Welcome to CreoleBuildsHaiti, a Tribute to Pierre Vernet's Vision of Haiti's Linguistic Inclusion and Development

(Mr. Vernet is in the middle of the picture).

Since the passing of the dean of the Faculte de Linguistiques Appliquee in the January 12, 2010 quake, many of us, lovers and speakers of Creole have been wondering about how to expand his dreams and vision shared with us in one of the many classes he taught at the university of state (Universite d'Etat d'Haiti, UEH).

In a conference he paneled on October 22, 2009, late Pierre Vernet  pleaded for a linguistic politics in Haiti that would cross the sectors of education, health and agriculture.

Mr. Vernet quickly realized that a comprehensive linguistic political scheme requires means and tools. He added, "Creating a linguistic politics in Haiti is not about making good speeches. It requires means, tools, linguists, education, the production of dictionaries, books, and other documents written in Creole..." Mr. Vernet was known to encourage his students to engage in creative and critical thinking. He believed that the future of Haiti rests squarely on the role played by the new generation in the use, acceptance and promotion of the mother tongue.

Here is a creole textbook that may help meet one of his goals. Despite the pain associated with the passing of such a brilliant mind, we have to continue to create this future where Haitian students can learn in their primary, mother tongue, Creole. French will always remain dear to Haitians, but it can be taught just like English and Spanish are currently taught.

At least, that is how I remember him, standing in front of the classes, excitedly talking about various issues. Everybody wanted to be in his class. He was the repository of a fountain of knowledge.

I will never forget how he had a way of reaching out and motivating us, his students. Unfortunately, he died doing what he loved best. He died under the debris of the faculty among his students.

During the Oct. 22, 2009 conference, Mr. Vernet encouraged the production of Creole books and documents in order to promote the language. In elegant French, He said it this way as reported by a journalist who was in attendance, "Il invite les intellectuels, les jeunes et toute la société à augmenter la production (écrite et orale) en Créole parce que, dit-il, c’est le meilleur moyen de promouvoir le Créole et de lutter contre les ennemis et détracteurs de cette langue."

The organizers of the conference titled it, "Démarches nécessaires à l’application d’une politique linguistique en Haïti"