Eddy Toussaint Tontongi Papers, 1984-2022
Collection
Identifier: 034
Collection Overview
This collection contains journals, pamphlets, and books either written by or published by Eddy Toussaint Tontongi through Trilingual Press. The publications, which include poems, essays, and translations, are bilingual (English/Haitian Creole or French/Haitian Creole) or trilingual (English/French/Haitian Creole) and promote the Haitian Creole language or describe the Haitian Diaspora in the Boston area. The Trilingual Press publishes poetry, novels, essays, and translations.
Dates
- 1984-2022
Creator
- Toussaint, Eddy (Eddy Pierre) (Creator, Person)
Language of Materials
Multiple languages: English, French, Haitian Creole.
Access to Collection
This collection is open to research.
Conditions Governing Use
The material in this collection is subject to copyright and intellectual property restrictions. It is the responsibility of the researcher to understand and observe copyright law and to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyright. Researchers must obtain written permission from the copyright holder(s) if they wish to publish materials from this collection. Questions concerning copyright and permission to publish should be directed to the Cambridge Room, Cambridge Public Library Archives and Special Collections.
Biography
Eddy Pierre Toussaint (aka Tontongi) was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. After studying poetry in high school in Port-au-Prince in the 1960s, Toussaint moved to Paris in 1974 and later to Reims to study French literature and philosophy. He has lived in the United States, in the Cambridge area, since 1976. In the 1980s, Toussaint adopted the name his mother gave him as a baby - Tontongi (Uncle Guy or Uncle Gi) - as a pen name.
Poet, critic, essayist, Toussaint writes in Haitian Creole, French, and English. His books of poetry include Cri de Rêve: La Manifeste Poétique de la Poésie Exilée, The Dream of Being: Liberation Poetry, the epic poem, The Vodou Gods’ Joy / Rejwisans Lwa Yo (about his experience growing up in a Voodoo temple), and In the Beast’s Alley: Poems of Conscience. His essays include a study of the first Aristide presidency, La Présidence d’Aristide: Entre Le Défi l’Espoir.
Toussaint has published several newspapers and magazines related to the Haitian Diaspora in the Boston area, including Nouvelle Stratégie (first published in 1984), Haiti-Progrès, Haiti en Marche, Boston Haitian Reporter, Left Curve, and Tanbou. He has contributed to several anthologies, including Vodou: Visions and Voices of Haiti, Open Gate: Anthology of Haitian Creole Poetry (the first translated poetry book of Haitian Creole), Revolution/Revolisyon/ Révolution: An Artistic Commemoration of the Haitian Revolution, and Liberation Poetry: An Anthology, Poetica Agwe: Essays, Poems, and Testimonials on Resistance, Peace and the Ideal of Being.
Toussaint is the editor of the trilingual literary-political journal, Tanbou (available online at tanbou.com), and the founder of Trilingual Press based in Cambridge, Mass. Tanbou, founded in 1992, seeks to “embody a written, artistic expression of a consciousness that is trapped, mystified and oppressed but which still maintains the struggle against the domination of the absurd.” Works are published in English, French, or Haitian Creole without translations so that equal importance is placed on each language. The first issue was published in January 1994.
Trilingual Press was founded in 2003, as a collective, collaborative and non-commercial press, which advocates the concept of koumbit (helping hand) to help publish work of interest in Haitian Creole, French, English, and other world languages and literatures. In 2004,Trilingual Press published its first book: Love and Other Poems by Haitian Youths by Paul Germain. The Press features local poets, including Dumas F. Lafontant, who lives in Cambridge.
Poet, critic, essayist, Toussaint writes in Haitian Creole, French, and English. His books of poetry include Cri de Rêve: La Manifeste Poétique de la Poésie Exilée, The Dream of Being: Liberation Poetry, the epic poem, The Vodou Gods’ Joy / Rejwisans Lwa Yo (about his experience growing up in a Voodoo temple), and In the Beast’s Alley: Poems of Conscience. His essays include a study of the first Aristide presidency, La Présidence d’Aristide: Entre Le Défi l’Espoir.
Toussaint has published several newspapers and magazines related to the Haitian Diaspora in the Boston area, including Nouvelle Stratégie (first published in 1984), Haiti-Progrès, Haiti en Marche, Boston Haitian Reporter, Left Curve, and Tanbou. He has contributed to several anthologies, including Vodou: Visions and Voices of Haiti, Open Gate: Anthology of Haitian Creole Poetry (the first translated poetry book of Haitian Creole), Revolution/Revolisyon/ Révolution: An Artistic Commemoration of the Haitian Revolution, and Liberation Poetry: An Anthology, Poetica Agwe: Essays, Poems, and Testimonials on Resistance, Peace and the Ideal of Being.
Toussaint is the editor of the trilingual literary-political journal, Tanbou (available online at tanbou.com), and the founder of Trilingual Press based in Cambridge, Mass. Tanbou, founded in 1992, seeks to “embody a written, artistic expression of a consciousness that is trapped, mystified and oppressed but which still maintains the struggle against the domination of the absurd.” Works are published in English, French, or Haitian Creole without translations so that equal importance is placed on each language. The first issue was published in January 1994.
Trilingual Press was founded in 2003, as a collective, collaborative and non-commercial press, which advocates the concept of koumbit (helping hand) to help publish work of interest in Haitian Creole, French, English, and other world languages and literatures. In 2004,Trilingual Press published its first book: Love and Other Poems by Haitian Youths by Paul Germain. The Press features local poets, including Dumas F. Lafontant, who lives in Cambridge.
Extent
0.9 Linear Feet
1.1 Cubic Feet
2 boxes (One half Hollinger box and one oversize box)
49 Items
Organization of Collection
Material is arranged chronologically within each series.
Series 1: Journals, 1984-1996
Series 2: Pamphlets, 1986-1997
Series 3: Books, 2001-2014
Series 1: Journals, 1984-1996
Series 2: Pamphlets, 1986-1997
Series 3: Books, 2001-2014
Custodial History
Donated by Tontongi (aka Eddy Toussaint) in 2012. Addendums to collection in 2013, 2014, 2017, and 2022. See Related Accessions.
Processing Information
Processed by Alyssa Pacy in December, 2013 and converted to EAD by Lily Weitzman in July, 2016 under the supervision of Alyssa Pacy.
- Books
- Cambridge (Mass.)
- Essays
- Haiti -- History
- Haitian literature -- 20th century -- History and criticism
- Haitian poetry (French Creole) -- Translations into French
- Haitian poetry -- 20th Century
- Haitians -- United States
- Haitians -- United States -- Migrations
- Newsletters
- Pamphlets
- Poetry
- Protest literature
- Small Presses -- United States
- Tanbou
- Trilingual Press
Source
- Toussaint, Eddy (Eddy Pierre) (Donor, Person)
Creator
- Toussaint, Eddy (Eddy Pierre) (Creator, Person)
- Guy, Tonton (Creator, Person)
- Tontongi (Creator, Person)
- Title
- Finding Aid to the Eddy Toussaint Tontongi Papers, 1984-2014 034
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Alyssa Pacy in 2013 and Lily Weitman (EAD conversion in 2016) under the supervision of Alyssa Pacy.
- Date
- 30 December 2013 and July 2016
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the Cambridge Room, Cambridge Public Library Archives and Special Collections Repository
Contact:
Cambridge Public Library
449 Broadway
Cambridge MA 02138 USA
617-349-7757
apacy@cambridgema.gov
Cambridge Public Library
449 Broadway
Cambridge MA 02138 USA
617-349-7757
apacy@cambridgema.gov