There is much confusion when it comes to retracing the history of R_ara_. According to some, such as Harold Courlander, Moreau de St. Rémy and Jean-Baptiste Roumain, Rara traces back to Africa and was adopted in Haiti through slavery. However, according to others, Rara is a colonial heritage, given to the colonies as a recreational day. Jean Coulanges says Rara “comes from the times of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, where the Mayans had a day of pleasure dedicated to nature.”