« Lèm pati », a study on migration experiences and the desire of Haitians to leave the country.
The work will address the migratory imaginary in Haiti, in order to outline the discourses that circulate around this migration, which is partially governed by the representations made of it. The imaginary refers to the open, unstable and plural set of representations, interpretations and appreciations that members produce and circulate to appropriate reality and give meaning to it, in order to create their reality (GODELIER, 2020). The desire of Haitians to leave the country, expressed by the statement "lèm pati", is part of the imaginary of an open process of transformation of the world and living conditions. In this perspective, the research deals with the experience of Haitian migration, based on an analysis of the phrase "lè m pati" often used by Haitians who want to leave their country. What do these terms mean? What are the underlying hopes and what are the concrete possibilities of achieving them? How do family configurations change after these departures, in terms of gender, socioeconomic status, social relationships or closeness? How does the history of migration in Haiti and the existence of Haitian diasporas abroad influence this way of thinking and experiencing migration?
The objective is to transcribe and reflect on the experience of this expectation. Understand the expectation formulated from the expression "lè m pati", widely used in Haiti, and the experience it raises, in the sense of recognizing a social phenomenon in all its complexity. In addition to language and words, the imaginary can be transformed into social and material realities. Perceive and adapt to the world around us. Understanding what is meaningful for social actors requires an understanding of micro-events, gestures, discourses, plurality, significant difference and contradiction.