Panama m Tonbe
Someone's hat falling off was a bad omen in Haiti.
Louis Mondestin Florvil Hyppolite (1828 - 1896) was the Haitian President from October 9, 1889 to March 24, 1896.
On March 24, 1896, Hyppolite, was going to go to the city of Jacmel on horseback with the intention of putting down an uprising. He suffered a heart attack before getting there.
A legend grew around the event that Hyppolite's hat fell off when he was mounting his horse. According to the custom at the time, he should have heeded the bad omen of his hat falling off and changed his plan of going to Jacmel. Instead he suffered unfortunate consequences.
Here's the traditional version of the song "Panama m Tonbe" that was created around the legend of Hippolyte's hat…
Panama m Tonbe
My Hat Fell Off
Children's Song
Children's Song
(Haitian Creole)
(English)
Panama mwen tonbé
panama mwen tonbé
panama mwen tonbé
sa-ki-diyayé
ranmanse li pou mwen
Mwen soti la ville Jacmel
ma prale Lavale
an arivanm kafou Benè
panama mwen tonbé
My hat fell off,
My hat fell off,
My hat fell off,
Whoever is behind me,
Please pick it up for me.
I left the city of Jacmel
I went to La Vallée
When I got to the intersection at Bainet
My hat fell off!
Thanks!
