Haïti Chérie

Lyrics

Ayiti cheri pi bon peyi pase ou nanpwenFòk mwen te kite w pou mwen te kapab konprann valè wFòk mwen te lese w pou m te kap apresye wPou m santi vrèman tout sa ou te ye pou mwenGen bon solèy bon rivyè e bon brevajAnba pyebwa ou toujou jwenn bon lonbrajGen bon ti van ki bannou bon ti frechèAyiti Toma se yon peyi ki mè chèLè w lan peyi blan ou gen yon vye frèt ki pa janm bonE tout lajounen ou oblije ap boule chabonOu pakab wè klè otan syèl-la andèyE pandan si mwa tout pyebwa pa genyen fèyLan peyi mwen gen solèy pou bay chalèDiran lane tout pyebwa ap bay lonbrajBon briz de mè toujou soufle sou nos plajAyiti Toma se yon peyi ki mè chèKon w lan peyi blan ou wè tout figi yon sèl koulèLanpwen milatrès bèl marabou, bèl grifonn kreyòlKi renmen bèl wòb bon poud e bon odèNi bèl jenn nègès ki konn di bon ti pawòlLan peyi mwen lè tout bèl moun si la yoSòti lan mès ou sòti lan sinemaSe pou gade se pou rete dyòl loloA la bon peyi se ti Dayiti Toma!Lè w lan peyi blan ou pa wè mango ni kòk di touLanpwen sapoti ni bèl kayimit vèt ou vyolètLanpwen zanana ni bèl ti pòm kajouKi ban nou bon nwa pou nou fè bon ti tablètOu jwenn zoranj ki soti an ItaliMen qui fennen qui toujou mwatye pouriAn Ayiti sa si bon se koupe dwètE sou se rapò nou bay tout peyi payètLè w lan peyi mwen kote ou pase tout lon chemenSe bonjou kompè e makomè e pitit la yo?Sa'n pa wè konsa manyen rentre ti brenPou'n bwa ti kichoy pou nou jwe de ti kout zo.Fin bay lan men se rentre lan gran paleSe politik se movèz sitiyasyonSa pou nou fè se pou nou pran li kou l yeMen bon Dye si bon la ban nou benediksyonLè w ou lan peyi blan ou pè promennen nwit tankou jouTout moun pè mache prese prese wa di se chen fouKote yo prale pouki yap kouri konsa?Yo pè pèdi tan yo pa janm di: kouman sa?Lan peyi mwen moun pa rete avèk lèGenyen libète ou gen tan pou pran frechèKote ou pase se bonjou se bay lan menMoun pa janm prese yo koze tout lon chemenLè w an Ayiti ou pa janm manke tan pou soufleSak pa fèt jodi ou kap fè li demen si ou vleKan demen rive kel bon ou kel pa bonSa pa fè anyen tout moun konn di bon dye bon.An Ayiti moun pa janm dezespereNou gen la fwa lan yon Dye ki pa janm mantiNap fè jodi kan demen pa asireA la bon peyi o mon Dye, se Ayiti!Haiti Chérie translates to(translation corrected by @growninhaiti):Haiti, my beloved, no other land is more beautiful than you.I had to leave you, in order to better understand how valuable you areI had to leave you, for me to appreciate youSo I could truly feel all that you were for meThere is sunshine, nice rivers and great drinksUnderneath the trees, you'll always find great shadeWhere you'll find a gentle breeze to keep you coolHaiti, is a country dear to meIn the white man's land, you're freezing and it's never goodAnd all day, you're forced to burn coalYou can't see clearly because the sky is always darkAnd for 6 months, all trees are without leavesIn my country, there is sunshine to provide heatAll year long, the trees continue to provide shadeA soft breeze always blowing on our beachesHaiti, is a country dear to meOnce in the white man's country, all faces are one colorThere is no variety such as our different shades of Kreyòl (Milatrès, Marabou, and Grifonn)That love beautiful dresses, powders and fine scentsNor black beauties that know the sweetest things to sayIn my country, when all of these beautiful people leave church, it's like going to the moviesyou have to see this, you would remain wide mouthed and open eyedWhat an amazing country Haiti is!When you're in the white man's country, you don't see mangoes or roosters anywhereNeither sapoti or beautiful green and purple star applesNeither pineapples or beautiful cashew applesthat give us great cashews to make delicious brittle withYou'll find oranges that came from ItalyBut that are passed ripe and half rottenIn Haiti, everything is finger licking good!And on that note, we're better then any other countryWhen you're in my country, wherever you go and along your path it's: "hello sir" "hello miss" "how are the kids?"without knowing, you're invited in for a drink and to play some games.Every handshake invites a conversationIts politics, it's a bad situationwhat we need to do is accept it how it isIf God is good, he will grant us salvationWhen you're in the white man's country, you're afraid to go out day or nightEveryone is walking so fast that you'd think they're crazy dogsWhere are they going? Why are they running?They in such a hurry that they never stop to ask how you're doingIn my country, people don't go by timeYou have the liberty to take your timeWherever you go, it's "hello" and friendly handshakesPeople are never in a rush, we chat along our pathWhen you're in Haiti, you always have enough time to whistlewhat doesn't get done today, can get done tomorrow if you wantIf tomorrow works, cool... If it doesn't... cool.It doesn't matter, everyone knows that God is goodIn Haiti, people are never desperatewe trust in a God that never liesWe'll do whatever we can today, because tomorrow is never certainWhat a great country, my God! It's Haiti!

Versions

Audrey Landers, is an American actress and singer who recorded a version in 1984.

Cornelia Schutt, known by her stage-name TiCorn, is a Haitian folk singer and songwriter recorded "Haiti Cherie in the 1960s.

Georges Moustaki, has long maintained "Haïti Chérie" in his Francophone repertoire.

Harry Belafonte, has recorded several versions of "Haïti Chérie" in English.

Nancy Ames, recorded a version in kreyôl ayisyenn in 1963 or 1964.