In memory of my dad, Gustave

Self-publication by Manѐs Pierre

A production of ourtimetomove

Copyright © by Manès Pierre

June 1, 2014

Cover design by CreateSpace, an Amazon.com Company

Cover photo © 2014 Gracia Richard Ligondé

Author photograph © 2014 by Gus Casséus

ISBN-13: 978-1502763273

ISBN-10: 1502763273

BISAC: Fiction/Short Stories

Printed by CreateSpace, an Amazon.com Company

Available from Amazon.com and other retail outlets

Available on Kindle and other book stores

Available from authorsden.com/manespierre

A novel for the 21st century reader

Professor Manes Pierre, Ph.D.

University of Phoenix

“As long as the general population is passive, apathetic, diverted to consumerism or hatred of the vulnerable, then, the powerful can do as they please, and those who survive will be left to contemplate the outcome.”

~ Noam Chomsky

To all the students and current decision makers throughout the world

The Clash of the Gods and Their Zombies

Table of Contents

Introduction 7

My Name is Doudou Lafleur 12

Haitian Mothers! The Tonton Macoutes Are Coming! 14

My First Awareness of False Cognates 18

The Child Slave 21

Cyrilien, the Cat Man 24

A Mexican Girl Named Tara 29

Bank Borlette 32

Zombification 36

October 1 39

Fanfan Left Haiti 43

Haitian Mythology 45

Haitianology 48

Don Muerte: god of death and destruction 58

Toussaint L’Ouverture: god of Liberty 62

Haitian Emperor Jean-Jacques Déssalines: god of Retribution 68

The Universal Opium 76

The Death of Common Sense 81

The God of Positive Attitude 85

The God of Negative Attitude 88

The Zombies of the Millennium 94

The Death of the Family Structure 103

Imperialism is Unsustainable 109

Violence Begets More Violence 111

Less is More 117

The Clash of the Gods and Their Zombies 119

Teachers, You Are the Hope of this World! 129

Teacher’s Section/Student’s Activities 133

Implementing the Common Core Curriculum 185

Special Glossary with Haitian Terms 186

Author’s Acknowledgments 200

About the Author 201

Introduction

The Clash of the Gods and Their Zombies is not intended to be a movie sequel, nor a rendition of the division of Perseus with the gods dividing the geographical space of the cosmos. I will not even mention Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades any more in this manuscript. I thought those of us who like to read classical mythologies, particularly Greek Mythology, will agree with me that The Clash of the Titans was a great piece of artistic and creative translation of the powers of the gods in Ancient Greece.

Societies have always thrived both financially and culturally through the use of myths. This book is designed to confirm that reality once for all, while empowering readers of all ages to make an accurate analysis of societal myths across the globe, while examining their own values and value systems as global citizens of the world. If you want to become well acquainted with world mythology, I suggest that you read the creative writings of Ninian Smart and Joseph Campbell. Both the former and the latter have done extensive analyses of the concept of faith and religion, knowledge and mythology, among other things.

Every society has its own mythology, fables, culture, history, and political brain washing, in order to maintain law and order. Therefore, I will share my perspective and the manifest need for the zombies from Haiti to free themselves from the wrath of poverty, political instability, fear, and every negative image associated with the existence of that country, while showing through each of the vignettes, or short stories how each of us, as global citizens can rid ourselves of the mental slavery that the gods of this world have bestowed upon us. Haitian Mythology is briefly explored to shift the connotation from Haitian zombies to other human beings being turned into zombies due to greed, insensibility, violence, and brain washing, among others. Max Beauvoir, who is a Haitian expert in mythology and voodooism, is far more resourceful in that regard. He is a well-known scholar in Haitian Voodooism and Haitian Mythology. What you should expect in this fictional text is my connotative interpretation of the word zombie, as it relates to humanity, and the world, God, as it relates to religion and mythology. The names of the characters have been changed, in order to protect their identity. Some of the historical renditions are an eye-opener, since the versions of Haiti being presented to the western world is, for the most part inaccurate. That kind of inaccuracy has made a zombie of you, if you truly believe that Haitians in Haiti have chosen to be occupied a hundred years later, after being the first free black republic in the western hemisphere, the second after the United States. This book will demystify that fallacy. Why should you read that book? The answer is simple. No other manuscript of this type is available in our market; this novel that is so unedited, so raw, and so authentic, that it is a perfect read for the 21st century reader. As an educator, I have observed, heard, and conversed with our young people from a wide spectrum both from Haiti and around the globe, I have been shocked to know that they feel that they do not have a voice, or a platform to be heard from, or be taken seriously. Many of them are turning to drugs, gangs, sex, and other forms of opium, in order to deal with their problems. This book is written with them in mind. Our young people will need to have critical thinking skills across the curriculum, in order to be effective, for technology alone is not sufficed to be an effective thinker in our world. Therefore, I recommend this book to all teenagers, or college students who are looking for a book that offers something truly substantive, the art of critical thinking through each of the vignettes, or short stories. If you are a decision maker, in terms of policy making, this book is yours as well. If you belong to the grand family of humanity, you should take some times to read, at least one of the vignettes. For teachers who wish to use this novel as a supplemental reading material in their English or Social Studies classes, I have built some educational activities at the end to help their students to retain the information shared in this manuscript. Let us connect! If you are a teacher, ask your students to discuss their views and write a reflection paper, or a response to the literature on each of the vignettes, or on the entire text, based on their reading level, or English class. For everybody else, I ask that you write to me, and share your feedback. I will be glad to read your thoughts. Enjoy!

Notes

My Name is Doudou Lafleur

My name is Doudou (pronounced “Doodoo”), which meant Beloved in Haitian Creole. Those who had their formative years in Haiti know me as the one who is well loved, liked, and popular. At least, that is how I am portrayed all over the island. I also had my share of dislikes. Kids who did not have the same opportunity looked at me as a spoiled brat: I am someone who does not have any sense of balance, and I do not understand the plight of the less fortunate. I saw myself as a self-starter, and an optimist. I was an entrepreneur just like my father was. I realized why my father was called, Papa Gustave ─ Father Gustave. He was not just a positive inspiration to me, but he was as well an inspiration to all people in the neighborhood, young and old. My real name was Wilbert. However, my parents have given me the nickname, Doudou which I decided to adopt as my common name. It carried with it a sense of self-love, safety, and family. By contrast, destitute children are often referred to as restavecs, when they are sold by their parents into slavery, or their parents had died and their extended families had been too poor to care for them. Usually, well-to-do families claim those destitute youths to work as slave children, a practice that is openly accepted across the island. In recent years, there has been a push to sensitize the Haitian society into changing that tradition, in order to elevate the nation to the world standard by providing a free public education to all children, as a member of the United Nations. Poor families are relieved to know that there is hope in the horizon with that wind of change sweeping Haiti.

Fanfan was a restavec, but he had something about him that my father respected. He wanted to work and earn his way with respect and dignity.

“Bonjou, Papa Gustave!” “Good morning, Father Gustave!” said Fanfan.

“Bonjou pitit mwen! “Good morning, my son!” father responded.

“I am prepared to sweep the floor and clean the table of your bingo hall. My parents died, when I was a toddler; I have been earning my way by being a porter at the local market. You can trust me to do a good job.” My father put his arm on his shoulder and said, “You got a job!” I had tears in my eyes seeing a young boy who was as young as I was living an existence of a slave. I did not think my father was doing anything wrong at the time, since it was the way young boys and girls in my country were treated as street orphans. During that time, the state of Haiti did not have an agency that provided social services to the most vulnerable of its society. More than 500,000 of such children still roam the street of Haiti today, looking for a way to survive.

Haitian Mothers! The Tonton Macoutes Are Coming!

That day was somber. Haitian mothers were so afraid for their sons and husbands that they were pulling anything from their wardrobe to tighten their waist. An entire community was silent, and one could hear a pin drop from many kilometers away. That day was so tragic, it can only be told via this poem:

Haitian Mothers! The Tonton Macoutes Are Coming!

“On our stomach!” They sighed in unison

The Black Cowboys are looking to silence

Our sons and husbands

Till Baby Doc has complete control

Manman Erzili! Papa Ogou!

Di ou mouri! Say you are dead!

“I am dead,” Dear Tonton Macoute

“You are still alive, you are still talking”

The massacre went on for hours

Dogs, cats, and even the roosters were not spared

An army of Tonton Macoutes dressed all in blue

Led by a female VSN, Madame Max Adolphe.