye and Madanm KansonFè, set her free? Tifani may as well find her freedom right in the midst of the rubble that covers her frail body.




Note that Lila is on the cover of this story!


Find more childrens's stories and books in Haitian Creole at CreoleChildrensbooks.blogspot.com



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Fèt Ayisyen – Haitian Celebrations and Holidays

How do you say this in Creole?  Ki jan ou di sa an Kreyòl ?

Happy New Year ! – Bòn Ane !

Happy birthday to you!  Bòn fèt!

I wish you a happy birthday – M swete ou bòn fèt

Haitian Creole Notes:  Nòt Kreyòl:  On New Year’s Day, it is appropriate to wish Haitian friends prosperity and longevity.  It is something you can get accustomed to.  Here is what you will say:

Prosperity and longevity to you and your family!  Pwosperite ak lonjevite pou tout fanmi ou!

Premye Janvye se yon jou espesyal pou tout Ayisyen.  Se jou sa-a yo manje soup joumou.  Se jou endepandans Ayisyen.  Poukisa se soup joumou?

Anvan Ayiti pran endepandans li, esklav Sen Domeng yo pa-t gen dwa manje oswa bwè soup joumou.  Kolon Fransè yo te konsidere soup joumou yon manje espesyal. Aprè Ayiti pran endepandans li an 1804, Desalin deklare tout Ayisyen gen dwa manje soup joumou. 

January 1st is a specialy day for all Haitians.  On this day, they consume squash soup.  It is Haitians’ independence day.  Why squash soup? 

Before Haiti became independent, the slaves of St. Domingue were not allowed to consume squash soup which was considered a delicacy by the French colonists.  After Haiti became independent in 1804, Dessalines declared that all Haitians can have squash soup.

Happy Easter – Bòn Fèt Pak!

Happy Valentine’s Day! – Bòn Fèt Sen Valanten!

Happy anniversary!  Bon Anivèsè!

Labor Day – Fèt Travayè / Fèt Travay

Memorial Day – Jou zansèt yo

Mother’s Day – Fèt Manman

Father’s Day – Fèt Papa

Good Friday – Vandredi Sen

Easter Sunday – Dimanch Pak

Thanksgiving – Jou Aksyondegras

Christmas – Nowèl

To be – Se and Ye

Se – to be

We use “se” to link a subject with a noun.  For example:  Jan se zanmi-m – John is my friend; Se chen Manno-a – It is Manno’s dog; Se kabrit Bòs Jak – It is master craftsman Jack’s goat.

Pyebwa sa-a se yon pye zaboka – This is an avocado tree

Fifi se yon bon doktè – Fifi is a good doctor

Li s-on bon moun – He/she is a good person (Note that se yon becomes s-on here in this sentence).  You can also omit “li” at the beginning of the sentence.  Just say: Se yon (S-on) bon moun.  This is to save time.  Liaisons or contractions exist to save time and build language speed in Kreyol. 

Ye – to be

We usually use “ye” at the end of a sentence.  It is exclusively used in that position.

Take a look at these two sentences:

Mwen se Kanadyen – I am Canadian

Se Kanadyen mwen ye – I am Canadian. (In the second sentence, the speaker wants to emphasize his /her nationality as if a special message needs to be conveyed and understood by the listener). 

Both sentences are correct.  Remember that “ye” is always used at the end of the sentence.  Make sure you do not confuse “ye” to be with “Yè” which stands for yesterday.

Examples – Egzanp:  Ki sa sa-a ye?  What is this/that ?

Ki Jan ou ye ?  How are you? 

Kòman nou ye?  How are you doing?

Notes: Nòt Kreyòl:  When followed by an adjective, the verb to be is not even mentioned or translated. Example:  Jan tris – John is sad; Mari malad – Mary is sick; Benito kontan – Benito is happy; Jansimon fache – Jansimon is mad; Jak pa kontan – Jack is not happy; Remon ankòlè – Raymond is in a bad mood

Exercices:  Practice making sentences using “Se” and “Ye.”