The best things to buy here are the local handicrafts, such as seed jewelry, straw hats and wooden carvings. Many of these items can be found in the Iron Market in Port-au-Prince, the biggest market in Haiti where you can barter.
A particularly precious product you could take home with you is a knife painting, an oil painting created using a palette knife, giving an intriguing texture that a typical brush would not allow. Most of these are recently created, but reflect images showing Haiti’s past culture as an enslaved nation.
If you are in the city of Cap-Haitien, there’s an Artisan’s Market closed to the beach. Aside from the handcrafted artwork, you can buy local produce, such as Rhum Barbancourt, which is made in a close-by factory. This unique rum is made from sugarcane juice rather of molasses, giving it a distinctive sweet aroma.
A good place to buy artwork is Ateliers Calalou, which has paintings and sculptures from local designers. Galerie Monnin in Port-au-Prince, a private gallery is another perfect place to go for paintings. Galerie Issa also has artwork on sale, including metal design from Croix des Bouquets.
Comite Artisanat Haitien is a craft cooperative that was established in 1972 to give stone sculptures, painted boxes and miniature models of the colorful local buses. If you are in Jacmel visit Moro, famous for producing Haiti’s papier-manche carnival masks which are created months before the annual festival.
When shopping in the local markets, feel free to bargain. If you want to get an idea of how much you should be paying, visit the state-run craft markets, which have steady rates. Shops here are mostly open from 8:00 a.m. to noon and from 2:00 p.m to 6:00 p.m on weekdays.
Most are closed at least once a week, usually on Sundays, but you will still find something open every day of the week. Carry your bag and go shop in the Haitians without any fear or fret, we've got your back covered at RocApply.
"I enjoy shopping and I found it affordable but some of the clothes are definitely not of the highest quality." - Hassan from Turkey
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