Konbit

Konbit (also spelled coumbite) is a Haitian Creole term for a traditional form of agricultural communal work, that has also taken on a broader sociopolitical meaning in Haiti similar to barn raising in North America.[1] A related type of communal work is a kóve.[1] The Spanish word "convite" is used in the Dominican Republic in a somewhat similar way.[2]

The term is used in the names of some Haitian and diaspora NGOs, and even of several Haitian political parties. It can also refer to a style of Haitian music and dance associated with work parties,[3][4] possibly being a form of influence on Rara music,[5] and the sense of solidarity has also been compared to that of hip-hop culture.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b Smith, Jennie M. (2018-05-31). When the Hands Are Many: Community Organization and Social Change in Rural Haiti. Cornell University Press. pp. 83–88. ISBN 978-1-5017-1797-0.
  2. ^ Kohrt, Brandon A.; Mendenhall, Emily (2016-07-01). Global Mental Health: Anthropological Perspectives. Routledge. p. 111. ISBN 978-1-315-42803-1.
  3. ^ Daniel, Yvonne (2005). Dancing Wisdom: Embodied Knowledge in Haitian Vodou, Cuban Yoruba, and Bahian Candomblé. University of Illinois Press. p. 115. ISBN 978-0-252-07207-9.
  4. ^ Olsen, Dale; Sheehy, Daniel (2007-12-17). The Garland Handbook of Latin American Music. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-90007-6.
  5. ^ Jong, Nanette de (2022-08-04). The Cambridge Companion to Caribbean Music. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-108-38641-8.
  6. ^ Bérubé, Julie; Dioh, Marie-Laure; Cuyler, Antonio C. (2024-08-20). Accessibility, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Cultural Sector: Initiatives and Lessons Learned from Real-life Cases. Emerald Group Publishing. p. 43. ISBN 978-1-83753-036-6.