Language has super powers: can destroy souls or build nations | Michel DeGraff | TEDxMIT Salon

Summary

Michel DeGraff discusses the suppression of Haitian Creole in Haiti, its historical context, and the importance of reclaiming native languages for cultural identity and education. He shares his journey and the MIT-Haiti Initiative's efforts to empower Haitian children through Kreyòl-based education, promoting deep learning and cultural pride.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The speaker emphasizes the importance of language in education, particularly for Black and Brown children in post-colonial societies, where being taught in a foreign language can lead to frustration and failure.
• 🏫 In Haiti, the speaker's childhood experience was marked by the exclusion and devaluation of Haitian Creole (Kreyòl), symbolized by signs in schools that promoted French and shamed students for speaking their native language.
• 🗺️ The historical context provided shows how language has been a tool of power and control, from Columbus renaming the island to the French colonization and the Haitian revolution, where a lingua franca (Kreyòl) played a crucial role in uniting diverse groups.
• 💼 The speaker discusses the economic and political implications of language, highlighting how Haiti was forced to pay a ransom to France for its independence, which included the value of enslaved Africans and contributed to Haiti's ongoing poverty.
• 📚 The speaker's personal journey to reclaim his native language, Kreyòl, is tied to his academic and professional work, including his time at MIT, where he focuses on linguistics and the power of Kreyòl in education.
• 💡 Two key epiphanies in the speaker's life were his realization that Kreyòl follows the same linguistic rules as other languages during his time at Bell Labs, and witnessing children learning in Kreyòl with joy and pride at a school in Haiti.
• 🌟 The MIT-Haiti Initiative, founded by the speaker, aims to use Kreyòl to unlock the potential of Haitian minds and replace the French-based education system that has failed many Haitian children.
• 📈 The initiative is based on three pillars: active learning, educational technology, and Kreyòl for instruction, all of which are supported by scientific evidence.
• 🌐 The speaker calls for restitution and reparations, the elimination of discrimination against Kreyòl, and the promotion of deep learning and cultural bridges to enrich humanity.
• 🎶 The speaker concludes with a jingle promoting the MIT-Ayiti.NET platform, which offers high-quality educational materials in Kreyòl, free of charge, to teachers and learners.

Q & A

What is the main issue discussed in the script regarding language education?

The script discusses the issue of language suppression and the negative impact of teaching in a foreign language, particularly in post-colonial countries like Haiti, where Haitian Creole is often devalued in favor of French.

How does the speaker describe the historical context of language in Haiti?

The speaker traces the historical context from Columbus renaming the island 'Hispaniola' in 1492, through the French colonization and the Haitian Revolution in 1804, highlighting the role of language in the formation of Haitian identity and the struggle for independence.

What was the significance of the Haitian Revolution in 1791 and its impact on language?

The Haitian Revolution in 1791 was significant as it led to Haiti becoming the first free Black nation in the Americas in 1804. The revolution also highlighted the power of language, particularly the emerging lingua franca that later became known as Haitian Creole, in uniting diverse linguistic groups against the French.

Why did Jean-Jacques Dessalines advocate for the use of Haitian Creole over French?

Jean-Jacques Dessalines advocated for the use of Haitian Creole as a means of nation-building and to assert the identity and sovereignty of Haiti, recognizing the power of language in shaping national consciousness.

What was the impact of the 150 million gold francs ransom on Haiti?

The 150 million gold francs ransom, which is equivalent to over $21 billion today, was a significant financial burden on Haiti. It was a form of reparation that France demanded for recognizing Haiti's independence, and it contributed to Haiti's economic struggles throughout the centuries.

How did the French Consul Gaspard-Théodore Mollien attempt to maintain French influence in Haiti?

Gaspard-Théodore Mollien aimed to maintain French influence in Haiti by deploying French teachers and priests, using language and education as tools to ensure Haiti's dependence on France.

What is the MIT-Haiti Initiative and what are its goals?

The MIT-Haiti Initiative is a program founded in 2010 by the speaker and Dr. Vijay Kumar of MIT Open Learning. Its goals are to use Haitian Creole to liberate Haitian minds from intellectual and cultural ransoms, improve access to quality education, and develop a model to replace the French-based system that has failed many Haitian children.

What are the three pillars of the improved education system developed by the MIT-Haiti Initiative?

The three pillars of the improved education system are active learning, educational technology, and the use of Haitian Creole for instruction.

What is the significance of the MIT-Ayiti.Net platform?

MIT-Ayiti.Net is an online platform launched by the speaker and Haynes Miller, aimed at co-creating and sharing high-quality educational materials in Haitian Creole for all subjects and levels. It is a key tool in promoting the use of Haitian Creole in education and empowering educators and learners.

What is the speaker's call to action for the future of Haitian education and language?

The speaker calls for restitution and reparations, elimination of discrimination against Haitian Creole, promotion of deep learning, and building bridges between languages and cultures to enrich humanity. He also emphasizes the importance of reclaiming the power of the Haitian Creole language for the liberation of the Haitian people.