People

Maurice Alfrédo Sixto (May 23, 1919 – May 12, 1984)

Once upon a time, there was a man, a Haitian man, one of those men whom we would love to see live forever, but… nature has its own laws.

Once upon a time, there was a man, a Haitian man, one of those men whom we would love to see live forever, but… nature has its own laws.

In all of the greatest and unforgettable men, that our Dear Haiti knew, we are more than thrill to put in evidence, to give merit homage to one of our most prideful black man Maurice A. Sixto!

Why Maurice Sixto? Well, there are times in this lifetime where a nation has to turn to what it has produce the most valuable and get a breath of hope to know that all is not lost. At this point in time where Haiti like an abandon mother seems to ask herself:” But where are my sons”? Now that our Isle is being compared to a sinking boat, without captain aboard it is soothing and comforting to remember a man such as Mr. Sixto.

Who is Maurice Sixto?

Born in Gonaives, Haiti on May 23 1919, Maurice Sixto is the son of the engineer Alfredo Sixto and the grandson of Adolphe Sixto (born in St Thomas, Virgin Island). His mother Maria Bourand is the daughter of Alice De Vastey no other than the granddaughter of the Baron De Vastey.

Maurice Sixto went to elementary school in the Catholic school of Gonaives and went on to continue his High School in St Louis de Gonzague in Port-au-Prince. While taking the City Exam “Baccalaureat” one of the examiners Luc Grimard astonishes by his intelligence asks him this question:

“Where do you come from young man”?

Maurice answered proudly: “I am from Gonaives; I am the grandson of Alice de Vastey”.

Luc reply: “Underneath this combination I do see the baron.”

Maurice joins the Military to escape his father’s house because the later married a woman of Maurice’s age.

Unfortunately he didn’t stay but three months in the Academy.

From 1945-1948 Maurice studied at the Faculty of Law while he worked for radio HHBM later known as radio MBC. He was an English professor as well as a Literature professor in Haiti between 1938- 1961.

From 1945-1948 he was a guide touristic and a translator at the American Embassy in Haiti.

In December 28, 1950 the president Paul Eugene Magloire names him Speaker in the section of foreign languages (English) at the services of information press and propaganda to carry propaganda out of the country.

1948- 1960 he was the press agent at the Liberia Embassy in Haiti. He was the special agent of President Francois Duvalier for:

• a) 1958- Decoration of five modest Americans doctors in Chicago
• b) Decoration of the French, English, Latin professor in Chicago as well as the Social Science Professor in Kinshasa, Republic of Congo; lecturer on the pre-Columbians and Africans civilization in Philadelphia (USA).

It wasn’t until 1959 after having gotten from the Haitian Government the decoration of “Civil Order and Merit Toussaint Loverture” that Mr. Sixto worth was valued. During the same year, he was chosen to go decorated five well known American doctors and the major of Chicago M.Y Daley. Other distinction followed later on.

Ø 1976 “ the liberty ringing bell” was given to him by the major of Chicago Rizzo in honor of the celebration of the Bicentenary of the United States;

Ø 1976 he received the price of the “Best Teacher” in Kinshasa, Congo Republic;

Ø 1978 Best Fortune Teller of New York ;

Ø 1979 Best Speaker and Consultant of Philadelphia in the United States; During the same year he was invited to a dinner by Jackie Kennedy in order to amass funds to combat Leukemia.

Maurice owned the card “citizen of the world’ during many years until his death.

Let us not talk about his talented work! His eyesight started to fail him on the early age of 24. Yet his blindness did not take away from his ambiguity and his sagacity. With humble modesty we can say that Maurice is our Haitian Moliere. Having an extraordinary memory he interpreted different characters yet he did not repeat nor write his texts. He entered the studio and started playing all was in his head. Maurice interpreted real Haitian persona, all he did was change the names and talked about true stories.

During the years he spent in Africa, at night, leaning in the balcony, his thoughts would drift away in the darkness night of Africa and there, he would dream of his place of birth, Haiti. Since men are not allowed to cry he said, at night I would bury my head in my pillow and let the tears fall thinking of my sweet Haiti, ours, the most welcome place (his words). Ironically, Africa gave him (smiling) someone he valued most dearly, his wife Marie Therese Torchon. It is also in Africa that his mind was triggered by what would later on become his most prestigious work. It was after the lecture of the “Human Condition” by Andre Malraux. A sentence was caught by his attention “We have to fight and overcome the absurdity of life and we can only do so by creating”. Two days after, Lea Kokoye was created, followed by Ti Saintanise, Me Zabelbok ect. Each one of his work depict the needs of the particular time. He opens the eyes of the oppress ones and to the oppressor he cries “enough”. He addresses the elite as the forgotten people and his intervention will provoke reactions and plenty of tentative of interest for all. When Maurice interprets the reality it is not to ridicule rather to invite the ones being criticizes to regroup, examine their conscience and analyze their values and the social abuse.

Maurice was humoristic, loved to divert people and it is too sad that he is not one of us these days. Maurice Sixto is undoubtedly a pioneer of the thoughts for the better condition of life of unfortunate kids, kids in domesticity (Restavek).

His last wishes: No posthumous glory if not for the creation of school for young women in different parts of Haiti. The type of Technical schools, modern school overall” Lea Kokoye” schools.

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Source: Fondation Maurice Sixto , Wikipedia , Carl lafontant

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