The Population’s Bacchanalia

Some of Haiti’s most beloved musicians raised their voices to counter the antics of President Martelly and his associates. This chapter studies the carnival songs of two anti-establishment artists who captured the public’s imagination through their alternate approaches to political activism. The first is musician-comedian Matyas, around whom a protracted and preposterous storyline was constructed about his unlikely candidacy for the presidency, subsequent win, and the havoc he is able to bring about as a result of his high-powered fictitious position. Second, the roots-reggae group Brothers Posse released a consecutive series of acerbically critical music videos for each carnival during which Martelly was in office, before Brothers Posse’s lead Don Kato took his musical engagement to a literal conclusion and was elected to the Senate in 2015. As senator, Don Kato delivered a pointed warning in a carnival song about the PetroCaribe scandal, in which several billion dollars have gone missing.