The Académie Française, the exclusive and ancient institution tasked with safeguarding the French language, will welcome both its first Haitian and first Québécois member on Thursday in the form of novelist Dany Laferrière, reports FRANCE 24.
Born in Port-au-Prince, Haïti, in 1953, Laferrière moved to Canada in 1976 where he worked as a journalist before publishing his first novel, 'How to Make Love to a Negro Without Getting Tired', in 1985.
Laferrière, who has since authored close to 20 novels, was elected to Académie Française in December 2013 but will formally take up his seat at an inauguration ceremony at the institution’s Paris headquarters with the typical pomp.
In a nod to his roots, he will wear a suit by Montreal designer Jean-Claude Poitras, with a collar meant to resemble that worn by Haitian revolution leader Toussaint L’Ouverture.
On Tuesday, he was presented with his ceremonial sword, given to all new Académie members other than clergy, which was created by Haitian sculptor Patrick Vilaire.
Afterwards, Laferrière will officially become one of the “immortals”, the informal name given to the 40 members of the Académie Française, who are elected to the institution for life.
Founded by Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister to King Louis XIII, in 1635 the institution defines its role as “to give sure and certain rules to our language” and to ensure it is kept “pure” and “eloquent”.