Caribbean Writers Honor Haitian-American Author, Edwige Danticat

BAIE-MAHAULT, Guadeloupe – Haitian-American author Edwige Danticat was honoured by fellow writers for her book “Create Dangerously” published by Editions Grasset.

The pan-Caribbean awards panel, convened at the third International Congress of Caribbean Writers held in French-speaking Guadeloupe earlier this month, awarded Danticat its literary prize.

Haitian-American author Edwige Danticat
The literary luminaries on the panel included Roger Toumson, President of the Association of Caribbean Writers, and Ernest Pépin both of Guadeloupe; Alexandre Alaric of Martinique, Elisabeth Wilson of Jamaica, Chiqui Vicioso of the Dominican Republic, Dominique Battraville of Haiti, and Emilio Jorge Rodriguez of Cuba.

According to Toumson, chair of the panel, “Create Dangerously” is an extraordinary book that confirms the quality of the novelist: “The art of the description, the narrative that she displays in her work provides a sublime report of her journey back to her native land that has suffered from a terrible earthquake, which has marked her deeply.”

She not only expresses her emotions and thoughts that she witnessed, he added, but she also questions her responsibilities as a writer and artist.

“At the same time, she has been able to describe the enigmatic beauty of Haitian paintings, which according to her, contain the secrets of a capacity to rebound in life, to resist misfortunes,” he observed.

Toumson added that Haitian literature makes an important contribution to the wealth of world heritage and provided hope to all people.

Special mentions were also extended to two authors for their work written in English and Spanish respectively: “Light Falling on Bamboo” by Lawrence Scott of Trinidad and Tobago, and “Nécropolis” by Santiago Gamboa of Colombia.

The Regional Council of Guadeloupe expressed gratitude to all participants and supporters of the congress which has become an important event on the region’s cultural calendar.