Vodou Damballa, East Flatbush Brooklyn

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Vodou ceremony in East Flatbush apartment. People were wearing green in honor of Damballa that can also be represented by St. Patrick or Moses. The space was too small for live drummers. Many young kids that were born in the USA. The only time I could use available lights was when candles were lit

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Boïs Cayman - Haitian slave revolt anniversary - Prospect Park

22 images slideshow

http://picasaweb.google.com/stefpix/ProspectParkBoisCaManVodouCelebration120820081723/photo#s5233745261889961554

This Sunday August 10th some members of the Haitian diaspora in Flatbush
set a tent and a table with offering
by the pond near the Parkside and Ocean Aves entrance.
They were celebrating the anniversary of the Haitian revolution
that started between August 14/16 1791.

This festivity has been happening in prospect Park since 1990 with the
exception of last year.

Different people, priests and intellectuals
were talking in French and Creole about freedom and equality.

3 bands played at different times vodou and rara music.

home made food was sold

a french guy asked me for my email address so he could get some pictures.

the earlier rain made the event a bit smaller -
but everything went on until midnight or so.

from wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boukman

> Dutty Boukman was a houngan, or vodoun priest whose death was considered a catalyst to the slave uprising that marked the beginning of the Haïtian Revolution. Boukman was born in Jamaica.
> In late August of 1791, Boukman conducted a ceremony at the Bois Caïman and prophesied that the slaves Jean François, Biassou, and Jeannot would be leaders of a slave revolt that would free the slaves of Saint-Domingue.
> Soon after the uprising began, French authorities captured Boukman and executed him by beheading. The French then publicly displayed Boukman's head in an attempt to dispel the aura of invincibility that Boukman had cultivated. The attempt failed.
> Haitians honored Boukman by admitting him into the pantheon of loa (Vodou spirits).

pix - awesome color | cop car crash | block parties | rara marching band |

50 image slideshow

http://picasaweb.google.com/stefanog/AwesomecolorFlatbush/photo#s5228466328361282050

sometimes I shoot for local brooklyn papers for quick cash and bike exercise.
politicians / get togethers / news stuff.
-
during the summer block parties are the thing happening in brooklyn on sunny weekends -

i once attended a lecture by this photographer Bill Owens that made an amazing book called "suburbia"
from his newspaper work in the 70s
http://www.billowens.com/#a=0&at=0&mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=0&p=4

these assignments remind me of that book.
-----
this saturday my itinerary included ft greene , prospect heights, canarsie, flatbush.

the more you get closer to the ocean the nicer the streets look.
green blocks - neatly trimmed hedges, yards with flowers and plants.

middle class gatherings that are more about sharing food, sitting in the yards, letting the kids play in the street.

the parties closer to the heart of flatbush
where people live in apartment buildings on narrower blocks
the music is louder - people drink beer -
the street basketball is intense
and i can see some of these kids eventually playing in a pro team in a few years.

- it is a good training for me sometimes to try to make something look exciting even if it is bland -
but i need always to get some shots for myself - the papers have not so much use for close ups / details or pictures where people don't look happy / smiling/ having a good time.
but i am always drawn to the details of the faces -
something that would look good full page maybe.
--
an undercover police car was speeding and crashed into a red car driven by an older man.
red and green gas spilled on the street -
no one was really hurt -
it could have been worse.
a cop had a taser gun on his belt -
and a regular gun too.
quietly the NYPD started carrying these yellow plastic electric shock stun gun
meant to disable people but sometimes produced lethal consequence.

---
there is an old dutch cemetery and victorian houses off east 21st st / church ave / flatbush ave -
looks like somewhere in northern europe - somewhere a few centuries old

--

i quickly rode to the knitting factory to catch awesome color -
was tired -
had to drink a late night coffee
and the show was tight and loud
a pixieish girl backstage was wearing some home made earplugs that looked like some fashion accessory
--
stopped by prospect park
the rara bands playing as usual -
now it is easier to take photos
people are not so suspicious of me anymore -
so i can focus on getting new shots - just find different ways - perspectives - approaches.

--
[here is a clip i shot]
http://www.vimeo.com/1418684



--
bye
stefano