Daniel Boukman’s Tricontinental Traces – Poetic Marronage and Cultural Activism
Tracées tricontinentales de Daniel Boukman – Marronnage poétique et militance culturelle
Revue « Archipélies » n° 22
Published on Thursday, October 30, 2025
Abstract
This issue of Archipélies aims to explore the different facets of Daniel Boukman’s contribution to Caribbean literature, Creolity, anti-colonial movements, and cultural disalienation, between three continents with emblematic historical resonances: the Caribbean (America), metropolitan France (Europe), and Algeria (Africa).
Announcement
Argument
This call for submissions is dedicated to a Martinican figure whose personal journey, intellectual development, and artistic output are undoubtedly among the most remarkable of his generation. Indeed, if the title evokes Daniel Boukman’s “tricontinental traces”, it is to refer to an exceptional poetic and political journey, situated both in the long memory (that of the Maroons inscribing the “traces” of their resistance deep in the hills) and in a relatively more recent temporality (that of the Third World struggle, echoing the famous “Tricontinental” which symbolically united the peoples of Africa, Asia, and Latin America in 1966 in Havana). This issue therefore aims to explore the different facets of Daniel Boukman’s contribution to Caribbean literature, Creolity, anti-colonial movements, and cultural disalienation, between three continents with emblematic historical resonances: the Caribbean (America), metropolitan France (Europe), and Algeria (Africa).
While it is true that Western colonial expansion largely enabled it to secure the material foundations for unprecedented economic development, we are well aware of the tragic consequences of this historical process. By subjecting vast swathes of the world to the violence of its laws and interests, by enslaving and exploiting millions of men, women, and children across the globe by all means possible, the West first dismantled entire societies, thereby giving rise to multiple forms of resistance. In this regard, there is no shortage of examples of exceptional figures who, throughout recent and more distant history, have embodied the spirit of revolt and patriotic resistance. In Africa, we naturally think of Emir Abdelkader, Samori Touré or, closer to home, Patrice Lumumba and Nelson Mandela. In the Caribbean, we remember, of course, the admirable epic of Toussaint Louverture.
But by embarking on its imperialist adventure, the West also brutally plunged what would become the “Third World” into the turmoil of modern history. It is clear that it was precisely through the experience of terror and suffering imposed by the West that the “miraculous weapons” (Césaire) of cultural resilience. We think here of emblematic figures such as W. E. B. Du Bois, Alioune Diop, Cheikh Anta Diop and Léopold Sédar Senghor. And how can we not mention Frantz Fanon? All of these figures are important – especially in the current global context – to pass on to younger generations. They represent a long line of rebels with shining examples to follow, such as Daniel Boukman.
For nearly seven decades, the work of Daniel Edmond Athanase Blérald, alias Daniel Boukman, born in 1936 in Fort-de-France, Martinique, has continually illustrated the many facets of an identity forged in the crucible of poetic resistance, political struggles, and cultural activism. This began with the adoption of a pen name inspired by the hero of the Bois Caïman uprising in Saint-Domingue in 1794.
Daniel Boukman perfectly embodies the figure of the fearless rebel (a figure dear to Césaire in Et les chiens se taisaient), resolutely opposed to all forms of repression. This is admirably demonstrated, particularly on the Algerian side, by his refusal to obey the draft order during the Algerian War and his decision to join the ranks of the National Liberation Army (ALN) in 1961. The legal consequences of this insubordination led him to settle permanently in Algeria, where he lived until 1981. This decisive period in Daniel Boukman’s personal biography – recounted in Du Morne-des-Esses au Djebel (2021), one of Raphaël Confiant’s last novels – coincides with the beginning of his exploration of playwriting. A dramaturgy which, as Alvina Ruprecht points out, “is the product of a set of textual and aesthetic strategies dependent on an ideological vision that is unambiguous. Without claiming to renew the form of political theatre, it is part of the trend of anti-colonial and nationalist discourse inspired by Fanon […]“. (”Stratégies d’une dramaturgie politique : le théâtre anticolonial de Daniel Boukman", L'Annuaire théâtral, Revue québécoise d'études théâtrales, 28/2000). Alongside cinema (which would become a lifelong passion for him), theatre became an essential vehicle for his poetic and political quest, insofar as it pushed him to develop new forms of expression. Alongside cinema (which would become a lifelong passion), theatre became an essential vehicle for his poetic and political quest, pushing him to develop new forms of socially engaged expression. Through his various plays, Daniel Boukman expressed his political positions, ideological aims, and ethical values.
Over the course of his years in exile in Algeria, he developed the core of a body of work marked by a total and uncompromising commitment to justice and freedom, but also by a constant call for political emancipation and ideological vigilance. The first example of this can be found in his Orphée nègre (1962) – the third and final text in the collection Chants pour hâter la mort du temps des Orphée ou Madinina île esclave – in the militant’s cry of revolt calling for a necessary awakening: “Alors camarades, le temps des Orphées est mort ! Nous voyons assez clair, maintenant, pour aller plus loin… Nous ne sommes pas seuls sur le chemin… La LIBERTÉ, c’est avant tout de vos mains qu’elle sortira, camarades ? “ In reality, this exhortation means above all the questioning of a certain ”Negritude”, incapable of moving beyond the stage of denunciation to that of a definitive break with the old order. As Jack Corzani notes in Littérature des Antilles-Guyane française (1978), Daniel Boukman therefore adopts a singular stance with regard to the “myth” of Negritude in the historical context of the evolution of this vast movement.
Similarly, when it comes to mythology, as noted by critic and academic Christina Oikonomopoulou (“La réception des mythes et du théâtre hellénique antique à la production dramaturgique de la Caraïbe insulaire francophone”, Parabasis, 17–18/1, 2023), while Daniel Boukman’s work may refer to the cultural universe of Greek classics and, more generally, to ancient theatre, it is clear that these references are reworked and reshaped to produce an artistic and political discourse that is once again highly unique within the French-speaking Caribbean. The same could undoubtedly be said about the influence of Brechtian theatre on his playwriting.
A similar critical distance can be seen in La Véridique histoire de Hourya, written in the mid-1960s during his stay in Algeria. In it, Daniel Boukman denounces the injustice done to Algerian women in independent Algeria, based on a recontextualization of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. For him, it is unacceptable that Algerian women should find themselves in a position of eternal submission, even though the revolution pushed them to join their brothers in the maquis to liberate their country from colonial rule. Another example is the play Et jusqu’à la dernière pulsation de nos veines (1976), in which he expresses his solidarity with the victims of the massacres in Jordan and Lebanon in August 1976 and, above all, bears witness to the fierce and unshakeable determination of the Palestinians to resist the terror and repression of the Zionist enemy.
In addition to his recent forays into sculpture (with his mas-kokos), Daniel Boukman’s artistic output includes more than forty publications and is characterised by its great diversity of genres. Indeed, it includes theatre, but also poetry, essays, textbooks, and a considerable number of stories (original, translated, or adapted). We note his preference for oral forms and, more generally, oral literature, as well as his distancing himself from the novel. These creative choices reveal a certain vision of “cultural activism” that deserves to be explored further, especially in light of his commitment to Creole.
Indeed, upon his return to Martinique in the late 1990s, Daniel Boukman developed a series of actions and initiatives aimed at promoting a genuine commitment to the linguistic issue in Martinique. His return also coincided with his involvement in GEREC alongside eminent defenders of Creole such as Jean Bernabé and Raphaël Confiant. This was a time when the recognition and normalisation of the Creole language were beginning to emerge in the Caribbean cultural landscape, reminiscent of the era when Daniel Boukman himself was reacquainting himself with his mother tongue. In an interview with Félix-Lambert Prudent, author of Anthologie de la nouvelle poésie créole (1984), Daniel Boukman explains, “I am learning to write in Creole.” His deep affection for Creole is illustrated by his passionate affirmation of the consubstantial links between language and literary expression: “Literature needs Creole; Creole needs literature,” he writes in the preface to his poetry collection Migannaj Mélanges (2005).
The illustration and defence of the Creole language thus became Boukman’s leitmotif and obsession, as he was aware of the risks of its confinement to oral tradition alone, or even of its extinction, which would be detrimental to the Caribbean people. For Boukman, Creole must follow the same path as French, which has acquired historical legitimacy as a language. His goal is not only to develop Creole literature, but also to work to ensure the conditions for a balanced relationship (and therefore a possible peaceful coexistence) between the two languages, thus following the perspective evoked by the eminent linguist Jean Bernabé, who advocated the end of the “duel” between French and Creole and the advent of a “duo of languages” (Jean Bernabé). To this end, the poet-playwright also devoted himself body and soul to a veritable “pedagogical vocation” that mobilised all kinds of media (radio broadcasts, conferences, contributions to the press, the Internet, etc.).
In conclusion, this issue appears to be both a useful and necessary project. Useful in order to better understand and appreciate the diversity and richness of Caribbean writing through an emblematic life journey and creative career, at the crossroads of at least three continents. Necessary given the current economic, political, ideological, and cultural context. A context in which the contradictions of a globalised world system, decidedly out of control, are exacerbated and where it is becoming more than urgent to listen to the voices of those who, like Daniel Boukman, are calling for a great political, ethical, and poetic “marronnage.”
Thematic areas
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Commitment and identity: exploring the forms of political and cultural engagement expressed and adopted by Daniel Boukman through his literary work, and how this work contributes to shaping a resilient and pluralistic Caribbean identity.
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Language and Creolity: analyse how Daniel Boukman “navigates” between languages (French and Creole), examining the diversity of interactions and how they inform us about his vision of Creolity and its expression through Caribbean arts.
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Theatrical writing: analyse Daniel Boukman’s plays from the point of view of both writing and dramaturgical choices, but also as expressions of various forms of resistance, protest, and cultural affirmation.
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Cultural dialogue and literary influences: study the interactions, intertextuality, forms of rewriting (translation, adaptation), and resonances between Caribbean references and influences from outside the Caribbean, both spatial and temporal (Algeria, ancient Greece), in the work, while highlighting the dialogue (whether constant or not) with Caribbean culture and other literary traditions.
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Language and transmission: highlighting Daniel Boukman’s contribution to preserving the Creole language through his children’s literature and his role in intergenerational cultural transmission.
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Art as a language of resistance: analyse the various artistic practices consistent with Daniel Boukman’s literary work and the links between these creations, such as mas-koko (coconut masks), and Creole. How is this traditional mask from Afro-Caribbean culture used in a context of cultural reappropriation and ideological marking?
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Postcolonial/decolonial perspectives: highlight how Daniel Boukman’s work reflects the dynamics of colonialism, resistance, and identity construction in the French-speaking Caribbean. Several avenues can be explored to highlight the elements that contribute to the creation of a baroque, magical realism, or utopian imaginary in his work.
Bibliographic references can be found on the following website: https://www.potomitan.info/bibliographie/boukman/
Coordinators
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Patricia Conflon (Université des Antilles – Pôle Martinique/CRILLASH)/MICELA (Maison InterCulturelle des Écrivains et des Littératures d’Américaraïbe)
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Mourad Yelles (INALCO / LACNAD – Langues et Cultures du Nord de l’Afrique et Diasporas – Paris)
Calendar and submission
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January 20, 2026: Authors submit abstracts (title and abstract of approximately 500 words) to the issue coordinators. Please include full contact details (including email address) and institutional affiliation.
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February 10, 2026: Authors notified of acceptance or rejection of their proposals
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April 14, 2026: Authors submit articles, which are forwarded to reviewers
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July 21, 2026: Deadline for reviewers to submit their feedback
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September 22, 2026: Return of articles corrected by authors.
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Week of November 30 to December 4, 2026: Proofreading by authors and coordinators to make final corrections.
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December 15, 2026: Publication of the issue.
Proposals, written in English and/or French, should be sent to: archipelies@univ-antilles.fr, p.conflongd@gmail.com and mourad_yelles@yahoo.fr.
Subjects
Date(s)
- Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Keywords
- Boukman, engagement, identité, littérature, poésie, théâtre, créolité, art, postcolonial, décolonial, Caraïbe
Contact(s)
- Mourad Yelles
courriel : mourad_yelles [at] yahoo [dot] fr - Patricia Conflon
courriel : p [dot] conflongd [at] gmail [dot] com - Archipélies Revue
courriel : archipelies [at] univ-antilles [dot] fr
Reference Urls
Information source
- Hélène Wachtel
courriel : helene [dot] wachtel [at] univ-antilles [dot] fr
License
This announcement is licensed under the terms of Creative Commons - Attribution 4.0 International - CC BY 4.0 .
To cite this announcement
Mourad Yelles, Patricia Conflon, « Daniel Boukman’s Tricontinental Traces – Poetic Marronage and Cultural Activism », Call for papers, Calenda, Published on Thursday, October 30, 2025, https://doi.org/10.58079/152jh
