A visit to Little Haiti can be a lively and entertaining experience. While it is definitely not one of the city’s toniest neighborhoods, whatever it lacks in BMWs and Prada bags is more than made up for by the rich cultural and historic panorama on display. As implied, most of the neighborhood’s residents are Haitian, and they maintain strong emotional and familial connections to their homeland. One thing you should do on a visit to Little Haiti is sample the fine Haitian Creole cooking available from a variety of cozy and authentic restaurants. The rich aromas and friendly demeanor of the people will draw you in, and if you happen to hear a lilting, pleasant speech that you are not able to understand, that’s Haitian Creole, a beautiful language with French roots.

The music of Little Haiti is another compelling reason to visit. You will have ample opportunity to hear the traditional compas and racine music. Racine is a traditional Haitian style of music, also sometimes called voodoo. Compas, on the other hand, represents a style that includes electrical instruments and became highly popular in Haiti as it developed in the ‘60s and ‘70s. You will also have the chance to learn about voodoo in Little Haiti. Unfortunately, most people have a stereotypical view of voodoo, and associate it with strange incantations and the sticking of pins into effigies as a way of cursing one’s enemies. The reality is that voodoo is a religion, officially sanctioned by the Haitian government and deeply rooted in the center of the Haiti’s social, political and cultural history.