Folklore 201: The Tales Themselves
In this section of Lekòl nan Sesyon, we explore the actual “tales” in folklore. That ranges from origin stories, to riddles, to trickster tales, to cosmologies, and all the other oral storytelling traditions that continue to shape Haitian culture today.
How many Haitian folktales exist? The truth is: we do not know.
There are hundreds of documented stories, but likely thousands more that were never formally recorded and continue to evolve through oral transmission. Some storytelling traditions alone contain enormous variations. The tales of Bouki and Ti Malis, for example, have more than 300 recorded versions across Haiti.
Visit Folklore 202: Bouki & Malis Trickster →
Visit Folklore 203: The Magic Orange Tree →