'Dutty Boukman' a ''houngan'', or
vodoun priest, whose death is largely considered the start of the
Haïtian Revolution. In late August of 1791, Boukman conducted a ceremony at the
Bois Caïman and prophesied that
Jean François,
Biassou, and
Jeannot would be leaders of a slave revolt that would free the slaves of
Haïti.
Soon after the revolt began, Boukman was taken and beheaded by French authorities. The French then publicly displayed Boukman's head in an attempt to dispel the aura of invincibility that Boukman had cultivated. The attempt failed and Boukman was eventually admitted into the pantheon of
loa (vodun spirits).
External links
★ The Louverture Project:
Boukman
'Sources:'
For the circumstances of Boukman's death see:
'1.' Haïtian Bicentennial Committee
★
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