This proverb could be literally translated: “After dance, drums are heavy."

Tanbou (drums) are one of the typical musical instruments in Haitian culture. Almost all the bands, either formal or informal, has at least one tanbou (drums) amount their instruments. And people like to organize dans (dances) once in a while and on special occasions.

Haitian drummers are used to playing a set of tanbou. - a big one that they call "manman tambou" (main drum), medium and little ones. The set gives a wonderful, powerful and strong rhythmic sound that makes listeners want to dance or even move their toes.

The idea of that proverb is that people have a lot of energy to set up the dance. After dancing, they are tired and do not really have strength to put away the set of tanbou that now looks heavy.

Haitians say this proverb when someone hosted a party and has to clean alone after, while others helped him/her set it up. Or when someone has to assume alone the consequences after a collective action.

This teaches us that there are consequences for any of our actions and most of the time, we have to face them alone even though we were not alone in them.