Anadie Azael in spectacular Haitian traditional dress
Nanchon is another way to say "nasyon" or nation, and refers to people of various ethnic groups and kingdoms of West Africa or Ginen. It is the people of these nanchon who created the new country of Haiti in 1804.
Nanchon Wangòl
In Ginen, the region south of the Kongo was inhabited by the Mbundu people who, during the early 1500’s, called their kingdom Ndongo.This small kingdom was ruled by Ngola Kiluanje from 1515 to 1556.During his reign, he enlarged the kingdom and called it after himself, Angola. His name was variably pronounced as Ngol, Ngolo or Ngola. This popular king of Angola, was also called Ngola Inene (Nennen) meaning the Great King.In Haiti the Creole word for king, wa, was added to Ngol or to Ngolo to becomeWangòl or Wangolo. >> Read More
Flag of Angola
Nanchon Kap Lawou Kanga
Kap Lawou Kanga is a name used in Haiti for people from Kap Lawou (Cap Lahou) of the Ivory Coast, once called the Grain Coast. This area of Ginen was inhabited by the Bawoule people who called enslaved people Kanga. As a result, throughout the Caribbean, all the people enslaved from that region were referred to as Kanga. Since 1787, Kap Lawou became known as Grand Lahou. Since the Haitian Revolution began shortly after the name change, the new name never became common in Haiti. In Haitian literature, Kap Lawou is often spelled in French as Caplaou but by any spelling, it refers to the people of the Grain Coast. >> Read More
Flag of Ivory Coast
Nanchon Ibo
As Haiti continues to struggle to build a democracy, we poise to remember one root of our democracy. Although the word democracy is from Greece, the concept of democracy arose independently in other societies. It arose among the Ibo people of today’s Nigeria, where people’s right to have a voice in how they are ruled was respected. The ancient Ibo people of Nigeria had a democratic state. Unlike their neighbors, the Nago, the Guedevi, and the Mayi, who were ruled by a noble class, the Ibo people were not ruled by monarchs. They had no kings, nor queens. The Ibo people were their own authority. >> Read More
