Marianne wrote asking about the melodies for the Haitian songs on Mama Lisa’s World:

Bonju!

My name is Marianne Kuiper Milks and I am a musician/music teacher (forever and ever…). I visit Haiti frequently and want to start a small music program (let it grow by itself :-) around Saint Marc, Gwo Jan and on Lagonave.

Could you help me with melodies? I want to put a booklet together from which they can learn to read music, and especially play. Starting with what they know is, of course, invaluable.

I LOVED reading the Kreyol, not in the least because I am so pleased to understand so much by now!

I hope you can give me some direction! If there is no such thing for children’s music, I can write it all down if someone sings or plays it, even over the phone.

There was another song kids sang for me on my first trip, but I don’t know the words – only the melody. It was beautiful – very… gently moving like the ocean breeze. It was something about ‘les visiteurs’. Obviously mostly French. To this day it sticks with me. It was in the minor key:

la do mi—mimi–fa-re-mi—-
la-do-mi—mimi–fa re mi—
ti titi re do ti la…….
ti–titi re do ti la–

Does that make any sense?

Mesi,

Marianne

If anyone can send recordings of any of our Haitian songs or if you’d like to sing any or play any for us in another way (we have a number you can call and leave a singing message), feel free to email me at lisa@mamalisa.com – if you can answer the question about the song above, please let us know in the comments below. We’d also love to learn more Haitian kids songs if you’d like to send any.

Thanks in advance!

Mama Lisa