Great Female Writers - Discovering Haiti: Edwidge Danticat
“Beloved Haiti, there is no place like you. I had to leave you before I could understand you.”
When thinking of Haiti, often people return to scenes of the 2012 earthquake: images plastered all over the news of a ruined palace in the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince. Its rich history and culture is often overlooked, despite the huge role that the country played in the fight against slavery and colonialism. Gaining independence in 1804, Haiti became the world’s first Black Republic, having overthrown the French. It is an island with an extraordinary history, and a people that - despite everything- have maintained their culture and traditions, such as oral story-telling and traditional dance.
It is thanks to these same traditions, however, that literature from Haiti itself can be hard to find, particularly in English. Much of the published literature is written in French, though, and makes for interesting reading for the budding Francophones amongst us. One recommendation would be Le Nègre Masqué by Stephen Alexis, which follows the romantic relations of a black Haitian with a white French woman. One Haitian author, however, does write in English; Edwidge Danticat. Born in Haiti, she later migrated with her family to New York, and her fiction addresses themes such as identity, race and gender. Her writing is beautiful, highly emotive, and depicts the life and thoughts of Haitians across multiple generations.
One of her first books, Krik? Krak?, is a collection of nine short stories, which independently follow the lives of different female protagonists. This collection illustrates the struggles faced by these women, both back home and afar, and examines the relationship each woman has with their homeland, their ancestors, and, ultimately, their own identities. What Danticat gives us in this book is an unfiltered insight into the complicated relationships that many Haitians have with their own history. Although fiction, Danticat does reference and include information about real historical events that have taken place and impacted Haiti and its people, giving ample opportunity for the reader to learn more about Haiti through their own avenues of research.
Another Danticat novel well worth a read is The Farming of Bones. It is written in first person narrative, following a young Haitian girl, Amabelle Desir, who lives in the neighbouring country of the Dominican Republic. The novel is set in the 1930s, during a time of great unrest between the two countries, which resulted in the 1937 Parsley Massacre. Again, the novel is set in a background of true historical events, and through the narrator we understand the charged racial history that exists between Haitians and Dominicans, which ultimately forces Amabelle to flee her home and return to Haiti. The Farming of Bones reveals the factual events that affected the lives of Haitians during this time, but also the emotional turmoil and aftermath which continues to impact Haitians to this day. Danticat incorporates themes not only of racism and prejudice within this novel, but also of the importance of remembering and the impact of loss.
Edwidge Danticat’s works extend far beyond these two novels, and always provide a fascinating insight into Haiti and the experience of its people. Her work, from fiction to memoir, includes something for everyone, making her an author to be read by all.
By Amy (The University of Edinburgh, MA Hons French and Spanish)