Call for Papers:
Georges Castera ‘Legacy,’
International Colloquium
on Haitian Poetry
in the Latin American and
Caribbean Context
A call for papers is out for participation in “Georges Castera ‘Legs’: La Poésie haïtienne dans le contexte Latino-Américain et Caribéen” [Georges Castera, “Legacy”: Haitian Poetry in its Latin American and Caribbean Context] is an International Colloquium that will explore Haitian poetic production in the context of the wider Caribbean and Latin America, while analyzing the special place that Georges Castera’s work occupies in this arena. Papers (20-minute talks) will be presented in French or Creole. The deadline for submissions is September 27, 2012.
This International Colloquium is sponsored by Fondation Culture Création (FCC), Université d’État d’Haïti (UEH), Université Quisqueya (UniQ), Institut Français Haïti (IFH), Fondation Connaissance et Liberté (FOKAL), Fondation Anne Marie Morisset (FAMM), Fondation Haïtienne de l’Enseignement Privé (FONHEP), and Les Ateliers Jérôme, Centre PEN Haïti.
Description: While poetry seems to be relegated to a secondary status in some places, in many countries of Latin America and the Caribbean it occupies a highly privileged space. In Haiti, is even referred to as a major genre, with an exceptionally robust production. From the point of view of genre in the Haitian literary stage, many authors have emerged a priori as poets before becoming novelists, short story writers, playwrights and essayists; others continue to maintain their relationship with poetry, while producing writings or works of art of a different nature and significance.
Contemporary Haitian poetry, both local and diasporic, evolves and is enthusiastically executed in the now dual official languages: French, which arcs in a broad cultural and literary memory, and Creole, which has affirmed itself, for nearly forty years, as a writing language, after endless struggles, research, and work conducted by linguists, educators, academics, and creators, including the poet Georges Castera, whose production in both languages has kept a steady pace in terms of his publications, which constitute an impressive corpus.
The Colloquium will bring to the fore, among other things, a complete Haitian literary heritage taking into account its modern scope, its gaps and coherences, its weaknesses and its levels of progress, its range and impact. It will also identify the rapport that poetry and authors have with neighboring cultural and geographical spheres, highlighting certain singularities and commonalties. Furthermore, it will explore a variety of complexities having to do with this poetic production.
Abstracts and submissions may be delivered (by September 27) to 21 rue Moise prolongée (between Magny and Metellus), HT6140, Pétion-Ville, Haiti. Submission or inquiries may also be sent to dir@fondationculturecreation.org or info@fondationculturecreation.org
[Many thanks to Nadève Ménard for bringing this item to our attention.]