Haiti Tourism, Bassin Waka

This basin is found in the northern department between the communes of Borgne and Port-Margot. It is call Bassin Waka or Bassin des Guérisseurs (healing basin).

Why is it called Bassin des Guérisseurs? During pre-colombian times, the indians (Taínos) believed it has mystical and healing power when they were sick. Very often when they were sick, they would plunged in this basin and they would be healed. It is not only the indians that had this belief in their culture. Going back in history, during the time of the fight for independence, there was a troop that was coming from Port-de-Paix, the "country" of Mr. Hogarth, that was lead by Capois Lamort. Before entering Okap (Cap-Haïtien) for the last battle of the independence they made a stop here. They bathed, they did what they had to do, and head for Cap-Haïtien. During the battles, the wounded would come back to the basin with the belief if they washed their wound in it, they would be healed.

This myth might be ambiguous for some tourists, even Haitians, or foreigners; but if you go to Asia, you will find the same belief for the Ganges River where the asians believe that when they are sick, they can bathe in the Ganges River and they’ll be cured. Here, the indians (Taïnos) believed if we bathe in the water, we can also be cured. To this day there are some religious followers especially those of Vodou that uses this basin for different means, and mystically as well as the indians used to. So even if you found yourself in different part of the world, come to Haïti head towards the north to discover this basin. However it will be a better experience if you go through Belle Vue Tours and AGTour Nord d’Haïti.