Born in 1948, Charlemagne grew up in the sprawling new suburb of Carrefour, to the south of the capital, where he was influenced as much by the songs of the peasants who moved into the area in search of a livelihood, as by his Catholic school choir. Raised by his aunt, he did not know who is father was until he turned 37.
The Jean-Claude Duvalier regime renewed the repression of political and cultural dissent in 1980, and Charlemagne was forced into exile. With the fall of the Duvaliers in 1986, he returned home, and was active in both political organising and the burgeoning roots or racines music scene. He formed a live group, Koral Konbit Kafou, which included drummers from a Voudou temple, and played concerts that provided a soundtrack for the popular mobilisation for political change in the late 1980s. Some of these songs can be heard on "Nou Nan Male ak Oganizasyon Mondyal", Kako Productions, 1988.
His support for the grassroots, popular movement frequently landed him in trouble with the Haitian military, and, after receiving death threats, he spent several years in semi-clandestinity. Charlemagne was a supporter of the Lavalas political movement of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide against whom the military launched a brutal coup d'état in September 1991. Charlemagne took refuge in the Argentine embassy and went into exile once again. During 1991-94, he played concerts in Miami, New York, and Montreal, where he rallied the expatriate Haitian communities in support of Haitian democracy. He released a recording, "La Fimen", Kako Productions, in 1994.
Following the United Nations intervention to restore the constitutional government in September 1994, Charlemagne returned to Haiti. In June 1995 he was elected mayor of the capital city, Port-au-Prince, defeating the incumbent, Evans Paul, but his term of office, which expired in early 1999, was beset with difficulties and controversy, and is not regarded as a success. His administrative responsibilities overshadowed his musical career, and one of his few public performances during that time was with the Haitian-American rap group, The Fugees, in Port-au-Prince in April 1997.
Charlemagne took up guitar and singing at the age of 16 and by 1968 formed a band named Les Remarquables. He later started a twoubadou band named Les Trouvères with Marco Jeanty. In the 1970s, he was part of the kilti libete or freedom culture movement that promoted popular culture, including acoustic, folk music.
As a singer, songwriter and political activist, Manno Charlemagne has been the vocal conscience of Haiti for over 30 years. A soulful yet brazen balladeer, he constantly challenged the status quo and used his acoustic guitar and tender baritone voice as weapons against brutal political regimes and the civilized indifference of the insulated upper-class. Charlemagne's writing drew on the twoubadou tradition, a guitar-based music that can trace its roots back both to the rural songs of the Haitian peasantry and to the Cuban influences brought back to Haiti by returning migrant sugar cane cutters in the early decades of the twentieth century.
The CD Les Inedits de Manno Charlemagne in Creole language is some of his most profound and provocative work. They are songs that for years were only performed in intimate settings, among close friends, and in front of those who were unafraid of how incendiary they could be. For to have performed them in public during the 1970s or 80s would have risked a great deal—arrest, harassment, and beyond.
With their cunning lyrics, they are the songs that the powers that be in Haiti did not want the Haitian people to hear. Intended to stir up resistance and bring about much-needed change in the country, they spoke the truth about corrupt governments and ruthless politicians, gave voice to the peasant class in Haiti, and captured the rawness and injustice of life in this country.
Although they sound like love songs to the non-Creole speaker, they are songs of protest aimed at the tools of oppression. And it is their unique juxtaposition of thorny words poured over gentle melodies that makes them so hauntingly beautiful.
Manno Charlemagne also appears in The Truth About Charlie, a movie by Jonathan Demme, one of his friends.
Senmitye
Manno Charlemagne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bawon mande w
Tout moun ki la yo èske se bondye ki touye yo?
Mwen fout mande w
Li rele l chante yo tout moun ki la yo
Èske se bondye ki touye yo?
Men se pa bondye ki touye yo
Vè di tètsi la touye yo
Se asasen ki touye yo
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
Se vè di tèt ki touye yo
Asasensi la ki touye yo
Senmitye plen moun o
Men se pa bondye ki touye yo
Senmitye plen moun o
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
Senmitye plen moun o
Men se pa bondye ki touye yo
Senmitye plen moun o
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
Asasen ki touye yo
Se vè di tèt ki touye yo
Asasen ki touye yo
Asasen ki touye yo
Se sa bawon di mwen
Konsa bawon pale mwen
Se asasen ki touye yo
Senmitye plen moun o
Men se pa bondye ki touye yo
Senmitye plen moun o
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
Senmitye plen moun o
Men se pa bondye ki touye yo
Senmitye plen moun o
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
Kretyen vivan ki touye yo
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
Asasensi la touye yo
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
Kretyen vivan touye yo
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
Ayida ayida o
Ayida ayida o
Ayida ayida o
Ayida ayida o
Ayida kote w pran tèt sa
Ayida tèt kot
Ayida kote w pran tèt sa
Ayida tel ki da
Ayida kote w pran tèt sa
Ayida tèt kot
Ayida kote w pran tèt sa
Ayida woy
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
Kretyen vivan ki touye yo
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
Vè di tètsi la touye yo
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
Kretyen vivan ki touye yo
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
Vè di tètsi la ki touye yo
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
Yo tire, yo tire, yo tire, yo tire, yo tire
Sou moun yo
Yo tire yo tire yo tire yo tire
Sou moun yo
Yo tire, yo tire, yo tire, yo tire, yo tire
Sou moun yo
Yo tire yo tire yo tire yo tire
Sou moun yo
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
Kretyen vivan ki touye yo
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
Vè di tètsi la ki touye yo
Se pa bondye, pa bondye, pa bondye
Vè di tèt, pa bondye
Kretyen vivan, vè di tèt
Vè di tèt, vè di tèt
Pa bondye
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
Kretyen vivan ki touye yo
Se vagabon ki touye yo
Vè di tètsi la ki touye yo
Vè di tètsi la ki touye yo
Asasen ki touye yo
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
Se vè di tèt ki touye yo
Vagabon ki touye yo
Asasen ki touye yo
The lyrics of Manno Charlemagne's song "Senmitye" express a powerful message about the violence and injustice present in society. The opening lines ask a poignant question: "Does God kill all the people who are here?" The lyrics then reveal that it is not God who kills, but rather the living Christians. It is the corrupt and violent actions of individuals, identified as assassins, who are responsible for the killings and the spreading of fear.
The repetition of the phrase "Senmitye plen moun o" throughout the song emphasizes the theme of violence and the loss of humanity. It is a cry against the senseless killing and a reminder that God is not to blame for these actions. The lyrics also highlight the role of the vè di tèt, which refers to individuals who invoke spirits to carry out harm.
The song shifts to mention Ayida, a voodoo spirit associated with justice and protection. The lyrics offer a plea to Ayida to intervene and put an end to the violence. The song concludes with a powerful repetition of the line "Se pa bondye ki touye yo" (It is not God who kills them), emphasizing the need to confront the reality that it is human beings who are responsible for the violence and injustice.
Overall, "Senmitye" brings attention to the social issues of violence and injustice, challenging the popular belief that God is the cause of suffering. It calls for accountability and a collective effort to address these problems.
Line by Line Meaning
Bawon mande w
Bawon is asking you
Bawon mande w
Bawon is asking you
Tout moun ki la yo èske se bondye ki touye yo?
Are all the people here killed by God?
Mwen fout mande w
I have to ask you
Li rele l chante yo tout moun ki la yo
He calls it singing, everyone here
Èske se bondye ki touye yo?
Is it God who killed them?
Men se pa bondye ki touye yo
But it's not God who killed them
Kretyen vivan ki touye yo
Living Christians who killed them
Vè di tètsi la touye yo
Witnesses say the land killed them
Se asasen ki touye yo
It's murderers who killed them
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
But it's not God who killed them
Se vè di tèt ki touye yo
It's the land saying its head who killed them
Asasensi la ki touye yo
The assassins who killed them
Senmitye plen moun o
Enmity fills people, oh
Men se pa bondye ki touye yo
But it's not God who killed them
Senmitye plen moun o
Enmity fills people, oh
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
But it's not God who killed them
Senmitye plen moun o
Enmity fills people, oh
Men se pa bondye ki touye yo
But it's not God who killed them
Senmitye plen moun o
Enmity fills people, oh
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
But it's not God who killed them
Asasen ki touye yo
It's murderers who killed them
Se vè di tèt ki touye yo
It's the land saying its head who killed them
Asasen ki touye yo
It's murderers who killed them
Asasen ki touye yo
It's murderers who killed them
Se sa bawon di mwen
That's what Bawon told me
Konsa bawon pale mwen
That's how Bawon spoke to me
Se asasen ki touye yo
It's murderers who killed them
Senmitye plen moun o
Enmity fills people, oh
Men se pa bondye ki touye yo
But it's not God who killed them
Senmitye plen moun o
Enmity fills people, oh
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
But it's not God who killed them
Senmitye plen moun o
Enmity fills people, oh
Men se pa bondye ki touye yo
But it's not God who killed them
Senmitye plen moun o
Enmity fills people, oh
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
But it's not God who killed them
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
But it's not God who killed them
Kretyen vivan ki touye yo
Living Christians who killed them
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
But it's not God who killed them
Asasensi la touye yo
The assassins killed them
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
But it's not God who killed them
Kretyen vivan touye yo
Living Christians killed them
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
But it's not God who killed them
Ayida ayida o
Ayida ayida o
Ayida ayida o
Ayida ayida o
Ayida ayida o
Ayida ayida o
Ayida ayida o
Ayida ayida o
Ayida kote w pran tèt sa
Ayida, where did you take this head?
Ayida tèt kot
Ayida, the head is here
Ayida kote w pran tèt sa
Ayida, where did you take this head?
Ayida tel ki da
Ayida, you are so daring
Ayida kote w pran tèt sa
Ayida, where did you take this head?
Ayida tèt kot
Ayida, the head is here
Ayida kote w pran tèt sa
Ayida, where did you take this head?
Ayida woy
Ayida, wow
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
But it's not God who killed them
Kretyen vivan ki touye yo
Living Christians who killed them
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
But it's not God who killed them
Vè di tètsi la touye yo
Witnesses say the land killed them
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
But it's not God who killed them
Kretyen vivan ki touye yo
Living Christians who killed them
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
But it's not God who killed them
Vè di tètsi la ki touye yo
Witnesses say the land killed them
Yo tire, yo tire, yo tire, yo tire, yo tire
They shoot, they shoot, they shoot, they shoot, they shoot
Sou moun yo
On people
Yo tire yo tire yo tire yo tire
They shoot, they shoot, they shoot, they shoot
Sou moun yo
On people
Yo tire, yo tire, yo tire, yo tire, yo tire
They shoot, they shoot, they shoot, they shoot, they shoot
Sou moun yo
On people
Yo tire yo tire yo tire yo tire
They shoot, they shoot, they shoot, they shoot
Sou moun yo
On people
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
But it's not God who killed them
Kretyen vivan ki touye yo
Living Christians who killed them
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
But it's not God who killed them
Vè di tètsi la ki touye yo
Witnesses say the land killed them
Se pa bondye, pa bondye, pa bondye
It's not God, not God, not God
Vè di tèt, pa bondye
Witnesses say the head, not God
Kretyen vivan, vè di tèt
Living Christians, witnesses say the head
Vè di tèt, vè di tèt
Witnesses say the head, witnesses say the head
Pa bondye
Not God
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
But it's not God who killed them
Kretyen vivan ki touye yo
Living Christians who killed them
Se vagabon ki touye yo
It's vagabonds who killed them
Vè di tètsi la ki touye yo
Witnesses say the land killed them
Vè di tètsi la ki touye yo
Witnesses say the land killed them
Asasen ki touye yo
It's murderers who killed them
Se pa bondye ki touye yo
But it's not God who killed them
Se vè di tèt ki touye yo
It's the land saying its head who killed them
Vagabon ki touye yo
Vagabonds who killed them
Asasen ki touye yo
It's murderers who killed them
Contributed by Henry V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.