Vodouukman Research Paper

Dutty Boukman is undeniably one of the most important figures in Haitian history, but much like storied Haitian history, and the history of the Caribbean as a whole, most of the world knows nothing about him. He was a man of African descent that was born and enslaved in Jamaica. He was a self educated man by the Quran which many believe was the origin of his name, since men of the quran were called “men of the book” and Boukman is the french translation for “book man”. Despite his name, Boukman was historically known as perhaps the most famous Vodou houngan or priest in Caribbean history, and one that was the spark that created the Haitian revolution that resulted in Haiti becoming the first free black nation in the western hemisphere. Boukman was sent to Haiti after he was caught …show more content…
Boukman was inducted into the pantheon of Haitian loa, which are the sacred vodou spirits that those who practice the religion aim to serve through their rituals and belief. Additionally, the “Bookman” is one of the several devil masquerade characters that are performed during the Haitian carnival and is the inspiration for the political activist band Boukman Eksperyans in the 1970’s. What is interesting about Boukman is that despite his impact in Haitian lore, there is much debate to his background. While most historians agree that Boukman was a Jamaican slave that was self-taught his literacy by studying the quran, there are others who claim that he was actually not from Jamaica and that he may not have even been literate. Even more questions revolve around his name. His first name Dutty, is a derogatory term that is likened to dirty, making his name “dirty bookman”. It was said this first name was given to him by the French slave owners in an outward attempt to show their disdain for him and slander his character. Many argue that this was obviously not his actual name though his correct name is