You Say You Want a Revolution?

[bcholmes]

Two hundred and seventeen years ago, on August 14th, 1791, a ceremony took place in an area called Bwa Kayiman near what is now the city of Kapayisyen. Last year, a man in Kapayisyen told me that the reason that it was called Bwa Kayiman is that one of the key religious leaders of the ceremony (known as Dutty Boukman) was trained as an Imam, and the area of the woods where the ceremony took place was his home. Thus, it was the home (kay) of the Imam in the woods (bwa == bois). Bwa Kay Imam. I don't know how well-supported this claim is, but it's an interesting story. (On the other hand, The Louverture Project identifies Kayiman as an alligator-like animal).

Most accounts, though, tends to identify Boukman as a Houngan, and the ceremony is often viewed as the first Petwo ceremony in Haiti. In this ceremony, Ezili Danto is said to have possessed one of the celebrants, and encouraged the participants to take up arms against their French masters. A week later, the Haitian Revolution began and for twelve years, Haiti was in a constant state of conflict, ending with the Battle of Vertières on November 18th, 1813.

The Haitian Revolution became the most successful slave revolt in the western world. Haiti offered freedom to any slave who entered its borders. Haiti would later give Simón Bolivar soldiers and supplies on the condition that he abolish slavery.

The god who created the earth; who created the sun that gives us light.The god who holds up the ocean; who makes the thunder roar. Our God who has ears to hear. You who are hidden in the clouds; who watch us from where you are. You see all that the white has made us suffer. The white man's god asks him to commit crimes. But the god within us wants to do good. Our god, who is so good, so just, he orders us to revenge our wrongs. It's he who will direct our arms and bring us the victory. It's he who will assist us. We all should throw away the image of the white men's god who is so pitiless. Listen to the voice for liberty that sings in all our hearts.