Happy Jour des Aieux in Haiti

Today is Jour des Aieux or Ancestry Day in Haiti. This is a public holiday celebrated on January 2. This day is dedicated to remembering the founders of Haiti and those who gave their lives to the struggle of gaining their independence in the early 19th century.

Ancestry Day is celebrated with large parades in the capital city, as well as a military procession. The president takes this time to deliver speeches to the nation. Family and friends gather together and have a delicious feast. The feast and the foods are very important to this holiday. Some traditional foods eaten on this day include diri djon djon, a wild rice dish with black mushrooms, salad betrouj, a beet salad, and diri kole ak pwa, a rice and beans dish.

Here is a recipe for diri kole ak pwa!