"Gesner Saint-Cyr's Heritage"
Haiti the land of voodoo and mysteries
also home of the "loas" and our ancestor's spirits.
Voodoo the main pillar of Haitian culture
has been neglected, discriminated
and is not openly accepted by many Haitians
influenced by other countries
since before the independence and until today.
To them voodoo is evil.
Gesner Saint-Cyr came to Martissant in 1965.
He is known as "houngan", a voodoo priest.
He is widely known as such.
He was raised in Bel-Air.
When he decided to become a priest
Baron who is a spirit he works with
had just taken over Martissant
and wanted to have a temple there.
- He was not born a priest.
But his father was.
At 16 as the spirits were seriously disturbing him
as they wanted him
he did not feel it that way not seeing himself being possesed
being just a young quiet boy at the time.
It was not well accepted when a boy of that age
would present himself as a voodoo priest.
But the spirits were disturbing him, making him sick
to the point where he was even loosing his mind.
After some time his father and some of his father's friends
advised him about what to do.
Baron was the Master of his head.
Baron was the one disturbing him.
They had a meeting together
where he agreed to manage the spirits.
He had no other choice but to agree.
Gesner was living with an open heart to everyone.
Whatever your worry you come to Gesner and he helps you.
If someone is arrested and he thinks he can help he goes
at times putting his own money.
He did not came here to rule over anyone.
To him every person worthed the same.
After his death the street was renamed after him.
And if you ask someone about Gesner
he will always come up with positive thoughts.
- He was so gifted I would call him the perfect "houngan".
He had knowledge.
He did use that in the community.
He did treat the ill here in Martissant
thanks to that knowledge.
- He was compassionate.
Although when I was a kid I was afraid of him.
I would learn later that he just had his father's temper.
At first you might not even want to talk to him.
Some other voodoo priests would not like him
because he would not visit them
while they would regularly visit him.
He just did not like that.
- I remember an official from Miami
gave Gesner an award.
Her son was very sick.
She came to see Gesner.
Gesner cured the child.
On the award they wrote
"Baron Unlimited Inc"
Before joining the Society I used to hear that my Dad was evil
but that I would not see.
It was just rumors.
He was not evil.
I even went to his hometown and I never saw something wrong.
- When you're a "Ginen" you don't work with both hands.
You will live confortably as a "Ginen", you will eat daily.
Some want more.
After they become a priest
they want to be rich right away.
They go after the negative, the dark side of it.
They do get rich very quickly
but there are side effects.
-Sometimes people came to sell their son
to sell their dad to Gesner.
They would believe he was evil.
- When Ertha Trouillot was president there was this incident.
An uncle came to sell his nephew.
Gesner said he would buy the child
asking him to sit to discuss the price.
He called the police instead.
- The parents came to pick-up the child.
The story made headlines in the whole country.
Some even made songs telling the story.
- The song said: "Gesner is no evil"
"He has the power of Ginen to save children"
-"Daddy brought his child to be killed like en animal"
"Gesner closed the doors and asked for ropes"
"Baron started yelling for ropes"
"Gesner did not hurt. Houngan is not evil"
- My Dad was so good to me I couldn't stop crying when he died.
He was better to me than my real father.
I will never forget him.
- There's a rule in voodoo when a priest dies
the temple won't be closed for more than 3 months.
- Although I was not the first born I had to replace my dad.
I have 2 older sisters living abroad who were already initiated.
But the spirit did not choose them to manage the House.
- Gesner asked my mom in a dream to initiate Jacky.
- Dad died, I'm in charge and I'm proud.
I'm still very proud of it.
When he was alive I was not that interested.
Often I did not come to ceremonies.
But today I feel it was a mistake.
Today I have kids living abroad.
They weren't born here but I show them what voodoo and Haiti are.
I'm proud to be a priest.
Since they're not Haitians I tell them.
Just in case they have negative feelings about Haiti and voodoo.
I'm the only one able to tell them the truth.
So that they learn the culture without any negative feeling.
It's true that even in Haiti Haitians have bad feelings about voodoo.
Voodoo gathers everyone.
Some pick the worst
others pick the best out of it.
I don't really mind.
I don't mean to push my kids in one or other direction.
But they should not be afraid of saying that their dad is a priest.
- When you've been a good servant you'll become a spirit for sure.
My dad will become a spirit.