Born: December 31, 1956 (age 67), Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Language: French, Haitian Creole
Genres: Novels, poetry, song lyrics
Notable Awards: Prix Carbet de la Caraïbe et du Tout-Monde (2013)
Lyonel Trouillot is a prominent Haitian novelist, poet, journalist, and professor of French and Creole literature in Port-au-Prince. Writing in both French and Haitian Creole, he has gained recognition for his poetic and narrative style, which often addresses the political and social realities of Haiti.
Lyonel Trouillot was born into a family of lawyers. His siblings include the anthropologist and historian Michel-Rolph Trouillot, and two writers, Évelyne Trouillot and Jocelyne Trouillot. After his parents' divorce in the late 1960s, Trouillot moved to the United States with his mother but returned to Haiti at age 19, in 1975.
From 1980 to 1982, due to political repression in Haiti, Trouillot emigrated to Miami.
Initially studying law, Trouillot's passion for literature led him to pursue a career as a writer. He began his literary journey by contributing poetry and song lyrics to Haitian newspapers and collaborating with musicians such as Tambou Libète, Toto Bissainthe, and Manno Charlemagne.
Trouillot’s first novel, Les Fous de Saint-Antoine, was published in 1989 with a preface by his mentor René Philoctète. His second novel, Le Livre de Marie, followed in 1993, and in 1998, his work Rue des pas-perdus gained international recognition. The publication of Thérèse en mille morceaux in 2000 by Actes Sud brought him widespread acclaim.
His poetic writing, influenced by spiralism, resonated deeply with readers. In 2011, his novel La Belle Amour humaine made him a finalist for the prestigious Prix Goncourt, and in 2013, he won the Prix Carbet de la Caraïbe et du Tout-Monde for Parabole du failli.
In addition to his novels, Trouillot has contributed to various other projects. He co-founded the writers' organization Pré-Texte alongside his sister Évelyne Trouillot and her daughter Nadève Ménard. He co-wrote the script for Raoul Peck's film Murder in Pacot and is the editor of Cahiers du Vendredi. He also founded the Atelier Jeudi Soir, a creative space for writers in Haiti.
Known for his political activism, Trouillot has long been an advocate for democracy and social justice in Haiti. He was part of the intellectual movement that opposed the Duvalier dictatorship and supported the ousting of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. During the transitional government of Gerard Latortue (2004-2006), Trouillot served as Minister of Culture.
His political views are reflected in his literary works, such as the novel Bicentenaire, which gives voice to the marginalized. In 2016, he publicly criticized the growing influence of Evangelical Christianity in Haiti during an interview for the release of his novel Kannjawou.
Trouillot is also a founding member of the Rasanbleman pou Diyite Ayiti (RADI), an organization that denounces acts of violence and inequality in Haiti.
Lyonel Trouillot continues to be a central figure in Haitian literature, blending political engagement with a profound sense of cultural identity. His work addresses the complexities of Haiti's history and its ongoing struggles for justice and democracy.
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