a940; Re: a938: Bwa Kayman: Muslim or Taino? (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Yacine Khelladi <yacine@yacine.net>


A book published by Alejo Carpetier in the 50's mentions Bookman as a
muslim slave from that came Jamaica (i don't remember if born in Africa
or there). Many of the early manieles/marroon communities/revolts in the
island (long before bookman and french presence) were leaded by
mandinguas (west african muslims). Haitian muslims claim since few years
that Bookman is a muslim that made one error, sacrifice a pig, that is
impure, instead of another animal... What ever Boa Kayman means, the
fact (real, mythic, symbolic, whatever) is that slaves, independent from
their original religion, gathered in a ritual and made a pact with their
God(s) for freedom, and that gave them strength and unity to win.

Y,