Overview:
From juggling machetes to putting fire in their mouths, relive Sikannou circus performers’ most dangerous moments from the first edition of the show in these images.
CAP-HAÏTIEN — Davideson Desamours, a circus performer sporting a bright yellow shirt, juggled three machetes in the middle of a circle of about 100 people with eyes fixated on him. Desamours threw the machetes from behind his back, then under his leg. Children and adults’ eyes opened wide as he performed at Place d’Armes in Cap-Haïtien on April 19.
Desamours later sat on one of the machetes and rested another one on the top of his head. At that point, the crowd applauded with intensity. That cheer was testament that World Circus Day certainly did not go unnoticed in Cap-Haïtien.
Bouyon Atizay (Art Soup), a group of college students, organized the show to celebrate World Circus Day, which fell on April 18. It was the first edition of Sikannou, creole for Our Circus, and it had the theme of “Life is a risk animated by fire.”
In addition to juggling machetes, performers juggled lit torches, blew fire, rode unicycles while carrying lit torches among other stunts. Relive the thrill of Circus Day in Cap-Haïtien in this series of images.
Ericson Germéus, a circus performer who also goes by Smoky G, inserted a string in his nose then pulled it from the inside of his mouth. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times
Davideson Desamours, a circus performer with 14 years of experience, juggling three machetes at Place d’Armes in Cap-Haïtien on April 19, 2026. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times
Ericson ‘Smoky G’ Germéus juggles while sitting on Davideson Desamours’s shoulders who is riding a unicycle. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times
Comedian Pè Antoine, Creole for Father Antoine, attempts to climb on top of the shoulders of Micken ‘Poet Funeste’ Jeanite to mimic the stunt. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times
Pè Antoine [left] and Micken Jeanite [right] stand next to each other during the end of the show. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times
A performer pretends to get burned after attempting to put a lit torch in his mouth. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times
Davideson Desamours carries a lit torch under his nose while holding two other ones. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times
Davideson Desamours putting fire from a torch in his mouth. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times
Pè Antoine raises his arm in the air. The comedian wore a gray dress shirt and came to the show with his pipe. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times
Poet Funeste also came to Bouyon Atizay’s first circus show in his Sunday best attire. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times
Davideson Desamours juggle three lit torches. Attendees watch him in awe. One man holds his phone up to record Desamours. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times
Ericson ‘Smoky G’ Germéus [left] juggles with Davideson Desamours [right]. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times
Davideson Desamours looks down as he holds three machetes. Attendees watch him in awe, some smile while others hold their phones up to record him. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times
Davideson Desamours smiles after his last performance during Sikannou at Place d’Armes in Cap-Haïtien on April 19, 2026. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times
Davideson Desamours holding a torch after lighting it up with gas. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times
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Email me at onz@haitiantimes.com
Onz Chery is a Haiti correspondent for The Haitian Times. Chery started his journalism career as a City College of New York student with The Campus. He later wrote for First Touch, local soccer leagues in New York and Elite Sports New York before joining The Haitian Times in 2019.
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