Haitian Steel Drum Metal Art

Haitian Metal Art; a process of turning steel drums into unique, intricate works of art.

This art form was born in Haiti in the early 1950 by a simple blacksmith, Georges Liautaud. He repaired tools and created primitive metal crosses for the graves in the Croix-des-Bouquets cemetery. An American teacher encouraged him to expand his talent into the creation of decorative metal art pieces. A few highly gifted craftsmen apprenticed under him and the tradition has continued since.

Croix-des-Bouquets is still the center of Haitian Metal Art. When driving through the primitive streets, one can hear the "tink-clank-tink" coming from the homes of artisans.

Most artists purchase the used metal drums near the port in the capitol of Port au Prince. In order to turn a steel drum into a unique, intricate work of art, the barrel is stripped of its top and bottom, filled with dried banana or sugar cane leaves, and then burned for quite some time to remove the residue of the drum's former life.

Once done and cooled, the drum is sliced from top to bottom. By entering the cylinder and using body pressure it is opened and pounded into a perfectly flat surface. With a stick of chalk, the artist then draws the design onto the "metal canvas". With the use of hammer, chisel and other tools, the piece is cut, shaped and contoured to its completion. The final piece is coated with a protective finish and some of the products are hand painted in bright colors.

Steel Drum Art is a great and innovative concept of eco-friendly art. By supporting this art form and by introducing new designs and new market outlets, artisans are enabled to have a sustainable income in the poorest country of the American Hemisphere where unemployment is estimated at between 60% and 80%.

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What is Fair Trade ?

Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency, and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, disadvantaged producers and workers . (FINE, 1998)

In Fair Trade, artisans are being paid a fair price for their goods and receive up to 50 percent in cash advance when an order is placed and the balance when the order is shipped. A long-term relationship and continuity of orders is maintained so that the artisans can plan for the future.

Fair Trade ensures that the products offered are produced ethically and that quality and consistency meet the buyer's expectations. Fair Trade products keep cultures and traditional production techniques and materials alive by adjusting to modern and current trends.

Who started the Fair Trade Movement ?

Fair Trade traces its roots to 1946 when Edna Ruth Byler, a volunteer for Mennonite Central Committee visited a sewing class in Puerto Rico. She discovered the talent the women had for creating beautiful lace and the extraordinary poverty in which they lived despite their hard work. She began carrying these pieces back to the United states to sell and returning the money back to these groups directly.

The first US based Fair Trade shop opened in Pennsylvania in 1958 and in the late 1970s, US-and Canadian-based entrepreneurs who defined their businesses with the producers at heart began to meet regularly, exchange ideas, and network. This informal group would evolve into the Fair Trade Federation and formally incorporate in 1994.

In 1989, the World Fair Trade Organization was founded as a global network of committed fair trade organizations, aiming to improve the livelihoods of disadvantaged people through trade and to provide a forum for the exchange of information and ideas.

Since 2000, fair trade sales and consumer awareness have increased tremendously, as the range of fair trade products has also expanded.

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