Haitian Vodou, called Sevis Gineh or "African Service", is the primary culture and religion of the approximately 7 million people of Haiti and the Haitian diaspora. It developed as a result of the transatlantic African slave trade. Many slaves were forcibly taken from Africa and France and sold to plantation owners in the country now known as Haiti. From 1721-30, French ships took 85,000 enslaved Africans to the plantations in the Americas and the Caribbean. In the 1730s, they carried more than 100,000. Altogether, about 1,250,000 enslaved Africans were taken by French ships. Even after France abolished the trade, 500 French ships continued slave trading illegally between 1818 and 1831.
The Revolt at Bois Caïman:
Literally meaning 'Alligator Woods', Bois Caiman was the site where on the night of August 13th, 1791 in the northern mountains of Haiti a ritual was performed that would lead to the downfall of French rule in Haiti. The Vodou ritual was lead by Hougan Boukman Dutty, a voodou priest, whose name came from his English nickname "Book Man" which he earned due to his ability to read. During the ritual, a lady by the name of Mambo Marinette, became possessed by the Iwa Erzulie Dantor (a Vodou goddess of love and the warrior mother). The slaves bonded with and made a pact with Iwa Erzulie Dantor to rise up together and defeat the French.
The following prayer has been attributed to Boukman at the vodou ceremony:
"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 speaks in all our hearts."
This ritual started a long battle for the independence of Haiti from France. It ended in November 1803 with the French defeat at the battle of Vertières. Haiti, as a result of this slave rebellion, became the first independent Black Republic country on January 1, 1804. It was also the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery.
The Revolt at Bois Caïman:
Literally meaning 'Alligator Woods', Bois Caiman was the site where on the night of August 13th, 1791 in the northern mountains of Haiti a ritual was performed that would lead to the downfall of French rule in Haiti. The Vodou ritual was lead by Hougan Boukman Dutty, a voodou priest, whose name came from his English nickname "Book Man" which he earned due to his ability to read. During the ritual, a lady by the name of Mambo Marinette, became possessed by the Iwa Erzulie Dantor (a Vodou goddess of love and the warrior mother). The slaves bonded with and made a pact with Iwa Erzulie Dantor to rise up together and defeat the French.
The following prayer has been attributed to Boukman at the vodou ceremony:
"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 speaks in all our hearts."
This ritual started a long battle for the independence of Haiti from France. It ended in November 1803 with the French defeat at the battle of Vertières. Haiti, as a result of this slave rebellion, became the first independent Black Republic country on January 1, 1804. It was also the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery.