Abstract
This research engages in black feminist storytelling as a creative alternative to the ongoing erasure of Haitian history. We propose a reading of Edwige Danticat’s short story, “The Port-au-Prince Marriage Special” (2019) to argue the author uses creative writing to represent and critique neocolonial gendered dynamics in the Global South and Haiti in particular. Haiti has been castigated for its rejection of white supremacist settler colonialism. It has been “made an example” of the consequences of resistance by settler colonial powers throughout history. We show how Danticat allegorizes Haiti’s geopolitics and current issues through the character Melisande and her newfound HIV-positive status. International solidarity, as well as betrayal, are also represented in the narrative by a Canadian doctor who tricks Melisande and a Cuban doctor whose expertise cannot save her. Motherhood and intimacy are also complicated in this neocolonial context. We find that creative literature can represent Haiti’s history and politics, start discussions, and promote change. Moreover, creative literature resists Global North narratives and the marginalization of Haitian voices and history.
Presenters
Ana Claudia Sao BernardoAssistant Professor, African American and African Studies and Global Studies, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, Minnesota, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Vectors of Society and Culture
KEYWORDS
Haiti, History, Literature, Neocolonialism, Storytelling, Power, HIV, Geopolitics
