Black history Month Special:
Dutty Boukman
Black history month can be looked at as an opportunity to revisit our past to honor and revere the heroes and heroines who came before us. Not only does this create a sense of pride and purpose but celebrating our heritage can also inspire us to continue the spirit of courage and resilience that have been imperative in the fight for our survival. One hero of our past who fits into this category is a man by the name of Dutty Boukman. Born in Jamaica during the 1700, Boukman was self educated and rumored to be a practitioner of both the Voudou and Islamic religion. The name Dutty Boukman literally translate as ‘Dirty bookman’, this was said to be inspired by his tendency to carry a book which many believed was the Quran.
Boukman became notorious for inciting rebellions on the plantation and encouraging education and African spiritualism among fellow enslaved people of African descent in his birth land of Jamaica.
This eventually led to him being sent to Haiti by the French owners of the plantation he resided on.
Once in Haiti Boukman quickly went to work continuing to encourage rebellions and leading rituals under his moto ‘conquer or die’
His resilient and undeterred spirit of rebellion acted as a catalyst for the Haitian revolution which not only marked Haiti as the first successful nation to fight their way out of the brutal, harsh, inhuman system of transatlantic slavery but also inspired rebellions throughout the rest of the Caribbean, North and South America.
Despite Boukman being captured and beheaded during the infancy of the revolution which began in August 1791, his contributions and undeterred resilience have held him up in our story as being one of the pioneers in the fight for freedom as well as a inspiring hero of great respect and courage.
‘Boukmans Prayer’
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 avenge 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 man’s god who is so pitiless.
Listen to the voice for liberty that sings in all our hearts.
