Konbit (also spelled coumbite) is a Haitian Creole term for a Creole word for co-operation.1 A Haitian traditional form of communal working group in a sociopolitical sense.2 Commonly used as an agricultural group,3 political action, community patrol, arts and dance groups. It is similar to barn raising in North America.4 A related type of communal work is a kóve.4
Etymology
The Spanish word "convite" is used in the Dominican Republic in a somewhat similar way.5 The word "convite" means invite, a board or "junta" in that context.6
Use
The term is used in the names of some Haitian and diaspora NGOs, and even of several Haitian political parties.
As a dance
| Native name | Haitian Creole: Koumbite |
|---|---|
| Genre | Haitian Vodou |
| Origin | Kingdom of Dahomey dokpwe |
| Related dances | Rada Rite (Zepaule, Nago, Mahi, Ibo) |
It can also refer to a style of Haitian music and dance associated with work parties,78 possibly being a form of influence on Rara music,9 and the sense of solidarity has also been compared to that of hip-hop culture.10
Kombit danses (Dance troupes) perform at all facets of events and festivals of society.
References
References
- Foley, Martha (March 1922). "Americanizing Haiti". The Liberator. 5 (3): 16.
- Jones, Bridget; Barratt, Harold; Hamner, Robert D. (December 1979). "Book Reviews". Caribbean Quarterly. 25 (4): 75. doi:10.1080/00086495.1979.11829309.
- Aubin, Eugène (1863). En Haïti; planteurs d'autrefois, nègres d'aujourd'hui. Paris : A. Colin. p. 132.
- 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.
- Kohrt, Brandon A.; Mendenhall, Emily (2016-07-01). Global Mental Health: Anthropological Perspectives. Routledge. p. 111. ISBN 978-1-315-42803-1.
- Domínguez, Iván; Dominguez, Ivan; Castillo, José; Tejeda, Dagoberto (1978). Almanaque folklórico dominicano (in Spanish). Editora Alfa y Omega. pp. 118–119.
- 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.
- Olsen, Dale; Sheehy, Daniel (2007-12-17). The Garland Handbook of Latin American Music. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-90007-6.
- Jong, Nanette de (2022-08-04). The Cambridge Companion to Caribbean Music. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-108-38641-8.
- 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.