Nan Bouk and Carrefour Poy Markets!

On Wednesday, July 18th, I went to two different markets, one in Nan Bouk and the other in Carrefour Poy.  For these two markets (and many others) Wednesdays and Saturdays are market days, so everyone brings their goods, produce, bread, charcoal, and clothing to market on those days to sell.  Cassy and Bettie went with me both to show me around and to keep me safe.  These markets are as crowded as Time Square in New York City - they get packed and are so crammed, so I definitely needed them to show me around, help me get around, and help me buy things.  They were the perfect escorts and friends to show me around - Cassy made sure she was my protector, and Bettie made sure that we shopped!  

We hopped on two motos, Bettie on one, and Cassy and I on the other.  Moto's are like taxis - Cassy called moto drivers who she knew and trusted and we hopped on!  Soon we arrived at the market in Nan Bouk, which is much smaller than the one in Carrefour Poy.  I had wanted to see these markets since Bennett first described them to me over a year ago.  At the Nan Bouk market, there is a large charcoal selling area.  Haiti's complete dependence on charcoal is a problem.  It devastates the environment by over harvesting the nation's forests, creating deforestation to a massive and dangerous degree.  Charcoal is used in most household cooking, in bakeries, sugar refineries, rum distilleries, etc. Charcoal is made by first cutting down trees and shrubs, sometimes even the roots, and then partially burning the material in covered pits.  Deforesting the land to the degree that has been done in Haiti is dangerous because when it rains, the rain has nowhere to absorb because there is nothing in it, like roots, trees, plants, to hold it in.  So, there are can be mudslides, flash floods, not to mention, poor farm land for planters.  The charcoal dust can also get into the lungs of the workers, causing major respiratory problems.  Witnessing the charcoal market was so sad and tragic.  I understand that people make their living off of this industry, but there really are no positive consequences of this market.  There are some negative health effects on the men and women who work with the charcoal, like respiratory and pulmonary problems.

While I was walking through the market, I heard, "Amanda, Amanda."  I turned around, and there was a smiling young woman, on her bike.  She knew me because she comes to take classes at Hope on a String.  I was so happy that she said hello!

We continued to walk through the market in Nan Bouk, seeing women and men selling their produce - displayed on the ground, or on a cloth on the ground.  If they were selling meat and fish, it was usually displayed on tables, rather than on the ground.

Coconuts, peppers, carrots, cabbage, melon, potato, garlic, green onion, pumpkin, oh my!

After we were done seeing Nan Bouk's market, we hopped in a Tap-Tap to Carrefour Poy, which was about a ten-minute drive.  This was my very first time in a tap-tap.  It cost each of us 5 Goudes, and there were about 16 people hitching a ride.  It was crowded.  About halfway to Carrefour Poy, we pulled over and the driver checked under the hood.  I thought, Oh my goodness.  I have seen tap-taps on the side of the road, broken-down before…  What if we are stuck here!?  But a few minutes later, we were on our way again.

The Carrefour Poy market was much larger, more crowded, and had more of everything.  First, we walked through the food section of the market – vegetables, grains, beans, meat, fish, greens, corn, canned goods.  We saw vendors walking through carrying goods to sell, vendors sitting in their areas with their goods displayed on the ground.  We saw motos being driven through the market’s narrow alley and walkways, goats and donkeys being led through, even tap-taps carrying people, goods, and goats!  I got some good pictures but I did not want to stick out like a sore thumb, so I tried to do my best to take photos quickly, and ask permission of people if they were in them.  Most people permitted me to take pictures of their stands, but many people refused. 

Carrefour Poy Market

Next, we walked through the clothing section of the market, which was really why Bettie and Cassy wanted to come to Carrefour Poy. :) People here sold new clothes and second-hand clothes, like jeans, skirts, dresses, shirts, shoes, underwear, and clothes for kids.  To try on clothes, people just try them on in the vendor’s stall.  They provide you with a large skirt to put on top of you, so you can change with some semblance of privacy.  After trying on many pairs of jeans, Bettie finally bought a pair, and Cassy bought a very pretty dress. 

Clothes being sold at Carrefour Poy market

Just walking around the market was eye opening.  I felt like I was “living” in Haiti, just making my weekly trip to the market, doing my shopping.  It was a great feeling.  I am very thankful for Bettie and Cassy because they took such great care of me, and I definitely would not have been able to go on my own! 

Cassy and Bettie