Literal translation for this proverb would be “as soon as your head is not cut off, hope to wear a hat”

Whoever has visited Haiti and has had the opportunity to walk through the country knows the importance of wearing a hat. It’s very hard to bear the heat and the brightness of the sun during the day.

Haitian people, especially those in the countryside, like to wear "chapo," meaning "hat" to protect their "tèt"- meaning head - from the sunshine. The national one is made out of leaves that are weaved in a way to fit the head and sometimes, it fits the head and extends to the shoulders for the farmers and the "machann" - meaning "sellers" - in the open air’s markets. Chapo can also be used to complete the clothing. There are cheap and expensive ones, particularly the ones that are imported and made out of leather or fabric.

Haitian people use this proverb to give hope to the hopeless. It teaches perseverance even though the situation is tough, with no solution in sight. We always know that one day, things could turn around for our good if we keep on working toward what we want.

So any time you see that there’s no hope, remember that "toutotan tèt ou poko koupe, espere met chapo."