stefano giovannini’s journals

photos and stories from new york and elsewhere

Archive for the ‘haitian’ tag

Memorial weekend Haitian parade

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May 24, 2009
Nostrand ave, Brooklyn, NY

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Memorial weekend  Haitian parade down on Nostrand ave.

Starts later than expected.  some Rara bands play spontaneously on the sidewalk.

After 1 pm the floats start coming down Nostrand avenue.Many groups  from Latin America like Colombia and Nicaragua.Women from Bangladesh selling Haitian flagsCops from the 67th precinct were overseeing without ruining the party, just empting some alcohol containers and anyway the smell of weed smoke was all over. I got a plastic sports bottle from the Census truck and filled it with a 16 oz Coors.

At these parades people really lower their defences and differences. Many want to be photographed and ask me if they can get copies. Some even offer money. But if someone does not have email it is a lot of work to get the images printed / dropped off or mailed.

At the end of the parade n Avenue D/Newwkirk ave there was spontaneous dancing and music playing. Kids could pet donkeys and goats and adults could buy fried goat or pork from the food vendor a few feet down the street.

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May 25th, 2009 at 9:53 pm

Posted in brooklyn, flatbush

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Clams, blunts, shots, sugar. Memorial Day weekend’s saturday

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May 23, 2009
Brooklyn, NY

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Cort club block party on Gerritsen ave, somewhere in between the Sheepshead Bay and Canarsie areas. Mostly Irish-American people + some with Italian or Scandinavian last names.

Veterans flags, lots of beer, clams and grill.

I always choose the Hot Dog over the frozen burger. A dad in a white top got a plate of fresh clams with red sauce over the blue plate.

He probably had a few beers, that really helped me getting a good shot.

On Nostrand ave and Ave D check what time the Memorial day Haitian parade starts. Cop is putting “No Parking” signs up. He tells me 11 and that I will be OK without the press credential as the officers of the 67th pct know me.

A few feet away some are drinking shots and smoking a blunt. “It’s the Memorial day weekend” one of them tells me with a smile.

A car stops. the girls in the back are excited about their new baby sister

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May 23rd, 2009 at 6:14 pm

Haitian drum on Nostrand ave. Brother High rehearsal

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East Flatbush, Brooklyn, NY

April 25, 2009

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Busy weekend shooting events in Prospect park. back on the bike for a long ride. On Nostrand ave @ Clarendon I run into Toto. his friend goes and brings a drum imported from Haiti. It is made of cow skin. They talk about the cracks. People stop by to look at it.

Brother high practice in a basement a few blocks away. Young mothers bring their kids in the rehearsal room.

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May 6th, 2009 at 9:44 am