Joe Trouillot: Cultural Influencer and Champion of the Haitian-Canadian community
Joe Trouillot’s career spanning more than sixty years, with more than 300 original songs in five languages, earned him the title of the Patriarch of Haitian music.
“…The community calls me the patriarch, and I represent and defend them.” Born in Port-au-Prince to a Haitian mother and Cuban father, singer and musician Joe Trouillot was one of the many who left Haiti under François Duvalier. He came to Montreal, and sang at Le Perchoir d’Haiti, an important cultural center for Haitian and Quebecois creators and intellectuals. He composed over 300 songs in five languages and was dubbed the ‘Patriarch of Haitian music’. This #HistoryWeek2023 learn about Joe Trouillot’s journey in his own words.
Credits:
Illustrator: Andre Barnwell
Produced by Sandbox Inc
Image – Joe Trouillot (Robert Mailloux, La Presse)