Biography in English

Sèrgi Javaloyès is an Occitan author born in the Spanish quarter of Oran (Algeria). When he was ten years old, his family moved to Nay, Bearn, and he came into contact with the Occitan language. He starts writing in French, then in Spanish but finally chooses Occitan as his literary language.

He publishes his first poems in the 80s in different Occitan magazines ( Gai saber, País Gascons, Òc and finally, Reclams. He becomes known as a novelist in 1998 for L’òra de partir which is awarded the prestigious Prize Joan Bodon. Three years later he wins the renowned Pau Froment Prize for La Set [Thirst]. In 2002 he returns to poetry with Mar grana (music by Brice Martin) and En Espèra d’un aute temps where he pays tribute to the prominent writer Fèlix Castanh, and the following year he publishes Pasaia, a collection of short stories. In 2006 he is awarded the Jaufre Rudel Prize for Tangra & Tempèstas. Later on, in 2010, he writes Sorrom Borrom o lo suanei deu gave – ou le Rêve du gave, an Occitan/French poem dedicated to the river Gave de Pau, which inspired Joan-Frances Tisner to create a performance with the same title.

He has been copresident of the Confederation of the Calandretas, the Occitan medium schools, and is currently the Director of the Occitan Institute and the literary magazine Reclams. He is also a member of the Conseil économique, social et environnemental régional of Aquitany.

REFERENCES:

• http://revistaiman.es/2012/11/12/sergi-javaloyes/

• http://uoh.univ-montp3.fr/1000ans/?p=845

• http://seriealfa.com/alfa/alfa55/SJavaloyes.htm