Koule Kafe Vol. 8

Depi Tanbou Frape, Tout Moun Leve Danse.
When the drum strikes, everyone gets up to dance.

The Haitian drum is more than an instrument. It’s a call to adventure.

It’s woven into our culture, our resistance, and our joy.

When I was a young boy, around 15 years old, I went to a football game in park called St. Therese. After the match, a Rara band was playing; a genre known for its deep and distinct drum rhythms that sync with your body. I remember following the sound and dancing. Then, I don’t remember much after that. Next thing I knew, I was in another city. So I had to rush home, because my mother never allowed us out past 8 PM. That’s the power of the Haitian drum.

Like a bell that carries energy across space, every beat carries your body and your soul to liberation.

In this issue, we invite you into the magic of the Haitian drum.

Goodies & Giggles

The Beat

RACINE MAPOU

When it comes to the drum, Azor was one of the most prolific and virtuosic of our generation. He was one of the initiators of the Racine Mapou band, which created a powerful mix of tanbou, soul, poetry, and personal power in their lyrics.

LISTEN HERE

Our Highlight

Medium Roast Haitian Coffee

RESPE | Roast Levels: Medium 

Respe means Respect in Haitian Creole.  

A medium roast Haitian blend that connects the foothills of Sierra de San Juan, Mexico to Haiti. A flavor combination highlighting the best of both beans, with notes of chocolate & slightly sweet lemon.

Respè celebrates a connection between Mexico and Haiti that began in 1816, when Mexican General Martin Javier Mina y Larrea traveled to Haiti to gain support for Mexico’s independence from Spain.

Grown by small farming communities in both countries, with small batch processing at every step, Respe has a smooth dark chocolate flavor with lemony sweet finish notes.